Strop Dragging's straight razor journal

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

For my first shave with the straight, I decided to take it easy on myself and leave my beard/moustache combo and just do my cheeks and neck.

I wrote a brief post about it -

"The blade felt pretty natural in my hand - in my dominant hand, anyway! In my weaker hand (my right) it felt a bit strange, and I had to make sure I was holding it in a "mirror" image to my left. I thought it would be scarier - especially shaving my neck - but it felt good!

I did two passes on everything - with the grain and across on the cheeks and with and against on the neck. My neck feels a tiny bit tender, but nothing crazy. I didn't get the greatest shave down there, but it's not too bad. My cheeks feel great and are pretty damn smooth...

And no nicks at all!


I know I've left the hardest parts yet to be attempted, so I know it's no big deal just yet, but it felt really cool to do it and have decent results. Can't wait to go further soon!"
View attachment 615488
So, today I had my second shave - decided to attempt the whole face. I used my electric trimmer to take my beard/stache down (as I would even if I was shaving with a "regular" razor) and went for it.

I think I'm doing something wrong, because although my face doesn't look too rough, it feels pretty irritated.

I took a shower before the shave, and held a hot cloth to my face for a few minutes as well. But I can't seem to shake the feeling that my whiskers were drying out before I got to my whole face. I did re-apply shaving soap a few times when it seemed too dry, but at times it felt like I was shaving dry. Confusing...

For my first, short shave, I didn't strop my blade... it had been honed by Straight Razor Designs, so I just shaved with it. For this second shave, I did strop the razor. It was my first stropping, and I certainly no expert, but I don't think I did anything too egregious to the blade. Can slightly less than perfect stropping really dull a blade honed only 1 half shave ago?

So I did a first, WTG shave and then some of a second ATG before my face started to feel irritated and sore. So I stopped. I nicked myself a couple of times, which I expected, but I didn't expect my face to feel so sensitive. Maybe this is how a first full SR shave is supposed to feel?



And look?

 

[fair_to_middlin]

Did you shave the very next day? Also, did you use the same cream both times?

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

I did shave the very next day... although stayed mostly away from the areas I had shaved the day before. Guess that was unwise?

I did use the same cream both times, yes.

 

[lishijia]

I'm sure your questions at the end are facetious, but in case not: no, irritation isn't how it's supposed to be. Something went awry.

I'm fairly new (just about a month with straights), but it seems to me there are several possibilities as to the irritation's cause: too much pressure, dulled the edge stropping, wrong angle, poor lather, lather dried out, reaction to the cream after a second straight day (new cream for you?). Or a combination of two or more of these.

Maybe someone with more experience will chime with a more definitive diagnosis tomorrow morning.


As for stropping, make sure you are going very slow and really paying attention that the spine never lifts off while the edge is on the strop -- that can roll the edge very quickly. The culprit is often trying to go too fast, so keep it slow enough that you can catch mistakes while you build up muscle memory. I used a paddle strop (homemade) for the first few weeks just to make sure I didn't dull my edge. I've heard of other guys starting out laying their strop on a flat surface for the same reason.

Finally, don't get discouraged. You'll figure it out and soon will be enjoying your shaves, both during and after!

 

[Bad_B]

How are you working the TOBS cream into a lather? Scuttle or on the face? I started with them as well and if you dont use enough water to work up to a lather it can be a "dry" experience when making your passes. Im almost positive thats where you're having problems.

For a baseline try a small spot with nothing but pure shave cream, it'll feel like the razor is sticking to the skin when you make the pass and thats what you don't want. Try working in small patches, left cheek first lots of water with the cream, right cheek less water etc. Try and get a feel for the different lathers you work up and how the razor passes through them...there will be a sweet spot, a blend of cushion and glide.




Trust me, stick with it and you'll get it dialed in! If not theres always the option of trying a soap.

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

How are you working the TOBS cream into a lather? Scuttle or on the face? I started with them as well and if you dont use enough water to work up to a lather it can be a "dry" experience when making your passes. Im almost positive thats where you're having problems.

For a baseline try a small spot with nothing but pure shave cream, it'll feel like the razor is sticking to the skin when you make the pass and thats what you don't want. Try working in small patches, left cheek first lots of water with the cream, right cheek less water etc. Try and get a feel for the different lathers you work up and how the razor passes through them...there will be a sweet spot, a blend of cushion and glide.




Trust me, stick with it and you'll get it dialed in! If not theres always the option of trying a soap.

Hi Brian -
With the shaving cream I was soaking my brush, putting a bit of water on top of the cream as prep, then squeezing out the water from the brush and swirling it on the cream until the brush starts to stick. Then going to a small bowl and building up a lather in there. Does that sound like a good plan? I saw someone on the internet somewhere do it that way...

