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What type of razor did you start with?
I've noticed one of the most common questions on this forum is "What is a good starting razor". I know this question has been answered many times but always in individual posts. I have not seen someone post a poll (if there is a poll could someone link to it). I think a poll would be useful for many beginners because it would show what the majority of people first started with (provided enough people answer the poll). Feel free to attach a picture of your first razor and answer a few questions about it and your experience. I know there are links to the wiki with good information posted in the beginners section but personally I think there should be a thread where more experienced users talk about their first razor, their impressions of it and their experience with SR shaving in general (like how they progressed). All of this to help beginners.
Some questions:
What was your first straight razor?
Why was it your first straight razor?
How well did it work for you?
Did you hone it yourself or did you send it to a pro?
Did you transition from DE shaving or jump right to straights?
Did you ever cut yourself or do you worry about cutting yourself?
If you had it to do over again what would be different?
Anything else you think beginners should or would want to know?
Admins, If you feel that this topic has been thoroughly covered or should be in another section on the forum please move it, trash it or otherwise do as you will with it! :D I put the poll in this section because I believe it will get more traffic from experienced users than it would in the beginners section.
I guess I'll go first. ;)
My first razor was a vintage George Wostenholm & Son pipe trademark Peerless square tip that I got in a box of junk from an auction sale. At the time I had been using a double edge razor for about five years. I decided that I wanted to try and use a straight razor (after stumbling onto this forum while trying to find information about the straight razor I'd found). I had sharpened knives before but razors were something new to me, the honing guide in this forum helped me out immensely. I cleaned it up and honed it myself on 3k and 8k synthetic stones, finished on a vintage barber hone and stropped it on a cheap kitchen knife strop. It took me a few tries to get the edge honed up right but it was pretty good after that. It's been two and a half years now since I started straight razor shaving and I've never cut myself (I just jinxed it didn't I....:nono:). I only worried about cutting myself for the first three or four shaves when my hands were still shaking with nervousness, I've never worried about it since (don't get me wrong, I was and still am very careful with straight razors). I had a bit of razor burn in the beginning (probably because my sharpening job wasn't that great) and I still occasionally get a bit of irritation with very aggressive edges. Luckily my five years of experience with DE razors taught me about face prep, lathering and light pressure.
Two and a half years later I'm getting great shaves and my honing skills are quite good. My collection of razors, hones, strops, brushes and soaps has grown but my Peerless razor has a special place in my heart. If I had it to do over again I wouldn't change a thing. I would start with a vintage blade cleaned up and honed by myself because (for me) that's what it's about, it's not just about shaving, it's about learning.
Cheers,
Dan
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p.s. my photography skills still suck... maybe I should start learning.:rofl2: