Thread: What age were ye when ye first used a straight.

My father was shaving with Gillette cartridges and I had only seen a straight razor in old movies in tv. I did not even know about the existence of safety razors back then.
One day, at the age of 15, I saw a shavette in a store and I was fascinated. It did not cost much, so I bought it. I thought that this was a real straight razor. I also bought a brush and a shaving cream. At that age, I had bristles only on the sideburns. I had to invent the technique of straight shaving because I had never seen anybody shaving that way. I managed to complete the first shave of my life with that shavette. It took me about 45 minutes and I only cut my shelf a couple of times.

I went on wet shaving with the shavette for 5-6 months and then I decided to get serious about shaving and I bought Gillette cartridges and Gillette foam as my father did.

A couple of years later I was living in Italy and I found in the supermarket a shaving soap named “proraso”. I bought it and continued shaving for the next 10 years with proraso or some other shaving cream, a brush and Gillette cartridges.

About 6 years ago, I found a Greek forum on wet shaving and there I found other people that shared that same passion for old time razors. I was informed that straight razors actually exist nowadays and I was told were to buy one.
For the next 2-4 years, I was infected with the most common diseases of the wet shaving world. Razor acquisition disorder, shaving soap and cream acquisition disorder, brush acquisition disorder and so on. The last two years I keep the various diseases under control but every now and then, I experience a relapse.

54. That was 7 years ago.

started using a shavette few months ago, swapping to straight in a few weeks. 17 nearly 18

I was 32 in 08. I switch between the Gillette and various straight razors I have.

I started at 40 nine months ago. Never looked back! I hone my own too.

I was 48 years old.

My first attempt was when I was 20 and in college and that effort didn't bring me into the fold of wet shaving. I started SR shaving seriously after I retired, I was 68. No chance of going back.

Switched to a DE razor from cartridge when i was 38. At 42 I picked up my first straight. Use that whenever I can but I'm still working out my technique (THat was 6 months ago).

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

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

Nice family story. Do you have a son or a Grandson who will inherit your actual SR ?