It was feeling like the lather wasn't very wet, but it looked like what people's lather looks like in youtube vids. I will say this - by the time I was done my left side (my dominant) the lather on my right cheek was dried - like cracking dried. Is that an indication of it being too dry going on, or is that common, timing wise given that I'm going slow?

If I need to re-hydrate, is it just hot water over the brush and back into the bowl to rebuild lather?

And last question (for now!), does this lather issue sound more like the culprit to you than a bad first strop? I'm sure I wasn't nailing the stropping first time out, but I was being careful, and certainly not turning the blade on its edge on the strop or nicking it or anything like that. Could I really have dulled the blade to a painful place by one less than perfect, slow stropping?

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

I'm sure your questions at the end are facetious, but in case not: no, irritation isn't how it's supposed to be. Something went awry.

I'm fairly new (just about a month with straights), but it seems to me there are several possibilities as to the irritation's cause: too much pressure, dulled the edge stropping, wrong angle, poor lather, lather dried out, reaction to the cream after a second straight day (new cream for you?). Or a combination of two or more of these.

Maybe someone with more experience will chime with a more definitive diagnosis tomorrow morning.


As for stropping, make sure you are going very slow and really paying attention that the spine never lifts off while the edge is on the strop -- that can roll the edge very quickly. The culprit is often trying to go too fast, so keep it slow enough that you can catch mistakes while you build up muscle memory. I used a paddle strop (homemade) for the first few weeks just to make sure I didn't dull my edge. I've heard of other guys starting out laying their strop on a flat surface for the same reason.

Finally, don't get discouraged. You'll figure it out and soon will be enjoying your shaves, both during and after!

Thank you for your input, lishijia - and for your encouragement!

 

[fair_to_middlin]

I did shave the very next day... although stayed mostly away from the areas I had shaved the day before. Guess that was unwise?

I did use the same cream both times, yes.

No not unwise at all! I did find though that when I started straight shaving I had a hard time doing back to back days. With the extra exfoliation my skin just wasn't ready for more the next day. The blade was sharp and the shave close, but maybe too much so. Of course that's my face, so that may not be a problem for you. But I wouldn't be surprised if you noticed better shaves with a day's rest in between.

There is always the possibility that you rolled the edge, but you would notice a definite lack of sharpness. If the shave is significantly worse, then it is likely the blade. If your face is simply more irritated, it could be a lot of things.

One other thing: Sometimes creams or soaps that worked well for DE shaves don't work as well for straights. I had a few soaps that I thought were fantastic when in used DEs exlusively. They now sit in a drawer. For me TOBS was one of them. Again, just me.

Just take it slow, don't feel bad if you have to abandon half shaved. No pint wrecking your face for it. You will get it and it comes pretty quickly. Don't be afraid to strop slowly and strop lots. You'd be hard pressed to over strop a blade, so have at 'er. If you do it smoothly and carefully you won't wreck anything.

 

[fair_to_middlin]

Hi Brian -
With the shaving cream I was soaking my brush, putting a bit of water on top of the cream as prep, then squeezing out the water from the brush and swirling it on the cream until the brush starts to stick. Then going to a small bowl and building up a lather in there. Does that sound like a good plan? I saw someone on the internet somewhere do it that way...

It was feeling like the lather wasn't very wet, but it looked like what people's lather looks like in youtube vids. I will say this - by the time I was done my left side (my dominant) the lather on my right cheek was dried - like cracking dried. Is that an indication of it being too dry going on, or is that common, timing wise given that I'm going slow?

If I need to re-hydrate, is it just hot water over the brush and back into the bowl to rebuild lather?

And last question (for now!), does this lather issue sound more like the culprit to you than a bad first strop? I'm sure I wasn't nailing the stropping first time out, but I was being careful, and certainly not turning the blade on its edge on the strop or nicking it or anything like that. Could I really have dulled the blade to a painful place by one less than perfect, slow stropping?

Ah I think the lather may then be the culprit. It definitely shouldn't start cracking. Eventually lather dries out, but it should take more than a few minutes.

It can be hard judging from videos, but the lather shouldn't be sticky. When you pull the brush away from your face, it shouldn't stick; it should pull a soft peak away but be smooth. I like to look for a slight sheen on the lather as well.

If you need to add water, just drip some water on the brush, and work it into your existing lather. Hope this helps!

 

[Bad_B]

Hi Brad,


Ok, Yes, you are using the correct technique to build lather. Lather should never dry, crack or flake off. Don't rush the shave just to accommodate the lather, this should be a calm, meditative moment of zen...and it will be!


