Hello from Wisconsin

[mcwilkens]

I'm a pastor in Wisconsin that is looking for a smoother shave than my current Gillette. I started as a teenager with a Norelco electric to remove the peach fuzz once a week. I shaved until my freshman year of college.

From my freshman year of college I sported a beard for approximately 13 years. Then in April 2001 I shaved off the beard. I've been without a beard or mustache since 2001.

I shave daily but the shave is not as smooth as I would like. I've tried electric and the throwaway blades and still not happy with the shave. I've threatened to go back to a beard but my wife and daughter say "NO WAY!"

I hope to learn a little more about a straight razor shave and might be willing to try it.

[JimmyHAD]

Welcome to SRP. Check out the beginner's guide here in the SRP Wiki for a lot of good info to get you started. There is a learning curve to straight razor shaving but if you've been shaving with the DE already you'll probably have the preparation and lathering mastered. Once I got the hang of it I wouldn't go back for all the tea in China.

[Obie]

Hello, Pastor Wilkins:

Welcome to SRP.

I, too, live in Wisconsin. If you need further help getting started, I'll be delighted to help out. You are more than welcome to send me a personal message.

Regards,

Obie

[Ookla]

Welcome, from beautiful Ixonia Wisconsin!

It's all worth the effort.

[ChrisL]

Welcome. I grew up near Superior, WI and love that area around Lake Superior.

Chris L

[hardblues]

Hello & Welcome Pastor,

A recent convert, (no play on words), I think you've found your close-comfortable shave...pretty certain you'll learn and enjoy much from your exchanges with the above fellows and a host of others.


__________
Scott

[BKratchmer]

Welcome to SRP! I look forward to seeing you around the boards here, and add my hat to the others here willing to answer any questions or do whatever I can to help.

[jhenry]

Welcome to SRP Pastor...

If you want to find out how and with what to get a close shave you have certainly come to the right place. As the previous posts noted, there is an extensive wiki to consult, along with numerous forums ranging from str8 and DE razors to strops and honing and much, much more.

This may be considered heresy on a website titled "Straight Razor Place" Pastor, but have you considered the interim step of purchasing and using a DE razor? My reason for mentioning this is that I found it one way to ease myself into the world of str8 razor shaving. Using a DE forces you to align the blade against the face at an angle much like you do when shaving with a str8 razor. Moreover, it is alleged that a DE shave is almost as close and smooth as a str8 razor shave.

At any rate, if you decide to dive right into str8 razor shaving, SRP members can offer loads of advice about your first shaving kit (ie. razor strop, brush) as well as suggestions for beard prep, creams/soaps, aftershave balms, aftershaves and colognes to make shaving a heavenly experience.

Again, welcome aboard--and take care...

[Deryan]

Hello back from a fellow wisconsin dweller and welcome to SRP Pastor

[Mike Blue]

After last weekends performance, there is a used quarterback you could take off our hands...