Thread: Hello from US ARMY in Afghanistan

Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, Sgt. Tejeda:

From a Vietnam veteran, welcome to Straight Razor Place.

First of all, please take a look in the Wiki for a wealth of information on many aspects of wet shaving with the straight razor. Beyond that, here are some suggestion to consider:

1. Start with a 5/8" Dovo "Best Quality" or Tortoise shell razor. These are good and reliable razors. Make sure they are shave ready, or "pre-sharpened," as some sites note. Some of the vendors listed here carry these razors. It is important that the razor be professionally honed. Factory edges on razors, in most cases, are not adequate for the professional shaver.

2. For a strop, which is essential, try a Premium I Leather Strop that is 3" from Straight Razor Designs. This strop comes in two parts, fabric and leather, which can be replaced should you cut your strop — the hardware on the original strop is already there and can be fitted with the new leather or fabric.

3. For a brush, try a 22-mm. pure badger. Badger brushes come in four grades of softness: pure, best, super and silver tip. Some manufacturers lump "best" and "super" in one, and some use different descriptions. Generally, though, you have four choices. The pure badger is a good starter. Keep the price here around $35 or so.

4. Soap or creams make up a long list of choices. Here are some quality soaps which many gentlemen at SRP use: Mama Bear, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Geo F Trumper, Provence Sante Verlaine (one of my favorites), Straight Razor Design, Truefitt & Hill, Tabac, and so on. You have many choices.

5. Truefitt & Hill, Taylor of Old Bond Street and Geo F Trumper offer some good choices in creams. Pre de Provence, Institute Karite, Musgo Real, Proraso, and many others also have quality stuff. For now, one of the creams or soaps is all you need until you feel your way around.

6. You will need some kind of a mug for your soap or cream. A wide coffee cup will do. You can create lather in the mug (should you use cream), and should you choose soap, keep the puck in the mug. Make lather directly onto your face.

7. Keep a stypic pencil on hand for nicks. The PX should have something like that, or the vendors here have them.

8. For aftershave, your taste will dictate what you should buy.

For starters — unless I forgot something — this is all you need. Most of all, take your time honing your skills in a) stropping, b) making lather and c) learning the ways of the straight razor. Don't rush it. Do your research here. Watch as many videos as you can. And ask questions.

Most importantly, though, stay safe, and come home flying the banner of a gentleman straight razor shaver.

Regards,

Obie

Obie, First and fore most thanks for your service. Your a true hero! What we do know doesnt amount to Vietnam. You did your time and now its my turn. Thanks for the wrm welcoming.

I will look at wiki for information and knowledge. Thanks for the sugestions. I have a few questions regarding ur comments:

1. Is shave ready, pre-sharpened and honed all the same ? If not whats the difference?

4/5. As far as soap or creams do u have any that u prefer or recoment? Granit im beginner. Is there a difference between soaps and creams.

Thanks for your advice and guidance. Hope to hear from you soon.

V/R

Miguel Tejeda