New guy (on the forum) from Canada

[Mandroll]

Hey guys!

So I finally decided to register on the site, after a while of silently stalking the forums, I just figured I'd try to participate in some of the discussions.

So a little about me; I've been shaving since I was 15. Initially I started off with a Mach 3 but soon found out that after 2-3 shaves I would get intense clusters of pimples filled with white/green pus (ewww right?). So after doing a bit of research, I switched to my first DE razor, a Merkur 23, then the following month I got myself a brush and soap and a few other things and I used that for almost a year. Then I got a job and had to start shaving everyday because the 4 O'clock shadow was not considered acceptable and the DE started being a bit much for my face and I switched to a straight. After the first few cutting jobs, that straight was causing less irritation than my DE.

I was also pretty fortunate that, while my grandfather was no longer around to teach me how to shave with the straight, he had previously taught me how to sharpen a straight razor when I was nine and had me sharpen his razor every year, as well as strop them on a daily basis, until he passed away 5 years later. So I had at least a strong base for sharpening/stropping straights.

Which brings me to now, I've been shaving with a straight for 13 years and while I will admit that I still shave with a DE from time to time, I enjoy the straight razor shaving a lot more because ...it relaxes me.

My current setup (or more accurately rotation because I just won't list the stuff I haven't used in a while):

Brush:
-Kent BK2: I have been using it since January.
-Omega 48: I have been using it since October last year.

Soaps:
-Kent shaving soap
-Green proraso
-taylor of old bond street: Sandalwood soap
-Col conk Bay rhum shaving soap
-D.R. Harris Lavender shaving cream

Strops:
I had a few but my favorite is my Black latigo 3" which I acquired a little while back.

Razor:
TI: Le Dandy 5/8 Round tip**
TI: Le Canadian 5/8 Round tip
TI: La Legende 6/8 Round tip
Dovo: Diamant 5/8 Round tip

**This razor is an experiment. Some my friends started asking me about straight razor shaving a little while back; as a result, I decided to buy a razor from an online seller (theclassicedgeshaving) and test out the edge to see how it would hold up. I have been shaving with it almost everyday (I'll use my other razors in this list once throughout the month but the rest of the time its with the Le Dandy) and the edge is still going strong ever since I bought it back in April.**

That's it for me, there isn't much else to say I guess.

Regards,
Matt

[HaiKarate]

Welcome to the forum!

[Phrank]

Welcome to the forum - whereabouts are you located.....

[ecormier]

welcome! Canada here too

[Mandroll]

I'm residing in Quebec for work at the moment, but I'm originally from New Brunswick (Fredericton).

[Badgister]

Welcome Matt!

Really amazing that your grandad taught you all that, not many can trust a 9 year old with a straight razor these days.

Typically grandfathers are brought into discussions within the context of heirloom razors. Your experience is definitely unique.

[Willisf]

Welcome to SRP !!!

[eddy79]

Hi and welcome. Always good to have another experienced shaver join. Your lucky to have your grandad teach you so young. Must be like second nature

[AlanQ]

Bienvenue from a fellow Quebecker. Yes I saw you were from New Brunswick but ATM you are in la Belle Province so I'll claim you as one of ours

[BobH]

Welcome to the forum, EH.

Bob