i was so sick of shaving with the disposables, that i hadn't done it in about a week.
so, i chickened out on the straight razor for two reasons: i don't think i have the coordination to not slit my throat and i don't have the cash to buy what i want in a straight razor/accoutrement.
what i did buy was an edwin-jagger safety razor and some proper soap. i didn't buy a brush, as the cheapest they had was over $50. i have a brush somewhere, i just can't find it. then i bought blades; the local grocery store only had the cheapest store brand
but, what the hell, its an experiment. so, i still spent about $60, and i am looking for my brush.
i came home and lathered up as good as possible with the soap and a washcloth and shaved with my new equipment. i must say that it was much easier, faster, less messy and i got a better shave, even though i was practically shaving dry. i am pretty happy with the results. next time, i'll shave directly after showering so that the whiskers are softer.
thanks for the input, guys. perhaps in a few months i'll pony up for the straight razor. those 'dovo's' look very very nice. the tinderbox sells them locally.
d.