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- #21
I think there are dedicated tools for shaving head.
I am paying for learning straight razor in blood and flesh.
- Thread starter marshmellow
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I think there are dedicated tools for shaving head.
I had one, long story short - it was the second worst shaving cut I’ve ever had.
A safety razor is by far the best method I’ve tried. A straight works ok, but it’s super slow. The safety razor removes hair so fast I can take my time and still shave in a similar time as rushing with a cartridge razor, so it’s quick, effective, and safe.
Back to the OP - the learning curve seems very steep at the very beginning. If you stick with it for just a few weeks, you will soon look back at the high frustration level and realize what a big deal it wasn’t!
My worst cut was like a paper cut, feeling cocky, shaved upwards against the grain holding the razor in my right hand to shave my left sideburn area, skin taut by left hand pulling down. I was using a 7/8 Friodur, with that damn wicked square point, super slick soap warmed in a custom scuttle; all was good with the world. Just nicked the slot between my earlobe and my neck, could see light between the two, mind you, just a nick but all the way through. Bled like I was dying.
Next week. Same move, same cut, into the healing scar. I was so pissed. Swearing, bleeding, wife comes in an gasps at the mess - she thinks I finally killed that cat, been saying I would for years...
No styptic would work, how do you reattach your lobe? Band aids useless, only thing that worked was lengthy direct pressure and whisky. Tall glass, to drink.
It gets infinitely better; if I hadn’t started sporting a beard...
Next week. Same move, same cut, into the healing scar. I was so pissed. Swearing, bleeding, wife comes in an gasps at the mess - she thinks I finally killed that cat, been saying I would for years...
No styptic would work, how do you reattach your lobe? Band aids useless, only thing that worked was lengthy direct pressure and whisky. Tall glass, to drink.
It gets infinitely better; if I hadn’t started sporting a beard...
When moving from the left side to the right side of my face. That is what I thought I had done on my worse cut. I just concentrated on getting it to stop bleeding. The next day I checked to see if my earlobe had gotten elongated, which it hadn't. Once all healed up, going by the scars, I sliced the back of the earlobe, then about 1/16" in front of the ear lobe poked a hole, then must have jerked and hit the front of the ear lobe at the bottom. So the earlobe was bleeding from front and back. Just guessing on the ordering, but only way I can think of cutting front and back of the lobe, without cutting through. Hmm, I guess I could have poked through the earlobe. Hmm, folding the ear over, I think I might have pinned the earlobe over, poked though the lobe into the cheek. The holes line up and I did initially think I hit with the flat of the blade. And I hit it hard too, I wondered how the cuts were so small.
Hmm, will never know.
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- #25
Jesus. That hurts.
I've just started getting SRs and reading all the horror stories makes me realise I'm going to be another statistic as far as getting a cut due to user error.
I'm lucky I don't have much fuzz that doesn't lessen the chance of a bad cut
!
I'm lucky I don't have much fuzz that doesn't lessen the chance of a bad cut
!I've just started getting SRs and reading all the horror stories makes me realise I'm going to be another statistic as far as getting a cut due to user error.
I'm lucky I don't have much fuzz that doesn't lessen the chance of a bad cut
Just respect it! And if your not feeling well, don't "push through it". If your in a hurry, don't rush it. If distractions abound, don't try to ignore them. Take an easy DE shave day instead.
Thanks Clay
Going slow fact I'm going to only use a straight over the weekend on a sat morning. Every sat till it becomes easier followed by sun. I won't shave w a straight during a week day at least until I get the hang of it lol
Going slow fact I'm going to only use a straight over the weekend on a sat morning. Every sat till it becomes easier followed by sun. I won't shave w a straight during a week day at least until I get the hang of it lol
No you won’t. Cutting yourself stems from moving too fast and using an angle that cuts meat and not cutting hair.I've just started getting SRs and reading all the horror stories makes me realise I'm going to be another statistic as far as getting a cut due to user error.
I'm lucky I don't have much fuzz that doesn't lessen the chance of a bad cut
Teach and discipline yourself to lay the blade flat before every stroke raising just enough to cut hair.
Learn to use both hands. Keep the razor handle dry. Don’t rinse. Use a sponge to wipe lather from the blade.
