Upon finding this forum and spending a few weeks reading posts I finally got my act together and registered to join the fun!

My "shaving story": I first started shaving with what was available: disposable cartridges and canned-aerosol-type shaving creams. I tried a few brands but the result was always fairly similar. Razor bumps and irritation pretty common....

I felt that it made no sense to pay good money for a product that didn't do much in terms of effectiveness or enjoyment. I started using an old Gillette DE safety razor that my father gave me, along with the smallest travel brush that I have ever seen, an old badger (60's) brush with a dark horn handle the size of a pinkie.

I've been using a DE safety razor for a number of years with results that far outperform any multi-blade system. Recently, I've become curious about straight razors. I have yet to try using one and have so many questions... it's probably just a matter of time before I take the plunge and purchase my first SR...