Newb, Checking In

Tom_Ford · Dec 28, 2010

Howdy Gents,

So I'm brand new to the exciting world of straight razors, badger-hair brushes and (because of the first thing) styptic pencils.

A good friend of mine, who you might know on these forums as Tehtimmeh, introduced me to my first tub of Trufitt & Hill's shaving cream a few years ago. It didn't really take, but then a few months ago we decided to give it another try.

Then on Christmas, my wife surprises me with this:

...with which I promptly sliced my face to ribbons. But the second time went much better, and now I think I'll be ok.

I'm not totally sure if I fit in here quite yet, as my knowledge of all this stuff is pretty basic. But I know this much:

Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather is my favorite of all time
I also like his Tobacco Vanille
Ditto for T&H's Trafalgar
After Tuscan Leather, Creed's Aventus and Windsor rate very highly, and I hope to get some soon.

Any advice as to what I can do to better staunch the flow of blood out of my face everytime I use the razor would be great as well. :thumbup1:

Look forward to chatting with you guys!

ace43 · Dec 28, 2010

Welcome, and you'll fit in just fine here. There's a place for everyone, from someone shaving with a nice straight like you, to me hacking my face up daily with a Dovo Shavette. At least in my case, the hacking is probably actually improving my looks.

Luc · Dec 28, 2010

Welcome to B&B!

Did you get the straight shave ready? Meaning, someone sharpenend it with stones before you used it? Straight razors are generally not shave ready when coming out of the factory.

Do you have a strop? How many laps do you do?

This page would be a good start: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Getting_started_wetshaving

Finally, take it slow and it will be better.

rm71 · Dec 28, 2010

Welcome mate!

NickCutlip · Dec 28, 2010

Welcome to B&B !!

BigFoot · Dec 28, 2010

Don't know a thing about straights, just wanted to welcome you to B&B. :thumbup:

Tom_Ford · Dec 28, 2010

Thanks all for the welcome!

Luc, good question. According to the Mrs., the blade came ready to go. I don't know if it was or not. I mean, it was sharp as hell for sure, but I don't know if it was up to par. On the second attempt, I did use the leather strop, and I "stropped" it twenty times on each side, in an X pattern.

Really, I think a few factors contributed to the second shave going better. Familiarity, beard being a little shorter, the fact that I took a steaming hot shower right before, and the stropping probably all contributed in some way. I don't know, but I'm hoping I'm just getting better at it!

Luc · Dec 28, 2010

Tom_Ford said:
Thanks all for the welcome!

Luc, good question. According to the Mrs., the blade came ready to go. I don't know if it was or not. I mean, it was sharp as hell for sure, but I don't know if it was up to par. On the second attempt, I did use the leather strop, and I "stropped" it twenty times on each side, in an X pattern.

Really, I think a few factors contributed to the second shave going better. Familiarity, beard being a little shorter, the fact that I took a steaming hot shower right before, and the stropping probably all contributed in some way. I don't know, but I'm hoping I'm just getting better at it!

I would suggest to ask Mrs. Tom Ford if there was an extra fee when she bought it (usually around $15-$20) for the honer or if it was specified 'shaved ready'. If you are sure that you have a shave ready straight, you will be fine. If not, here's a list: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Honemeister

Second thing, for the strop, I would suggest doing 50-60 laps. It would be better than 20.

A lap is defined by stropping one side of the razor, flip, strop the other side.

beginish · Dec 28, 2010

Welcome to B&B!

tehtimmeh · Dec 28, 2010

Here's my boy! Fnally got him on the forums :thumbup1:

I can't give him advice on the straight as I don't own one (yet :scared:

) so, it sounds like you guys can help him out...

Now on creams and colognes, I have him covered.

Definitely a good choice with Tom Ford products, you simply cannot beat Tuscan Leather. A close match might be say, Vintage Tabarome by CREED. I sent you a sample of that one, and you better give it the love it deserves or some fellow B&Bers here will string you up by your toes!

grump · Dec 29, 2010

Welcome to B&B.

Is that a Wacker?

Tom_Ford · Dec 29, 2010

tehtimmeh said:
Here's my boy! Fnally got him on the forums

I can't give him advice on the straight as I don't own one (yet ) so, it sounds like you guys can help him out...

Now on creams and colognes, I have him covered.

Definitely a good choice with Tom Ford products, you simply cannot beat Tuscan Leather. A close match might be say, Vintage Tabarome by CREED. I sent you a sample of that one, and you better give it the love it deserves or some fellow B&Bers here will string you up by your toes!

Yeah...you guys are going to crucify me for this probably, but I'm not a fan of the Vintage Tabarome so much. I'm giving it another try today though, because I hear that it's an acquired taste. But so far it just doesn't do much for me. But that's a topic for another forum...

mretzloff · Dec 29, 2010

Welcome to Badger & Blade!

k200817 · Dec 29, 2010

Hello and welcome to B&B.

Optometrist · Dec 29, 2010

Welcome to B&B. :001_smile

David

T.Ryan · Dec 29, 2010

Welcome to B&B.

Tom_Ford · Dec 29, 2010

grump said:
Welcome to B&B.

Is that a Wacker?

I apologize but I have no idea what that means :blush:

It's a Dovo Solingen, and that's about as much as I know at this point. I'm a true, 100% novice about this stuff.

Luc · Dec 29, 2010

Tom_Ford said:
I apologize but I have no idea what that means

It's a Dovo Solingen, and that's about as much as I know at this point. I'm a true, 100% novice about this stuff.

On your picture, it seems to be a Wacker (printed on the shank of the straight). Do you have an actual picture of your straight?

Tom_Ford · Dec 29, 2010

Understood. Mine is a tiny bit different than the picture. I'll take one and post it.

Luc · Dec 29, 2010

Tom_Ford said:
Understood. Mine is a tiny bit different than the picture. I'll take one and post it.

Cool! Will wait for the picture. If you can take a few close up that would be good! :thumbup1:

Search

Newb, Checking In

Tom_Ford

ace43

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".

rm71

NickCutlip

BigFoot

I wanna be sedated!

Tom_Ford

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".

beginish

tehtimmeh

grump

Tom_Ford

mretzloff

k200817

Optometrist

T.Ryan

Tom_Ford

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".

Tom_Ford

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".

Similar threads