Thread: Allow me to introduce myself...

Hello all, my name is Mac and I am new here and to the lifestyle that is straight razor shaving. Let me tell you a bit about myself.

If it was up to me, I would simply not shave. Facial hair involves no daily ritual and arguably requires less maintenance than shaving. Unfortunately for me, I am in the DEP for the U.S. Air Force where daily shaving is required. I figure if I have to do it every day, I might as well do it in style. After some googling, I stumbled upon this haven for the shavin'. I was convinced. Shaving with something called the "cut-throat" razor sounded much more manly than shaving with a plastic piece of crap with like 5 flimsy blades. So I asked for a SR for christmas. I received a Fromm #72r 5/8" round point. I also got a hanging strop with canvas and leather sides, a badger brush, and some shaving cream.

Now I need some advice. I'm convinced the Fromm hasn't been honed. I was wondering if there are any members in the Orange County area who would be willing to take a look at it and hone if necessary. I would be willing to pay for these services. Also, I was wondering if I could get some recommendations on Double Edge razors because as awesome as straight razor shaving is, I think I might have an easier time at basic with a DE.

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to SRP!

You've made a good choice in getting a straight. I used to hate shaving until I discovered this noble art and SRP, now what used to be a chore can often be the highlight of a day..!

If you're not sure about the shave readiness of your razor, the best thing to do is to send it to a honemeister. If there is no one in your area who can do it, you can also send it to Lynn, the founder of this site and owner of Straight Razor Designs. He offers an excellent honing service and I can testify that he puts killer edges on his razors!

The way to tell is to test shave with it, and if it pulls or doesnt remove hair then it needs to be honed. If it glides smoothly and gives a good shave, then its shave ready...!

Also check the classifieds here for honing services.

Check this site: Straight Razor Designs, The Finest In Gentlemens Shaving And Grooming Needs for Lynns honing services.

In terms of a DE, I'd go for a Merkur. I have one and they are excellently made! Have a look here:

Amazon.com: Merkur razor

If you havent found it already, take a look at the SRP Wiki. Theres literally loads of great information on there that will answer many of your questions.

Heres a link:

Straight Razor Place Wiki

Have fun and good luck!

Welcome to SRP and + 1 to Stubear's recommendations.

Welcome Mac You'll find this is a great place and a wealth of knowledge! If looking for a DE I would definatley agree with Stubear...I myself have a Merkur Futur that my wife bought me before I got my Str8 and still use it for those "quick" days. Excellent shaver

Thanks to everyone and their great advice. I decided on the Merkur Standard Safety Razor with Bar #33C Plus 10 Free DE Blades from derazorblades.com. Not too shabby for $37 shipped. Cheaper than what I found on Amazon which was going to come to roughly $42 shipped. Also, I found some replacement DE blades, 10 for $7.99 with free shipping Merkur Super Platinums.

I am still looking for a honemeister in the Orange County, Southern LA or Northern San Diego areas. I found a member who hones here but he lives in Northern CA, so I would have to ship my razor. Not too bad of a deal, but I would prefer to keep costs down. Thanks again, everyone.

Macdaddy5539,

That #33C Merkur Standard Safety razor w/ Bar you just purchased is really sweet. It is said that DE shaving is the next best thing to str8 razor shaving. The Merkur replacement blades are quality blades, but I find them a bit aggressive. The next time you order DE blades get a sampler pack from DE Razor. Then you can try different types of blades (ie. Derby, Merkur, Personna, Wilkinson, etc.) to find the exact one that fits your shaving needs and your budget.

Until you get your str8 razor honed, you can use that time to develop your pre and post shave preparation ritual. I found that proper preparation of your face, even with DE shaving, is more than half the battle. So to with post shave care of your face. If done properly, you'll notice a positive difference in how your face looks and feels.

One other thing...Stay away from the DE Feather blades for now. They are considerd the Excalibur of DE blades for good reason. They are VERY sharp. Until you train your face and develop your DE razor shaving technique, you can get a nasty cut with them.

I purchased the Merkur HD last fall and have loved it ever since. In fact, it was my experience with the Merkur that led me into the world of str8 razor shaving.

Welcome aboard...Shave on!!!

welcome to the house mac as the lads were saying prep is really important
i found feather blades for the DE to be best
when you do start to straight shave be prepared for a few months of a learning curve so keep the DE handy because if you don't be prepared to be on the mat a few times explaining yourself

Welcome to the SRP Mac. You've found a good and very addictive site.
You already got some good advices here. I'd like to say that do not expect to get perfect shaves with SR from the start, It takes some time, learning and patience until get things done. For me it was a river of no return. I'm at the service also and when at work i use DE, but wouldn't use anything but SR at home.