Well helllllllooooooo there!

[ConnecticutYankeeInCA]

Hi--

I just want to introduce myself--I'm Emily and I just graduated from USC--and I guess since I'm done with late night studying for awhile I found myself in need of a new hobby!

Anyway, I am so excited to get started--to be honest using a straight razor to shave first occurred to me in one of those rare "Ah ha!" moments--I have younger siblings and no matter how many times I tell them not to, they both seem to like to "borrow" my current disposables whenever they can (I know, "gross!"). Well, it occurred to me that if I used a straight razor...if either of them decided to appropriate it, joke's probably going to be on them!

I love the idea of a more environmentally friendly method of shaving than using disposables. I have fairly strong opinions regarding the tendency of our society to produce and consume so-called "disposable" products and thus create unnecessary waste, not to mention the gratuitous use of resources this process requires--resources that could more aptly be appropriated in some other manner.

Lastly, I'm always interested in learning and perfecting a new craft. Competence in any artform is always sexy.

Oh, one more thing, and I hope this is an acceptable thing to say here (I've read the conduct guidelines, etc, and I think I'm okay, obviously if I'm not I'll take it down), but I would really love some help with acquiring my first razor. I've read all the threads I can find about the best razors to start out with, paying special attention to the ones in the Ladies Corner, and so I think I'm looking for more or less a 6/8 half-hollow ground blade with a rounded tip. I also kind of like the idea of going a bit smaller than a 6/8 (even though it is right in the middle of the spectrum) as it seems several female aficionados (aficionadas? hmmm....) have expressed preferences for 4/8 or 5/8 blades...I also found that dovo markets a razor as a "Ladies" razor and it has a 4/8 blade. This was in an old thread:"I bought a brush from this seller on ebay, and he happens to have some Weltmaister 3/8 NOS razors that are quite petite (only 2 inches long). Maybe the ladies who prefer smaller blades would be interested?" and another thread where a female user says that she likes short blades, with about 2.5 inches being good. I also found a redirect in one of the Ladies threads to this thread: http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-jubilaum.html which seems very interesting....

So, anyhoo, on to the main issue: I've been browsing the classifieds on this site and (dare I say it?) ebay looking for a good deal on a straight razor that fits my needs...but bottom line is that I really don't know how to assess what I'm looking at. I have a limited budget for new hobbies (like I said, recent college grad), but I would really really appreciate it if all you smart razor people would keep me in mind and if you happen to stumble across something that you think I should be interested in, please let me know. I would be so grateful for any recommendations or advice.

Wowee, sorry for such a long "introduction," I'm just so excited to a) meet you all and b) get started!

Cheers, and Happy New Year!

--Emily

[RezDog]

Welcome. It is very important to get a shave ready blade. There are several vendors and the classifieds are usually clearly marked if they are shave ready. Good luck!

[rodb]

Welcome!!

This is the right place to learn for sure.

The classified here would be a good place to look as almost all razors are shave ready unless stated not ready. You will also need a strop and some form of razor maintenance stone/pasted paddle to refresh the edge.

[jlbooth]

I saw USC and had to look again... I work for the Univ. of South Carolina so seeing USC always trips me a bit. ;-) Hang around and you'll get lots of great advise from a lot of really nice people.

Oh, and Welcome to SRP!

[Baxxer]

Welcome,
A good thing about smaller blades is that you generally pay less for them because there's a lower demand for them.
Before you get a razor you could start out with getting a shaving soap or cream and a good brush(I've read that synthetic brushes have gotten a lot better if you want something animal friendly) + some training in how to use them, they generally contain less ingredients(and less weird sounding chemicals) and last longer than the canned stuff and Imo(I think many members here agrees) they perform are a lot better and makes shaving more enjoyable.

[shuttabugg]

hiiiiiii theerrreee

[Jmchugh]

If you're looking for an inexpensive, shave ready razor you should check out the Whipped Dog website (in addition to the classifieds). He has a few different price points depending on what you are looking for, great for new shavers like you and I. I would suggest browsing articles here about shopping on eBay, a few senior guys have also helped me evaluate a few potential purchases when I posted them. I found out there are a variety of factors that would make a used razor desirable or undesirable.

Best of luck, nice to meet you!

[RoyalCake]

Welcome Emily, and cheers for another southern California member. I'm associated with your cross town rival but that has no bearing here
Trying to convince my wife to also use a straight but she's very fast and haphazard, so I don't think it's a good fit for her. But she does shave my neck with a straight after haircuts so she's getting more proficient with it. So if you have someone to practice on so much the better!
But I do think using a straight on your legs makes a lot of sense (wide smooth areas, not a lot of nooks and crannies, etc) so good for you and good luck.
As far as obtaining your first razor, if you find it's hard to come across a smaller one, a "standard" 5/8 seems like it should work pretty well. I would think it would be nimble enough for what you're trying to do.

[eddy79]

Hi and welcome. My suggestion would be shoot Larry at whipped dog an email. From all accounts he seems a great guy and sells a lot of used razors. If you let him know what your after I'm sure he would likely be able to source something for you. Good luck. Ed

[ConnecticutYankeeInCA]

I'm associated with your cross town rival but that has no bearing here

No BEARing here? (Sorry, couldn't resist pointing out the pun. I hope it was intended. I love puns.)

No, but in slightly more seriousness, I'm glad to meet you and thanks for the tip about the 5/8.