Thread: Well hi there.

Greetings everyone. My name's Heber, though here you can call me HColl or HC. I'm 22, I'm a professional photographer living in San Juan, Puerto Rico and I am of course a newly converted shaver. I'm a sucker for hobbies and high quality products, so straight razor/wet shaving came naturally for me I guess. I've also always had problems with my very thick whiskers and razor burn/bumps. So that's a another factor in the switch. So far I've wet shaved three times in a two and a half week period.

For now I'm shaving with a Dovo Shavette(green holder and Personna blades soon to arrive, currently using feather blades on the red holder) while I develop my technique and save some money for a straight and strop. I probably won't get stones for honing, maybe just a pasted strop and I'll send my razor/s to an expert to be honed when needed.

As for soaps and brushes I have Colonel Conk's original glycerin soap, Derby shaving cream(looking for a better one, suggestions welcome) and a Faux Ivory mixed Badger hair brush(read:cheap) I got from BMVintage, that'll do for now, works decently. I got the soap on a smallish coffee mug(fits nice and tight) and mix in a nice medium sized ceramic bowl I found in the cabinet. I'll probably get a nice, big scuttle one day. I've been experimenting with the soap to cream ratio for lathering, and with what I got I'm able to get a nice thick lather, the Derby cream is pretty thick, though I guess I wouldn't really know seeing as it's my first cream. I don't like the scent it has at all though...

Anyway, I guess that's all you need to know. Sorry for blabbering on, but this is an introduction thread :P

P.S. I'm also looking into getting some Bay Rum Witch Hazel or something similar for splashing on before I apply aftershave(I have a Nivea aftershave balm which is pretty nice), I've read that's a good combination for post shave treatment? Your thoughts would be nice

Originally Posted by HColl

Sorry for blabbering on, but this is an introduction thread :P

P.S. I'm also looking into getting some Bay Rum Witch Hazel or something similar for splashing on before I apply aftershave(I have a Nivea aftershave balm which is pretty nice), I've read that's a good combination for post shave treatment? Your thoughts would be nice

Heber,

Welcome to SRP! No need to apologize. We love to hear what turns guys on to straight shaving - call it justification for our own passion.

I'm not much of an aftershave kind of guy. I use Thayer's Aloe Witch Hazel and nothing else. I've not found an aftershave balm that doesn't give me acne.

Again, welcome aboard and happy shaving.

Greg

Originally Posted by LinacMan

Heber,

Welcome to SRP! No need to apologize. We love to hear what turns guys on to straight shaving - call it justification for our own passion.

I'm not much of an aftershave kind of guy. I use Thayer's Aloe Witch Hazel and nothing else. I've not found an aftershave balm that doesn't give me acne.

Again, welcome aboard and happy shaving.

Greg

Thanks for the welcome Greg. I'll probably try just both methods, with and without aftershave. I've only been using the aftershave after all, so who knows how it'll behave after using the splash.

Heber,

I forgot to mention, don't forget to check the classifieds when you're considering your purchase of a straight. I've never used a Shavette, but I've read where other guys say that it doesn't necessarily translate into using a straight. There is a fairly wide range of prices available in the classifieds, so depending on your price-point you may be able to switch to a straight sooner than you think. Often you can find a vintage straight razor that hasn't been restored to a mirror finish but has been professionally honed and will make a great shaver if you don't mind it showing its age.

You're wise to consider start shaving with a professionally honed razor before you jump into buying hones. Although every guy's comfort level is different, I'm just now looking into buying some hones after 10 months of using a straight.

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know the answer, we can definitely find someone who does.

Greg

Welcome to SRP

Originally Posted by LinacMan

Heber,

I forgot to mention, don't forget to check the classifieds when you're considering your purchase of a straight. I've never used a Shavette, but I've read where other guys say that it doesn't necessarily translate into using a straight. There is a fairly wide range of prices available in the classifieds, so depending on your price-point you may be able to switch to a straight sooner than you think. Often you can find a vintage straight razor that hasn't been restored to a mirror finish but has been professionally honed and will make a great shaver if you don't mind it showing its age.

You're wise to consider start shaving with a professionally honed razor before you jump into buying hones. Although every guy's comfort level is different, I'm just now looking into buying some hones after 10 months of using a straight.

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know the answer, we can definitely find someone who does.

