There Will be Blood, or I Bought A Bunch of Shaving Stuff Today

Well, I've been thinking about using a straight razor for quite a while, but I always got great shaves with my Gillette five blade razor. Until recently. It seems I've been doing something wrong for the last four months or so. I've been getting awful razor burn and bumps. I was using the same puck of soap that I've had for the last three years, so I thought maybe it was time to replace it. I've tried every soap and cream I could get my hands on. I even tried some of the spray can varieties. It only got worse. Finally I went to a dermatologist to see what he thought. Two rather expensive prescription creams later, I decided to do some research. I read that a number of people feel that the multi blade razors over exfoliate the skin. Makes sense to me. So I bought a new Dovo razor along with a new canvas and Russian leather strop, honed the blade on a water stone I had and stropped it. I've watched a ton of videos on all this so now there's nothing left to it but to do it.
I'll report back after I've staunched my wounds.

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Originally Posted by cst

Well, I've been thinking about using a straight razor for quite a while, but I always got great shaves with my Gillette five blade razor. Until recently. It seems I've been doing something wrong for the last four months or so. I've been getting awful razor burn and bumps. I was using the same puck of soap that I've had for the last three years, so I thought maybe it was time to replace it. I've tried every soap and cream I could get my hands on. I even tried some of the spray can varieties. It only got worse. Finally I went to a dermatologist to see what he thought. Two rather expensive prescription creams later, I decided to do some research. I read that a number of people feel that the multi blade razors over exfoliate the skin. Makes sense to me. So I bought a new Dovo razor along with a new canvas and Russian leather strop, honed the blade on a water stone I had and stropped it. I've watched a ton of videos on all this so now there's nothing left to it but to do it.
I'll report back after I've staunched my wounds.

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Wait till your dermatologist finds out your shaving with a scalpel and you have done your own mole and skin tag removal plus you don't need the cream anymore :<0) .

Well, one small nick at the point of my jaw and an abraded area on my neck just right of my Adam's apple which oozed just the smallest amount of blood and I have a shiny clean jaw. I have a goatee so I didn't have to do my lip or chin. The abraded area was the worst part of what was already irritated which in hind sight, I really should have left alone. I remembered to switch hands when I switched cheeks but did my neck all with my right hand. Easy peasy lemon squeasy. I liked (for the most part) the results, and the odd feeling of accomplishment. I don't know that I've had a feeling about a shave since I was fourteen. Wierd.
Now I've read the razor has to rest for a day or two. Do I really need to wait that long? I need to shave daily.
Anybody know where I can pick up a quality razor in or near Washington DC?

I bet there is an Art of Shaving in or near DC. I have never been to one but unlike an online store you can see, smell and possibly touch things there you would not be able to from a web-sight.

There are two in DC The Art Of Shaving Barber Shop DC | Your Barber DC (202) 682-1113 and Barber Washington DC | Visit The Art Of Shaving (202) 223-1433 .

The Art of Shaving? I'll look them up. Thanks!