My first str8 shave almost cut my throat

[TChewy]

So some of you may have seen here how excited I was to get a str8 and DB 1.5 yesterday. So today I experienced my first str8 shave and I must say it went a lot better than I thought it would and it was also a lot different than I thought it would be. First, the scuttle kept lather warm but I think the water I used was too hot since it broke down my lather or I'm just not good at bowl lathering yet. I may have to look into trading this thing for a brush scuttle. Now, on to the actual shave itself. I did just as Joel showed in his video and pulled my face up at the sideburns and shaved my cheeks. This made a really loud sound as it was cutting the hairs. My cheeks went fine then the neck. This was a bit awkward since it was a bit difficult to see with my hand holding the razor blocking the mirror but still not too bad. The left side of my face though, THAT was interesting since I'm only using my right hand and there's no way I can use my left hand to do this. I was standing there trying to figure out how to hold the razor right to be able to actually cut hairs. So that was ok to then the chin. Now this is where the cutthroat tried to cut my throat. I accidentally angled the blade a little off and got a nice cut on my chin on BOTH sides. You'd think I'd learn after doing it once. Luckily I had a styptic pen that sealed the cuts right up. All in all though, it was fun and very interesting to basically put a really sharp blade up to my face and try to not kill myself while trimming some really hard face hairs. I must say that even though my technique blows right now I still got a closer shave than I have gotten with my DE up until now. If you're on the fence, take the plunge, it's FUN!!!

 

[Luc]

Good to know that you didn't kill yourself...

On how to hold the razor, this helped me heaps!
http://www.straightrazorplace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Different_ways_to_hold_a_straight_razor

 

[JPM]

Congrats on surviving your first! Good luck with it.

 

[perogee]

It really does get better, far faster than you may think. I am less than 20 shaves in and getting really near BBS (certainly DFS), with very little irritation and only the occasional nick. It is surprising how fast it can get good.

 

[cim_can]

I'm through about 12 straight shaves now and believe me, I felt the same way you did about holding the razor with my left hand. I gave it a shot and although it felt super weird the first few times, I've gotten a little more familiar with it. I'm still super careful when shaving with my left hand, can't be too careful with that straight blade.
So, I suggest giving it a shot - I think it'll give you a better view of the angles. And just be light with the pressure, don't try to do too much at once, and take it slowly, and I think you'll be able to use your left hand. Although, of course, I'm just a straight newbie, and I'm sure there are a few guys here who could help you out with the grip for only right-hand.
Good luck!

 

[SRock]

Congrats on your first. Is there a medical reason you can't use your left hand? I found it awkward at first but quickly discovered the transition really comes quite easy.

 

[TiberiuR]

It's good to hear that you are ok
I remember my grandfather used to shave himself with a straight. My father tells me that grandpa was crazy. Very few used straights to shave themselves. Most got shaved at the barbers. They where the only ones that knew how to PROPERLY use a str8.
I'm tempted myself to buy one, but no thanx. At least not now.

 

[Moe]

Congratulations--I'm right in there with you as a new straight shaver trying to figure out which way to hold the blade for each patch of face and razor direction. I bought a used, $8 full hollow straight and took the edge off it with my Arkansas stones so I can practice that with it. It still makes the appropriate feedback noise. I have a terribly uncoordinated left hand/arm, but am forcing myself to use it.

Don't overheat the scuttle or your lather will break down. Preheat the scuttle with faucet temperature hot water by filling both the inner and outer bowl while you're showering, then drain both bowls and refill the outer one through the spout. Keep in mind that while bowl lathering, you are folding in cold, 65-70ºF air into the lather, so give it some time to warm back up after whipping (while you're stropping for example).

Hope this helps and best wishes for continued success.

 

[TChewy]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm glad I'm ok too but at least the blade was so sharp the cut doesn't even hurt and I can barely tell I even got cut. I guess I may have to try using the left hand but it's so awkward to use the off hand to try and do something that seems pretty dangerous. I'll let you guys know how that goes when I work up the courage to try it out. For now though, I'm just happy I decided to try the str8 since it's been fun already after just one shave. Now, does anyone have a TM red latigo strop they want to sell me?

 

[Thebigspendur]

When you start with a straight it is ill advised to try and do it all at first. You start with the straight areas of the face and as you gain skill you tackle more advanced areas.

 

[dlseto]

In my attempts to use a DE ambidextrously, I've found that not using the mirror helps acquire the muscle memory necessary for the skill. The mirror throws off my visual perspective and decreases my tactile sense of how, and where, the razor is contacting my face. So, I try to concentrate on how the razor contacts my skin more than what it looks like in the mirror. That may help you.

 

[TChewy]

So as an update, I shaved last night using both hands and it went totally fine. I was hesitant at first, but using the left hand was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I really think I get a much closer shave with the str8 then I did with DE and it sure feels nice too.

On a side note, I haven't found a strop so I stropped on newspaper and an old belt I had. Seems to work fine but the belt is not very wide so it took a little bit of time. Anyone know if it would hurt anything to strop on one of those cotton webbed belts?

 

[Omnichron]

we want pix! we want pix!

 

[TChewy]

we want pix! we want pix!

Of the belts I'm planning to use for stropping as a poor man's solution or of the newspaper or my cut up face?

 

[spinyeel]

I think if you can't write neatly with your non preferred hand,you definitely should not be wielding a straight with it.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Of the belts I'm planning to use for stropping as a poor man's solution or of the newspaper or my cut up face?

All of the above!

I think if you can't write neatly with your non preferred hand,you definitely should not be wielding a straight with it.

That presumes, sir, that one can write neatly with the preferred hand.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Heh Heh....I'm there with you my friend...enjoy your Newb str8 shaves and BE SAFE!

 

[TChewy]

So here's a few pictures first of the straight I'm using then the poor man "strops" and some close ups. Tell me what you guys think so I don't completely ruin the razor after 2 shaves. Thanks fellas.