Straight progress

Well I have all the gear. But will I enjoy the experience of using it? It's a case of so far, not so good. I guess my problems are these:

I'm really not interested in taking responsibility for maintaining a razor in perfect shave ready condition. This involves becoming proficient in stropping and when necessary the use of pastes to prolong the period before honing is required. Then honing - many do it themselves and get great satisfaction from doing it. That doesn't interest me either, so I would send it out for honing.

Then there's the shaving. So far, I have been too tentative. I feel I have a lethal weapon in my hand so I have become so cautious its impairing my shaving progress. The odd skin imperfection is just waiting to be nicked and I'm trying to avoid it. So its slow, slow, slow. Even when I manage a correct movement of the razor across my skin it feels nothing like as comfortable as the glide of a DE razor. So I'm struggling with my early efforts.

I started this post on a forum:

The Straight Razor Place

Experienced straight shavers have offered encouragement and advice. All confirm that it takes time to become skilled in straight shaving, but it is said to be well worth the effort.
I am sure it was - for them.

But will that be right for me? It was so much easier to master DE shaving again. But straights are different. It will be several weeks of trial and error before I can start to enjoy the promised land. So will I continue the journey?

Well, I have decided to pause now until I receive my video produced by Lynn, the founder of the Straight Razor Place. Then I will follow his advice and see how it goes. I am not the sort to give up something too quickly. Everything new requires study and sometimes practice.

Time will tell.