Thread: I'm sure you're surprised... yet another new'un!

Hello!

Actually not so new here, my status shows I joined back in April 2009, but have only really lurked intermittently.

Back then I had decided to ditch Gillette due the the stupid prices and was really taken by the masculinity of straight razor shaving. I found a Crown and Sword ERN 1166 in amazing condition for £10 at an antiques stall in Camden, London; had it honed at Invisible Edge (sorry if I'm not meant to mention vendors); read and watched as much as I could; and then proceded to slice my face to bits!

The razor was shortly after sold on eBay!

Not being put off the whole shaving thing completely I got myself a Merkur Futur, worked my way through and up the blades and have had a wonderful time, and many wonderful shaves with the Futur/Feather combination.

Having had several barber shop shaves, I'm not convinced I'll get a better shave from a straight than I do that combination (generally I can get BBS with a three pass shave) but I've always felt a burning desire to straight shave.

The imagery of a straight razor; seeing someone stropping a piece of steel and then holding and moving that single blade down their face, especially when done well, just looks magical and masculine. (Plus I think my girlfriend would think it awesome.)

Anyway I was lucky this week when basically a brand new Iwasaki came up and decided that now was the time to try and make the transition to full straight shaver.

Am sure this is perhaps not the most sensible choice for a first straight but I was always told that the Futur would be suicide as a first DE razor but with patience, time and a gentle hand I learned to use that with few problems.

This time I may actually follow some of your advice; maybe you did know what you're talking about when you suggested to just shave my cheeks first! My confidence or arrogance was rather unsurprising quickly cut down following my first experiences with a straight so this time I hope to do a little better and perhaps next Christmas I'll actually be able to say with at least a little confidence that I shave with a straight!

tk6

Welcome to posting dear lurker!

Originally Posted by tk6

Back then I had decided to ditch Gillette due the the stupid prices

Yeah. I thought I'd "save" money, too.

... and then proceded to slice my face to bits!

Yep. Right on schedule.

Having had several barber shop shaves, I'm not convinced I'll get a better shave from a straight than I do that combination...

I still don't but that's not the point, at first.

The imagery of a straight razor; seeing someone stropping a piece of steel and then holding and moving that single blade down their face, especially when done well, just looks magical and masculine.

Yeah. That's the point!

This time I may actually follow some of your advice; maybe you did know what you're talking about when you suggested to just shave my cheeks first!

Now you're talking! Shave 3". Don't cut yourself. Call it a win! The rest all comes with time and practice.

Welcome to SRP!

Welcome to the wonderful world of posting!!!!

I'm sure if you get a razor properly sharpened up, and read up on the wiki you will do fine. Of course the first few shave will be sub par, but that is to be expected. Just be patient and you will get amazing shaves with the manliest of implements.