Hi All-I just gave a pretty detailed introduction in the new member section, so I'll skip the preliminaries and get to the fun stuff in describing my entry into this fascinating new hobby:

First of all, based on my extensive reading on this and other sites, I got my 16-year old a Dovo Best 5/8" from SRD (the offer with the free lifetime honing!) and a beautiful TM 3" latigo/linen strop for Christmas, along with the VDH brush and soap from ***-****. We've watched the videos and read the Wikis, and are having pretty decent results, learning as we go. At about the same time my 12-year old dug out his great-grandfather's Gillette DE's ( they were in great condition!) and got in on the fun.

And while I had a full beard until today (see my introductory post-had to maintain the "professorial look" I suppose), I've had pretty good results with the Gillettes and cheap Personnal blades, taking my time with the straight.

I did a complete BBS today to celebrate the start of summer, but it wasn't easy! First of all, though I prepped extensively with a steam towel and a generous bowl of CF Lime (mmmm!), my beard had grown quite wiry and tough, more so than I can ever remember! And I think the Dovo is ready to be sent in for a hone: though I stropped it quite a bit on colored newsprint, then linen, and finished on latigo (being very careful of technique), and it was popping arm hairs, it tugged so much that I put it down after 1 pass, then relathered for a couple of DE passes, and finally touched up with my good old Gillette Sensor, as I'm still learning and didn't want to force the issue on a tough beard.

I finished up with an ice-cube rub (refreshing, can't wait to try it with Proraso!) and Tuscany ASB, and am BBS with little irritation, no weepers or nicks.

Thanks for a great forum, and all I've learned so far. This is truly a wonderful world-wide community you've got here.