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A year’s worth of straight razor shaves

I had my first straight razor shave on Christmas Eve 2023, and a year later, I have completed 365 shaves with no missed days. I did not use a Mach3 or Fusion razor for touch-ups, not for the first shave, nor for any other shave. That first shave took me more than half an hour to complete. While I improved over time, I still felt a bit of dread using the straight razor until I was well into my 30th shave. Full concentration was required for every shave during that period. Thankfully, I didn't nick myself significantly, though there were a few weepers here and there. Like most people, I started feeling comfortable around the 100-shave mark. By about six months, I began to increase my speed.

Now, at the one-year mark, I believe the majority of my improvement has taken place. It now takes me just 5 to 7 minutes for a single-pass shave. I no longer need to focus intently on the shaving process or the razor itself. Instead, my mind drifts to thoughts about family and work while wielding the straight razor. It has become, quite simply, just a shave.

Here are a few steps I learned that might help some fellow beginners:

Use both hands if possible. I started using both hands by my third or fourth shave and committed to doing so, no matter how long it took to feel comfortable.

Incorporate toe-leading strokes. Also known as scything, I began using these strokes within a week, angling the blade around 45 degrees from perpendicular. This was even scarier than starting with the straight razor itself, but nothing bad happened. In fact, the quality and comfort of my shaves improved substantially, as did the longevity of the blade's edge.

Sharpness matters most. I’ve mostly joined the camp that believes sharpness is the primary contributor to shave quality. Factors like brand names and steel types have less bearing on the experience. I started my straight razor journey with a Gold Dollar 66. Although I’ve since purchased several name-brand razors, the Gold Dollar 66 still delivers a shave today that is almost as good as any of my others. I’m glad I invested in nice razors early on, as improved skills have made me more indifferent to the equipment itself.

Finally, I’d like to thank several folks who generously shared their knowledge through posts here and YouTube videos. There are too many names to list, but a few stand out: Gamma, for his advice on sharpening, particularly his emphasis on honing until the razor is truly ready at each stage rather than counting strokes; JPO, for his technical analysis; and Chimensch, for his 30th-anniversary video on technique.

I hope you’re enjoying, or will come to enjoy, straight razor shaving. It transforms something mundane into an experience to look forward to.

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Today's shave with the Gold Dollar 66 celebrates completing a year of straight razor shaving.

Tanvir
 
Congrats. I’ve been a daily shaver with a straight for 50 years come February. I still learn little things as I go that improve my shave. You are spot on with the slides and scything. Those really help you get the trouble spots and reduce the number of times you have to go over an area.
Thank you BobYourUncle. I use the slide/scythe technique on every stroke, not just for the difficult areas. I am so accustomed to the slide/scythe that moving the razor without it feels off. This cutting stroke is described in the book Standardized Textbook of Barbering (c. 1950).
 
I do something a little different. I angle the straight but I tend to angle it heel leading. Does anyone else do it this way?
I am already set with toe-leading strokes. I am sure some people here use heel-leading strokes. The only reference I have that hints at heel-leading is "Correspondence School - Shaving Made Easy," (c. 1905). Regarding honing, it makes the following comments:

"We have likened the edge of a razor to that of a saw, but there is this difference: saw teeth incline away from the handle and toward the point, while the razor teeth incline away from the point and toward the heel. This is correct in principle, for the saw in use is pushed away from the handle toward the point, while the razor is usually drawn away from the point toward the heel."

This is shaving from one's own perspective, not a barber's perspective.
 
I do something a little different. I angle the straight but I tend to angle it heel leading. Does anyone else do it this way?
Everyone’s face and routine is different. The angles needed may be easier to do point first or heel first depending on the area and how you grip your razor.
 
I use toe-leading strokes when shaving the top half of my neck downward to follow the grain of my beard which grows down and outward toward the back of my neck.
 
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