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[Vaporstang]

I joined April 25th. Enjoying this forum and learning a lot! I joined when trying to learn how to shave with a straight razor. One of the smarter things I did (okay, it was dumb luck), was starting with a shavette. I have gone through a period, because of my over-enthusiasm, of trying to many changes at once. I have settled down to using the shavette instead of a combo of DEs and SRs.

My previous two experiences with the Parker SRW were great! One had no nicks and minimal "missed patches". The next one was no missed patches and two really minor minor nicks.

Today's shave was a step back in my journey.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly:

The Good: Really super smooth shave. And this was one pass (for the most part). I got under my jawline really well. And I got under my nose with no nicks!​

The Bad: A missed patch under my chin.​

The Ugly: Two nasty nicks. I got in a hurry and frustrated and the end result was two nicks. I was changing my pattern and pushed it.​

Summary: I've gone from using the Mach 3, to expanding my horizons. I've gone from shaving three days a week to six days a week. And the journey continues.....

 

[Invicta]

It is great when you can see progress being made. The straight has the complication of understanding what is shave ready whereas the shavette allows you to work on technique from the start.

 

[Aaron Hall]

Love this post! I’ll never move to straights but have thought about a shave yet that uses DE blades. That’s if the other rabbit holes dry up.

Welcome!

 

[Mad Man]

“Too many changes at once...”

The most common mistake of the noob. Figuring this out early will save you much pain...

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations on your progress!

 

[SpeakWithMichael]

Has your skin suffered any from shaving twice as much as before? Is your hair growing faster now, or do you just like shaving more often for the heck of it?

 

[DEPenguin]

Great beginning! Hang in there, it gets better.

 

[Vaporstang]

Thanks for the replies and encouragement!

“Too many changes at once...”

The most common mistake of the noob. Figuring this out early will save you much pain...

The worse part is I knew it was the wrong approach from my engineering background and general experience. Sometimes you just have to relearn stuff....

Has your skin suffered any from shaving twice as much as before? Is your hair growing faster now, or do you just like shaving more often for the heck of it?

I used to shave 5-6 times a week - for decades. A couple of years ago, my employer relaxed the dress code to "dress for your day". I morphed into wearing jeans and a Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday routine. Trying the SR (along with an interest in DEs) has gotten me to enjoy shaving more, thus the increased shaving. I don't think my skin has suffered as much from the increased frequency as much as getting razor burn from improper technique with the SR as I hone my skill.

 

[dmshaver]

Congrats on your successful foray into wet shaving. Glad you've survived the first few shaves, & so I think it's safe to say you will survive, & improve with more practice! Enjoy!