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JT's Journey to The Dark Side

Shave #1

The very generous Steve Clark gifted me a Geo Wostenholm I.XL and set me on my journey to straight razor use.

I have read lots of advice, so decided go with the N-S passes on each cheek. I experienced no issues whatsoever. I then exercised some restraint and completed the first and second passes with my trusty Fatip Grande loaded with an Astra SP.

Very excited for my next shave!
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That's a very nice first shave you had there. The TOBS is a fantastic product! You're going to progress quickly, I'm sure. How great of @steveclarkus to set you up! I tip my hat to you Steve, well done! You let us know if we can provide any assistance to you as you learn, and don't be afraid to reach out to some us senior members for honing advice, or for a touch up on the stones if needed. Getting started can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be.

How's the stropping going?

Best wishes,
Matt
 
Nicely done!

Good looking razor, too! Eye-popping.
Thank you!
That's a very nice first shave you had there. The TOBS is a fantastic product! You're going to progress quickly, I'm sure. How great of @steveclarkus to set you up! I tip my hat to you Steve, well done! You let us know if we can provide any assistance to you as you learn, and don't be afraid to reach out to some us senior members for honing advice, or for a touch up on the stones if needed. Getting started can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be.

How's the stropping going?

Best wishes,
Matt
Yeah, I've got 3 tubs of TOBS (from a trip to the shop in London last year). It really is good stuff and lasts ages!

Steve's a great guy! I'll be sure to ask for help as, and when, I need it!

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@steveclarkus is a prince among men:a50::a50: and a kind and gentle teacher. He should be your source for learning to use and maintain a straight in my humble opinion.

:a54:
I couldn't agree more! I've taken his advice, and I have begun to procure the items required to hone/maintain a razor as per Slash McCoy's 'Method'!

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steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
That's a very nice first shave you had there. The TOBS is a fantastic product! You're going to progress quickly, I'm sure. How great of @steveclarkus to set you up! I tip my hat to you Steve, well done! You let us know if we can provide any assistance to you as you learn, and don't be afraid to reach out to some us senior members for honing advice, or for a touch up on the stones if needed. Getting started can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be.

How's the stropping going?

Best wishes,
Matt
Thanks Matt. I enjoy assisting new guys. I was a newbie not long ago myself.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
You'll be getting plenty of questions from me! [emoji23]

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Ask away. I have all the time you will need. I will be in the mountains out of cell service from tomorrow until Sunday though. Just keep doing what you are doing.
 
Shave #2

Exactly the same setup as the last outing. My plan was to repeat the last shave, but as I tend to do - I got carried away. I performed the entire first pass using the straight razor. I experimented with a few different grips to get access to different parts of my face. I concede that using both hands looks to be the way forward (for me) at this point!

I drew a little blood on the jawline from a heavy handed set down... Man are these things sharp!

There was still some skipping/tugging in places, but it was smoother and closer than last time out!

Looking forward to #3 [emoji41]

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Shave #3

I actually had to skip using the SR yesterday due to my attending a wedding - I opted for the safety and predictability of my Fatip Grande.

Today, I performed a N-S pass on my face, jaw and upper neck, and I managed a S-N pass on my lower neck. I wasn't able to get the hang of the contours around my chin today, but I know that it will come with time and patience. I cleaned up using the Fatip to get a decent standard of finish.

I am enjoying the challenge of figuring out which hand (and grip) to use for the different areas of my face. I find that it is easier to shave the left side with the right hand and vice versa - it means that I am not obscuring my vision. I do believe I picked that up from Chimensch's epic video!

Looking forward to #4! [emoji41]

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steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Looks like you are coming along just fine. Eventually you will find yourself using more wrist and finger movements when moving around those odd places. Just keep at it and you will develop your own technique. Just remember it’s your face and there are no others exactly like it.
 
Shave #4

Another good shave using a straight razor to shave my face WTG... I found the chin and under the nose more manageable than I have in the previous three shaves. My cheeks also felt pretty close! I got a decent result on the jawline also by pulling up the skin to around the lower cheek area. All in all, I am pleased with how it is going! Stropping on the linen (20) followed by the leather (40) seems to be working well.

Question: do any of you not bother with strokes on the linen part of the strop?

Looking forward to #5 [emoji41]
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I haven't posted about my journey in a little while! I've probably had about another 5 or 6 shaves with a straight razor.

I have made progress in using both my right and left hands. I am, somewhat, comfortably completing my N-S first pass in its entirety. I then clean up with my Fatip Grande. Over the next couple of shaves, I am going to be adding the ear to nose pass on my cheeks/jawline.

I am feeling much more comfortable with stropping and I have had a go at touching up the blade on a webbing strop with CrOx crayon on it... This definitely made a difference!

Robin (Lord Fatboy) generously gifted me a piece of Welsh Slate, and I'm contemplating have a dabble at using it with one of my straights! How would I go about getting acceptable results?

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