Thread: If you could start all over again, what would you do differently?

I recently revisited one of my very first razors, and it made me re-think how I got to where I am today WRT straight shaving - and whether I could have sped up the learning process.

My initial setup consisted of a Wacker 4/8 full hollow Bartmann, a Mühle best badger brush, a Dovo 2" cheapo strop, Castle Forbes "Cedar Sandalwood" cream and aftershave, and an alum block. I quickly added a Wacker 4/8 1/4 hollow Molitor and CF's "The Pre Shave". I also took a three hour shaving class. And, of course, the razors were very much shave ready.

Was I getting super duper BBS shaves? Ummmm, no. Not at all. Did I blame the razors? Oh, yes. After all, I had a perfect kit, and received a shaving class! But I hung in there. Quickly added a vast-ish array of hones (it was Joe Chandler's full Norton setup, so it was supposed to turn me into a honemeister instantly, right?) and razors from the Classifieds. And the most useles investment to far, a Dremel. Shaves getting better? Slowly but surely, yes.

Added a Simpson brush (also a mis-investment, as a Thäter would have provided infinetely better value for money, but everyone was crazy about Simspons...). Minor improvement, but certainly not worth the money.

More razors. Everyone said W&B razors were the bomb. Bought four. Instantly re-sold or traded 3. One is still in my possession, but will end up in the Classifieds at some point in the not too distant future (sorry, Brad, those scales are gorgeous but the razor is not). Got a Timor 7/8 that Lynn said had been a pain to hone - and it quickly followed the W&Bs. Some TIs, also not my style (except the 1/4 hollow Grelot, that I traded a year later).

More hones. This time an Escher (I hope Artan is still enjoying it), and a Coticule (when Bart used it, it worked - which is a shame, because I would still like to blame the tool). Shaves getting better? One year in, I was consistently getting decent shaves, with the ocasional good one interspersed.

More strops. The Old Traditional by The Different Scent brought a massive improvement. If I could start over, I would steer clear of small strops. Thankfully, the guys at TDS re-examined my stropping technique and politely told me that it was the worst they had ever seen. Better shaves ensued.

Started sampling creams, soaps, aftershaves (and spend a fortune on perfumes for the wife to keep her happy while I was digging through stuff at TDS). Realised that nothing (except, as I found out later, Caraceni) beats CF. Lesson learnt: the guys at TDS were spot on when they recommended I get a cheaper brush but more software. CF is, in my view, the ideal entry level cream, as it outperforms all other creams, is much easier to use than soap, and will save a beginner a lot of trouble.

Shaves getting better? Yes, but the improvement curve was getting shallower at an alarming rate.

More razors! Traded the Wackers and all other 3 and 4/8 blades for wedges. Paul even threw in a TM Vegan. I am still afraid he got the worse end of the deal, as the traded included two absolutely fantastic razors that are still in my rotation (Sellers and Rodgers 5/8). Some target killings (Deutsch "Hans Otto", Hess "99" 6/8, Dovo "Bergischer Löwe"). Shaves improving, but still far from perfect. Consistently good results with the occasional BBS-ish one.

More strops. SRD Premium I? Why not! Premium IV? Absolutely! Visit from Bart. Honing lessons (picture pearls and swine, and you'll get the true image). Severe chastising for still sub par stropping technique. Things have not been the same since. If you are a beginner who is only marginally interested in honing, forget honing. Get an SRD modular paddle, and use this to maintain the edge. Or a barber hone, if you must. Personally, I wish I had got the paddle much, much earlier. Joe's Nortons will go down W&B lane, too. I'll keep the Coticule, knowing that it might not be coonsidered the ultimate tool, but it has a high sentimental value (and the slurry stone Bart kindly gave me also helped - visit Welcome to Coticule.be if you're interested in some Twilight Zone Coticule honing techniques).

More razors. 7 and 8/8 ones this time. Definitely not beginner material. If I could start all over, I would get two Dovo "Best Quality" 6/8s round points from SRD in different grinds. Best value for money, and more reliably honed than some razors that have appeared in the Classifieds lately.

I am now getting consistent BBS shaves, and life is good.

So, long story short: 2 Dovo BQ, an SRD 3" strop or the modular paddle, CF full line, and a Thäter brush. And a bloody thorough read of the Wiki. It was not there when I started, and that certainly did not help.

