Well gentlemen, it took me nearly 47 years, but I made it! I can't really explain why....but I suppose in retrospect it was just ignorance why I never committed to straight razor shaving before this. I do remember being in a fine cutlery store with my new bride shortly after I returned from Desert Storm many years ago and it was there that I saw my first straight razors. It was at a mall in Mission Viejo, CA and it must have been 1992 or 3. The beauty, simplicity, and utility of the razors made a deep impression on me and I was only 28 years old at the time. As a Corporal with a wife and two children to support, the price tag at the time was way out of my league but I never forgot how much they intrigued me.
Now fast forward 23 years, three boys, and four combat tours later to a Saturday afternoon in Costco. My wife reached for the "Super Saver" pack of multi-blade replacement razors, I saw a price tag nearing 50 bucks and I almost had a heart attack! That was when it hit me and I remembered back to my experience in Mission Viejo so many years ago. What in the heck were you doing throwing good money down the drain on a completely inferior product, that provided less than satisfactory results! That gentlemen was my epiphany! I promptly went home, did some web surfing, and bought myself and my son's Merkur D/E safety razors, a (200) blade pack of Feather DE replacement razors on Amazon, (3) Badger brushes, and (3) shaving mugs. That was three years ago and we haven't looked back.
My son's being young....(25), (19), and (14) all prefer the convenience of their DE Merkurs. I on the other hand, took it a step further and purchased an inexpensive 5/8 Dovo along with a Norton 4000/8000k wetstone and a quality strop and couldn't be happier. The learning curve was a little steep but I peristed and now enjoy the finest shaves I have ever had outside of that wonderful experience in Thailand many years ago when the cutest little Thai girl who ever wielded a Thiers Issard razor gave me the closest and most enjoyable shave I have ever experienced! Ahhhh.....I can still remember how her nimble little fingers massaged and pulled my skin as she......oops......I digress. Stay on topic Gunny!
Sorry about that fellas, sometimes I drift off on one of my sea stories. I guess it is just a hazard of the trade. Anyway, I am now a staunch advocate of straight razor shaving and believe my own son's will soon be following in my footsteps. It just seems the mystique of straight razors is beginning to wear them down and I am thinking of purchasing each of us a new Hart straight razor from Classic Shaving possibly in time for Christmas. I am very interested in any information or opinions anyone has of the Hart razor and everything I have read points to exactly what I was looking for; a no nonsense straight razor, made in the USA, that will last a lifetime. I am a no frills kind of guy and not impressed with etchings, gold plates, fancy scales etc. Instead I am most impressed with quality steel, functionality, utility and simplicity. The Hart seems to fit that bill perfectly so invite any heart users to comment and let me know what they think.
That's it B&B fans, I am proud to be a new member of your community and look forward to many years of healthy and entertaining discourse.
Semper Fi,
Gregg
Now fast forward 23 years, three boys, and four combat tours later to a Saturday afternoon in Costco. My wife reached for the "Super Saver" pack of multi-blade replacement razors, I saw a price tag nearing 50 bucks and I almost had a heart attack! That was when it hit me and I remembered back to my experience in Mission Viejo so many years ago. What in the heck were you doing throwing good money down the drain on a completely inferior product, that provided less than satisfactory results! That gentlemen was my epiphany! I promptly went home, did some web surfing, and bought myself and my son's Merkur D/E safety razors, a (200) blade pack of Feather DE replacement razors on Amazon, (3) Badger brushes, and (3) shaving mugs. That was three years ago and we haven't looked back.
My son's being young....(25), (19), and (14) all prefer the convenience of their DE Merkurs. I on the other hand, took it a step further and purchased an inexpensive 5/8 Dovo along with a Norton 4000/8000k wetstone and a quality strop and couldn't be happier. The learning curve was a little steep but I peristed and now enjoy the finest shaves I have ever had outside of that wonderful experience in Thailand many years ago when the cutest little Thai girl who ever wielded a Thiers Issard razor gave me the closest and most enjoyable shave I have ever experienced! Ahhhh.....I can still remember how her nimble little fingers massaged and pulled my skin as she......oops......I digress. Stay on topic Gunny!
Sorry about that fellas, sometimes I drift off on one of my sea stories. I guess it is just a hazard of the trade. Anyway, I am now a staunch advocate of straight razor shaving and believe my own son's will soon be following in my footsteps. It just seems the mystique of straight razors is beginning to wear them down and I am thinking of purchasing each of us a new Hart straight razor from Classic Shaving possibly in time for Christmas. I am very interested in any information or opinions anyone has of the Hart razor and everything I have read points to exactly what I was looking for; a no nonsense straight razor, made in the USA, that will last a lifetime. I am a no frills kind of guy and not impressed with etchings, gold plates, fancy scales etc. Instead I am most impressed with quality steel, functionality, utility and simplicity. The Hart seems to fit that bill perfectly so invite any heart users to comment and let me know what they think.
That's it B&B fans, I am proud to be a new member of your community and look forward to many years of healthy and entertaining discourse.
Semper Fi,
Gregg
