Slow day at work today so I though I'd check on the progress of my first shave order from West Coast Shaving. It's my newbie kit, and I have been anxious for my first shave since ordering it on Sunday. I typed the tracking number into the USPS tracking site and hit enter, all the while thinking to myself " It shipped Wednesday, was still in Anaheim last night. I expect I won't see this until Saturday at the earliest. Monday for sure. After all, It's got to make it to Sioux Falls, SD."
And then, the magic words appeared on my screen:
Arrived in Sioux Falls. Out for delivery.
Needless to say, I got little accomplished the last 2 hours of work. I rushed home as soon as i could. Nothing in the mailbox. Nothing at the doorstep. Knowing my son, who was the only one who had already been home, is a good kid but highly unreliable about picking up the mail or any other household chores for that matter, I slowly walked up the steps to the house disappointed.
I opened the door, looked at the kitchen table.... and there it was. A package. Damn, I've got a good kid! Best in the world. Nice job, son! I grabbed a knife, took the box and went into the bathroom. My wife entered the house and, seeing me rush into the bathroom with a box and a knife, was curious and followed me.
I cut open the box. It was all there. Everything. Slowly and reverently I laid out my new items next to the supplies I had already been busy gathering for days: the oversized coffee cup that had recently "disappeared" from the kitchen (yes, my wife had caught me red handed), the CO Biggelow (Proraso) tube, the VDH Premium Brush, the Bottle of Witch Hazel, the Stypic pencil, and the bottles of Clubman and Old Spice that I had already collected. First. my Mitchell's Wool Fat soap. I tried to sniff it but it had no scent that i could tell . Then the puck of DR Harris Windsor. Nice. Next up, a tub of TOBS Sandalwood. Very nice. My alum block. My sampler pack of razors. And finally, my EJ DE89BA11 Razor. Ooooohhhh, shiny. Perfect. My wife, unimpressed, rolled her eyes and left. I wanted to shave. But it was dinner time, so I said my goodbye's and turned off the light.
After dinner we sat down for some TV. I flipped through the channels. Nothing on that interested me, but i kept flipping trying to find something. Finally, crazy from all of this my wife said " Why don't you just get out of here and go use your new razor. You know you want to." Woohoo! I'd been dismissed. Time to have my fun! God I love that woman!
I placed my brush in a cup of hot tap water and then got in the shower. Face prep. I wanted it steamy in there so I would have every chance to soften my beard. Lots of warm water. I washed my face as I stood in the shower thinking about what could go wrong with my shave. After several minutes in the shower I got out convinced I would somehow slice off my nose or a large portion of my chin. What was I about to do? Why?
Since I had a pack of Derby's with my sample kit as well as some that came with my razor, I decided to start with them. I put my razor together with it's new blade. I had previously decided to start out with shave cream, as in my mind I thought it might be easier to work up a good later, but that logic could be completely wrong. I chose the Proraso cream. No real reason why, although the TOBS smelled so good I think I wanted to save it for when the odds of a better shave were a bit more in my favor.
I took the wet brush and whipped up a good lather quickly in my stolen bowl. I tested it between 2 fingers. Slick enough. I was ready. I wet my face with warm water again, then swirled and painted the lathered brush all around my face until I had thick lather all over it. I tried to pull it with brush, and it stayed in place. No turning back now.
I held my razor as lightly as I could as I prepared to take my first stroke wet shaving WTG. Being 46 yrs old, I don't remember the anxiety I felt on my very first shave at 15, but it had to be similar to this. I did it. I could hear the whiskers scratching against the blade as i made my passes. No blood, and my cheek was still there. I was doing it. Finished the cheeks, then started on the neck. Still all was ok. Finished off my chin and upper lip. I was done. And I looked the same as i did before the shave, except that i had fewer whiskers. I lathered up for another pass XTG. Neck stung just a bit from as i added the cream, but I knew this would be a trouble area for me as I had seen while mapping out my face how the whiskers on my neck grow in all directions. Some parts up, some parts down, and some parts diagonal in this area. The sting was not too bad to continue on anyway. After that pass was completed I had a few weepers in the neck area, both sides. Still, I hadn't had any major mishaps. I was proud of my work, although looking back I probably should have stopped after the first pass on this initial run.
I splashed off with cold water, It felt good. Then the alum block. Oh my god, the alum block. Feedback. Yes, I had feedback. Nothing I was surprised at though, I will have to be more careful on my neck for sure. I let the alum dry on my face as I cleaned up the counter and sink, and took my razor apart to dry. Then I rinsed off my face and patted it dry. Looking good, Mr. Handsom. Next came the witch hazel. It felt much better on the skin than the alum did and by now my weepers were invisible. Once that was nearly dry I splashed on some Clubman. Yowza! But ohh so good burn (for those of you who don't sorry - I like the alcohol.)
Overall, not the best shave I've ever had as far as initial comfort, but by no means the worst. I'm happy with the results even if i did get a little razor burn with my first attempt. If I use what I have learned tonight it will only improve from here on, right? But i'm clean shaven and scab free. I'm definitely hooked on this, that's for sure.
