Hello from a newbie in Louisiana.

[DeepOvertone]

I'm just starting out in wet shaving so I'd be willing to wager that I have more to learn than a 4 yr college student. Anyway, I just wanted to stop in and say hi to everyone. I'll post my kit and see if any of the more experienced guys can find a hole that I need to plug. I'd also like to find the correct board to review an awesome retailer that I have had a great experience with. Anyway, here is my kit. Let me know if I need anything else.

I started out by buying one straight razor.. A J A Henckels Friodur 5/8. At the same time I bought a 3" hanging bridal leather strop, a silver tip badger brush, Proraso tube shaving cream, Proraso after shave, and a decent bowl. I do also have an alum block and styptic pencil.


A couple days later I found a razor on ebay that I found really beautiful so I picked it up.. A 6/8 Sanssouci.


Then this morning I remembered that I had found a straight razor about 10 years ago in an old abandoned house and had held on to it because I thought it was cool. So I went and dug it out of the black hole that is my storage room.

Turns out that its a Filarmoica 14 double temple. Its not in perfect shape so I'm sending it off to get cleaned up.


At this point I'm only a collector as I've yet to use any of them. The friodur that I ordered came in but there was a small muck up and they had not sent an actual Friodur but the regular carbon steel blade of the same size. So I'm sending that one back.

I haven't received the Sanssouci yet since it just shipped out from Germany.

And the Filarmonica is in no shape to shave with.

So there we go... I'm humbly requesting an old hat to make sure I'm pointed in the right direction. I'd also really like to write up a review of the retailer where I bought the Friodur as they have certainly made quite an effort to make sure I was happy. What is the correct board to post that sort of thing in?

[Timo]

Welcome to B and B. I gotta give it to you for starting with a straight razor. I'm still too chicken to go straight

[dgerson]

I think the General Shaving Forum is probably a decent overall place unless you're specifically talking about one type of product. For example, if you're talking only about straight razors then maybe that subforum. I would doubt either one would result in much bashing as long as you don't go overboard! Welcome to B&B!

[warhawk]

Welcome 2 B&B. Enjoy this great forum.

WARHAWK

[jamesspo]

Welcome to B&B. Since you're new to straights, you'll probably want to take a read here, if you haven't already:

http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Inter..._Razor_Shaving

That'll get you a good start on straight shaving technique and equipment. It's got a pretty steep learning curve, but just take it slow, and you'll do fine. You may want to have some other shaving method available to "clean up" what you have trouble getting with the straight when you're first starting. One key thing you'll need before anything else is getting your razor(s) shave ready. If you're not certain that one of them is shave ready, I'd send it to a honemeister ( http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Honemeister ) to hone it up for you to perfection. You want to shave the first time with a blade that's well honed, so you have a reference about what a sharp blade feels like.

[jmg]

Welcome to B&B.

[Whilliam]

Welcome to B&B. Enjoy the company. Enjoy the shaves!

[Sledgehammer39]

Welcome Aboard! The razor look great.

[Oblique Human]

Welcome to B&B!

Beautiful razors there. Enjoy the shaves.

[demaro]

Welcome to B&B !!

[Goober]

Welcome to B&B. Very nice razors. Alexandria area here.

[petr]

you've got a real prize in that filly. great razor. welcome

[DeepOvertone]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

[calrinet]

Hey I am also from louisiana. Up in Hammond here, just started about a year ago with all this stuff. Planning on learning straight shaving this summer. Good to know another Louisianian is here!