Thread: New to the old way

I've perused the forum a few times over the past year, but never bought a razor. However, I received a very sweet looking Dovo as a gift today. I'm thrilled. Also got a boar bristle brush and some soap. Like any daily activity that turns into a hobby that turns into an obsession for so many, I'm sure there is more information available on here than I will ever need to soak up, but I'm glad to have access to it.

I'll begin with stickies and tutorials. I'm looking forward to finally getting a smooth shave.

I know I need to get a strop. Or multiple? Maybe oil? Good soap. Definitely a good way to store it all. Ultimately, I need to read before I get ahead of myself. If anyone can point me to the best basic threads that would be great. If not, I can dig and find them on my own. Either way, glad to be here and be part of the community!

Hello,
I'm a relative newcomer to "the old way" as you put it,been using a straight razor now for about three months and i have to say it has turned what used to be a chore into something of a pleasure.Good luck with your endeavours and try to make use of the many instructional videos you can find from this site.

G"Day and welcome to SRP.
You might like to edit your profile to let us know where you are in the world - you never know, there might be a member just around the corner.
Lovely looking razor too

Nice Dovo Imop. I have one just like it. It was my first cut-throat razor too. Welcome to the forum. All the information you should be checking out first can be found in the Library and the beginners 'read this first' section.


Mick

Hi and welcome. The search at thr top is great fot answering questions. Good luck. Ed.

Haven't had much time today to do any reading, but I wanted to check in and say thank you all for the warm welcome. I updated my profile to include my information as well as other info.

Information overload. Read through the entire beginners section in the library and then some other stuff too. Wow is there a lot to learn. Right away it feels it would be simpler to pay a barber for a shave than to learn and master all of this.

I'm a bit bothered to find out I have to find someone to hone my razor before I can start to learn. Oh well. I do however hope someone can point me in the direction of finding someone who does this service. I'd like to find someone local, but the odds of that are probably very slim, so where do I need to ship this thing off to?

Strops...is there a general "best" that I should start out with? Also, paddle would seemingly be more convenient for my living situation, but from what I have read they seem to be avoided other than for travel use. Unfortunately I don't have anywhere in my house peaceful enough to permanently affix a strop, so something rather flexible that I can attach in different places would be great. Also, I read a lot about pastes, creams, oils, etc related to strops or the process. Is there anything imperative that I need to know right off the bat?

Honing - I don't shave all that often. Usually once or twice a week. Assuming I learn the technique in a relatively normal amount of time, how often will I need to have my razor honed? Do I need to buy another razor so that I don't have any down time waiting for honing to be completed? Or is it worth it to invest in a couple razors and supplies to teach myself honing? I like to keep things as cheap as possible, but I also don't care to spend hours honing if it is going to yield better/faster results paying someone else for their expertise.

Soaps - I didn't know so much went into choosing the right soaps. Are there any top recommendations? Also, any vendors that sell? 2 of 3 links in the soap section are broken, and the one that works is the one that wasn't the best recommended. I received a boar bristle brush, cup and soap by Van Der Hagen, which according to a quick search seems to be okay for the cost, so in the beginning, I am assuming this will be okay to learn with?

Aftershave - I don't particularly enjoy scents. Most cologne/perfume/shampoo/detergent/etc gives me headaches. Mild natural smells I do not mind. Heavy scents like sandalwood, lavender, tea trea oil, etc are usually too strong. Are there any well known scent free or mild scent aftershaves that everyone suggests?

Lastly, are there any questions I am forgetting to ask? Anything obvious that most new people don't do or do wrong?

Sorry for so many questions, there is just so much to learn before I can even touch this thing to my face.

The classifieds are where to look for honing. In the vendors area. It's usually recommend that you start with a cheaper strop as you will nick up the first one. Don't worry about pastes or hones yet learn to shave first then proceed from there. The soap you have is fine to start with and maybe try witch hazel as an after shave. Good luck. Ed

Hello JTyson and welcome to SRP.
I compliment you for the research and the reading you have done. It's easier to ask the right questions when you know where your starting point is.
So it seems your biggest concerns are cost and time involved in utilizing your gift.
So I'll take the liberty to assume that you received the Dovo because you showed interest in either SR shaving or wet shaving in general.
For the most part the majority of commitment associated with wet shaving surrounds honing and stopping.
That being the case have you considered trading in the Dovo for a nice double edged, safety razor and eliminating the need for stropping and honing?
I for one started with a double edge and worked my way up to the straight,...many members here have done the same.
So if you are unsure of the direction you want to take, one option is to,...., dip your toe.
I hope this helps,
Ralph

Originally Posted by eddy79

The classifieds are where to look for honing. In the vendors area. It's usually recommend that you start with a cheaper strop as you will nick up the first one. Don't worry about pastes or hones yet learn to shave first then proceed from there. The soap you have is fine to start with and maybe try witch hazel as an after shave. Good luck. Ed

I'll check in the classifieds to see about honing services -anyone in particular that is more highly recommended than others? As for the cheaper strop, is there a certain brand or maker I should look for? I hadn't thought about witch hazel - I will try that when I actually get this thing going.

Originally Posted by Raol

Hello JTyson and welcome to SRP.
I compliment you for the research and the reading you have done. It's easier to ask the right questions when you know where your starting point is.
So it seems your biggest concerns are cost and time involved in utilizing your gift.
So I'll take the liberty to assume that you received the Dovo because you showed interest in either SR shaving or wet shaving in general.
For the most part the majority of commitment associated with wet shaving surrounds honing and stopping.
That being the case have you considered trading in the Dovo for a nice double edged, safety razor and eliminating the need for stropping and honing?
I for one started with a double edge and worked my way up to the straight,...many members here have done the same.
So if you are unsure of the direction you want to take, one option is to,...., dip your toe.
I hope this helps,
Ralph

I've always been a both feet first...well, really more like head first sort of person. I figure since I already have a good straight, I may as well figure it out. I'm not necessarily all about the nostalgia of shaving with older methods, more chasing the superior results I've read about with the straight. However, the cool factor does appeal. I have been interested in straight razor shaving since I saw my ex doing it at her barber college years ago, just never considered doing it myself until the past year or so.

At that rate, cost is always a concern. I will spend for things that are worth it, but I don't intend to revolve my life around this hobby, so the best of the best of the best isn't what I'm worried about having. Ultimately I would like to have a solid razor - or multiple eventually with the basic equipment needed to maintain them. Stropping seems relatively simple and not too time consuming once you have it down. The honing is what I am not entirely sure of. Based on what I read this evening, that seems to be a very involved, precise and time consuming ordeal. If it has a relatively short learning curve and supplies aren't outrageous then I would consider learning how to do it if it would be cost and time effective in the long run. If it is a break even sort of deal compared to having a professional do it for me, then I will definitely pay to have it done.

As for the DE, I haven't done enough research to say I would or wouldn't be interested in having one of those as well. I'm not opposed to the idea though. Really I won't be abandoning my cartridge multi blade razors either, as I sometimes shave my head, and don't think the DE or straight would be worth using for that task.