Hey folks, I've been lurking on various forums for a year, I guess It's time for me to sign up on one of the forums, I hope I picked the right one. I know there is an introduce your self page so if you want some background on me check here http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/385820-Checking-in-from-Utah?p=5870165#post5870165
I thought I'd use the general discussion section to chronicle my adventures in shaving from the perspective of a straight razor virgin. Hopefully my experience will help some other newbies along the way. Cross your fingers that I don't butcher my strop too bad, or make a bloody mess of my face.
My father died a year and a half ago. Among his things there was a straight razor. My mom surely would have tossed it, so I grabbed it thinking that if I was lucky, It might be worth something. I don't recall my dad ever having used a straight razor, I don't know perhaps it was something he got when his father died, or perhaps a souvenir from time he spent in England. The razor is in great condition but is used. It has some minor nicks, that are just visible with the naked eye.
So, I looked it up
HESS Hair Milk Laboratories ST. PAUL. MINN.
Solingen, Made in Germany.
"Forty Two"
HESS Stainless Steel Frozen Temper
Holy Cow it is worth something! Around $80? Some how I never got around to listing it on ebay, instead I read reviews on the razor and was fascinated by the quaint people that bought and still used these things. So much culture and ritual, who has time to strop a razor, build up a lather hand shave, then dry everything off so it doesn't rust? I shave with my electric on the days drive 13 miles to the office. If I ride my bike to the office, I'll just skip that day.
I've come to the realization that I'm to fascinated with the idea of shaving with a straight razor. I'm too attached to the razor to give it up now. The ironic thing is that I work at a place that requires me to have a clean shaved face, a place where if you want to grow facial hair, you have to have a doctor's note. If you have a doctor's note, you have to grow it all out. It's an all or nothing deal. Well I just got my doctor's note 3 weeks ago, Utah Winters are very very dry and shaving irritates my skin, no matter, what I do. I plan to shave my neck and cheeks during the winter and shave it all in the Summer. This should give me a chance to only cut up part of my face. By Spring, I hope to be practiced enough to only slightly scar my face. I realize I'll need some additional supplies. I need to buy a strop, cream, badger, scuttle, styptic pencil, aftershave and... anything else? I'll post again when I've figured out which ones to buy.
I thought I'd use the general discussion section to chronicle my adventures in shaving from the perspective of a straight razor virgin. Hopefully my experience will help some other newbies along the way. Cross your fingers that I don't butcher my strop too bad, or make a bloody mess of my face.
My father died a year and a half ago. Among his things there was a straight razor. My mom surely would have tossed it, so I grabbed it thinking that if I was lucky, It might be worth something. I don't recall my dad ever having used a straight razor, I don't know perhaps it was something he got when his father died, or perhaps a souvenir from time he spent in England. The razor is in great condition but is used. It has some minor nicks, that are just visible with the naked eye.
So, I looked it up
HESS Hair Milk Laboratories ST. PAUL. MINN.
Solingen, Made in Germany.
"Forty Two"
HESS Stainless Steel Frozen Temper
Holy Cow it is worth something! Around $80? Some how I never got around to listing it on ebay, instead I read reviews on the razor and was fascinated by the quaint people that bought and still used these things. So much culture and ritual, who has time to strop a razor, build up a lather hand shave, then dry everything off so it doesn't rust? I shave with my electric on the days drive 13 miles to the office. If I ride my bike to the office, I'll just skip that day.
I've come to the realization that I'm to fascinated with the idea of shaving with a straight razor. I'm too attached to the razor to give it up now. The ironic thing is that I work at a place that requires me to have a clean shaved face, a place where if you want to grow facial hair, you have to have a doctor's note. If you have a doctor's note, you have to grow it all out. It's an all or nothing deal. Well I just got my doctor's note 3 weeks ago, Utah Winters are very very dry and shaving irritates my skin, no matter, what I do. I plan to shave my neck and cheeks during the winter and shave it all in the Summer. This should give me a chance to only cut up part of my face. By Spring, I hope to be practiced enough to only slightly scar my face. I realize I'll need some additional supplies. I need to buy a strop, cream, badger, scuttle, styptic pencil, aftershave and... anything else? I'll post again when I've figured out which ones to buy.
