G'morning and well met folks! I am a true novice to the idea of straight razor shaving, having never even had one (much less performed one myself).
My fiancee's cousin is a long time straight razor fan and collector, so he advised me to check out your site and NOT to buy anything online until I know what I'm doing. I've read your beginners guide and found it quite informative.
I've always had an interest as I'd heard it was one of the most relaxing experiences in the world, but I finally became serious when considering the ecological ramifications of my actions. Like several others I am interested in the self sufficiency angle as well. The idea of buying a razor to pass on to my son appeals to me greatly, and the idea of never having to rely on a company for any part of my shave sounds even better.
A bit about myself: I've lived in Florida all my life, and become nervous if taken too far from the sea. I am currently an EMT and reserve Fire Fighter in my county. I enjoy public service and the outdoors, but must admit that when the temperatures spike I'm more likely to be found indoors on my computer enjoying the air conditioning. I am a bit of a pessimist, in that I don't believe anything can last forever and I'm nervous as to how reliant we (society) have become on our own infrastructure. Any aspect of my life that I can become self-sufficient in I am trying to make the shift towards being so.
What I'm looking for in a razor: I have no idea. I expect my first razor will be my "trial" one, and then later on I will buy a nicer one to become my family "heirloom". The article I read advised having 2 razors to be able to compare the shave and that seems like a good idea to me. This will also allow me to have one for my son to learn on by my side when he reaches puberty in 10 or so years. I'm honestly hoping that through this site and advice from my cousin-in-law I'll be able to find something perfect in your classifieds. I'd much rather purchase a quality piece used then contribute to waste by buying a brand new one... And from what I've been told the quality on some of the older razors are far superior to today's new ones!
Well, hopefully I haven't been too long winded in my introduction (the fiancee always tells me I love the sound of my own voice... even while typing!). I look forward to getting to know you all a bit better, and the experience in shaving I have ahead of me!
