Thread: I'm An old Cowhand From the Rio Grande

Another Texas boy on board! Welcome! We're slowly starting to outnumber the Yankees!

Yea welcome aboard Tex.

Everyone is welcome here even Texans even though they stole our land and our water....har har.

Welcome from sunny Florida Noel. Lot more DE shavers here than some might have you might think. I too use one now and then and my son does mixed with straights when he shaves. Right now he's trying to catch Billy Gibbons.

Lots of good people to chew the fat with. Sounds like you'll fit right in. We're here for ya my friend.

Welcome aboard, glad you found your way here.

After years of straight-razor shaving, then a few more with various Gillette DEs and Schick SEs, I'm "back in the saddle, again" -- back to the tried-and-true Gillette Trac II twin-blade cartridge razors that served me so well during my years in the US Army. Unlike those DEs and SEs, my Trac IIs really are "safety razors" -- no unearned nicks or cuts, and a three-pass shave is most always BBS. Here's a sneak-preview of today's (later-on) SOTD setup, featuring "my leetle friend" + a "supporting cast" of wetshaving stars:

My first shave was with a Gillette Super Adjustable, commonly called the Black Beauty. As far as DE razors go, it is hard to beat one of the Gillette adjustables. Try it on 3, or on 2 with a Feather.

I pretty much never cut myself shaving, but when I do it is usually from getting a wild hair and going with my Adjustable Aristocrat or my Executive. After a couple of years of diligent use and self correction, cuts are rare with a straight razor, if it is good and sharp, you stretch the skin tight, and your shave angle is nice and low.

Multiblades clog up on me really bad. The only throwaways I ever use are single blades. I really like the Kai all metal ones but I have only ever seen them in Japan and now that I am retired I no longer go there. The Bic Sensitive is a good one, though. Also I hate the swivelly heads on most of the modern ones. You can't control your shave angle at all, when it jusf flops this way and that.

Y'all provide a heartwarming welcome to the Forum.

I hope y'all don't mind if I resurrect zombie threads on occasion for I see a lot of interesting threads on topics that appeal to me.

Regarding that Trac II JBHoren; it was Mach III and Fusion that disappointed me more than Trac II. No swivel-ly heads need apply. I can still recall how the Trac II shaved. Wasn't so shabby except for ingrown hairs back then. I still have some plain ol' Trac II handles. Ought to fire one up and take it for a spin.

I love shooting sports and really love using vintage and antique cartridge arms clear back into the 19th century. I don't mind handloading black powder into period correct metallic center fire cartridges, but don't much care for percussion cap or flint lock ignition with pre-cartridge arms. Too fiddly and tedious to gain good results.

I don't think I'd enjoy straight razors for the same reason. Too primitive and fiddly and too fraught with peril for my face. There's a straight razor or two around here, but they'd need to be brought back from the dead. I don't want to do what it takes to maintain 'em and keep 'em sharp.

Have a Rolls razor. I accomplished one harsh shave with it after much fiddling. Was enough to satisfy the experience of using the thing.

Originally Posted by noelekal

I don't think I'd enjoy straight razors for the same reason. Too primitive and fiddly and too fraught with peril for my face. There's a straight razor or two around here, but they'd need to be brought back from the dead. I don't want to do what it takes to maintain 'em and keep 'em sharp.

Ah man, the fiddly stuff is the fun part. You might be surprised the difference it can make when learned and used and maintained correctly.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Ah man, the fiddly stuff is the fun part. You might be surprised the difference it can make when learned and used and maintained correctly.

I have a couple of straight razors around here somewhere that my great grandfather used in his barber shop from right before 1900 to 1942. I've not seen them since we moved recently. They're not in my razor cabinet.

I ought to get to know the process. I assumed these two razors were quite worn. I've never shaved with a straight razor. Been shaved with one and it's quite pleasant when wielded by someone who knows what they are doing. Perhaps I can absorb enough by reading here to obtain a good straight razor and proper accessories and give it a try.

I'll probably cut my own silly neck right off.

Well ... I've been on here a day or so and already goofed up.

I've not encountered a "thank you" feature before so have been thanking rather than "liking." Oh well, I'm thankful for the welcome.

I like to "like" posts on forums that are neato.