Thread: Greetings from Pennsylvania!

Hi, all! I have been a lurker for quite some time, and have had a straight razor in my bathroom for about two years that was, until recently, pretty much a display piece. I have, however, gradually taken the plunge into straight razor shaving, and I am hooked. As such, I've decided to start contributing.

I can sum up my venture into classic shaving as follows:

When I was in high school, I received as a gift from my mother a Crabtree and Evelyn shaving brush (made by Edwin Jagger) and a bowl of sandalwood shaving soap. I tried it out as I would any other "toy" and, after several weeks of thin lather and uncomfortable shaves, I tucked them both away under my sink until after college. I graduated college and started law school and, seeking some degree of normalcy in my otherwise hectic life, decided I would give old school brush/soap shaving another shot. Using our friends over at Badger and Blade as a reference, I started getting better at pre-shave prep and lathering, and found myself really enjoying the experience.

Seeing the nice faux ivory-handled brush on my sink made me long for something a little classier than a cheap chrome and rubber Gillette Mach V to hang alongside it. While studying abroad in Cambridge, England, I walked into a Crabtree and Evelyn and saw that not only did Edwin Jagger still make a series of brushes for C&E, but they also made matching handles to fit Gillette heads. Not only that, but they were still making SAFETY RAZORS! And their blades cost a fraction of the price of the Gillette monstrosities! I ordered an Edwin Jagger DE89 immediately. It was not love at first shave.

For the next year I would periodically try to shave with a DE only to be rewarded with terrible shaves and razor burn that would make St. Bartholomew's fate seem like a slap on the wrist. I stuck with it, however, and started getting random stutters of BBS shaves. After a while, I was regularly receiving FAR better shaves than I ever got with my Mach V at a fraction of the price. I was hooked on wet shaving, and hard.

Having taken the plunge into DEs (and having long abandoned to idea that this hobby is cheaper than shaving with modern razors), the next logical step was a straight razor. I picked up a 5/8 Dovo Best Quality and 2" latigo strop from Lynn, and proceeded to flay myself alive for several weeks until I finally gave up. My father-in-law, however, loves James Bond and, after watching the shaving scene in Skyfall, decided to take the plunge as well. He ordered a 6/8 Boker Silver Steel and 3" latigo strop (also from Lynn), and also proceeded to flay himself alive until he, too, gave up and gave me his tools. Liking the heft and size of the Boker (an excellent shaver), I decided to dedicated myself to straight shaving in the same manner in which I learned to shave with a DE. I am now proficient in stropping, can use pastes to touch up a dulling edge, and regularly get great shaves. I admittedly have a lot to learn, but I have since traded the Boker for a Ralf Aust 6/8 stainless steel with black Micarta scales (truly a work of art) that I use on a daily basis. I am hooked once again, and look forward to learning to hone once this beauty finally goes dull.

Having said all that, I look forwarding to making a contribution to this forum and to the community of straight razor shavers at large. And to those regulars who likely have never considered how much they help the lurkers, THANK YOU for your wisdom and guidance!

-Esquire

Welcome to SRP!
It sounds like you are well on your way.
I'm looking forward to reading your contributions.

When getting the razor and strop from Lynn , probably should have gotten the DVD also ,, really would have made the transition easier without all the really bad stuff ,, if his instructions are followed , to a tee , it sure is a better experience , I believe I would have given up again, ( I tried this in the late seventies) but this time there was more info out there as in SRD. And the video had me shaving pretty darn well , So welcome and good luck. Tc

Welcome to the sport of whiskers.
There are a small group of us centered around Reading that meet on occasion.
You are welcome to our next "tea", whenever that will be.
I have learned a ton from these guys.
Ron

Welcome to the forum and to straight razor shaving. Lots to learn and great people to learn it from.
I'm a Philly boy myself, there's a nice Penn. showing here on SRP, all to lend a hand.
Again welcome.
Darl (Tarkus)

Hi and welcome aboard. Good luck getting those shaves under control. You must be a sucker for addictions if you're looking at hones as well.

@tcrideshd - I think you're absolutely right. I got impatient and tried to learn everything at once rather than progress in sections as Lynn suggests. I think my first piece of advice to other newbies is "if you're serious about learning this, take it slow and do it right."

@Ron - Thanks for the invite! Let me know when you are meeting and I would certainly love to join.

@Tarkus - Thanks! I lived in Center City for several years, but moved out to the 'burbs when my wife got pregnant. Great city and great people (mostly)!

@eddy79 - What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment! In all seriousness, I've always considered myself to be "artsy," but never had time to do art for art's sake. This is as much a skilled craft/creative outlet as drawing or sculpting if you take it seriously. I love it.