I'm ashamed to say that I made some terrible mistakes when I got started. I failed to spend enough money on razors, brushes, blades, strops, bowls, towels, alum blocks, witch hazel, soaps, creams, oils, lotions, balms, stanks, bandages, tourniquets, gauze, antibiotic ointment...and even some of the less critical shaving-related items.
However, the best thing I did was to find the 30-Day Rule/Focus Group. I made some lifelong friends there over a period of several years (30 days wasn't enough, I'm a slow learner), had a lot of fun in the process, and developed some solid, consistent technique regardless of the tools being used. I've also had the opportunity to help others get started. Now I'm a 3017 Group adherent, swapping blades every 3 days, lathering soaps fast 'n loose like they owe me money and are 30 days late, and bathing in lotions and stanks, in order to make a dent in my 200-year supply of shaving goodies.
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