New guy from New York

My name refers to not my choice of libations, although I've enjoyed a few, but my choice in Setters. The Gordon Setter is know as "Black & Tans" in dog circles.
In any caser, I'm a retired Tool & Die Maker from the great State of New York. I'll freely admit to never shaving myself with a straight razor in my sixty years of existance, although quite a few old fashioned barbers have.
I just purchased a nice little G.H. Pumacker "Black Diamond," and have a Hayashi Diamond on the way. Both will be professionmally honed to shave ready status, and the Pumacker will be my razor for "learning the ropes" in regard to honing and stropping, and yes, shaving also.
I also just bought a Tony Miller Red Latigo Heirloom Strop, with the practice strop, BTW which I will be using for my first attempts..
I still need some stones and hones, before i'm ready for completely self sufficient shaving, bnut I'm on my way, and I must admit a bit excited to be embarking on this journey...

Thanks for having me...

Welcome from another New Yorker (western NY). Where in NY are you located. There are a couple of different meets that are planned in the near future that would be a wonderful way for you to network and pick up some great tips.

It sounds like you have a couple of really nice razors to start out with. You mentioned your razors and your strops, do you have a brush/creams/soaps also? There are some wonderful products out there to try.

As to the stones and hones. I would suggest that you work on getting the shaving down first. You can maintain a shave ready blade for quite a while with just stropping. Once you get your stropping down you can use the practice strop for some Chrome Ox paste to help give it a bit of a boost when stropping just isn't enough.

Take some time to read through our beginner's section if you haven't already. It's got some really great information on how to get off to a great start. Straight Razor Place Wiki:Books/Beginners Guide - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Good luck and please let us know if you have any questions we can help you out with.

Welcome to SRP. More than one tool and die maker around here retired and active. I'm an old ironworker myself from up around north NJ for a part of it. Seems like you've already done a lot of the homework so here's hoping it is smooth shaving from here on out. Read my sig below to avoid nicks and cuts. What the old barber told me really works. :gl:

Welcome to SRP! I see you received a welcome from my better half already :)

I too was a Tool and Die Maker. Started my trade on Long Island and later with Kodak. Where in the state are you located. Do try and make one of the upcoming meets. You can search them out here: Get Togethers and Meetings - Straight Razor Place Forums

Carrie and I will be holding one in WNY in May. Here is the link: http://straightrazorpalace.com/get-t...y-14-16-a.html

You have some nice gear! Let us know if you have any questions!

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Originally Posted by Joed

Welcome to SRP! I see you received a welcome from my better half already :)

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Just to clarify, Joe was referring to Carrie, as his better half, not to me. :roflmao

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Just to clarify, Joe was referring to Carrie, as his better half, not to me. :roflmao

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Goodness that is a scary though Jimmy :gaah:

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Originally Posted by CarrieM

Goodness that is a scary though Jimmy :gaah:

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LOL Carrie, twenty years ago I wouldn't have needed to mention it but the way things are nowadays ......:w

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

LOL Carrie, twenty years ago I wouldn't have needed to mention it but the way things are nowadays ......:w

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LOL, well, at least I was referred to as the "better half"

Ok folks, now back to your regularly scheduled program..


Welcome to the insanity that is SRP BlacknTan :)

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Just to clarify, Joe was referring to Carrie, as his better half, not to me. :roflmao

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:rofl2:

Thanks Jimmy. :) When I wrote the post your's wasn't posted yet. But it was there after I submitted mine.

Yep, these days ya never know.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.
I currently split my time between my home on Eastern Long Island and a camp in the central Adirondacks. I spent much of my working career at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and retired from the Physics Department Machine Shop 3 years ago.
I'm only new to the world of Straight Razors. I have been practicing what is now referred to as "wet shaving" since I was 15 and nearly took off my lower lip with my Dad's Gillette Slim, before I even had any peachfuzz to shave off..
I have a fair supply of brushes, both badger and boar, soaps, creams and my favorite old time barbershop style after shaves, from Old Spice, to Lucky Tiger to the Pinaud classics, including Lilac Vegetal. But, I'm getting to be an old man, so I just don't mind smelling like one! :)

Thanks again for the welcome!