Big congrats, another rabbit hole to go explore, I have been on straights for several, several months and have been really enjoying it
First complete shave with a straight razor
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Here are some pictures as promised. I purchased a 40 power loupe to help me with honing blades. When I looked at the Wade & Butcher blade I saw a crack as you can see in one of the photos. Just how fragile are straight razors. I don't remember dropping it. As you can see it is pretty well worn. You can't see much of the Wade and Butcher markings on the tang. Just the circled B logo. Anyway, good thing that I had purchased a used AOS T-I with SS scales. I am going to try it tonight. By the way, for my shave last week, I used Mitchell Wool Fat soap, A High Mountain Badger brush from Whipped dog, Gentleman Jon Alum Block and The Classic Man after shave. The Old Tucson Mug is what I use to heat my water in.
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- #23
Second complete shave with a Straight.
Last night I used the Art of Shaving Thiers-Issard Carbon Steel blade with SS scales razor. Significantly better experience. I believe the blade was sharper and smoother and the razor had a little more mass that helped it cut through the hairs. No nicks or weepers, but not as close a shave as I am getting with safety razors yet. It also takes me a bit longer. I am sure with practice I will get good at it. I am amazed after a few months with both DE and SE safety razors how effortless they have become. I am not sure that the Straights will become quite that easy, but we will see.
Last night I used the Art of Shaving Thiers-Issard Carbon Steel blade with SS scales razor. Significantly better experience. I believe the blade was sharper and smoother and the razor had a little more mass that helped it cut through the hairs. No nicks or weepers, but not as close a shave as I am getting with safety razors yet. It also takes me a bit longer. I am sure with practice I will get good at it. I am amazed after a few months with both DE and SE safety razors how effortless they have become. I am not sure that the Straights will become quite that easy, but we will see.
You'll get it. You impressed me as both determined and one who is attacking this with a spirit of enjoyment. You've taken the training wheels off by going all the way with the straight. I'm saying this in all seriousness. If I can do it, anyone can. And now I've been enjoying it immensely for 5 years.
Feel sorry for the suckered out there who shave every three days with an overpriced cartridge because daily shaving is too irritating. You're way ahead of the curve already.
For the near term, try to allow yourself the extra time required for the straight. Clearly the learning curve is going to be steeper with the straight, so patience and a relaxed approach is always called for. After 6+ months into it, I am still learning, and it still requires more time than a DE, but the result is always better. More days than not, the beginning of the day is the best part of the day for me, because that is when I shave. If time is extra pressing, then I recommend just going to the DE if you are rushed to get out the door. It will still be about 1K times more satisfying than a cartridge shave.
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