Originally Posted by
ZipZop
I was 18.
I had watched (with fascination) my grandfather shave with his Solingen Straight Razor since I was old enough to walk and remember him sitting at the kitchen table with his mirror, razor, mug and brush, strop and styptic pencil. Pretty sure there was a bottle of Bay Rum nearby as well. He passed when I was about 8 years old and I inherited his razor. 10 years later, shortly after my 18th birthday I started shaving with his Razor. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't that bad. I learned slowly as I went, with the help of my father. My dad used a Straight for a while as a young man before switching to a DE.
I can tell you that in college, I was the center of attention for a while shaving with a straight razor. Everyone else had electric or disposable.
I retired my Grandfather's Solingen in the mid 90s. It's now hanging on a wall along with his gold pockiet watch and fob in a display case.
Very cool thread.
Mahalo!
-ZipZop