Finally! Just Like That

[Noebie]

let me start by saying that i did not get an exceptional shave today

that being said, i am ECSTATIC

for the very first time, i got at least a decent, irritation-free shave with the straight

two things came together

1) i was stropping all wrong - so my razors were always dull - was raising the spine towards the end of the lap, putting pressure on the business end of the blade - i finally realized that the blade should be kept flat throughout the lap, with just barely enough pressure to keep it in contact with the strop

2) with a sharp razor (probably for the very first time) today, i somehow got in the groove of a very light, short stroke - and i could actually tell that hair was coming off on the first pass - which ought to be the case, of course - but every single time in the past my beard felt just as rough after the first couple passes as it did before i started to shave

i'm still not as smooth after three passes with the straight as i normally am after only one with the super speed - but i suspect that it won't be long now before i'm achieving great shaves with the straight

from here on i think it's mainly a matter of getting more comfortable with the razor in my hand, getting the skin taut, and finding ways to deal with the surfaces that aren't naturally flat

w00t!

 

[luvmysuper]

let me start by saying that i did not get an exceptional shave today

that being said, i am ECSTATIC

for the very first time, i got at least a decent, irritation-free shave with the straight

two things came together

1) i was stropping all wrong - so my razors were always dull - was raising the spine towards the end of the lap, putting pressure on the business end of the blade - i finally realized that the blade should be kept flat throughout the lap, with just barely enough pressure to keep it in contact with the strop

2) with a sharp razor (probably for the very first time) today, i somehow got in the groove of a very light, short stroke - and i could actually tell that hair was coming off on the first pass - which ought to be the case, of course - but every single time in the past my beard felt just as rough after the first couple passes as it did before i started to shave

i'm still not as smooth after three passes with the straight as i normally am after only one with the super speed - but i suspect that it won't be long now before i'm achieving great shaves with the straight

from here on i think it's mainly a matter of getting more comfortable with the razor in my hand, getting the skin taut, and finding ways to deal with the surfaces that aren't naturally flat

w00t!

Congrats!

It's great when it feels like things are starting to come together.
Keep at it.

And please look at this thread here;

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=133215&page=4

 

[JPM]

Congrats! Glad it is coming together.

 

[Steve-O]

Congrats! For me the progress seemed to be non-linear as well. One day I was hacking away with no end in sight, then the next day all at once I discovered a better way to strech my face and better motion of the blade.

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

Good job, Brian!

 

[Noebie]

another decent shave this morning

and a bonus - finally in the groove with sharpening

i got out my barber's hone and strop and brought two very dull blades back to exceptionally keen

the entire thing seems to be more about angle than anything else

hard to explain

but feeling a true sense of accomplishment (and happy that i didn't give up)

thanks to everyone here for your encouragement - that made all the difference

 

[netsurfr]

Congrats Brian!
Nice when it all starts to come together.

 

[Noebie]

finally feel like i'm getting the hang of it

 

[scottish steve]

Welcome to the fold. Spread the word. Annoy your friends. Pass a memo around your office...

 

[davidaker]

Well done! A person can read about "how to" but always has their own ideas and then somehow loses the "how to". It's nice to put it together.