Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber

I have decided to go back to basics - a cutthroat razor. It's not really back to basics, as I've never actually used one and will have to learn how to sharpen and strop it. Could it be called steampunk shaving?

I've already got the hang of the honing and stropping, which requires a 2 part strop - one side is a slightly rough, PU leather material and the other is a smooth hide leather, each having to be rubbed with a particular grade of grinding paste in the form of a crayon, the coarser of which goes on the PU leather and the finer grade on the hide side.

I will attempt to shave my non-beard face parts today. Hay is standing by with bandages and plasters and thinks I may decapitate myself.

Knowing me as well as I do, I suspect I'll persevere for a week and then revert to the Bic. However, I'll at least know how to shave with an old fashioned cutthroat, a skill I've always wanted to master.