Greg

Thanks for the advice. I can technically afford a straight and strop now, but I have other purchases(photography equipment mainly) which take priority. I will be taking a look at the classifieds. I've been considering a Dovo Best Quality 6/8 from StraightRazorDesigns. I tend to shy away from used products, but I may just get a vintage razor from here as my first razor, maybe save some money in the process. I'll probably end up getting another one anyways when I need to send it in for honing. Idk, we'll see how it goes

I have heard that about the Shavette, but I figured it would be the closest thing to it in terms of the shaving movements and such.

Originally Posted by Blademen

Welcome to SRP

Thx for the welcome.

Originally Posted by HColl

I tend to shy away from used products, but I may just get a vintage razor from here as my first razor, maybe save some money in the process. I'll probably end up getting another one anyways when I need to send it in for honing.

I'm the same way. My first two razors were new, one of which is a 6/8 DOVO Bismarck from SRD. After that, I started looking in antique stores and got burned a time or two because I didn't recognize pitting rust. I've had a few good finds, though and have a couple of vintage blades that I've had restored. Max restored and rescaled a vintage Boker for me - if you didn't know any better you'd swear it was a brand new razor. I had Glen restore an old Elliott whose scales were salvageable - it too looks brand new. I guess it also depends what you're "in to". Some guys don't like to totally restore a vintage; they like a little patina on the blade so it still looks old. That's not me.

Just wait until until the obsession takes hold of you friend...

Originally Posted by LinacMan

Just wait until until the obsession takes hold of you friend...

Yeah, haha. Anyway, I'll probably end up getting the Dovo best quality 5/8, the cheap one. Just because of that, it's cheap, but decent as understand it. After all the price hikes mainly come from better scales and gold plating and the like, not necessarily the metal itself. Correct? Then I'll probably look into a 6/8 or 7/8 so I can have the option of a wider blade. I know I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I just know I'll want more than one blade, I easily get addicted with things like this. Plus I will need a second one when I send the first one to be honed for the first time.(that's my excuse :P)

Yesterday I was looking around the forums for reviews and the like of creams, soaps and brushes. Goddammit, now I want a CF or T&H cream sampler and a MWF soap. From the beginning I knew I would definitely want a softer, thicker brush than the one I have though. There's so many options though, the Simpson Chubby looks perfect, but $250 is so much for a brush... Know of a cheaper alternative that is similar in quality, thickness?

Anyway, my point being, I'm easily addicted...

Welcome to Straight Razor Place!

HC,

Originally Posted by HColl

After all the price hikes mainly come from better scales and gold plating and the like, not necessarily the metal itself. Correct?

I think that's basically true. I have one DOVO that's stainless steel. My understanding is that stainless is harder to hone, but keeps an edge longer. That being said, it's not one of my favorite blades, but I don't know if it's more the grind than the metal.

Originally Posted by HColl

Then I'll probably look into a 6/8 or 7/8 so I can have the option of a wider blade. I know I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I just know I'll want more than one blade, I easily get addicted with things like this.

I prefer wider blades. I started with 6/8's but have gravitated toward th 8/8's. I have a few that are less than 5/8 (haven't measured them) from antique stores/estate sales. I find that I'm more likely to nick myself with narrow blades for some reason. Also, since I usually sport a Van Dyke, I find that when I'm defining the lateral edges of the hair joining the mustache with the goatee I'm much more likely to drag the hinge part of the scales into lather on my goatee with a narrow blade. If you're lazy like me, a wider blade holds more lather before you have to wipe the blade

Originally Posted by HColl

Plus I will need a second one when I send the first one to be honed for the first time.

Good logic. That's what I told my wife when I bought my second razor. Of course the fact that I now have around a dozen razors, pressure is low to send one off for honing

Originally Posted by HColl

...now I want a CF or T&H cream sampler and a MWF soap.

I've used CF Lime scented cream when I visited Lynn, but haven't dropped the bucks for some - it's worth every penny. I have the T&H unscented cream that I use with some of my soaps that don't have "matching" creams (suggested to me by Obie when I first started shaving) and I LOVE it!

Originally Posted by HColl

Know of a cheaper alternative that is similar in quality, thickness?

My brush is a shavemac best badger - I think it was round $80-100. It's a little stiffer than what I prefer, but I still love it. Next brush will be a little softer.

Greg