Cutting yourself is not an accident any more than not being able to cut your steak is an accident. It is using the wrong angle.
The worst one I ever had was when I didn’t lock the door and my kiddos came running in because they were fighting and ran into me. I pulled the razor away from my face but I buried it into my chest in an attempt to keep it from my kids as I stumbled from being ran into by two kids.
I should have gone to get stitches as my skin split open like an over cooked hot dog but figured steri-strips would do just fine. Regardless my kiddos were just fine and I learned a valuable lesson, lock the door....lol!
You will definitely get nicks and such, I have one area on my chin that always seems to get me every once in a while. As far as a big gash goes, that’s honestly not going to happen unless you have one of those “I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m going to keep doing it anyway” moments.
I should have gone to get stitches as my skin split open like an over cooked hot dog but figured steri-strips would do just fine. Regardless my kiddos were just fine and I learned a valuable lesson, lock the door....lol!
You will definitely get nicks and such, I have one area on my chin that always seems to get me every once in a while. As far as a big gash goes, that’s honestly not going to happen unless you have one of those “I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m going to keep doing it anyway” moments.
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Since DE's and straights give a longer lasting shave, just shave at night. Been doing this for about 3 years, and not a single higher up has ever said my shave was unsat ( I'm in the Navy ). As long as you shave after about 8pm, you should be set.
The more frequently you shave, the quicker and easier the learning process. In the beginning, just shave your cheeks until you get comfortable using a straight. If your mind is on not cutting yourself, you are more likely to do just that. If you keep a close angle and stretch your skin, it is very unlikely you will cut yourself.I've just started getting SRs and reading all the horror stories makes me realise I'm going to be another statistic as far as getting a cut due to user error.
I'm lucky I don't have much fuzz that doesn't lessen the chance of a bad cut
If you don't mind your angle, lock the door, and take your time!
The worst injury I've had was when my Russian speaking mother in law startled me while I was shaving...... I sliced my left left cheek near my ear, North to south by about an inch..... I bled really badly and the stempic pen did nothing.... Direct pressure was all that worked..... and people wonder why I chose Inigo Montoya as my avatar...
Hang in there, marshmellow! April 2019 will be the 1 yr mark for my adventurous straight experience. My first shave was practically flawless. The second however, was brutal. I fillet not one but BOTH ear lobes...I mean laid them open! But, the obstinate side of me has prevailed and I have pushed through (no pun intended). Now, I seldom see blood at all. But, not there yet as I am still working toward consistent BBS. In the meantime however, MAN, am I having fun!
I’ll always shave in the evening, because I’v time to concentrate and most of all enjoy the shaving. I close my bathroom door, so I can enjoy without having to worry someone bunk on me. My worst cut was not with the SR but with Feather A SS shevette and even so I managed to take care of it with non scare. SR with singing blades and a round point/tip are very forgiving. To avoid cuts first think to do is when start touching your skin with blade go easy and controlled, at the beginning of learning this is natural but when we became more confident we forget how the balde can cut us in this first step, and that’s the more heavy cuts. Second keep the spine next to your skin, but start learning the best angle for your razor proficiency or you’ll be disappointed and try more passes do to lake of cutting closeness.....
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Once your comfortable with the idea, and the fact, of having the razor that close to your face, I would try to shave at least every 3 days with an SR, preferably every 2 days. Any longer and muscle memory might not develop. But if it isn't a good day, don't feel you MUST because its the 3rd day. That causes mistakes.
Totally agree, about muscle memory as if I don't play tennis every week I suddenly forget how to lol.
Thx Clay!
I find that I remember how to use the straight on my face (blood and all), but stropping makes me pause every time; cut a strop almost in half not flipping the razor correctly and going too fast after a long layoff...oh there was much blaspheming and vulgarity that morning, I can tell you...
I’ve shaved my strop. I decided to go real slow and just listen and feel. Then I just started to subconsciously go faster. Dropping my laps from 60 to 30 on the leather makes it so much more palatable. I’ve noticed no difference in performance. Now I’m going to drop it to 20 next week. Some manufacturers say 6 is enough, I guess.
Now the linen is a different story for me. I guess I like the sound on linen. After 25 laps, I want to just keep going.
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Ever since I read that Torrey ad I use fewer strop strokes/laps.
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