If you made it this far I'm sorry for such a long post, but I felt I had to share my "ceremony" with others who might understand. If you read it all you are either extremely bored or as obsessed with wet shaving as I now feel. I am finally one of you. One of the Enlightened. Thank you for lighting my way down The Chosen Path.
And then, the magic words appeared on my screen:
Arrived in Sioux Falls. Out for delivery.
Needless to say, I got little accomplished the last 2 hours of work. I rushed home as soon as i could. Nothing in the mailbox. Nothing at the doorstep. Knowing my son, who was the only one who had already been home, is a good kid but highly unreliable about picking up the mail or any other household chores for that matter, I slowly walked up the steps to the house disappointed.
I opened the door, looked at the kitchen table.... and there it was. A package. Damn, I've got a good kid! Best in the world. Nice job, son! I grabbed a knife, took the box and went into the bathroom. My wife entered the house and, seeing me rush into the bathroom with a box and a knife, was curious and followed me.
I cut open the box. It was all there. Everything. Slowly and reverently I laid out my new items next to the supplies I had already been busy gathering for days: the oversized coffee cup that had recently "disappeared" from the kitchen (yes, my wife had caught me red handed), the CO Biggelow (Proraso) tube, the VDH Premium Brush, the Bottle of Witch Hazel, the Stypic pencil, and the bottles of Clubman and Old Spice that I had already collected. First. my Mitchell's Wool Fat soap. I tried to sniff it but it had no scent that i could tell . Then the puck of DR Harris Windsor. Nice. Next up, a tub of TOBS Sandalwood. Very nice. My alum block. My sampler pack of razors. And finally, my EJ DE89BA11 Razor. Ooooohhhh, shiny. Perfect. My wife, unimpressed, rolled her eyes and left. I wanted to shave. But it was dinner time, so I said my goodbye's and turned off the light.
After dinner we sat down for some TV. I flipped through the channels. Nothing on that interested me, but i kept flipping trying to find something. Finally, crazy from all of this my wife said " Why don't you just get out of here and go use your new razor. You know you want to." Woohoo! I'd been dismissed. Time to have my fun! God I love that woman!
I placed my brush in a cup of hot tap water and then got in the shower. Face prep. I wanted it steamy in there so I would have every chance to soften my beard. Lots of warm water. I washed my face as I stood in the shower thinking about what could go wrong with my shave. After several minutes in the shower I got out convinced I would somehow slice off my nose or a large portion of my chin. What was I about to do? Why?
Since I had a pack of Derby's with my sample kit as well as some that came with my razor, I decided to start with them. I put my razor together with it's new blade. I had previously decided to start out with shave cream, as in my mind I thought it might be easier to work up a good later, but that logic could be completely wrong. I chose the Proraso cream. No real reason why, although the TOBS smelled so good I think I wanted to save it for when the odds of a better shave were a bit more in my favor.
I took the wet brush and whipped up a good lather quickly in my stolen bowl. I tested it between 2 fingers. Slick enough. I was ready. I wet my face with warm water again, then swirled and painted the lathered brush all around my face until I had thick lather all over it. I tried to pull it with brush, and it stayed in place. No turning back now.
I held my razor as lightly as I could as I prepared to take my first stroke wet shaving WTG. Being 46 yrs old, I don't remember the anxiety I felt on my very first shave at 15, but it had to be similar to this. I did it. I could hear the whiskers scratching against the blade as i made my passes. No blood, and my cheek was still there. I was doing it. Finished the cheeks, then started on the neck. Still all was ok. Finished off my chin and upper lip. I was done. And I looked the same as i did before the shave, except that i had fewer whiskers. I lathered up for another pass XTG. Neck stung just a bit from as i added the cream, but I knew this would be a trouble area for me as I had seen while mapping out my face how the whiskers on my neck grow in all directions. Some parts up, some parts down, and some parts diagonal in this area. The sting was not too bad to continue on anyway. After that pass was completed I had a few weepers in the neck area, both sides. Still, I hadn't had any major mishaps. I was proud of my work, although looking back I probably should have stopped after the first pass on this initial run.
I splashed off with cold water, It felt good. Then the alum block. Oh my god, the alum block. Feedback. Yes, I had feedback. Nothing I was surprised at though, I will have to be more careful on my neck for sure. I let the alum dry on my face as I cleaned up the counter and sink, and took my razor apart to dry. Then I rinsed off my face and patted it dry. Looking good, Mr. Handsom. Next came the witch hazel. It felt much better on the skin than the alum did and by now my weepers were invisible. Once that was nearly dry I splashed on some Clubman. Yowza! But ohh so good burn (for those of you who don't sorry - I like the alcohol.)
Overall, not the best shave I've ever had as far as initial comfort, but by no means the worst. I'm happy with the results even if i did get a little razor burn with my first attempt. If I use what I have learned tonight it will only improve from here on, right? But i'm clean shaven and scab free. I'm definitely hooked on this, that's for sure.
If you made it this far I'm sorry for such a long post, but I felt I had to share my "ceremony" with others who might understand. If you read it all you are either extremely bored or as obsessed with wet shaving as I now feel. I am finally one of you. One of the Enlightened. Thank you for lighting my way down The Chosen Path.
