Thread: Greetings all from the currently frozen South Dakota

Well I've been meaning to get into shaving with a straight razor for quite some time and just never did until now. I haven't started yet but I've got a new straight razor made by Dovo on the way so I should be started fairly soon. My first shave with a straight razor was while I was in the Marine Corps and I was coming off of leave and needed a haircut before I got to base. I stopped at some backwoods barber on my way to base and after I got my high-n-tight I needed a shave and got one. It was a touch unnerving when the barber shaved my neck but damn.....talk about one helluva clean shave. Been wanting to get into wet shaving ever since.

Welcome to the forum but be warned,... this is a very slippery slope

Don't expect that kind of a shave when you start. I would start slow, with small patches of your face. I would also make sure that your new razor is in fact,"Shave Ready" before you start. Enjoy the hobby and have lots of fun, I sure do!

By the way it's -20 Celsius up here in Alberta without taking into consideration wind chill.
translated would be around -4 F.

time for a hot tub

Welcome to SRP! My very first experience with a real straight razor also came from a one chair backwoods barber many years ago. Be sure to read the extremely helpful links for beginners and sign up for the monthly give-away for some more gear, you can find the thread in the beginners forum. Ask any questions you have as the gentlemen of this forum are always willing to help.

Greetings from the also frozen and covered in snow Minnesota!!

Hi and welcome. Check out the library for all the starter info. If your razor has the factory edge it is very unlikely it will be shave ready. If it needs honing send it to a pro for a true shave ready edge. Have you picked up a strop etc yet. If not these will be needed asap. Any questions feel free to ask. Good luck. Ed

Welcome from also frozen Colorado! As said above, start slow. Of course that will go by the wayside quickly and you'll snag your face a few times, go back to going slow, get confident, slice yourself again, go back - ad infinitum. But in the end you'll get the hang of it relatively quickly. It's a great way to shave and the restoration, buying, honing and all that you can get into is pretty satisfying as well.

My only serious advice; stay away from all the razors in the sticky here ( http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...azors_to_avoid ), follow the rules of SRP, make friends and ask questions, go slowly, and most importantly - enjoy yourself! We were ALL where you are at some point and someone helped us along so don't give up.

Mike

Welcome to the forum. You've found the right place to make your first shave as successful as possible. Good luck!

Welcome to SRP

Here is a list of guys. 7 are in South Dakota..

http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...sername&order=

If your ever in the Twin Cities be sure to come over and meet me and RodB.