I never had the nerve. So I simply used disposables. That changed after my stroke four years ago and I was put on blood thinners. I don’t even dare to use disposables now.
My stepfather gave me his old Rolls Razor when I joined the Navy. When you get to boot camp, your possessions are checked for contraband or forbidden items. Two guys were going through the stuff, one of whom was older. When they found my razor, the older guy’s eyes lit up. “Man, I haven’t seen one of those in forever!” The other guy says, “Okay, but it has a blade.” So they confiscated it, the fuckers. It was actually less dangerous than the safety razors of the time because the blade couldn’t be removed.
Sweeney Todd honestly made me kind of afraid of straight razors.
I seem to recall hearing a long time ago that shaving a balloon with a straight razor is part of the final exam for barber college.
Are you sure your dad didn’t get it from Three’s Company?
Better or worse than this?
Ohhhh, I remember watching that one, it was back when I was around 25 years old, so I’m fairly sure they got the idea from Dad. I loved that show, Jack Ritter was so cute and had a really great butt. His patiently gormless look is almost as great as Martin Freeman’s.
That short vid sure does back up my advice to do it outside 
Shaving isn’t too tough to learn. Needs a more acute angle than I expected, and you need to go slowly.
The issue is sharpening the danged thing.It HAS to be sharp, but daily stropping only goes so far. Then it is time for the stones. That stopped me. Cannot find anyone to sharpen for me, either.
I don’t know about anyone else here, but the guy with the one-eared avatar talking about shaving with a straight razor has me laughing.
Required reading for anyone contemplating the use of a straight razor:
Haven’t tried the cut-throat razor yet. I think I’m waiting for the wife to not be here.
In the meantime I bought a Merkur Futur safety razor as a gift for my dad 30 or so years ago. He died in 1998, and I ‘inherited’ it. I use it from time to time. I think I’ll try out the shaving soap and brush with it tomorrow (or so).
[Here, anyway] the same store that sells stones also offers sharpening services for razors, knives, scissors, etc. I could also walk in there if I wanted to buy a straight razor, though it is surely a lot cheaper to order over the Internet.
Isn’t your wife a nurse? She didn’t freak out when you had that wood splitter incident, so I think you should be sure that she is home the first try on your face. Maybe not in the same room, but at least within gasping distance.
While you are waiting for a good time, sharpen your razer and seriously…do not start with your face. I doubt scars will happen, but shaving nicks sting.