First real straight shave and it SUCKED.
- Thread starter cruise_bone
- Start date
I think you learned the first lesson of straight razor shaving- it ain’t easy.
Everything has to come into place- honing, stropping, and technique. Anything off ruins your shave. Why do you think they sell so many safety razors?
The big catch 22 is that it’s relatively easy when you know what to do, yet seemingly impossible when you don’t.
Everything has to come into place- honing, stropping, and technique. Anything off ruins your shave. Why do you think they sell so many safety razors?
The big catch 22 is that it’s relatively easy when you know what to do, yet seemingly impossible when you don’t.
This sums it up perfectly, lucky for me though, it's all gone well from the start.
@cruise_bone - Don't give up too quick, get it honed properly and take your time on your next attempt. In the meantime, read and watch as many videos as you can. That combined with great advice from more experienced members here helped me big time.
First shaves suck. First week sucks. That's just the way it was for me. Don't judge SR shaving by your current skills. There is a lot to get used to, but it gets better.
I'm coming up on my 100 shaves and am just recently getting good shaves. Been lots of cuts along the way.
So, maybe a reset of expectations. "I just completed my first shave and only cut myself once!"
I'm coming up on my 100 shaves and am just recently getting good shaves. Been lots of cuts along the way.
So, maybe a reset of expectations. "I just completed my first shave and only cut myself once!"
kelbro
Alfred Spatchcock
I think that it's because that's a junk razor. If you PayPal me $20 and ship it to me on your dime, I will dispose of it properly and send you some Feather DE blades.
Just kidding of course. Your strop technique might be off. Try a shave from a honemeister without stropping. That will let you know when/where the damage to the edge is occurring.
Just kidding of course. Your strop technique might be off. Try a shave from a honemeister without stropping. That will let you know when/where the damage to the edge is occurring.
It takes time to master this craft .Patience will be rewarded .
At about 30 shaves you will be decent. At this point you will fee a lot better about your shaves and technique. Shaves will be more comfortable but not as good as DEs. At around 100 shaves, the quality of shave will near your DE safety razor shave. After this, the shaves will be more comfortable and closer than DEs. At least that's the learning curve I had. I contemplated quitting numerous times. Once I made it to 30, I had a feeling that "I can do this".
I think being a very proficient DE shaver really helps with learning how to straight shave. I’m only 8 shaves in and just did one almost as close as my super speed. Really enjoying the whole experience! Don’t give up and take all the advice given here.
I would say don't give up your experience will be different than anyone else.
My experience using a SR after DE shaving for more than ten years was more of this:
-Louis
My experience using a SR after DE shaving for more than ten years was more of this:
I would say this experience is the norm.
I would say this is the exception.
-Louis
Up to 20 were hit and miss and you cut yourself, in my case quite a lot: ear tips,back of the ear, knuckles moving hand from ear area, head, cheek, chin round that awkward bit - you get the idea. Dodged the tragus so far!
None were slices that required hospitalization, but a few incurred the displeasure of HRH and it really seemed like one step forward and one back.
When i got to 30 shaves it's better, because you are developing a system that reliably works for you and you've likely seen every shaving video on the continent or at least it felt like that.
Shave 41 and i have been cut-free for a few shaves and this one beat everything that preceded it, which likely just proves that i was poor with a DE too, but also proves that perseverance is overrated.
T
None were slices that required hospitalization, but a few incurred the displeasure of HRH and it really seemed like one step forward and one back.
When i got to 30 shaves it's better, because you are developing a system that reliably works for you and you've likely seen every shaving video on the continent or at least it felt like that.
Shave 41 and i have been cut-free for a few shaves and this one beat everything that preceded it, which likely just proves that i was poor with a DE too, but also proves that perseverance is overrated.
T
Man, I feel fortunate in that about 50 shaves into it, I've only barely nicked myself to the point that by the time I was finished shaving, and did a cold splash, there was nothing to see. I truly believe it is because of a coticule edge, in that they are very forgiving. I have no doubt if I had started with a wickedly sharp blade, I would have had more mishaps, but even so, I still don't let my guard down, because they are always ready to bite.
Funny that my worse mishap was I somehow clipped my thumb when changing hands one time, and didn't even know it until I saw blood.
Funny that my worse mishap was I somehow clipped my thumb when changing hands one time, and didn't even know it until I saw blood.
You say fortunate, but no such thing in straight razor shaving in my opinion, so give yourself some credit too.
So far, my biggest surprise is how forgiving straight razors are, and I have only tried two, one with and without coti honed edge. All the horror stories about constant nicks and cuts kept me extra cautious, and same as you, I'm getting away with great shaves early on. Good prep, crazy caution and healthy doze of fear, together with taking your sweet time go a long way during those first few shaves.
I found that my stroping was a weak point starting out. Two things that I felt really improved my shave was 1. improving my stroping and 2. my shave angle
Neither 1 was fixed in 1 or 2 tries. Like others have mentioned, concentrate on not cutting yourself. Play with the angle some. Just remove the lather. When I was trying so hard to remove whiskers, I was having less than enjoyable shaves. When I started concentrating on removing lather and not focusing on whiskers, eventually the whiskers disappear with the lather. You will have a few, or possibly lots, of less than bbs shaves. It is a learning process that takes some mastering. Good luck.
Neither 1 was fixed in 1 or 2 tries. Like others have mentioned, concentrate on not cutting yourself. Play with the angle some. Just remove the lather. When I was trying so hard to remove whiskers, I was having less than enjoyable shaves. When I started concentrating on removing lather and not focusing on whiskers, eventually the whiskers disappear with the lather. You will have a few, or possibly lots, of less than bbs shaves. It is a learning process that takes some mastering. Good luck.
I had similar experiences for my first couple of SR shaves. As so many others have pointed out, getting it properly honed was what I needed in my situation. I sent it to Brad at Maggards and it came back razor sharp. I had my best SR shave ever after that and have been practicing my stropping to improve on it further.
Thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt. This kind of thing does happen occasionally. It usually happens from over stropping. I hate it when someone is not completely happy with something I've done!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Another thread back from the grave! The OP was last logged into the forum about 8 months ago and last posted to this thread in 2017.
Ooops. Looks like that was me. Sorry guys. Diggin up bones some how I guess. Perhaps I should pay more attention.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Meh. We have all done it so don't feel no way.
