Thread: Greetings from the Great White North!

Hello everyone,

I've been lurking around here for quite a while, but I've finally decided to make a profile and speak up. I've been wanted to learn how to use a straight razor since I first began to shave, but as I joined the military at 18, I didn't exactly have an hour to shave every morning. In the last couple of months I've transitioned from cartrige razors and gels to more traditional wet shaving with a DE, but I've always known that it was just a stop gap until I picked up a straight. Now that I feel I have a certain amount of consistency in my DE shaves I've ordered a sight unseen razor and poor man's strop kit from Larry at Whipped Dog, and I'm impatiently waiting for it to arrive. I've been reading and doing research and I think it's going to be really difficult to stick to the newbie shaving plan that Lynn suggested in his post about anticipation, but I'll be doing my best. In the mean time, thanks for all the great threads on here, and I'm looking forward to joining the community!

Matlock

Welcome Matlock! Enjoy the journey. There is an abundant amout of information on SRP that will help you enjoy learning. Read the WIKI and the forums and you experience will be poitive and enjoyable.

Nipper

Hello, Matlock, and welcome to Straight Razor Place. You will have plenty of help here so don't hesitate to do your research and post your questions.

Hey and welcome to the forum. Yea, learning to use a straight is not to be rushed. Have patience and enjoy the ride.

Bob

Sounds like you're on the right foot in starting slow. It's not a Hare and Tortoise race although, at times, the Tortoise pace gets you there faster than a bounding Hare. We're here to answer any of your questions. Except for the meaning of life one.

Welcome Matlock. I hope you enjoy the learning as much as I have (and still do).

I too have recently started using a SR. I also could not follow Lynns advice and only start by shaving the cheek. For what it's worth, when I did my cheek, I felt comfortable so I attempted to finish the rest. Did pretty good too! After my first nick, I finished with my safety razor. Got better and better after that. Keep trying and you will get better also.

Originally Posted by Ulricus

Hello everyone,

I've been lurking around here for quite a while, but I've finally decided to make a profile and speak up. I've been wanted to learn how to use a straight razor since I first began to shave, but as I joined the military at 18, I didn't exactly have an hour to shave every morning. In the last couple of months I've transitioned from cartrige razors and gels to more traditional wet shaving with a DE, but I've always known that it was just a stop gap until I picked up a straight. Now that I feel I have a certain amount of consistency in my DE shaves I've ordered a sight unseen razor and poor man's strop kit from Larry at Whipped Dog, and I'm impatiently waiting for it to arrive. I've been reading and doing research and I think it's going to be really difficult to stick to the newbie shaving plan that Lynn suggested in his post about anticipation, but I'll be doing my best. In the mean time, thanks for all the great threads on here, and I'm looking forward to joining the community!

Matlock

Welcome to the most friendly, helpful and informative site on the web!!

You will find members here of all different backgrounds, ages and occupations from all corners of the world and all with a quest for more knowledge about using and maintaining a straight razor!

If you take the time to search, 99.9% of your questions can be found in the Library (WIKI) however feel free to ask us about whatever it is that you are wondering about or having a problem with. It does help if you’ve done some research before hand so it narrows the problem down a bit.

The #1 thing about learning and using this Age Old Art, is PATIENCE!! If you don't have patience then you will fail. I've seen it time and time again!

If you can't find a way to be patient, then just walk away/don't spend any money on razors, strops and hones.

HOWEVER! If you can be patient, you will be rewarded a Thousand Times Over

Please listen to the more experienced members. When I was a Newbie and I finally figured something out, I would post about it/respond to others who had questions all the while thinking that I was then an 'expert'. Now I look back and see how ignorant I was!

If there is Anything that I can do to help personally; please contact me and I'll see what I can do for you!

Sanfte Rasur, mein Klingenbruder!

(Smooth Shaving My Brother In Blades)

Roy

Hello, and welcome to SRP!!

Thanks, it's definitely a minor issue but the razor is nowhere near shave ready, and since I haven't even had my first shave yet, I don't think trying to hone it on my own for him is a great idea.