Thread: OMG what am I doing here ?

I have a feeling that your shave prep experience & shaving with a straight may be more than your father's, so your experience should be great. I went from straights to DE without a cut.

If you say so, I trust it. You never steered me wrong before. Except that Avon thing smelled like poop. But that wasn't your fault and I love that little anvil :<0)
That is a very nice collection you got there by the way.

Those little travel razors are cheap on Ebay, I think a couple of them were cheaper than the shipping cost.

I got a cheapie travel razor about a week ago, I used it with no major dramas, a few weepers but that's it. I don't know if yours is going to do the same thing, but you may need to hold the blade straight while you screw the handle in, there is a bit of play sometimes. I was told this was fairly common with D/E razors.

Someone said "Get a sample pack of blades"..sound advice. Many of the DE's hold the blade to a slightly different curve and position with regard to the bar or comb in front of the cutting edge. The stiffness of the blade and how it is ground and applied to your face makes a big difference if you always prep your face the same way. Blade angle is also important and does take use of a blade for a while to know that razor and blade combination.
And.. have fun, the wee beastys can ay be a hoot!
~Richard

I think this sample pack thing has sunk into my brain real good. I can picture that thin blade bending into the shape of the head and I am sure any little micron of difference in thickness or sharpness etc. is going to matter. Let alone the skin and my nimble fingers addition to the equation.

10 pups I have followed your post and knowledge, I can not in my wildest dreams see you having any trouble with a DE.
Going from straights to a DE is like learning how to balance after learning to down hill ski on an olympic coarse.
I still use my DE on days that time is not on my side. Listen to it just like you would a fresh honed extra hollow. I shave with my straight with both hands but my DE with the dominant hand something to think about. The other thing to remember is as soon as the blade tugs - "chuck it" and get a new one (if twice you think it is tugging you have waited to long). Since you can not strop it with any fair results, gunk will build up on the edge so keep in mind to rinse & rinse with hot water. Finally just like straights pressure and side motion are not your friends. I sure hope you will keep us informed on how it goes.

+1 on hidestoart. I started shaving before the multiblade so called razors came in to use. I started with a DE. No pressure in shaving, try different blades. It used to be Gellette was about all there was on the domestic market. I have a DE in my rotation (in honor of my father who owned only one razor that I know of - a Gillette) and I favor Astra blades. I can get a BBS with two passes, one with and one against the grain. Yeah, the very occasional nick. But that was due to a a lack of concentration. Keep at it, it will work and rinse, rinse, rinse, it gives you a minute to regain your concentration.

Well thanks for compliments and the tips hidestoart. All these little pieces of advice are going to make this easier I am sure.

I just ordered these from Royal Shave. It's a local place and I was going to go down and check out some things but apparently they are not set up to accept guests. Oh well.



No feathers as suggested, I will wait on those. I know it's not many but it will give me a taste and a chance to see if I could fit this in to my routine. I can do a 1 pass shave in the morning with a straight pretty fast without feeling rushed and if I get up that late I just skip it. That doesn't happen. I may find a use for these things yet. :<0) That whole rinsing a lot thing is bugging me already. 1 of my favorite things about using a straight is saving water. You may say "water?" but any waste of anything bugs me. The lot hasn't even been shipped yet so it may be some time before I post a SOTD with a DE.

Look at you, from don't know what to do with these to D/EBAD, I have only used an astra blade, it was good, but nothing to compare it to.
I haven't heard many good things about derbys, but who knows.
Enjoy the new experience.