Thread: I AM A MAN!!!!......Well almost....

Howdy...this is my first post as well as the date of my first str8 shave.

I decided earlier this week that I was going to do this....watched a couple of videos on line, all of which told me to take my time and go slowly...start off small and work my way up to more and more surface area with the passing of the weeks. I didn't listen. I ignored them all.

I went to my parents home and convinced my mother to grant me access to my deceased father's things. His father was a barber and I could remember a box that contained half of his barbering tools (my uncle got the other half). Specifically I remembered a bunch of straight razors that my father was almost afraid to touch himself as they were so sharp that I'd surely "lop your finger off."

If dad was afraid, then I NEVER went near something that made that man fret.

After cajoling mom a bit (I mowed her grass for her) I mentioned the razors and the box and my desire to NOT slit my throat and how neat it would be to be shaving with Grandpa's barber razors. She acquiesced and I was granted temporary permission to dig into the box.

Right on the top I found two saran wrapped packages that I KNEW immediately were straight razors. Unfortunately, the first one I grabbed was in bad shape, I could see the rust through the layers of saran wrap and the generous lathering of petroleum jelly that either grandpa or dad had used to pack the razor....I opened it up and discovered a badly rusted (but I believe salvageable.....maybe) straight razor that surffered from what I learned was called "Celluloid Rot".

The second one that I opened appeared intact, the scales appeared to be yellow celluloid or plastic with the words Olean Wedge engraved on them - the blade is tarnished, but still had enough of an edge to make me respect it instantly. I put it aside and kept digging.

I discovered another box that contained 4 smaller boxes.....now I was grinning ear to ear...this was the cashe that I remembered from my youth. I opened the first box and discovered more Celluloid Rot. I wrapped it back up and set it aside to assess later, the second box was opened and the razor appeared near new, almost no blemishes whatsoever....when Mom saw that, she grabbed all of the boxes from my hands and said I couldnt have any of them (she gets that way some time) and that was the end of my fishing expedition. I was allowed to take the Olean Wedge and the first severely rotted one that I had found however and took them home - along with a strop from the barber shop that I managed to finagle away from mom.

I cleaned up the Olean Wedge and studied and re-studied the stropping and honing videos that I had found. EVERYTHING.....I mean EVERYTHING I read said that I should send should send the razor out to get it honed professionally so I could experience what a "shave ready" razor really was......did I mention Im impatient? I stropped 20 passes on the canvas side and 20 passes on the leather side and shave tested on my forearm...the hair just fell off my arm. It was good enough for me.

Shower followed....extra hot and then up to the soap, brush and cup (which I have used for years). I lathered and started on my left sideburn with my right hand and shaved almost the entire left side of my face.....there was one initial adjustment of the angle of the razor, but it just "fit" after that and away I went.

But then I started thinking too much. I started overthinking too much....then I started thinking....Jeezus....what if I slit my throat???.....then my hands started shaking....NOT GOOD.

I pretty much finished up MOST of the left side of my face except near my mustache and goatee and then started on the right side of my face....all of a sudden I couldn't decide if I should hold the razor with my left hand or right hand....I kept it in my right hand but couldnt see my sideburns....so now they're a little high.....the more I thought about it, the worse it got. I finished the opposite side of my face in three or for times the amount of time it took to do the first side.

End result....no nicks....no cuts...NO BLOOD....serious need to re-shave near my mustache and beard, but other than that.....I'M A MAN!!!!!!