Thread: Another newbie!

Greetings folks,

My name is Brian, I'm 35, have been active duty military for 17 years and counting, and I just got in to straight razor shaving.

I've been quietly stalking these forums, youtube, and other resources researching this topic, and I owe a big 'thank you' to everyone. A big thank you to Mr. Abrams, everyone here at Straight Razor Place, 'geofatboy' at ShaveNation, and the folks at Vintage Blades LLC. so far.

Personally, my thought on straight razor shaving is about skill, satisfaction, a better shave, saving money over time, and honestly... some 'me' time. For now, I'm learning, and I still have my cartridge shaving method as my primary shave (hopefully soon to be backup) for times where I cannot dedicate the time to straight razor shaving while I learn.

I've been going to the barber shop for most of my life. Being in the military, I much prefer to get my 'high and tight' hair cut from a barber, they know exactly what to do unlike most stylists (nothing against stylists, that's just my experience). There's a certain sense of 'home' with the sights and smells, tools of the trade, and conversation that you only get at the barber shop. You actually get to know people a little, and interact, which sometimes feels like a foreign concept today with 24/7 overload of information and electronic distractions that seem to make human to human contact a thing of the past or unnecessary to some.

After much reading I snagged the Lynn Abrams DVD "World of Straight Razor Shaving" as a place to start, and after watching it, it's certainly much more than a starting place for me. I think I got myself a pretty respectable straight razor shaving kit, along with everything to hone, strop, and take care of the blade. My first straight razor: Dovo Ebony 5/8" Stainless Steel Straight Razor - professionally honed by Lynn Abrams from Vintage Blades LLC.

In the long run, I plan to save money by not having to purchase disposable cartridges, and getting a better shave and sense of satisfaction in the process. At the same time I'm not known to buy the cheapest products, I tend to go for the best quality and value that I know to get at the time.

I'll likely read much more than I post until I feel that I really have something new to say, I'm sure whatever questions I have as a newbie have been answered time and time again in these forums.

I hope to be a part of the community! Thanks for reading.

Welcome to SRP, while reading first is a good idea, sometimes you'll just find something you HAVE to say. Promise!

Greetings, Brian, and welcome to SRP! I totally agree with you about the "'me' time" involved with cutthroat shaving -- it's one of the main attractions for me. Pics of your gear are always welcome here! What soap/creme are you using?
Cordially,
maplaleafalumnus

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

Greetings, Brian, and welcome to SRP! I totally agree with you about the "'me' time" involved with cutthroat shaving -- it's one of the main attractions for me. Pics of your gear are always welcome here! What soap/creme are you using?
Cordially,
maplaleafalumnus

Pics?! I can do that... I'm somewhat of a photographer! Let me see what I can come up with.

I have a whopping 1 (one) starter straight razor shave under my belt, just last night! I used the Classic Shaving lavander soap that came with a personalized Classic Traditional mug from ClassicShaving.com. This mug will also fit the small Col. Conk Shaving Soap (trying almond and amber), which what I was planning on starting with because of the high percentage of glycerin. I also have Proraso Shave Cream in Eucalyptus Oil and Menthol, and Sandalwood with Shea Butter to try.

By the way, one can do all of the reading in the world on mugs and such, but I may have jumped the gun on the personalized mug honestly. We'll see how it goes but I think I'd rather use a lathering bowl instead of a mug at this point, I seem to really like to whip up a lather, and the mug is pretty narrow. Still, nice mug!

My whiskers grow pretty fast, but right now they can't seem to grow fast enough, I want to shave... and I can't believe I'm saying that!

Brian, it sounds like you'll fit in perfectly here! Please be aware of the various Acquisition Disorders that seem to accompany cutthroat shaving: BAD, HAD, RAD, SAD, (Brush, Hone, Razor, Strop). You may find that you'll spend more $$$ on this than you realized possible.
mla

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

Brian, it sounds like you'll fit in perfectly here! Please be aware of the various Acquisition Disorders that seem to accompany cutthroat shaving: BAD, HAD, RAD, SAD, (Brush, Hone, Razor, Strop). You may find that you'll spend more $$$ on this than you realized possible.
mla

That's amazing, I thought I knew all of the acronyms one needed to know in the Army... I fell over laughing when I read this!

Oh, Brian, there are many, may more. A shortcut does exist here for the abbreviations. Go to the toolbar on the top of our screen and click on the "HELP" button, then go to "Acronyms and Abbreviations." Unfortunately, it is not a totally comprehensive list, but it does the job pretty well. It seems to me there's a new abbreviation every week that is used.
mla

Originally Posted by BKRonline

That's amazing, I thought I knew all of the acronyms one needed to know in the Army... I fell over laughing when I read this!

Yep there are some pretty funny ones. My favorite is SMWBO(She who must me obeyed.)

Took me some time to figure out what it meant. That is why GIYF(google is your friend.)

Parker

Welcome to SRP Brian and thank you for your service. It looks like you'll fit right in here on SRP and if you do, forget about saving money, he he. By that I mean that acquiring razors, hones, strops, shave creams/soaps and the like is very addicting. Good for you if you can keep the collecting down and if you can't, welcome to the club. Keep your cartridge blade to finish the areas you are not comfortable straight shaving until you get more comfortable. Just because you start shaving with a straight razor doesn't mean you have to finish with one. I shave in the evening when I have more time and less of a line for the shave den. If you get a close enough shave this may give you a few more minutes to shave and a few extra in the morning. The Library on the menu bar above will take you to the WIKI. Lots of condensed info there to help you get started. We're all here to assist you in your straight razor journey so ask any questions you may have. Be sure to have fun along the way. Good luck.

Perhaps money 'saved' could be money 'invested'!