Happy shaving
Robin

I started in the 1980s with razors that were not truly shave ready. Received instructions on honing from an old barber that were misguided and inadequate. I gave up in frustration after about a month IIRC.

Coming to SRP I began again with razors that were not truly shave ready. Fortunately for me a member who lived 30 miles from me was adept at honing. He brought my goldedge up to speed and gave me lessons in honing and stropping.

So if I had it to do over I would begin with a shave ready razor. Equipment wasn't an issue as my ADs took care of that with razors, strops, brushes and the rest. Technique becomes the issue and that cannot be bought. To paraphrase something a friend in a 12 step program used to say,"I learned to shave with a straight razor by the grace of God, the members of this forum and my own efforts."

$5000 worth of fishing tackle will not make you a better angler, a $20,000 shotgun will not make you a better wing shot. Same with straight razor shaving.

In order to really get the max out of equipment, technique and skill plus knowledge must first be there.

But, it is easy in retrospect to look back and see what you did wrong or where a mistake was made. I'm not sure I would change much in my straight razor journey. Every brush, cream, soap, aftershave, razor, and hone has increased my knowledge, my skill, and my technique.

I still like to try different razors, but mostly I've settled in with most everything else.

Hawkeye, although I'm a newbie, literally awaiting the arrival of my first SR, the analogy of fishing gear is not lost on me. I've been a trout fly-fisherman for about 14 years. Even though I own a Thomas & Thomas rod (the Ferrari of fly-fishing rods), the biggest trout I ever landed was a gorgeous rainbow that was so big that when I first hooked it, I thought my fly was snagged on a submerged log. The rod? A relatively inexpensive beginner's rod, that an experienced fisherman had help me rig. BTW, it was my 2nd or 3rd time to fly fish.

Great post, Robin!

I started wet shaving by mentioning the interest to my wife, who promptly got me a "kit" for Christmas in '08, which included a do-not-buy list razor, a tiny synthetic brush, and some maca root cream which I still enjoy today. We spend Christmas in NC with my folks and when my parents saw my gift, they offered my great-grandfather's Novelty Cutlery, Co. razor to me.

I went home and neither razor would shave. I signed up on SRP and realized that I needed a strop (ha!), bought an Illinois 361, and went to town. Of course at that point I started actually reading the wealth of material here. I noticed the wife's gift on the do-not-buy list so I put that one away. I sent my heirloom razor out to Glen, ordered another razor from the classifieds, and then I finally started shaving when they arrived in the mail.

Fast forward to now and I have a nice collection of shaving gear, a serviceable set of hones, and some basic tools to restore old razors. More importantly, shaving is now something that I look forward to!

I obviously did things in the wrong order, but the optimist in me chalks it up to an awesome and humbling learning experience. My wife got me started with those sub-par items and my failings got me reading on SRP. If I could start over, I would have registered here a bit sooner and actually read a bit more before jumping straight in, but I don't regret the path I've taken.

I started back in the summer of 81 under the tutelage of my barber, so I would not change much..

EXCEPT !!!! I really wish that I had known about either a Escher or a Coticule for my first stone, rather than the "White Mystery Stone" that I can't remember what it even is, that I spent $105 for back then... But heck it served me well all those years until I found SRP and learned all about HAD

I am not one for regrets. I savor all my successes and blunders
as they are the spice of life.

It did take me a longish time to discover how important
beard prep and a good lather are. My most productive
afternoon associated with shaving was spent with a puck
of Williams and a $7 CVS boar brush.

It did not take me too long to discover that gold wash on
a blade does not make it shave better.

No regrets!

Started in 1973 with a barber shop shave and the only thing I wish is that I had 50 more years ahead of me rather than behind me. I know there will be so many things that I want to test or continue to try and so many more cool razors, strops and brushes in the future. I remain grateful for the opportunity to have met and talked to many of the people from this forum and I hope to get to meet and talk to a bunch more of you. The journey so far has been great and the last 10 years even better.

Bring it on!!! I never give up a vice without a fight...........

Lynn

Yep, it's the journey, not the destination.

The only thing I would do differently is start straight razor shaving earlier in my life. I love it--just love it!

That being said, I am pleased that I began when I did...

Better late than never.