First straight razor shave

[OtterLunacy]

- They are actually more forgiving than they seem to a person who have never used them. I've made several mistakes and got away with most of them. Might've been light touch, good angle, pure luck or "all of the above", I'm not sure exactly if I'm honest.
- Shaving with "non dominant" hand is a lot easier than I though it would be, like I said, I'm fairly athletic and coordinated, but still wasn't quite sure I would be able to do it, turned out, wasn't an issue.

I've found this to be the case as well. My early shaves with DE were far bloodier than their straight equivalent! (though I still don't have any real scars or anything from the "Feather days")
Of course, I'm not athletic or coordinated and yet I think I shave better with my non-dominant hand.

 

[Bbb34]

I've found this to be the case as well. My early shaves with DE were far bloodier than their straight equivalent! (though I still don't have any real scars or anything from the "Feather days")
Of course, I'm not athletic or coordinated and yet I think I shave better with my non-dominant hand.

"Athletic and coordinated" part perhaps came out wrong.

What I meant is that I'm no stranger having to do (or at least) try to do things equal well with both hands through sports, yet still was very worried about holding and using straight razor with my left hand.

 

[Bismarck]

I think you may always have a bit more burn from aftershaves with a straight. That may just be my experience but my skin feels better after starting straight razor shaving. Supposedly its the extra exploitation from the blade.

YMMV

 

[Bob L.]

Looks like we have another member in our tribe. Welcome aboard...

 

[Bbb34]

I think you may always have a bit more burn from aftershaves with a straight. That may just be my experience but my skin feels better after starting straight razor shaving. Supposedly its the extra exploitation from the blade.

YMMV

Thanks, I was not aware of that, figured it was my "less than perfect" technique that was causing it.

My face does feel great after, but in fairness, it also does after my DE razor shaving, can't say there's significant difference for now.

 

[Bbb34]

Looks like we have another member in our tribe. Welcome aboard...

Thank you, glad I gave it a shot.
On to more videos and reading material on proper stropping techniques now.

 

[Bbb34]

That strop is fine but I would go with a 3 inch wide one that way you wont need to do x strokes, and as for razors a good starting point is 6/8th blade poss a 5/8th.

3" strop ordered, your suggestion of course cost me more, but nothing too crazy.
As for razor, after handling few different ones, I learned that I like 6/8 more for several reasons (looks/width and a bit of extra weight on few I had a chance to hold.)

 

[Ice-Man]

3" strop ordered, your suggestion of course cost me more, but nothing too crazy.
As for razor, after handling few different ones, I learned that I like 6/8 more for several reasons (looks/width and a bit of extra weight on few I had a chance to hold.)

Nice one you wont regret it, plus it makes life easy you can just roll the blade on it spine. Same again take your time stropping so you don't put a nick in it, but if you do the small nicks just get wife's nail file and just rub over it.
Oh and when you walk past it rub your hands up and down it, to put the oil from your hands on the strop.
But once again congrats on your new journey into the Straights.

 

[Bbb34]

Nice one you wont regret it, plus it makes life easy you can just roll the blade on it spine. Same again take your time stropping so you don't put a nick in it, but if you do the small nicks just get wife's nail file and just rub over it.
Oh and when you walk past it rub your hands up and down it, to put the oil from your hands on the strop.
But once again congrats on your new journey into the Straights.

Thank you, I settled on this one since it's possible to order replacement leather only for 1/2 the price, so I can afford to replace it quickly if I completely ruin it.

Keeping an eye on "straight razor acquisition" and similar threads makes me actually look good even though I'm blowing my initial budget. I've seen and read as much as possible and will approach stropping the same way I did straights, super cautious and slow, hopefully it goes well. Will use my current (old) razor to practice, new one won't be hear for at least another week or so.

 

[Bbb34]

Shaves #4 and 5 were fairly similar to last attempt (couple of minor nicks, and one "red line" on the top of my cheek, no cut, just a "mark". I did my own stropping before each of those, strop is still intact and razor seems to be just as sharp as it was the day it came back from honing.

Question for those of you more experienced.

Still shaving WTG only, but no cleanup is needed with DE on last 2 attempts. So far I just don't get as close and as smooth shave as I do with my Timeless/Kai or Feather combo. I'm assuming going XTG or ATG would improve this, but I'm comparing "apples to apples" that is shaving WTG only with either "tool", and for now DE does better job in terms of closeness.

