Thread: Hello from Northern California

Hello,
I have been reading the forums for a week or so and finally found some time to make my first post.

I have never been a great fan of shaving and like the look of a beard but can't stand how mine itches. Shaving for me is grudging, every 3-4 days and anything sooner leaves me with razor burn and lots of cuts.
I am hoping a good sharp straight razor may change this and from what I read it sounds like there is a reasonable chance. I suppose a proper preparation with my regular disposable would help, as well as perhaps being satisfied with a WTG shave. But no, I always bull through an ATG shave even if it leaves me using the styptic pencil like a paint brush. It's hard to think of it as anything more than a chore but I think with the right equipment (something I can respect) I can change my perspective.

I now await a sight unseen from Whipped Dog and beginner strop, but have a feeling (if I don't maim myself) I'll wind up with something prettier soon thereafter.

Aside from the potential of a better shave, and perhaps more appealing to me, is the razor itself.

I have always had a deep love for a nice thing that was created with great craftsmanship. I love knowing and appreciating what went into making it, and maintaining it. When I used to play paintball (long ago) cleaning the equipment was a pleasure of its own separate from playing. While I have never been a knife collector I have always enjoyed keeping the kitchen knives reasonably sharp and the idea of something a level beyond this, with a goal of the best edge possible, is very attractive.

In addition to these things that make me vulnerable to being a collector I also like to make things. I am a software engineer by profession and so I like having a space outside of that that is more physical. A hobby I have had for 30 years is 3D puzzle collecting and solving, and the maker urge has led me into puzzle building and restoring which fulfills many of the same desires that draw me to straight razors.

It didn't take long after finding this site for me to hit the Custom Builts and Restorations forum and know I would be happy and perhaps looking into some scale making and perhaps forging (one day).

I'm looking forward to my razor's arrival, the first shave and where it takes me from there.

Dave

www.LitwinPuzzles.com

Welcome to SRP!

Sounds like you have already done your homework. Just remember that a proper shave requires more than tools, it is a skill that takes a while to master. Allow for this, also consider a WTG shave but do it more frequently like every other day it will look and feel better than the 3-4 day shaves.

enjoy,
jim

Welcome to SRP! Glad to hear you got yourself a good razor to start with. Take your time and enjoy the ride and who knows, you might end up like 99% of us collection razors soon

Hi and welcome. Good luck with your shaving journey. Ed

Welcome to your new addiction It's a bit of a steep slope at first, but well worth it IMO. Let us know if yuo have any questions!

Welcome aboard, Alameda here. Enjoy the fabulous journey and MANY addictions. As I'm writing this I'm ordering two more tubs of Mike's shave soap...feeding said addictions. There is a ridiculous amount of knowledge to be had on here and NEVER a time when someone isn't willing to help you out or guide you in the right direction. Or for that matter also sympathize through your struggles.
Respectfully
Christian

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

I picked up a basic brush kit from Walgreens (Van Der Hagen) and gave it a shot with the disposable as I am still waiting on the razor (it's in Oakland now...). I can't say the difference was revolutionary but I seem to have a bit less razor burn on my neck. I think my lather may have been a bit thin and dry. Hopefully by the time I try again I'll have the shave ready straight and will try a bit more water for a richer lather.

Dave

Welcome from southern california

Originally Posted by DLitwin

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

I picked up a basic brush kit from Walgreens (Van Der Hagen) and gave it a shot with the disposable as I am still waiting on the razor (it's in Oakland now...). I can't say the difference was revolutionary but I seem to have a bit less razor burn on my neck. I think my lather may have been a bit thin and dry. Hopefully by the time I try again I'll have the shave ready straight and will try a bit more water for a richer lather.

Dave

Look up a few lathering videos, that should help you out. I find that I spend a lot of time charging my brush, somewhere between 30-60 seconds, and then move on to whipping it up in a bowl, meanwhile adding drops of water. If your lather is thin and dry, I think you should charge longer, whip up longer and add a little more water. Adding too much water will result in a thin and wet lather, it's a sweet spot you're aiming for.

Good luck!

After watching a few videos I was definitely doing the lather wrong. I tried again this evening but don't think I charged nearly as long as you suggest. Better luck next time, perhaps.

So my Whipped Dog arrived, and I was happy it was a Wade & Butcher (of which I read good things). Size seems to be about 4.5/8, perhaps just a worn 5/8:


Overall my first shave was a disappointment. I didn't have high expectations and figured I'd nick myself a bit but confidence and control weren't a problem. Mostly it was not feeling of the razor gliding at all. I'm sure my lather was wrong but I also tried shave oil, and two other shaving creams (standard gel and HeadSlick which I used for my head a few times). None allowed things to move like I was expecting. Instead I felt a lot of resistance and tugging.
I started out very careful: Right sideburn, short light strokes, one spine width from my face.
But where I was expecting it to cut smoother, I found it felt duller than my used-a-few-times triple blade cartridge. After perhaps 30-40 minutes I figured I had experimented enough having tried both hands and various of the simpler areas. I never felt worried of cutting myself but it just didn't seem to cut well even with varying angles. I finished up with the disposable and it felt smoother and sharper, which I had hoped would be the opposite.

I'm sure I'm doing a number of things wrong, but I do worry about the sharpness of the razor. WD has a good reputation and I followed instructions and did not strop, just carefully wiped off the oil so I'm pretty sure I didn't mess it up. But I found it very hard to cut a strand of my wife's hair (after wetting it a few times), so by the HHT it didn't get very far. It took bending it over the blade in a 1/2" U before it cut (I had to hold both ends). I was able to cut a bit of my arm hair but only with some tugging. At least that seemed to catch the hair though, no holding required.

I suppose without anything to compare it to I would need to find someone in my area (EAGLESKADU?) to validate I have a good edge.

Oh well, I'll try again in a few days.

Dave