Hi All!
I've been lurking here for some time, and I thought registering and introducing myself was probably past due.
Until about 3 months ago, I was a standard, disposable-cartridge razor user, and dissatisfied as hell with it. I deliberately shaved as infrequently as possible, and only really made the effort at my wife's behest, or because I was beginning to get itchy.
It was right about that time that I graduated with an M.A. in English and entered the workforce as a communications consultant, and (unsurprisingly) my job requires me to look significantly more professional and well groomed than what I got away with as a student.
I couldn't stand the idea of shaving daily (or even every second day) with the god-awful triple-bladed torture device and smelly, from-a-can shaving cream, so I decided to explore other options. My first stop, and I suspect the first stop for many people who search for a new solution was a nice, DE razor, a brush, and shave soap.
I'm still only a couple of paycheques into the new job, so choices were limited, but I went with an ebony-handled, Edwin Jagger Classic DE Razor, and an EJ Best Badger Shaving Brush (with stand). In addition, I picked up a sampler of blades, and some Col. Conk's Almond shave soap. All of this was purchased from Fedrinhan's in Canada to avoid shipping fees.
The change to a DE and a badger brush has been a revelation! I actually look forward to shaving sometimes, and the scratchy, but wonderful brush. The razor is elegant, smooth, and I took to shaving with it like a duck to water. Everything I had heard or read about changing to a DE said there would be nasty cuts and razor burn while adjusting from a cartridge-based razor, but the transition was seamless for me, and the first shave I had was better than any I had ever experienced before.
Naturally, as with all gateway drugs, using a DE has led me into further lurking and learning about shaving. I now understand that there are far better (and more interesting) options with regard to things like shaving soap, though TBH, I'm not sure I buy all the talk about how big a difference changing from a $40-50 "best badger" brush to a $300 can be, but I haven't tried it, so I guess I don't know. Maybe that's just the pragmatist in me, comparing a shaving brush with a couple of weeks worth of groceries.
At any rate, my searchings led me to this wonderful website, where I have been devouring information about the world of straight razors as fast as I can. I admit it, I'm intrigued! Oddly, though, it is the idea of restoration that most interests me at this point, as I find straight razors oddly beautiful; the idea of taking an abused one and bringing it back to "work of art" status is deeply appealing to me. I have recently bought my first project razor for the staggering price of $2.86, so I won't be afraid of buggering it up.
I assume, however, that in order to restore razors, I will at least need to be able to test shave with them, and may eventually replace my DE completely, if I feel that the shave I'm getting from a straight is better than the one I'm getting from my DE. In fact, my biggest complaint about the DE is the consistency of blades; some simply work better than others, and two razors out of the same package can have different characteristics. It seems to be that the straight is the perfect solution for that problem, as the user maintains constant control over the blade's quality.
Anyway, this is already longer than most people are willing to read through, so I should probably wrap things up, but I wanted to say how great a pleasure it has been reading through everyone's helpful and insightful comments, and, though it may be a while before I have the funds to really enter the world of straight razors (I'm thinking that the poor man's stropping and honing kits may be the only purchases in my near future, unless I come across a nice quality, shave-ready, and inexpensive straight so I know what I'm shooting for with my restorations), I'll keep reading and learning, and hopefully start actively participating in the forums from now on.
Cheers!