Thread: Interested

Hi and welcome. Plenty of information here and plenty of help should you need it. There may be someone close enough to help in person. Do a member search as one on one help will significantly cut the learning curve.

Welcome! I would just like to add one thing. A straight razor LOOKS dangerous but actually is quiet safe. You can nick or cut yourself with a cartridge or safety razor too. No fear.

Yes left me a few strops as well, so will definately look into this. How can I tell if I blade is sharp enough anyway. I perhaps need to start asking these questions in begineers section sorry

Originally Posted by engine46

Hi Dave & welcome aboard. The best thing to do is to start in the Library with the Beginners Guide & move from there. Also as pointed out already, there are plenty of Youtube video's out there & Lynn Abrams, owner of this forum has many on different topics so check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/user/LynnSAbrams/videos

Great to have you here. I'm sure your Dad had a strop too which is the most important tool you will need for a straight razor & you will get the smoothest, closest shave with one. You can practice stropping with a butterknife to keep from cutting a strop & also ruining a good sharp edge.
Good luck my friend.

Good idea once I find out how to do a member search. I did see while wondering the forums someone from Merthy which is only around 45mins from me.

Originally Posted by eddy79

Hi and welcome. Plenty of information here and plenty of help should you need it. There may be someone close enough to help in person. Do a member search as one on one help will significantly cut the learning curve.

Welcome...

Hello and welcome. In this site is all the data you need to learn how to shave with a straight. It's ok how you feel because you will not be in a hurry. That's a bg reason for most cuts, which, unless you accidentally amputate your head, will heal. Read up and watch those Lynn Abrams videos engine46 mentioned, I learned with them. I remember my first shave, my hands trembling. I just did the cheeks, but everytime I would put the blade close I'd be scared. A year after I finished a one pass shave with a Torrey 6/8, felt my face and thought: "wow, better than any shave before" I would recomend if you have interest but feel a bit wary, get a double edge. I used one while I was learning the straight, much like a bike with training wheels. You can practice lathering, and technique like short strokes, with the grain, cross grain, against the grain, and practice stropping, which will be most important to maintain a razor sharp. Don't hurry, enjoy the road, you will love the destination when you get there.