Is this due to my less than perfect technique, or this is the way straight razors shave normally?

 

[Slash McCoy]

My normal everyday shave is a single pass, more or less wtg. Its all that is needed, with a bit of experience and a good edge on the razor. A good newbie shave is two passes, wtg. That should do it. Atg, xtg, not really necessary, generally, unless you are shaving with a rather "mild" edge on the razor. YMMV.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I guess that didn't really answer your question. With experience, your straight shaves will improve and probably match, or exceed, your DE shaves. You can't expect your straight to outperform your DE at this stage of your shave journey. So your results are pretty normal, yeah.

 

[Bbb34]

I guess that didn't really answer your question. With experience, your straight shaves will improve and probably match, or exceed, your DE shaves. You can't expect your straight to outperform your DE at this stage of your shave journey. So your results are pretty normal, yeah.

Thanks, that's what I figured.
It's really tricky at this stage to determine what's technique and what's razor/sharpness, since my only point of reference is DE. I'm assuming it's my technique, since I'm new to it. I'm really looking forward to receiving new "shave ready" Dovo Carre from superiorshave later this week, then I'll have something to compare to, and hopefully continue to improve.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I just got a Bismarck from him and while I am not normally a fan of a coticule edge, his coti edge is rather sharp, I must admit. Felt more like a jnat edge from someone who knows how its done. Good shave, yeah. So I expect your Carre to be most definitely shave ready when u get it.

 

[Bbb34]

I just got a Bismarck from him and while I am not normally a fan of a coticule edge, his coti edge is rather sharp, I must admit. Felt more like a jnat edge from someone who knows how its done. Good shave, yeah. So I expect your Carre to be most definitely shave ready when u get it.

Just received it last night and while I haven't used it yet, it indeed seems to be sharper cutting hair on my arm than old razor I'm currently using. Now... I've only stropped my current (old) razor 6 times so far and seems I haven't ruined the edge (and more importantly strop) just yet. I am however a bit reluctant to use this new razor, I mean I know first shave does not need stropping, but since I'm not horribly good at either, using straights or stopping, I am considering just continuing with old razor until I get better at both. I'm getting better at both, but am still struggling to keep the scales completely dry, there are plenty of clumsy moments, even though my final results are decent. LOL

That said, we all know that's nonsense and I'll use the new one fairly soon, even if it means sending it out for honing soon after I mess up the edge while stropping.

PS. Talk about conflicting information out there on maintaining the razor rust free..... yikes.

 

[Slash McCoy]

This is B&B. ALL information is conflicting information. We just like to argue.

 

[sfeile]

This is B&B. ALL information is conflicting information. We just like to argue.

No we don't.

 

[OtterLunacy]

PS. Talk about conflicting information out there on maintaining the razor rust free..... yikes.

Part of the problem is that we all live in different climates. Keeping it from rusting when your local humidity is 15% is far easier than 65%.

 

[skimonster]

Just received it last night and while I haven't used it yet, it indeed seems to be sharper cutting hair on my arm than old razor I'm currently using. Now... I've only stropped my current (old) razor 6 times so far and seems I haven't ruined the edge (and more importantly strop) just yet. I am however a bit reluctant to use this new razor, I mean I know first shave does not need stropping, but since I'm not horribly good at either, using straights or stopping, I am considering just continuing with old razor until I get better at both. I'm getting better at both, but am still struggling to keep the scales completely dry, there are plenty of clumsy moments, even though my final results are decent. LOL

That said, we all know that's nonsense and I'll use the new one fairly soon, even if it means sending it out for honing soon after I mess up the edge while stropping.

PS. Talk about conflicting information out there on maintaining the razor rust free..... yikes.

I'd say that if you haven't cut your strop, or noticeably dulled your blade, then your stropping hasn't harmed anything. If you keep the strop tight, and spine on the strop, your good to go. You have more patience than I, if you decide to not try out your new Bismark, lol. I have a coticule edge on my razor, and I'm very comfortable shaving with it now (no more adrenaline pump when starting), and have incorporated a subtle slice to my stroke in certain areas. I find with a coti edge, that is not as sharp as some gents here prefer, that little bit of slice stroke allows me to achieve the BBS when I want it, but still have the comfort it provides.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Sounds to me like you are well on your way to getting great straight razor shaves. Personally, I have only tried two shaves with my new to me straight and find it addictive.

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