Thread: New member from Hampshire, England

After a few years of gradual enlightenment - I was bought a DE 'starter' set for Christmas 2011 and it snowballed from there - I'm finally dipping a toe into straight razor shaving. I've used the Feather Artist Club system in the past - favouring the SS model over the RG - but never completely took to it. My current 'daily' razor is a Mongoose B2 with Kai or Feather AC blades.

I've now bought myself a Heljestramd Mk. 31 and hopefully have a Westholme strop on the way. In a little under a month's time it'll be the school holidays (I'm a teacher) and I'll have six weeks off. I figure that this would be a good time to begin my steps towards straight razor proficiency. Thus I'll be spending the next three or four weeks studying the SRP archives and no doubt viewing countless YouTube videos on stropping and shaving.

The razor I've come into ownership does need a bit of work. The scales don't close true, there are marks on the blade, and there is a slight nick towards the toe. I dearly hope for the pastiche of the maker that its problems a) aren't terminal, and b) won't be exacerbated by my custodianship. I'm very much aware of my own incompetence and inexperience, and want to do this 'the right way'. Hence joining up to this neck of the woods.

In terms of my background, I'm a 27 year old secondary school teacher. I live with my girlfriend of 2 years (although we've known each other for about a decade) in a little rented house in a small commuter town in Hampshire. We're looking to buy and this has meant that I've cut back on some fairly consuming acquisition disorders. But trialling a straight razor is something I've intended to do for a loft time now.

My current brush lineup is a Thäter 2-Band Silvertip (4125/1) and the Plisson Synthetic in an acetate handle. I actually have two of the latter in alternative colour options. Soap-wise, I've minimised down to Martin de Candre, Palmolive Classic (grated soap sticks), and Institut Karité. Aftershaves: Myrsol Agua Balsamica, Pitralon Swiss, Speick ASL. Fragrances: 4711 Cologne, Guerlain Vetiver edt, Serge Lutens Chergui.

Anyway, onto some pictures.

The razor:



Note the nick that's troubling me:



My favourite 'safety' razors: