For dudes having a hard time with the straight

[kmlavoy]

I started straight shaving last October, and have gone through the usual learning curve. I feel like I'm reaching a point where I'm consciously competent at it.

For people who are having a hard time, and maybe getting less irritation than with a cartridge but more than they'd like (that was my main issue), here was my breakthrough: shave every day. One pass. No more.

It's amazing how fast every facet of my shaving improved. It made me reevaluate my lathering, which had been sub par. I'm now using less fuel, but the lather is much slicker and pillowy. It made me more focused on what I was doing with each stroke, especially in spots that I had trouble with (chin), because you can't be lazy and just think you'll clean it up with another pass or two. I quickly realized I was taking strokes that were way too long for me in those spots, when if I just shortened it up, I was getting closer shaves with one pass than with two plus cleanup. It made me start to improve my preparation for each stroke, particularly making sure the skin is stretched properly in the right direction.

 

[Tarkington]

I may give this a shot. I've got 4 Straight shaves in the books, and the last one was the most frustrating. I'm not getting effective WTG shaves.....which makes me try and fast forward to XTG.... I think it's either a face-stretching issue or a blade-sharpness issue..... Hopefully not the latter.

 

[Member357]

So in the start, when your shaves are not as good, would you touch up with a DE/SE or would you just put up with looking and feeling a bit scruffy that day? (well that's how I feel anyway!)

 

[smalltank]

If the shaves aernt that great keep at til its done right..60 minutes max per day with breaks in between..time n patience...

 

[Thomas Martin]

I think it's a sound advice to not aim for that BBS at any cost. I do a two pass WTG/XTG with a special attention to problem spots and a touch up occasionally when needed. It's not completely irritation free though. If I have some razor burn I switch to a "shave every second day" routine. I must not wait too long in between shaves though. If I wait more than two or three days, skin problems tend to increase.

 

[global_dev]

Great! This is how I approach honing. That first pass better destroy my beard. While I know a second and third pass could clean it up nice, the first pass should be fantastic otherwise back to the stones

 

[gsurko]

Seems like sound advice. My shaving straight improved 900% by going all in and only shaving straight.

 

[Raithskar]

Great! This is how I approach honing. That first pass better destroy my beard. While I know a second and third pass could clean it up nice, the first pass should be fantastic otherwise back to the stones

Same here Jon. If first pass is not smooth and comfortable, no matter how much growth, I will go back to the hone.

 

[KMan]

i do this now anyway... im getting good with the straight and can achieve BBS if i need to but really like having that quick, quality one pass shave....
you sir MR KMLAVOY have provided a sound piece of advice

i actually find that the straight is the best razor for doing touch ups as i can really get in all the nooks and crannies that i cant with a DE

 

[rockviper]

Hmmmm, methinks my blades are not sharp enough as my first pass is often tuggy but the 2nd sounds like what you guys are getting on pass-1.
.... Unless I am THE one who really has that tough wiry beard.

 

[global_dev]

Sam, do all of your straights feel like that? Are you sharpening your own?

 

[kmlavoy]

I may give this a shot. I've got 4 Straight shaves in the books, and the last one was the most frustrating. I'm not getting effective WTG shaves.....which makes me try and fast forward to XTG.... I think it's either a face-stretching issue or a blade-sharpness issue..... Hopefully not the latter.

One of the things about doing it this way that I've held to is not touching up. That is what got me so much better so quick. I went directly from Fusion Whatever to a straight, so there is no going back. The interesting thing is that if you don't touch up, it makes it easier to see your mistakes from yesterday. Which helps you identify those problem areas, and more importantly, how to fix them. Your shaves aren't going to get you sent home from work, so just go for it.

As far as what is wrong, I can only speak for myself. Everything needed work. Everything. My stropping. Lathering. Skin stretching. And amazingly, this way really laid bare those flaws. I was actually pretty close to getting some good shaves. But not there. And it really only took about a week, and my shaves took a quantum leap.

Really, if you think about it, if you've had even ONE good shave with a straight, you can do it.

 

[The Don]

I tried it today. It was interesting. My mindset was slightly different - I was consciously trying to maximize each stroke since I knew there would be a 2nd pass bailout. I may try to keep at it for a few days. Like kmlavoy said, your problems areas are exposed immediately. I did touch up today, but perhaps I'll try to do strictly one pass tomorrow. Luckily, I'm out of the office for tomorrow and most of next week, which gives me a nice chunk of time to experiment with this.

 

[rockviper]

Sam, do all of your straights feel like that? Are you sharpening your own?

Yes and yes, but that's okay as my shaves are quite serviceable. Sometimes I'm tuggy with a new DE blade as well.

 

[freedj]

As a new straight shaver, i really like this idea. I'll give it a try for the coming week.

 

[wquiles]

Same here Jon. If first pass is not smooth and comfortable, no matter how much growth, I will go back to the hone.

+1

HHT and shaving arm hair above the skin are great indications of the potential shave readiness, but nothing tells me more than that first pass with the grain

 

[jiminyshiznit]

I read your post this morning and shaved with a straight right after.. I did do some touch-ups, though. I'm inspired to up my frequency, though, and someone made a thread about only using a straight in May, so I'm going to do that, too. This morning's shave was really great, actually, but I'm super slow still, and also having troubles with stretching my skin in certain areas.. or even just finding the right angle of approach for certain areas. Lovin' it, though.. I feel so relaxed after all that concentration.. almost like I've just finished meditating.

 

[JGKC9AYC]

I still get nervous doing an ATG on my upper lip. I have a small mole right above my lip that gives me trouble, but thankfully it's still there.

 

[rockviper]

Update: Tried my shavette this morning. My whiskers are no tougher than anyone else's (well, duh!). The Shark SS sliced through them nice and easily, with no tugging and just minimal resistance. Back to honing school I go!

 

[freedj]

I did my first one pass, no touchups shave today and got a fairly decent result. I clearly need to work on my technique fo the curve of my chin. The rest of it turned out really nicely. I'll try and touch the razor up on my pasted basla for tomorrow since you all are talking about getting better results that way.