Thread: Raz-iversary

Hi everybody
I open this thread like I did on a french forum, to let anyone celebrate the 1st, 2nd ... anniversary of his first shave with a straight. And to tell how deep he is in this addictive life style.
Personnally, I was given a shavette in april 2015. Looking on the net to find how to use it, I discovered the 'coupe-chou club' , soon bought four second hand nearly shave-ready straights and on may 9th 2015, I had my first shave whith the real one.
Today I have nearly 40 shave-ready straights, 20 more awaiting restoration, have sold or given nearly 20 others to newbies. I use 18 different shaving brushes, 23 different soaps and creams, scuttles, paddles, strops and of course a lot of stones.

Everything is under control!

My first was about 45 years ago so I don't remember a lot about the specific date, but it was in spring or summer, probably about 1973. I took a long hiatus from straights, when you're 20 years old and 20 minutes late, a SR is maybe not the ideal tool... but all is well now!

Cheers, Steve

Ten years for me this year. I started on a dare from a buyer who bought two straight razors I had that were given to me and I never used. The reason I never used them was I nearly cut the end of my finger off just trying to clean one up. Later the buyer sent pics of razors cleaned up and dared me to try, I did and I've been hooked ever since and loving it!

Just over one year for me. My collection of razors is in the 60's in count. Ive given away 4 and think i got a dozzen in the to-do box. Soaps, ive weeded out most the stuff that dont meet the grade but still have 8 i think. 9 brushes and one on the way. Had two sets of hones but traded one set from an old razor. Natural stones consist of jnat, coti and zulu. My shaves seem to always be comfortable now days so i guess i learn something over the last year.

Id like to say its under control but in reality i'll say its getting under control.

The only time its under control is when you stop shaving which I do not recommend. This sport/hobby is too much fun!

Got my first straight 45 years ago at a flea market in London England for not very much. Still have it. Didn’t use it for years because I didn’t know how to hone it properly and did not have any proper stones.

I had inherited a couple of decent strops. I think my dad had got them to discipline me because he never used a straight.

About 5 years later I got a decent new razor and started to learn how to shave with it by trial and error. I became quite good using toilet paper, small bandages and styptic pencil to repair nicks in my face. The edge on that razor was shave ready from the getgo and lasted with stropping quite a while.

I now have 21 razors and a selection of sharpening stones, including a bevel setting 1000 grit diamond plate, a combo coticule/bbw, norton 4000/8000, Oozuku and Vermio (very recent from Griffiths Shaving Goods) and several paddle strops as well as my original barber strop. I also have a 2-sided paddle with diamond spray on hard felt on one side and CrOx on balsa on the other and made a couple of bench strops using found leather from a custom leather worker I met.

I am semi-retired so don’t feel the need to shave every day, but really enjoy the experience of my “Sunday shave” regardless of the day of the week on which I decide to do it.

You should start thinking of focusing.............when you reach 400-500 razors, no worries.