Hi all ;)
Just taking 5 mins to say 'G'day' and introduce myself.
So for the last 25 years or so I've been shaving in the shower with cheap disposables and Faulding shaving cream which I just smeared on my face - did ok I suppose... didnt really think much about it and after slicing myself a good one one day, decided that I'd like to try something a bit different.
Invested in a Weber stainless steel safety razor, a Frank Silvertip badger brush, a bowl and some Taylor of Old Bond Street cream, and lo... I'm hooked - I love the lathering up and the skilled job of shaving without injury(especially the learning curve, as there was a bit of blood at the start), the refreshing splash of cold water when finished and the oh so smooth skin for the next few hours - so much so that I'm itching to try a straight razor. To be honest, its something I've always wanted to try anyway, but I've never really gone looking for someone that I'd trust to hold a blade to my throat like that.
Went and got my dear departed Grandfather's old straight razors, but I fear they have had it - dirty, rusty, broken handles and a chipped blade or two. There are a couple of others with my dad (in another state of Australia) that I'll get when I go over there in a month or so - apparently they are in better condition.
Regardless, I dont have a strop and so I stumbled on someone in Queensland selling 700mm x 100mm kangaroo leather for strops on ebay for $16 - just bought one and I'll get D-ring and some Chicago screws and make myself one.
I strongly suspect that after I've tried Grandad's old razor (assuming at least one can be made shave ready), I'll lash out on a new one for myself. I was thinking of a Ralf Aust, but have some questions that I'll save for another thread.
Anyway... glad to be here and see that I'm not the only one who is now obsessed by this :-)