I'm alive!

A generous member (I will allow him to speak up if he chooses to be recognized publicly) of the SR community decided he would provide me with this Gold Dollar as my first SR. The USPS guy wasn't off my road and I had the box open. I was oozing with anticipation and knew that I couldn't wait until tonight to shave!! I immediately ran in the house and got the water started for my lather. I've been reading and watching videos since he made the gracious offer last week.

I'll be honest, I was a little intimidated but confident that I knew how to handle a knife. Good lather, test runs with the butter knife to verify angle; i'm ready....

I slowly worked my way across my cheeks. Hmmm I hear it cutting but stubble remained. Re-lather and try a more aggressive angle. Back again to the cheeks and get a quite comfortable BBS pass. Success! Now lets try the chin; same aggressive angel. Success. Now lets get that little goofy thing under the nose; it sticks. Rut-Roo..... No blood. Success. That was enough for attempt #1, I finished up with my PWTech.

Excellent Robert, you have just taken a Large step into a deep rabbit hole, and a very rewarding endeavor, the DE's will get lonely, trust me

Glad to see your first time out with the 'Jester' was bloodless... Which reminds me, that blade has a name... 'Court Jester'.
Now all you have to do is find him a king and queen =)

The feelings you describe very much reminded me of my first sr shave. It only gets better! (Unless you ruin your edge...) Enjoy the awesome shaves to come!!

Awesome Bro !!!! Lucky guy to get a PIF SR !!!

Excellent!!! Welcome to a whole new "like" or should i say "obsession" of shaving.
Holding steel to face for the first time is very intimidating but it just gets better and easier....soon it will be an addiction...lol...

Fantastic! Now just wait and see how good it gets!!

Keep it up!

Attempt #2 this morning. Cheeks, better. Neck, scarry!!

Ordered a strop yesterday.

Robert thats just the way it goes sometimes...keep at it and it will come together in due time!

You can use a newspaper as an ad hoc strop until the one you ordered gets to you =)

Welcome to the rabbit hole! GD + Tech is a good combination for a shave, and it was my shave today.

What strop did you order?

Feel free to start a journal! I've found that keeping a journal and reading the journals of other members has really helped to improve my shaving skills.

jlindy said:

You can use a newspaper as an ad hoc strop until the one you ordered gets to you =)

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Agreed .....i do it all the time on the road...works a charm. Dont let not having a strop stop you!!

ciderguy said:

Feel free to start a journal! I've found that keeping a journal and reading the journals of other members has really helped to improve my shaving skills.

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+1 to the journal! many find it useful... Even old hands!

ciderguy said:

What strop did you order?

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A $25.00 unit from Amazon. Figured I would damage my first one. Used all my Amazon points so it only cost me $9.00.

Very well done! And thumbs up for the generous unamed B&B'er.

AnotherChef said:

A $25.00 unit from Amazon. Figured I would damage my first one. Used all my Amazon points so it only cost me $9.00.

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Good move! I think almost everyone damages their first one. My starter strop has a few battle scars.

I'm fixing to embark on my first SR shave here soon. I am also waiting on a strop to come in. My razor is shave ready from WD, a sight unseen SR. I also ordered a custom brush for the occasion. I had gotten in a TI 4 sided paddle strop, but much to my dismay, it was only 1.5 inches wide! For the money, I did not feel like that was a good deal, so its being returned. I ordered the rich man strop from WD and awaiting its arrival. I keep bouncing back and fourth if I should use pre-shave oil or not.

Definitely sounds like your off to a good start. Wise choice with the cheap strop I wrecked 2 before getting the hang of stropping.

You can trust the edge on the WD. You don't need to strop before you shave. I generally don't strop a freshly honed razor before shaving with it. At first I did this because I was afraid I'd strop incorrectly and ruin the edge. I do it now because I just like it. You can strop on newspaper while you await the proper strop as well.

As far as pre-shave oil, go with what you know. If you use it for DE shaving, then I'd use it for the straight. If you don't use if for DE, then don't use it for the straight.