Thread: Hello to all

Hi guys my name is Paul I am from England and I have been reading the information posted in these forums for about 2 months and it has been very helpful for me to purchase my first straight razor which arrived yesterday.

In the end I went for the Theirs Issard Starter set and I was excited like a kid at christmas when it was waiting at home for me when I arrived from work yesterday.

I have been shaving daily now for the last 16 years with a disposable Gillette razor and I cannot say I have ever looked forward to a shave so much but I will heed Lynn's advice to beginners and take it slowly.

Any top tips that you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

at first welcome to SRP.
i can say only Be patient . will take time to learn this art if you have enough patience you will get there.
GL

Welcome to SRP. You selected a good razor which shows you did your homework. Tips, go slow, keep an eye on your angle, no pressure on the razor to your face, no sideways slicing strokes, good shaving prep, good lather. By going at it slowly you will develop a feel for holding the razor which will make the more challenging areas to shave easier. Don't be afraid to change you technique as you gain more experience.

Good luck

Welcome from a fellow Brit!

We're glad you're with us!

Thats a good starter kit you've got there, so congrats! +1 to Joed's comments, take it slow, start with areas you are comfortable with and keep the pressure very light.

Practice stropping with a butter knife or something, just to get the feel of it if you are not comfortable with it at the start. This will hopefully avoid any nicks to the strop or rolled edges on the razor.

Also, stay away from eBay until you know a bit more about the various pitfalls out there..! And learn how to shave before you learn how to hone.

Good luck and keep us posted!

+1 from the other posters, what i will add, from me is.... welcome to SRP

Completed the first shave today started slowly just doing from the side burn down to the jaw line then finished off with my normal razor. The grip was a bit strange to start with but the confidence is definitely building and the results were awesomne

Originally Posted by hicky21

Completed the first shave today started slowly just doing from the side burn down to the jaw line then finished off with my normal razor. The grip was a bit strange to start with but the confidence is definitely building and the results were awesomne

Welcome and glad to see the great start

Congratulations on your great start, and welcome to SRP. Sounds like you're doing great!

Warm regards,

Larry

Hello, Paul:

Welcome to Straight Razor Place.

The best advice I can offer — which I would to myself were I starting out — is to allow your skills in wet shaving with a straight razor to mature like a bottle of fine wine.

Don't force whatever you do. Let your skills develop naturally: within your mental and physical capabilities. Follow the advice the other gentlemen have offered. Finally, feast on the whole ritual of wet shaving with a straight razor so that every shave becomes a celebration.

We're delighted you have joined us.

Regards,
Obie

Just a quick question. I have been going a couple of days now do I need to strop the blade before I shave every time as I dont want to ruin it?