After reading QuietEarth’s Shave Journal, I’ve decided that I should contribute as well. I’ve really enjoyed reading, and reflecting upon the trails and tribulations of others, and feel I should give back what little I know.
I’m taken back by how many newbies there are here (seems to be many a day) after me in this short time, and it makes me think what 'seemingly little' I have to contribute isn’t really without substance after all.
First, I will provide a synopsis of my history with wet shaving:
When I was a wee little one, I got a hold of my father’s safety razor, some cream, and went at it. This was rather alarming to my folks (I have no recollection of irritation, however), so my father subsequently removed the DE blade and placed it out of reach when not in use. I ‘practiced’ my shaving thereafter, bladeless but determined, and still managed to remove the cream quite well. I cannot tell you how many passes it took, but this will serve as the first retroactive post of my DE shaving.
I now have vivid memories of turning the post and watching the ‘bay doors’ open and close, but that was almost forgotten in a fog until I was recently re-introduced to the safety razor - The rounded, chrome-plated metal unearthed an almost eerie connection to my past; I dredged this out of deep memory and revived it as if it were yesterday when I saw a safety razor - I am not fully removed from times past.
Years ago, someone told me that I should shave before I get in the shower to avoid irritation. I did so, and noticed a dramatic change in my irritation. It was, I suppose, a crude post-hydration that remedied an utter lack of pre-shave prep to begin with. I was living in the cartridge world.
At some stage in my shaving career, I learnt that all out shaving in the shower was even better, and I invested in a shaving mirror to facilitate this - Side fringes (burns) were in, and I needed to keep them even with a sound visual reference point! Since shower mirrors were readily available and fairly well-marketed, I took the opportunity and embedded this into my routine. This was yet another milestone in my saga as I was truly incorporating hydration in all steps - wet shaving.
Many years later, my wife (SWMBO - BTW, she would take some fierce liberty if she came across that acronym, firmly planted and used on this site by others who use straight razors) bought me some very nice shaving soap and a boar brush with my initials engraved in the wood handle. I always made the lather right on top of the soap itself with the stiff boar bristles, which worked well (although I now know it wasn’t necessary), and it really gave me a better shave! Next thing I noticed was that it (the soap) lasted a really time and that perhaps I was being ripped off by buying cans every month. One little disc of soap lasted forever, and I still have the same soap today.
Move to a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a safety razor. It, controlled by complete ignorance, in turn, stumbled upon my face. The following is my continued saga:
I’m taken back by how many newbies there are here (seems to be many a day) after me in this short time, and it makes me think what 'seemingly little' I have to contribute isn’t really without substance after all.
First, I will provide a synopsis of my history with wet shaving:
When I was a wee little one, I got a hold of my father’s safety razor, some cream, and went at it. This was rather alarming to my folks (I have no recollection of irritation, however), so my father subsequently removed the DE blade and placed it out of reach when not in use. I ‘practiced’ my shaving thereafter, bladeless but determined, and still managed to remove the cream quite well. I cannot tell you how many passes it took, but this will serve as the first retroactive post of my DE shaving.
I now have vivid memories of turning the post and watching the ‘bay doors’ open and close, but that was almost forgotten in a fog until I was recently re-introduced to the safety razor - The rounded, chrome-plated metal unearthed an almost eerie connection to my past; I dredged this out of deep memory and revived it as if it were yesterday when I saw a safety razor - I am not fully removed from times past.
Years ago, someone told me that I should shave before I get in the shower to avoid irritation. I did so, and noticed a dramatic change in my irritation. It was, I suppose, a crude post-hydration that remedied an utter lack of pre-shave prep to begin with. I was living in the cartridge world.
At some stage in my shaving career, I learnt that all out shaving in the shower was even better, and I invested in a shaving mirror to facilitate this - Side fringes (burns) were in, and I needed to keep them even with a sound visual reference point! Since shower mirrors were readily available and fairly well-marketed, I took the opportunity and embedded this into my routine. This was yet another milestone in my saga as I was truly incorporating hydration in all steps - wet shaving.
Many years later, my wife (SWMBO - BTW, she would take some fierce liberty if she came across that acronym, firmly planted and used on this site by others who use straight razors) bought me some very nice shaving soap and a boar brush with my initials engraved in the wood handle. I always made the lather right on top of the soap itself with the stiff boar bristles, which worked well (although I now know it wasn’t necessary), and it really gave me a better shave! Next thing I noticed was that it (the soap) lasted a really time and that perhaps I was being ripped off by buying cans every month. One little disc of soap lasted forever, and I still have the same soap today.
Move to a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a safety razor. It, controlled by complete ignorance, in turn, stumbled upon my face. The following is my continued saga:
Last edited:
), and an EJ DE89L. I only need one razor, one blade, and some soap, correct??? I'm going to stop purchasing new gear now that I have everything I need- I promise.