Try shaving in sections. Wet and lather up one side only, do down strokes only, one pass. Stretch the skin, use a short stroke with the razor, like 1-2" then stop. Use alum on your stretching fingertips, place them on the patch you just shaved, stretch and repeat, go slow. If anything feels uncomfortable stop and try to figure out what it is, could be blade angle, too thick a lather, too thin, too much pressure.....thats the hard part when your starting out, you simply don't have enough experience to know. Hey, doing the cheeks only with downstrokes for the first week is normal, use your old cartridge razor to finish the rest of the shave. Theres no need to rush the learning process, this is an art form and the amount of time and concentration you put into learning it will be rewarded eventually! You will have that totally awesome shave experience in time.


Let me put you at ease about stropping. Yes, its the quickest and easiest way to roll the edge on your razor. One bad pass doesn't ruin the edge, the other 40 or so compensate for the one you might have rolled on. I know you're being diligent about this process and and using the correct technique. Do 10 passes on the canvas, feel the blade with your thumb pad, then test it on your arm hairs for a reference. The blade should really grab the hairs, tug a bit then cut them. Next do 40-50 passes on leather, then try the arm hairs again. This time the blade should pass cleanly through the hairs and they will pop off with very little effort. At 1/4" off your arm you want to see several arm hairs pop off, keep in mind you want to go against the grain of your arm hairs. If they don't go back to the canvas or whatever other material your strop has and repeat the process. When the hairs pop off with little to no effort the blade should be shave ready.


I hope that helps, good luck and keep us posted!

 

[lishijia]

Lots of sage advice from the veterans!

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

Hi Brad,


Ok, Yes, you are using the correct technique to build lather. Lather should never dry, crack or flake off. Don't rush the shave just to accommodate the lather, this should be a calm, meditative moment of zen...and it will be!


Try shaving in sections. Wet and lather up one side only, do down strokes only, one pass. Stretch the skin, use a short stroke with the razor, like 1-2" then stop. Use alum on your stretching fingertips, place them on the patch you just shaved, stretch and repeat, go slow. If anything feels uncomfortable stop and try to figure out what it is, could be blade angle, too thick a lather, too thin, too much pressure.....thats the hard part when your starting out, you simply don't have enough experience to know. Hey, doing the cheeks only with downstrokes for the first week is normal, use your old cartridge razor to finish the rest of the shave. Theres no need to rush the learning process, this is an art form and the amount of time and concentration you put into learning it will be rewarded eventually! You will have that totally awesome shave experience in time.


Let me put you at ease about stropping. Yes, its the quickest and easiest way to roll the edge on your razor. One bad pass doesn't ruin the edge, the other 40 or so compensate for the one you might have rolled on. I know you're being diligent about this process and and using the correct technique. Do 10 passes on the canvas, feel the blade with your thumb pad, then test it on your arm hairs for a reference. The blade should really grab the hairs, tug a bit then cut them. Next do 40-50 passes on leather, then try the arm hairs again. This time the blade should pass cleanly through the hairs and they will pop off with very little effort. At 1/4" off your arm you want to see several arm hairs pop off, keep in mind you want to go against the grain of your arm hairs. If they don't go back to the canvas or whatever other material your strop has and repeat the process. When the hairs pop off with little to no effort the blade should be shave ready.


I hope that helps, good luck and keep us posted!

Again, thank you, Brian. Your advice is really appreciated. I will do exactly what you have suggested for my next shave.

 

[cmh737]

Welcome to straights! If I may, allow me to pass along some advice that was given to me when I started. Do your first pass (WTG) with your DE (or cart, if that was what you were using), then do a single WTG pass with the straight. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it actually helps build good technique. This way, you are completely focused on angle/pressure and not so much on beard reduction. Then, call it a day. Slow and easy wins this race. Just passing along a suggestion that worked well for me. But keep at it - you'll get there.

 

[svalcourt]

You've gotten some good advice here. Don't expect it all to come together over night, shaving with a straight is all about techniques learned over months of shaving. Eventually it'll all just click and you'll be amazed at the shaves you get!

 

[WildWest74]

Lots of good advice here. I would also add, don't let the irritation discourage you. I was lucky to have more good shaves than bad for the first 30, but usually you can expect some mishaps as you are learning. Dialing in the right lather is just one of SO many factors that can affect the quality of the shave.

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

Shave #3.

I tried my best to follow the advice being given to me on this wonderful forum. I made my lather wetter than I had done for shave #2 , and although it seemed better on the side I started on, it was flaking off my opposite side neck by the time I was done. (I lathered my whole face even though I was content to focus on one side and re-lather my other when I needed to...) I feel like I'm not getting something about the lathering. Must watch a few more instructional videos, I guess... although I seem to be doing what others are doing. I guess just taking too much time for it all to stay wet.

