Hello from Indianapolis!

[ChesterCopperpot]

The little big town, although I've also lived in Chicago, London, Edinburgh, Inverness, and Luoyang and Hangzhou, China! Was a bit of a traveler in my younger days. Now I'm back home again in Indiana. I'm originally from the Lafayette area, for you hoosiers here. Purdue graduate, to boot. I also happen to be distantly related to Humphrey Bogart (and share his mother's surname), hence the avatar!

Like many, I made my purchases before coming here and researching more but I didn't come out too badly. Unfortunately I picked the one vendor (that I won't mention, those are the rules I think) that doesn't include professional honing to all blades sold. Ended up with a DOVO Black Star, seems to shave OK but I've never had or held a well honed razor so I don't have anything to compare it to. Also got a super badger brush and a nice stand with a bowl, and bay rum soap that's a proprietary brand of the vendor. Oh, and an Illinois strop. This was about two weeks ago. I'm also a noob but my first couple of shaves haven't gone too horribly.

I got into this because the older I get the more I appreciate more refined and old fashioned things, and it turns shaving into a hobby instead of just something you do. I finally gave up trying to grow a beard or goatee since it's too thin on the chin.