Greetings from Yorkshire

Hello everybody,

I've been lurking hereabouts for a while now, so it's time to stick my head above the parapet. I've been a DE user since I started shaving, except for a brief flirtation with the straight during my 20s; just recently I've picked up the open razor again and found that it suits me very well indeed. I'm alternating between two vintage Sheffield straights (a 5/8 Butler "Edge Invisible" round point and a 6/8 Fenton with a barbers' notch and a pronounced smile). I recognise one or two names here from a relatively new British shaving forum (hello chaps) which concentrates on DE; obviously it makes sense to come here for straight razor discussion.

My main interest is restoration, in particular replacing scales etc rather than refurbishing blades. As a cabinetmaker I've been practising honing for 25 years, so I can put a usable edge on a razor (plenty of room for improvement though), but I'm starting to realise that I'd rather subcontract the blade polishing than spend all my free time on getting rust pits out. I'm here mostly to learn, but if I do have something useful to contribute it'll likely be in the woodworking line. I won't be pretending to knowledge which I don't have!

How do....
as ya from gods own county as well, do you know of any good shops around the place???

and welcome

Ay up, thee ow ist?

Ee, a fellow Tyke - welcome. :)

Thanks lads. Being as how I'm from the outer fringe of W Yorks, dangerously close to Lancashire, I'm tempted to say that the best shopping opportunities are to be found in Poundland. Frankly I know of almost nowhere worth a detour around here: most of what I need comes from Connaught or Neil Miller, or by way of the Shaving Room forum. Still, smallish market towns in N Yorks are happy hunting grounds for vintage straights especially if there's an antique fair going on. Also, a word for the perfumier in Ilkley, regular source of presents for the wife, and purveyor of interesting soaps, aftershaves and colognes, at interesting prices. I can't remember their name, but they're near the crossroads at the bottom of town, across the road from the Mallard.

Greetings from the other side of the pond. As I am sure you have seen there is plenty of info all around, and the members here are all extremely helpful. Good luck with the scales, I want to work my way there one day, but I have a lot of learning to do first, you have a bit of a head start on me there !