Thread: Hello Everyone

Hi I thought I would introduce myself.

I am Steve from Canada and I am really pleased I found this forum.

I am a complete newbie with a cut throat and my razor arrived this morning.

I bought a Dovo Astrale 5/8 shave ready from Classic Edge.

I just stared at it for a couple of hours then tried it on my arm. My goodness it was so sharp I got a bald spot.

I considered sending it back because I am too young to die but in the end I had a shower then gave it a go.

I found it really difficult to hold properly and had a pretty poor shave but I hope it will get better each day.

I do have a question though if I may. Is my styptic pencil supposed to go so pink?

I used shave oil and Henri et Victoria Congnac & cigars Shaving soap. If I can't use the razor I can wash with the soap cos it's lovely.

Welcome to the forum. Che k the library. Take it slow. It takes time to learn.

Welcome to the forum, lots of Canadians here, take your time, do lots of reading, and above all, I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I did, and still do.

Welcome....

Welcome and congratulations on your first try! It gets better from there on.
It's a muscle memory so it takes time but the weirdness of holding the razor and it moving the wrong way in the mirror will go away soon

Not sure what to tell you about the styptic pencil - mine gets some pink on occasion but not too often. I don't think it matters but I usually rinse it under the faucet and it's white again; it melts away pretty fast that way though.

There's a bit of a learning curve, with straights. About a hundred shaves, and you'll have a good grasp of it.

Don't be scared, we all started out shaking like a dog, crapping glass. Keep at it, go slow. Above all...have fun.

Hello and welcome to SRP.

Watch as many straight razor shaving videos as you can stand.
Try to find strokes and angles that you think might work for you and practice them using a butter knife.
When you find what is comfortable to you then take it to the face with your razor.
You need to figure out if you can shave with your non dominant hand.
Go slow and use very light pressure.
If something doesn't feel right, put the razor down and walk away.

Most of all, enjoy the learning experience and your time here on the forum.

Pete <:-}

Welcome. As stated, take your time, watch some videos and read some articles in the library and in the beginner's section. There's a lot to learn (more than you would think) but it gets easier. We've all been there. My suggestion is to handle it and hold it in different positions up to your face to get used to handling it before doing a lot of whacking at your face. You've started off with a very nice razor so that removes some obstacles. Post some pictures. We're suckers for pictures around here.
You'll find a lot of good information here and everyone is willing to help so no need to be in the dark. Here we have done something remarkable. We've taken a daily dulldrum and turned it into a fun hobby. It's ingenious. You'll find as time goes by you'll look forward to shaving. Until then enjoy learning. There's a lot of cool razors and other paraphernalia to be interested in plus all the history from the last 300 years and more. Have fun!

Welcome to SRP.
As said, be sure to check out the info in our library for beginners.
Have you been using a DE or SE razor? Or only a cartrage razor?
You have a straight razor but do you have a strop. The two go hand in hand.

So read the info, go slow, and ask questions. We are here for ya

Hey there STF, and welcome to SRP. Whereabouts in Canada are you? Good advice above: take it easy, ask loads of questions, and ENJOY!

Welcome. You will be able to tell you are holding the razor correctly because it will give you good control. Don’t put too much store on a proper hold. As long as it is secure and you have good control all is well.