First Straight shave, need some help

[bookpile]

I should start off by saying that I have been DE shaving for 1.5 years now and use Proraso shaving cream every morning. Today was my first straight razor shave.

I purchased this Bengall from a fellow member here:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=101197

I do not have a strop yet so I just gave it a shot. Everything went pretty smoothly until I got to my chin. I do not have a thick beard but my hair is very coarse. It seemed like no matter what I did, I could not push the razor through the hair on my chin. It would catch on hairs and pull them, instead of cutting them. I feel like I tried every angle possible, some worked better then others but if I got the razor to move it just seemed like it glided over the hair without cutting it. I tried many passes over my chin but could not get that hair to come off. When I put coral skin food on it, it felt like I was dumping pure alcohol on my skin.

My question is, does this sound like improper technique/lack of practice, or do think this will improve once I get a strop?

Thanks

 

[tcharah]

Hi! Im also a beginner..i'm in my 10/11 str8 shaving..the chin its the most dificult area! You're razor have to be very honed! Then try diferent angles of approach.. try to see how your beard work! Im starting now in the chin because its when the razor its more honed, then i move to the sides!..But you sure have to get a strop!!! Or a stone..

Best regards

 

[ozzy_scl]

Hello mate, first let me start with straight razor shaving is completly different to DE.
I started first with a straight and then a DE.

I remember when I started, and probably most here will tell you the same. It takes a few shaves until you're ready for a chin shave (If I was you, I would wait a few days).
You mentioned you don't have a strop... are you sure your blade was shave ready?? taking into consideration it was purchased here, I assume so.
What you can do to "recreate" a strop is lay some newspaper flat on a table, and strop (slowly) with that. But make sure you buy one, because is a key part of the whole thing.

As for your reaction to skin food, remember that a straight goes even closer to a DE, removing dead skin cell, also probably you've used too much pressure?

I assume by the time you are usind a DE, you know about prep and technique.
But with a Straight you will need a different aproach, I would say take it easy, and give your face a few weeks to get used to.

It took me about 3 weeks to get to that point, I was left with a sensation of not having shaved at all, even after 3 or 4 passes.

 

[Luc]

+1 on newspaper stropping.

It's not a strop but better than nothing. If you can get your hands on a strop, that would be best!

As mentionned. The Chin is a troubled area. I almost got a smooth chin thin morning, I must be around straight shave #15. I will get there eventually, this morning was not it!

Try short strokes and take your time while you shave.

 

[bookpile]

Thanks for the comments guys. I realize there is a learning curve to this and I'm going to have to keep trying. Unfortuantley I just started a new job that I have to shave for and I must leave early in the morning, so I'm going to have to limit myself to practicing on weekends.

Right now I'm trying to decide whether or not to order a Filly strop or one of Tony Miller's with a practice piece of leather.

 

[ozzy_scl]

What you can do (I do this) is shave, pretty much last thing before I go to bed, if you do this, you'll be fine by 3 or 4pm (depends on how much your beard takes to grow back).

Also you can "cheat" by finishing with a DE, and as you say, practice fully with a straight on weekends.

 

[professorchaos]

The chin is tough...I take a couple of different tacts depending on which pass. You can rotate the blade to match the curvature of your chin. A little practice is required to get it right, especially given the tougher nature of its stubble. Secondly, you can stretch the skin to move stubble from markedly curved areas to less curved areas, much as you might shave the adam's apple.

 

[AFDavis11]

The key is proper stropping, but, you can also use the base of the razor for a more effective, stiffer, shave.

Be really careful with the chin. You can do some damage if you try and force the blade.

It should be pretty smooth, yet just a little challenging.

Again, the key is stropping the razor up effectively and the blade will glide through anything.

 

[SiBurning]

You could also try one or two passes with the straight and finish with the DE, then do a straight straight shave on the weekends. Take it slow, especially on the harder areas. Maybe stay away from the chin for a while on work days. The less you use it, the slower you'll learn, so try to find a balance that lets you use it more often.