I had the sensation that the blade was dull... like it was tugging at the hair... I was two days stubble this eve. But at the same time, my face doesn't feel as irritated as it did on shave #2 , and my cheeks are fairly, but far from perfectly, smooth. So I'm guessing it has to do with angle? I think I"m expecting the blade to pull everything off in one swipe, and so maybe I'm pushing it too hard? I feel like when I focused on the angle being a spine's width from the face it was good. When I stropped the blade I did just as Brian suggested above, and after the canvas it did pull and cut arm hairs... and then after 60 or so on the leather it sliced them right off. So my guess is (although the sensation doesn't feel this way) the blade is plenty sharp. I'm just not doing it all quite right. I'm finding the face stretching a challenge a bit, not getting the best positions yet, I suppose.

Urgh. All in all it wasn't so bad... I didn't cut myself, my face isn't so sore, and it's not the worst shave ever. (I did clean up under my chin with the ole mach 3... which I think I could hear laughing at me as I grabbed for it...) But it wasn't a revelatory experience. I guess I just have to be patient. And thankful I'm not wearing face bandages...

 

[lishijia]

Sounds like a perfectly successful third shave to me!

It takes time and repetition to get the muscle memory right. Each shave you're figuring out angle, stretching, positioning your head / arms / hands. Little things will start to fall into place as you keep shaving -- then the shaves will get faster and smoother on their own.

I'm only now (after 30 shaves) getting to the point where I don't lather up half of my face at a time. And still, today, I got three quarters done and had to relather my left lower neck on one pass. Speed will come on its own and then the lather drying out will stop being a problem. I always lather on a moist (sometimes even dripping wet) face. That helps me keep the lather wetter for straight shaving.

And don't worry about using another razor to clean up after! Nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[svalcourt]

Sounds like the shave went well. The lather drying out will slowly happen less and less as you become quicker. Don't rush it, you'll get there!

 

[Al_S]

Congrats on holding steel to neck and coming away alive. Stick with it, for most of us, this is a long process, but it is worth it and good/great shaves will come sooner than you think. There are a lot of YMMV things you'll seen in advice. I highly recommend reading through a few journals; this helped me immensely when I was starting out. Figure out what works best for you and your face.

Keep in mind, as mentioned above that most straight users prefer a very wet, very slick lather. I've used TOBS cream a couple times, but even with many shaves it wasn't as good as my tallow based soaps. Even with those, I like to wet them to the point the lather is almost dripping rather than a thick, creamy cushiony lather. Some of the best shaves I've had are when it is practically running off my face. Getting lather correct I think was my first breakthrough in straight shaving.

Initially, as you've seen you'll be going slow, which means your lather may dry out. Don't use this as an excuse to rush your shave. Instead, take your time. you can either lather in quadrants, or wet the tips of your brush and work water into the lather you have on your face. I find working with cold water seems to keep the lather wetter for a longer period of time, but I haven't played with that too much.

I know Chris recommended shaving with a DE first--you mentioned that you trimmed with an electric. I'm going to suggest the opposite. For me, especially early on, I had much more success when shaving with 2-3 days of growth. Even now, though my skin can handle back to back days, I prefer skipping days in between If your job will allow it, give it a try. The razor can handle it. It served to give me a visual of what was happening as I shaved and I could tell that I was cutting hairs, even if things weren't as smooth as I would have liked.

It will likely take you awhile to work up to regular BBS. You may get one or two early on, which is fantastic, but be ok with a good shave. Always work to improve, but don't be discouraged if you aren't a master shaver right out the gate.

Of course very light pressure is important, as is finding the right angle. For me, initially I found myself holding the blade shoulder too close to the skin. Once again, this is a YMMV thing, but when I increased the angle and moved the shoulder out a bit, I was finally able to find the edge and experience hair cutting with less resistance.

Lastly, don't be afraid of the razor. It will likely give you some nicks and even a slice or three. They heal--even if it takes time. The overwhelming majority of my injuries (if not all) didn't come from me trying something tricky (ATG pass, increased blade angle, etc.) but rather from overconfidence. I think most of my slices actually have happened up on the face during WTG passes when I should have known better. So keep your head in the game and respect the blade.

Like I said above. Stick with it. You will get there. This is a skill that is worth learning and before you know it you will be getting shaves better than you ever imagined.

 

[cmh737]

You had a very good third straight razor shave! Don't fret - it takes time. You should banish the notion of "BBS" from your mind right now - CCS/SAS is the goal at this juncture. You mentioned, "....I think I"m expecting the blade to pull everything off in one swipe...." Try to remember that it's all about beard "reduction"; sometimes, even with the sharpest and smoothest razor, you won't think you've done anything after the first pass.

Technique, technique, technique. You WILL "get there"!