Thread: Hello from Oregon

Hello, my name is Eric.

After mentioning my considering shaving with a straight razor, my wife went out and bought me a kit for our 7th Anniversary. I am the new owner of a Thiers-Issard Basic Black 5/8. I haven't used it yet. Hope I don't kill myself.

I have gone back and forth between a Braun Series 3 electric & Gillette Fusion multi-blade razors. I have fought irritation, ingrown hairs and bumps most of my adult life, maybe this will be the end of it?!

Cheers!
Eric

Welcome to SRP, Eric! You've found the right place to start your straight shaving journey. Take it easy and it's sure to be an experience you'll enjoy. Good luck!

lyoncoeur -Eric, welcome to SRP from Forest Grove. There are a lot of members in Oregon and a growing number in the Portland area. One of the best mentors around, pinklather states Portland but is actually in Scapoose. If you can get a one on on with him a great deal can be learned in an afternoon. Please read all the wiki's and watch the videos to get a good basic understanding. Where did the TI come from? It may not be shave ready. Based on my own experience and being mentored by pinklather I can't stress strong enough to not consider honing your own razor till you have mastered a good shaving routine and then learned basic blade maintenance, let alone good stropping.

If you would like, I would be willing to give you a one on one on basic shaving technique and stropping. If your TI isn't shave ready I can lend you a shave ready razor to tide you over. That is if you would make the trip out to Forest Grove.

I solved a lot of my irritation problems, what with sensitive skin and the like and now, generally have a daily comfortable cold water shave. Hot shaves gave me too much irritation.

PM me for details.

Hi and welcome. Razorfeld has pointed out most of the basics so I will just add to make sure that your razor is shave ready. Unfortunately most factory edges are not truly shave ready and using it would be a disservice to yourself. Good luck and any questions feel free to ask

Welcome to SRP

Before you put that good razor to your skin, read through the Beginners Guide of the Library. A little study now will aid you in giving this hobby a go.

Jonathan

Greetings from Washington state!

Hello Eric, and welcome to the forum!!

Eric welcome to SRP from Washington state. As Razorfeld stated getting time with a mentor or going to meet-up is a great way to get started. I have a mentoring day with Pinklather on the calender myself. I got lucky and was able to make a meet-up the first week that started and what a help that was. If I were you I would take him up on his offer and get myself over to Forest Grove ASAP. Having a SHARP razor to start with is so much easier and a lot more comfortable and he will be able to help you know if indeed it is shave ready and how to keep it that way. Some of us, myself included managed to ruin the fist edge on our first razor in short order and that can be a frustrating experience. Stropping is another skill that looks way easier than it is until someone shows you how to not ruin your edge while trying to keep it sharp. IMO one day with these guys that know what there doing is invaluable to a new guy like myself and you. Enjoy the ride it's a great one. All the best FrankC

Thanks everyone, for your welcome and offers of advice. I will certainly wait till I can contact and meetup. My wife was assured by the sales person at 'The Art of Shaving' that the razor was shave ready, and that other than stropping, I should use it for about 8 weeks as a 'break in period' then have it honed. I do not have a strop yet, but I have plenty of leather and wood (I'm a woodworker and my wife does some leather work) so I was going to make a stropping board. I do NOT want to mess up my edge.

If it came for AoS then it is not shave ready for most people.
The bevel is set so that is good, but the ones I've seen from AoS were equivalent to a 4k stone honing.
Get that thing honed and your face will thank you.