Today I lost my virginity.

Denno · 08-07-2008, 09:07 PM

Hi all, just want to say that im from sweden. Just so you know when you start reading my text.

For about 15 years I have been shaving with my old gillette razor. Its a real old one with the old fashion razorblades. I really like that one and I hate all the new plastic razors thats out there, all those mach 3-4 and god know what.

For along time now I been looking at straight razors, but I never had the guts to get one, untill today.
I ordered a new soling razor who I feelt had a nice but discret look. The feeling of the blade was awsome! I did not have any real soap or anything yet, I will order that tomorrow. So I took some normal havinggel, just to give it a try. i was sure I would cut my own throat! But the old razor I been using takes some skill to, not as much as this blade but for some reason it just felt natural when I took the blade and started my first ever shave with a straigh razor.

And now I got tons of other stuff I need to order! Brushes and soaps and all those fun things!

I think the thing that makes me like this is it takes you time to shave. In todays world everything should go by great speed, no time to relax and let things take the time it needs. But rush this and you will slice a chunk of meat out!

So what about the resault?
Well its a ok shave, I had pretty long hair and I belive my skills are far from ok yet. But I did not cut myself ones and no red marks on the neck or anything. So I love this shaving!

My blade can be seen below.

jimmyray · 08-07-2008, 09:44 PM

Uh-oh. I can't see well enough in the picture, but does it say "Made in Pakistan" on the tang? If so, you may have a razor made with poor quality steel. See this sticky in the Newbies forum for more info.

Denno · 08-07-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmyray

Uh-oh. I can't see well enough in the picture, but does it say "Made in Pakistan" on the tang? If so, you may have a razor made with poor quality steel. See this sticky in the Newbies forum for more info.

Lol it says made in germany! Where solingen are made.

Mike_ratliff · 08-07-2008, 10:18 PM

That is a good quality german made razor, and should serve you well. IMHO those are right in line with Dovo razors.
If you've already been shaving with an oldfashioned DE razor, you are already a step ahead of the curve.
Congratulations on a good razor, and welcome to the community.

if you don't already have a good strop, you wil need one. Dovo is a good brand, and should be readily available in your area. As are the Thiers issard strops, or if you want to splurge on shipping, Thewellshavedgentleman.com makes some of the best out there.
While waiting for a strop, you can use a flat piece of newspaper.
As brushes go, you get what you pay for, so get the best you can afford.
and most importantly, have fun.

clrobert60 · 08-07-2008, 11:21 PM

Welcome to the club and congratulations on a good first shave. It just gets better (and more

expensive) from here on!

netsurfr · 08-08-2008, 12:24 AM

First, welcome to SRP! Glad to have you aboard.
Second, congrats on the good shave this early in your straight razor shaving career.
Finally, very nice looking razor!!!
Welcome again...

riooso · 08-08-2008, 03:31 AM

That razor will serve you well. Good going.

Richard

matt321 · 08-09-2008, 01:23 AM

Welcome to the forum Denno.
(Just for the record I lost my virginity back when I started having sex.

)

zenshaver · 08-09-2008, 12:21 PM

Congratulations. You are going to find yourself never wanting to go back to a DE. Once you learn it just gets easier. Now you will want to learn how to hone that baby too.

TstebinsB · 08-09-2008, 06:14 PM

Welcome! That's a very nice razor. It'll give you many years of great service.

Mike7120 · 08-09-2008, 08:39 PM

Congrats on your first shave! That's a beautiful razor by the way.

Denno · 08-09-2008, 08:56 PM

I bought a strop with this shaver, also from solingen and its called harolds I think. It have a leatherside and some sort of canvas on the other side. When to use what I am not sure of. I tried the leather side but not the canvas side, when am I to use that side?

Utopian · 08-12-2008, 02:07 AM

Some people say that there is no point in using the canvas/linen side. I have always been of the opinion that the fact that they have been around for so long means that some time long ago when straights was the end all, be all, of razors the linen/canvas side was used for an actual beneficial purpose. Anyway, if you believe that there is some benefit to the linen/canvas strop, then the way that you use it is simply that you use it prior to the leather. I use 15-20 passes on a linen strop and then 40-60 passes on the leather.

Denno · 08-12-2008, 10:36 PM

Aha then I understand a little better Utopian.

Today I ordered a shavingsoap and a brush. Also ordered a grained stone brand norton from the perfekt edge.
Shavingsoap is Edwin jagger and so is the brush. I bought a little less expensive brush for now untill I get the hang of it.
I will later on go to a local pottery here where I live and have them make up some nice cup for me.

Today I had my 3rd shave, I am starting to get the hang of it now! But I still use shavingcream so I cant wait to do it the right way.

One question. When doing the second round when you shave, do you still shave with the hair or against it? I cant get a good angle when tryong to go against the hair. Any good instructionvideo on that thing?

jimmyray · 08-12-2008, 10:46 PM

I usually go with the grain on the first pass, across the grain (sideways) on the second pass, and against the grain on the third (if necessary, I usually just touch up after two passes). The across the grain pass makes against the grain much easier.

Denno · 08-13-2008, 05:02 AM

But how do you shave against the graind without breaking your arms? Because you have to change angle and grip on the razor when going against the grains right? I could not get a stable grip that I would dare go across the grains with.

Utopian · 08-13-2008, 06:21 AM

I guess a general rule would be, if you have to break an arm, you're probably not shaving right.
There are shaving videos in this forum and on YouTube. If you watch some of them, you might learn how to do the appropriate gripping and movements.

Denno · 08-14-2008, 08:43 PM

Got my new brush today! And a nice thing to keep the razor standing up and the brush at the same place. Also ordered a good smelling shavesoap.

So tonight I will finally get a full shave the right way.

woork · 08-14-2008, 11:28 PM

How did it go with the new equipment?

Everbody in the thread seems to think your razor is good,so I think I will be getting one as well..=)

Raka lugnt!=)

Denno · 08-14-2008, 11:54 PM

I just shaved, in the middle of the freaking night!

It worked real good! A real nice brush and the soap was easy on the skin. Its amazing how much closer you get with a straight razor. I always thought my old razor was real good, but thats nothing compared to this.
And best of all, your skin dont look like you have the pleauge after a shave. You can still put some aftershave on without looking like the kid in home alone.