After long frustration and consideration

I broke my first electric shaver at 16. I went through three more before settling on the two bladed Gillette, which gives a decent shave, and the blades last up to four or five shaves each. I briefly flirted with the Mach3 but it was like shaving with a weed whacker, all pulls, nicks, and razor burn. So I continued using the Mach2 ( what the hell was it called?) It has been my go to razor for about 18 years. Now Gillette no longer produces blades for it. Rather than try yet another multi-bladed monstrosity (what are they up to, 7 per cartridge now?) I decided to take the plunge.

After looking over my options I had settled on a Monsieur Charles. Then I found this place. I purchased and am waiting with baited breath for a very nice 5/8 from the classified section that is setting me back less than the Monsieur Charles and the seller is excellent. If the razor is half as good as he is I will be thrilled. I purchased a cheap strop (I know you get what you pay for, but I also plan to beat it up some with the powers of incompetence while learning to strop) Found the best soap (have never liked creams) as rated by members, bought a mug, a boar brush (the same beard that broke electric shavers will likely resist the badger brush)

I cook for a living and am known to be a bit crazy about my knives, which I hone with wet dry paper glued onto tempered glass. This is an old woodworker's trick and I find it gives me the best results and a new hone surface (which is always a near perfectly flat as tempered glass gets) costs about $0.15.

I have views but I am trying to shut up and learn. Spent a lot of time watching videos both here and on YouTube, and the members have put together quite an impressive selection there. I'm a bit worried about the upper lip and chin, but I will take it slow. Until my razor arrives I am practicing, with cheap soap and brush, straight razor technique. Prep, stretch, etc. All with my now obsolete Mach2.

I do have one worry, I have a mole on my neck that is a half sphere, sticking up about an eighth of an inch. I nick it about twice a week with the "safety" razor, and I would prefer not to cut it off when I start shaving my neck. Any suggestions or is a trip to the dermatologist for removal in order?

So Hi all!

Jeff

Welcome to SRP Jeff. Shaving around the mole carefully is obvious I guess. I had one on my cheek and did that for a long while until one day I had a moments inattention and excised the top of it. :tameshigiri: Now it is less of a problem. A trip to the dermatologist might be a good idea. :)

Welcome to SRP!

First, you will notice a huge difference between those disposables and a straight! They really are like chalk and cheese.

It looks like you have all the right kit (razor, strop, soap and brush) and buying the razor from the classifieds was a great call..! You can be assured that if it was marked as shave ready, that it will be good to go.

You will find that honing razors is very different to honing a knife. For starters, you cant really hone razors on sandpaper, the grits just arent fine enough. You can get a good Norton stone set from Amazon for about $100 though, which will provide everything you need! Dont worry about honing yet though, get your shaves down first.

I have exactly the same issue on the left side of my neck. Just make sure you keep a light touch, let the razor do the work, and keep your angles right and you'll just glide right over it. I nicked mine a couple of times when I started, but I never nick it now. If you do keep catching it, it may be worth having it removed though..!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Carbide wet/dry paper these days uses particles down to about 1 micron, which is equivalent to about an 8k waterstone, as I said I am a bit obsessed. Larry (who sold me the razor) recommended I get a cheap radioshack microscope to check the edge as I am learning, and that seems like a good idea to me. Thanks for the advice on the mole. Time for a trip to the dermatologist soon any way. I will talk to her about it.