Confessions of a Newbie...

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10-09-2005, 08:25 PM
rtaylor61

Confessions of a Newbie...

Today I walked to the 10 ft. deep end of the pool and jumped in. This time, I went for the gusto. After an extended period of asking questions, watching Lynn's video, studying hones and honing, stones and ston...(never mind), strops, pastes, X patterns and probably asking the same questions over again, I had my first REAL straight shave today. Yeah, I have shaved with a straight a number of times over the past few weeks, but never the full shave. Last night I watched the Greg Ives video, and just decided it was time.

First I got out my Simmons Barber Pet #421 (which I received shave ready), and gave it the wet thumbnail test. Then I went 20 laps on my itsapeech extra fine hone(thanks Tilly), followed by 40 laps on my paddle strop (thanks Tony!). I did my prep, lathered, and within the first half inch of the first stroke, I found out what a truly keen razor is. I went a full 3 passes, with the grain, cross grain and against the grain. NO BLOOD! No cuts or nicks. I still have a little stubble below my neckline that I can feel when rubbing across the grain, and for today, I can live with it. I'm not dumb enough to think I know everything I am doing here, and I'm smart enough for today not to push my luck. After all, that just leaves more to shave tomorrow!

Randy
10-09-2005, 09:09 PM
Rik

Nice job Randy. Pretty soon you'll be selling all of your DEs. :)
10-09-2005, 09:25 PM
urleebird

:D Randy...

Great story! Congratulations...
10-09-2005, 11:10 PM
AFDavis11

Congrats! With 90+ posts it really was time to go for it. But one suggestion, don't shave in the pool. :-)
10-11-2005, 10:05 PM
xman

Congradulations!

You deserve a great shave with all the research and preperation you did.
Well done! :)

X
10-11-2005, 10:37 PM
rtaylor61

Thanks for all of the comments! Today I used the Waterville. I guess somewhere along the way I have "dulled it down" in the process of shaving the cheeks along the way. I made 20 passes on my Itsappeech, then 40 passes on the paddle hone, but this thing pulled enough to turn my head. Wound up getting the Barber's Pet out and finishing. I'll run the Waterville over the Wester Bros, then the "peech", and finish off with the paddle strop. Gotta luv the learning curve!

Randy