My first shave with a straight razor: a success!

[Doc Dan]

I bought a H. Diamond 1000 razor that had been professionally honed and shave ready today. I nervously took it for a spin, this evening. I used Barrister and Mann Lavender shaving soap. After the first pass, I added some of my favorite La Toja Sensitive cream into the bowl as it is very slick and I am more familiar with it.
I have watched a lot of videos, but this one really came in handy from my local brick and mortar wet shaving shop.

Here is the razor:

I made two passes and I am proud to say that I got no cuts and no weepers. I only got one small spot of slight irritation that I knew I had done it when I did it. A little body lotion mixed with Barrister and Mann Barrister's Reserve Cool after shave balm took care of it.

It was actually easier than I thought (feared) it would be. The shave is BBS on my face and office worthy on my neck. Not bad for a first time.

 

[Titleist]

Congratulations and welcome to the art of Straight Razors. As you found out, having a properly honed straight razor makes all the difference.

 

[Doc Dan]

I just noticed that I accidentally shaved one of my sideburns shorter than the other. This razor is so sharp I didn't realize it.

 

[Eben Stone]

Not bad for a first time.

It only gets better...

 

[APBinNCA]

People get tired of me typing the same thing over and over so I will keep this brief: don’t twist yourself into a pretzel, move around to find the best position for different parts of your face. There are a few tricks for getting the sideburns, but don’t dry shave them like Geo. Moving around also keeps you from getting cramped.

I am glad you got a sharp enough razor to start with! Make sure you strop before you shave to remove oxidation.

 

[Herrenberg]

Congrats on your first straight razor shave!

Not cutting yourself the first time out is impressive. I think I was over 10 shaves before that happened the first time.

 

[Doc Dan]

Congrats on your first straight razor shave!

Not cutting yourself the first time out is impressive. I think I was over 10 shaves before that happened the first time.

I was careful, but I have also used a knife for a very long time to do close work. I assume that helped. I think what helped the most was a very, very sharp razor that would easily top the hairs on my arm. That meant I used very little pressure when shaving. It was either that, or God was with me! Hahaha!

 

[Doc Dan]

Well, second shave done. No cuts and no weepers, but one place on my neck had irritation. I could tell the blade didn't want to glide as well as yesterday. I don't know if it was a soap problem or my stropping. I am sure I didn't strop enough.

Still, I got BBS on my face, again. However, my neck has spots that weren't as good as yesterday. Those were the places I could feel the blade not wanting to glide. Also, it didn't help that I went over it a second touch up without soap! like I do with a safety razor. Big mistake!

 

[rbscebu]

You are going exceedingly well. The neck can be a notoriously difficult area to shave, particularly with the long edge of a straight razor. It took me probably 100 or more daily SR shaves to be able to get a DFS result there. Now, as I approach my 1,000th SR shave, I can give my neck a BBS finish but I don't want that. I need something to shave 24 hours later.

 

[Doc Dan]

You are going exceedingly well. The neck can be a notoriously difficult area to shave, particularly with the long edge of a straight razor. It took me probably 100 or more daily SR shaves to be able to get a DFS result there. Now, as I approach my 1,000th SR shave, I can give my neck a BBS finish but I don't want that. I need something to shave 24 hours later.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm a daily shaver six days a week. I enjoy it. The whole thing, the soap/cream, brushes (I have a few!), razors, different blades to try, the routine, and now the straight razor. This is a whole different level. There are new things to learn.

One thing I did learn was not to go too slow. It drags and pulls a bit doing that. It is best just to start and follow through with the cut/shave stroke, at least so far.

 

[CpnStumpy]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm a daily shaver six days a week. I enjoy it. The whole thing, the soap/cream, brushes (I have a few!), razors, different blades to try, the routine, and now the straight razor. This is a whole different level. There are new things to learn.

One thing I did learn was not to go too slow. It drags and pulls a bit doing that. It is best just to start and follow through with the cut/shave stroke, at least so far.

Well said, the key here though is pressure - all the talk about a straight razor being forgiving is that if you use light enough pressure, the blade can catch and stop without slicing. This is however only when the pressure is light enough.

So yes, start your stroke to follow through, but with light enough pressure if it catches for any reason it'll stop unless you commit to the follow through with too much pressure, then it can bite you but don't worry about it, you're already doing spectacularly. Pressure and angle, that's what straights are all about

 

[Ravenonrock]

I love a success story! The more straight razor shavers the merrier! You had a better outing than my first attempts. Having a truly shave ready razor makes a difference as others have stated. Good luck on your journey!

 

[AvocadoKing]

Hell yeah. *high five*

 

[rbscebu]

I love a success story! The more straight razor shavers the merrier! You had a better outing than my first attempts. Having a truly shave ready razor makes a difference as others have stated. Good luck on your journey!

Wrong. The more straight razor shavers, the more the SRs will start to cost!

 

[MurderousCrow]

Well done, brother. Keep it up!

 

[Staggers and Jags]

i cut myself a few times with my first straight razor. i learned real quickly not to be scared of it]

 

[Doc Dan]

Well, I'm six shaves in and so far, no cuts and no weepers, at all. Twice I had minor irritation on a place that gives me trouble with many DE Safety razors as well. My shaves have gotten better. My last shave was near BBS all over: face, neck, jaw, everything.

I'm really enjoying this. I am going to sell my Game Changer with both heads and buy another straight razor.

 

[rbscebu]

It's an addiction I tell you!

 

[RouxBlade]

I thought it odd at first that @rbscebu didn't try to warn you off straight razors like he has so many before. Clearly though you were already too far gone. My condolences.

You're doing great. I just hit my 50th shave tonight. My early (or rather, earlier) days sound nothing like yours. But at least I've stopped regularly giving blood practicing this new way of life.

 

[Doc Dan]

I am too far gone! I got this today and have already used it!

Thiers Issard