Thread: Hello from Incirlik Turkey

Thank you all for the welcome. I have realized after reading all the information on this site I was cutting myself short by starting with the gold dollar. (pun intended) So I went ahead and got myself a Ralf Aust 5/8 from straightrazordesigns. The anticipation for its arrival is killing me. After just a taste of straight razor shaving I am hooked and everyday I have to shave with the ole disposable is killing me.......Again thank you all for the welcome.

Originally Posted by puma

Thank you all for the welcome. I have realized after reading all the information on this site I was cutting myself short by starting with the gold dollar. (pun intended) So I went ahead and got myself a Ralf Aust 5/8 from straightrazordesigns. The anticipation for its arrival is killing me. After just a taste of straight razor shaving I am hooked and everyday I have to shave with the ole disposable is killing me.......Again thank you all for the welcome.

You will love the Ralph Aust! I hope you got the strop to go with it unless you already have one. You'll definitely need it but not on your first shave. I'll be ready to go for your first shave but after that you will need to strop it before & after each shave.

Welcome to SRP! If you have an old time barber, he may be able to get the blade into condition. I heard from a friend over there that some of the barbers do use a straight razor!

May the year ahead bring you many pleasant shaves!
~Richard

Welcome. Good to see you're getting your gear sorted out. I spent a year in TU in the 90s, I was in Diyarbakir, I really enjoyed the Turkish barber experience. Should be able to find a lot of shaving gear off base. Keep us posted on your progress.

Hello and welcome to SRP! Happy New Year!
Enjoy the ride!

Pete <:-}

You made a fantastic choice purchasing a Ralph Aust from SRD. Give us a full report after your shave.

Sorry, my first message is wrong & it was brought to my attention. I think they made some changes but this is the right message here:
Hi & welcome to SRP. You will love it here & there is plenty to learn as there is a wealth of information on here! Here is the first bit of information for you to know:
Straight Razor Place - Beginners Tips: December 2014
Frequently Asked Questions - Straight Razor Place Library
You will want to buy you a nice straight razor to begin with whether used or new. Beware of used ones not that they are bad but know what to look for like a lot of hone wear on the spine & edge or chips in the blade. Stay away from razors with rust on the cutting edge as that will only result in it chipping more metal off as it is honed. Here is also a list of straights to stay away from:
Brands of Straight Razors to Avoid - Straight Razor Place Library
Here is a list of good brands of razors you will want to own plus there are more than just these out there which you will find out from other members here:
Good Straight Razor Brands - Straight Razor Place Library
If buying a new razor, I suggest you buy one from Straight Razor Designs - Gifts for Men | Straight Razors or SRD. The owner & founder of this forum is Lynn & he is also part owner of SRD. When you buy a straight razor from him, he will personally hone that razor before you get it plus you will get a certificate for another free honing for when that razor needs it which should be a few months. There will be vendors who will sell you a straight razor that is supposed to be shave ready but really won't be. You will most importantly need to know how to strop & you can learn in the Library or here:
Razor stropping - Straight Razor Place Library
You will need to strop your razor before & after you shave. If you buy one from Lynn, chances are you won’t have to strop it before you use it the first time.
You will also need a shaving brush, a shaving mug & some shaving soap. Later it will also do you good to get a second straight razor so that when you send the first one out to be honed, you will have a backup to shave with.
Here is a link to the Library where you will find stropping in there & everything else you will need to know including how to hone:
Beginner's Guide to Honing - Straight Razor Place Library
Also here is Lynns bevel setting video & some of gssixguns honing video's:
https://www.youtube.com/user/gssixgun/videos
Bevel setting on a Chosera 1K taught by Lynn Abrams
Here is another good link to know:
Welcome to the Workshop: How do I / Where do I / What do I / answers are here
Should you have any questions, there are a lot of knowledgable members on here that will be more than happy to help you out. If you want to find someone in your area, you can look here:
Local Help - Straight Razor Place Library
And if you can't find anyone near you, just ask and someone that lives in your are & hopefully they will let you know how to meet up & you can get some one on one mentoring. There is a lot to do on here, just search everywhere on the forum & in the Library. You will spend hours on here & have fun doing it, so there you go, have at it!
Good luck & have fun!
Steve

Welcome to SRP!

Happy Hunting!

It finally arrived. I cant wait to use it.

Originally Posted by puma

It finally arrived. I cant wait to use it.

Well it looks like you're off to a good start.