Greetings from Cajun Country
I have shaved for perhaps 40 years and have always regarded it as a necessary evil. Irritated face, unsatisfactory shave. I started about the time the DE was gasping for its last breath. I'd try each new gimmick (how many of you remember the "Stick Schick" razor of the mid-70s?). For all these years I vascillated between cartridges, disposables, and electric razors. Some of them worked well for a while then leveled off.
One day quite by accident, I saw an article online called The Zen of Shaving and immediately wanted to plunge into the world of retro shaving.
I stumbled out of the starting blocks with a Parker DE that had a manufacturer's defect (except that I did not know it). I used four blades from two different manufacturers and two of them (one from each manufacturer) couldn't reach my face when seated into the razor.
Then I did what I really wanted, which was get a straight razor. For the better part of a month I tried so hard, studied videos, purchased Lynn's DVD, etc., but the results were a face that could be rented out to Halloween parties.
My first straight shave attempt was on Good Friday. Finally this week it began to click. It began with good technique and lousy shaves. Then good technique and a fair shave. Then finally a pretty doggone good decent shave today.
I'm on my way!
The big prize to me is that I am now deriving enjoyment out of something I have hated doing for 40 years.
