Serious rookie from the Netherlands
Hello all,
In my first 30 years of shaving I only used Gilette Contour. The results were always so-so. It was smooth with razor burn or no razor burn but still whiskers. Never having thought that DE shaving was still around, I knew no better than to plough on with the double-blade marketing nonsense. Only three months ago someone pointed me to the DE.
The hot-towel treatment, pre- and after the shave, I tried and included in my usual shaving routine with a DE Gillette Slimboy. Also using a decent soap, I now have Proraso (green) and Taylor (Sandalwood), added to the joy of a good shave. Having had a couple of months experience with that and getting BBS shaves I knew I wanted to go and try straight razor shaving. But I also knew there was a lot to learn
I started out with reading a lot on this forum and also on Badger and Blade. Then I started with a buying Lynn’s DVD and after more reading on every site I found, I quickly became hooked on the whole straight razor experience. I got a Dovo Best Quality 5/8 razor, a Maestro Livi custom loom strop and a Belgian Coticule at Lynn’s and Don’s at SRD.
At the same time I ordered a small strop, with canvas back, and the Norton 4000/8000 combo stone. Reading about how to lap the stones with waterproof sandpaper on a flat surface I got the Norton and the Coticule as flat as I could and nicely chamfered on the edges. I was ready to go.
Now the Dovo came Lynn-sharp and straight out of the box I gave myself my first straight shave with it, phff! I was sweating like old steam engine, afraid to get myself injured. After I finished I checked my face and going to the E.R wasn’t necessary but a nick or two couldn’t be avoided. But I had completed it, tada.
After a first few shaves only doing WTG strokes, I took the plunge and also did XTG strokes on the cheeks and ATG on the neck. I couldn’t believe the result. Never had I felt so smooth and so good for so long. I was truly amazing!
Meanwhile I also had ordered a Revisor 6-0004 because I thought this just looked great. I will soon add to the review of that one in the review thread. But my first shave with that one wasn’t all too comfortable. So I took the blade on a Lynn-style pyramid on the Norton 4000/8000 starting with 10/10 down to 1/5 and after that 10 laps on the Coticule and then 60 or so laps on the strop. Now this reads like I knew what I was doing but I didn’t, it was my first honing experience!
Then I took it for a shave. The shave went not as smooth, as the blade snapped on every whisker. Then I took it for a couple of laps on the green side and then the leather side of the loom strop and then had another shave and guess what, smooth like I couldn’t believe. Yesterday evening I got again a magic-all-around-BBS shave with my own honed straight!
Hurray for the straight razor.
Thanks,
Paul (serious rookie)
Serious Rookie From the Netherlands
Hello, Paul:
Welcome to SRP, and thanks for sharing your story. You seem to be on your way. Whatever you do, however, don't rush the learning process. Take your time and enjoy what you do. In the end, the likelihood of going back to the ways you used to shave will be tiny.
Regards,
Obie
