Yes...Finally!! Thank You B&B!!!

[BEAR DEN]

I've been str8 razor shaving for a little over 6 months now. We've all heard the expression that the closest shave you can get is with a srt8 razor and that nothing can compare. As of today I can honestly say that that is true for me. When I first started I had a razor that was not shave ready, a strop, soap and a mug.

My first shave my hands were actually trembling as I felt as if I had stepped into a time machine and traveled back in time. The shave was not very good at all but the experince was still fairly pleasent.

I started lurking here at B&B and finally posted a few questions. One of the first things that was explained to me was to get a shave ready razor so I would know what it was like to shave with one, then as I learned how to hone I would be able to strive for the same mark.

Within the first day of posting here a kind member PIF without me even asking a str8 razor that I could practice my honing with. He paid all shipping and sent it priority mail. He also gave me some pointers that might help me.That razor has seen many hours of practice (it came dull and with a chip) and if I wanted to I could easily put it in my rotation, since now it is so shave ready that I don't know if it could get much better.

I have gone through 2 strops ruining them by constant practice of my technique. I'm on my 3rd and it's still in perfect shape! I now own 3 diffferent honing stones and feels quite comfortable with them and my ability to use them. I have 16 str8's and ALL are shave ready from my own hand except one which was bought shave ready. (from here to find out what shave ready really is).

For 1 week now...after over 6 months...of using too much stypic...too much dremel...lapping my hone...practicing my stroping...hours and hours of practicing my honing...and ruining more then 1 straight razor...I can honestly say with conviction that a str8 razor gives the closest shave period. I have now experienced it!!!

Last night after I shaved my face I took out my GEM SE to shave my head. I paused and started to gently use my antique GW & Sons Pipe str8 instead(I actually restored it!). 45 minutes later my head was smoother than if I had used my GEM, Injector or any DE loaded with a Feather!
I know I have written too much...but Thank You B&B and everyone who contributes and gives advice. Now I know that if I choose so I could use a str8 and never need another blade. That is a hell of a good feeling!

 

[richmondesi]

Very cool!

 

[English]

Those GW Pipes are something else. The pipe shaped spine puts a tension on the smiling edge. Today, machines make singing razors to try and match the sharpness.

Mine is old, tired and past its sell by date. It has that mottled look. Sorry, patina. It has the smoothest edge and it shaves just wonderfully. It is also so easy to hone and strop. I've got razors that match it of course, but they don't have the character somehow. That razor for me represents Sheffield steel razor quality at its peak.

One day all razors will be made this way. In your dreams. Nobody could afford to make them that way anymore.

Don't tell anybody else about them, the price will go up.

 

[Limey]

I'm glad to hear your getting such excellent results! There's nothing in shaving more satisfying than shaving with a razor you sharpened yourself. You are now "off the grid" for shaving sake!

 

[The Knize]

Great post. I really enjoyed the length and detail. I admire you perseverance on the honing. Newbie to expert honer in only six months. That is amazing.

You are going to scare off every new potential straight razor user out there though! For those "watching at home," the post is more about learning to hone and even restore razors that about shaving with a straight razor. One does not have to go through all of that to learn to shave with a straight razor, although I do recommend making sure that your first straight razor was honed by someone that know what they are doing. It makes a big difference.

The post definitely shows how much one can get into straight razors and just how there can be too it, and how satisfying they are. My point is that not that Bear Den is off for doing all of these impressive things. I honestly understand completely and sincerely admire and am in awe of him. I just would not want anyone to get too afraid to take up straight razor shaving because they would never attain that rarefied level of skill.

Now, going from zero to 16 razors in six months, that is what should scare you off!! <g> That is an additional razor every 11.25 days the way I calculate it! And it should worry the potential new straight razor shaver that I read that and do not think, what the heck would I want with 16 straight razors? but "wish I had 16 razors!" "And three hones and three strops." But all of this wet shaving stuff can be an addiction, as well as a major satisfaction.

 

[thunderball]

It's cool posts like these that seem to be slowly pulling my thoughts away from DEs and into the dark world of straight razors...I both fear and look forward to the day when I finally take the plunge.

 

[jlander]

After a REAL GOOD straight shave.....life is good.

Congratulations!! Welcome to my world. The weather is fine here.

 

[TstebinsB]

Congrats! You made it. Once you're here, nothing before it can compare to it. Send Joel a PM for some nice partying gifts.

 

[BEAR DEN]

I do not want to scare off anyone. I am still learning alot and will continue to. The people that I know personally that get discouraged are the ones that buy a straight razor that says it is shave ready, they take it home, shave with it and are not that impressed. They give it a go a second and third time, each time is a little worse. They finally give up and go back to whatever they were using before. If you have a shave ready straight and a strop you can focus on your technique for quite some time before worrying about honing anything. If they want they could use the services of a honemeister for as long as they shave. I encourage everyone who is interested to give it a go! It's a good ride!

 

[sickz284u]

Awesome post. I really enjoyed reading it as well. Alot of great advice and tips for newbies. Another nice thing that is pointed out well in this post was not to let yourself get frustrated if you dont get the results you hoped for at first. Straight razor shaving takes time, and patience to master. Not to mention some proper equipment. Example razors that are really shave ready. Also learning to hone and strop properly take time.

Glad to see you are having such great results. Congrats!!