Hey guys. I have been shaving with a straight for 5 years now and I wanted to share some advice to all the newbies or lurkers who want to take the plunge into straight razor shaving. Here it goes:

1. Purchase a Brush and Soap:
Learn how to lather and use a shaving brush to ensure ultimate saturation of your face. Bad prep can directly contribute to a poor shave.

2. Move Your Way to DE Shaving:
DE is the next step. You’ll learn how to “stretch your skin” which is crucial to straight razor shaving. You’ll also notice how one blade is so much better than several.

3. Purchase a Strop and Learn How to Use it:
Please do not buy the most expensive strop. You will probably nick it. A poor man’s strop or a travel strop is a great way to start. In my experience, strops do not affect the shave. Buy the strop before the razor. Check out my stropping video here.

4. Purchase a Shave Ready Straight:
Please make sure the razor is “shave ready”. I made the mistake of trying to hone my first straight with a knife sharpener. It was a horrible experience.  Watch as many online videos as you can. Again, don’t kill your self with a crazy priced razor at first. As long as its shave ready your OK.  Here is how I do it.

Remember this is a hobby that you can incorporate into your everyday life. You don’t have to buy all the stuff that everyone is talking about because they say its required. A barber’s hone, a strop and a razor can keep you shaving for a long time. Remember there are a lot of forums and support groups out there.

Happy Shaving!!! And always remember to ……….

Shave Straight……and….Shave Safe!!!