Greeting from NewZealand best forum around!

[Danzano]

Hi Everyone,

I must confess I have a family that has never seen or used straight razors as far as I am aware my dad used an electric then switched to cartridge blades Mach3 etc. I am now 23 years old and have got to that stage of shaving daily. This means I am chewing through cartridges rather quickly or skipping days (Both not good) the catridges cost a lot and don't give the closest of shaves I can feel stubble 2-3 hours after shaving a feeling I dislike very much.

Anyway I started looking into alternatives and after contemplating all alternatives decided on a straight razor. I have spent the past week lurking about these pages and learning as much as possible and using a lot of data on youtube videos Out of all the sites I have looked through this was the best and most informative so I decided to join in hopes that one day I can help others to.

Currently I am awaiting my new gear a Dovo Best Quality (1005810) 5/8 Half Hollow grind GB Leather strop Vulfix Pure bristle boar hair brush and GB soap and bowl I also got a Dovo Shavette for use traveling or when the straight is out of action eg sent in for honing I will later add a canvas strop some pastes and maybe a stone much later on.

Hoping all goes well and I can use what I have learned through this site.

[johnmrson]

G'day and welcome to the forum.

[Maladroit]

Greetings from across the ditch - or however you guys pronounce it

Mike from Qld

[Danzano]

Good to see we are all well represented here mike. Usually I pronounce it Australia the place everyone thinks nz is an island of lol

[silverloaf]

Welcome! Very glad to hear you did your homework and set yourself up right from the beginning. practice, practice, practice your stropping technique, it is at the top of ingredients to being successful with straights. Don't get discouraged if the desired results aren't there right away. take your time to learn your own face and keep watching the vids of how others handle the difficult curves of their own. some find it helpful to start with just the cheeks, finish the rest of the face with a cartridge or de at first. this allows a bit of time to build muscle memory as you learn the proper shave angles before tackling the notorious chin area! happy shaving and post an update after you try out the new acquisitions!

[Danzano]

Thank you for the kind words silverloaf the stripping technique is definitely going to be hard I have read a few articles but know none of them will help much till I practice it myself. The best video I have seen of stopping so far is one of Lynns which I am hoping I can replicate well after a few months of practice he does a really good job.

My main hope at the moment is to avoid the cuts and from what I have read the rest should come with time which I hope holds true. I also have a goatee so can cheat and avoid the chin altogether for awhile.

Hoping the blades turn up soon so I can start to learn and pick everyones brains a bit more on the subject really liking the ritual and history of this art though.

[silverloaf]

I agree wholeheartedly, my only caution..... its very addictive, pace yourself! haha, yeah right, i was hooked from the first nerve ratting shave and have since gone through thousands of razors! its definitely a culture unto itself with the rituals that go along with it. this is, in my humble opinion, the best place for learning the culture and sharing with others what you learn! cant wait to hear the hear results! my first was with a gilchrist frameback and i was too nervous to do the throat and chin area. next shave i dove right in and the chin knew i should have practiced more! third times a charm they say...... well, maybe not exactly, i still move tediously over the chin, i have a big ol dimple in the middle i got from my father, hard to get those hairs!

[eddy79]

Hi and welcome. Any questions feel free to ask and good luck with your shaves.

[Danzano]

I agree wholeheartedly, my only caution..... its very addictive, pace yourself! haha, yeah right, i was hooked from the first nerve ratting shave and have since gone through thousands of razors! its definitely a culture unto itself with the rituals that go along with it. this is, in my humble opinion, the best place for learning the culture and sharing with others what you learn! cant wait to hear the hear results! my first was with a gilchrist frameback and i was too nervous to do the throat and chin area. next shave i dove right in and the chin knew i should have practiced more! third times a charm they say...... well, maybe not exactly, i still move tediously over the chin, i have a big ol dimple in the middle i got from my father, hard to get those hairs!

Haha that's part of the reason I have the goatee is through inheriting such a chin myself. I got in touch with the supplier this morning and he said they should be sent out today via courier and that if it was ok with me he recommended the full hollow ground instead of half as it will give more feedback for learning which I was ok with as he is very knowledgeable and was recommended to me. That and he said its the same price we agreed no surcharge or anything which I thought was rather good of him. He also hones and strops all razors before giving them to the couriers so should be truly shave ready.

So my plan for today is have a shave and maybe get some pictures of the success or mess I create

[Danzano]

Hi and welcome. Any questions feel free to ask and good luck with your shaves.

Thanks Ed

One thing I have not been able to get my head around is this whole 30 degree angle thing some say 7-15 others 30 is it best to just see what feels best any tips on this?