Well, I did it. I conquered my fear of the Straight Razor. I feel a bit proud that I was able to get through it without any blood of note...(I had one very tiny nick that I always seem to hit with my DEs and SEs, so I don't really count that.) Was it a great shave? No. Though I had no bleeding, I also had a lot of areas that were not well shaved. I blame my technique and inexperience though. I would compare it to the first time anyone rides a bike. At first I was very intimidated, and a bit fearful, (Long razor sharp object that close to my carotid arteries just make you pay attention.); and I am sure I will get better with practice. I had watched numerous videos and read all I could on the subject and felt it was time to slay this dragon of mine. My razor was a "Flawed, Sight-unseen straight from Whipped Dog. I expected to get something resembling an old rusty tin can lid, but the razor is amazingly nice. Much better than I was expecting. It came "shave ready", so thought it would do the job. Just a few observations:
1. Next time, I won't have 2 days growth. I think that really hindered me. The razor wanted to pull in a few areas. I think for a new user like myself, it is better to have very light stubble to work with.
2. I took the suggestion to use both hands, and I was surprised. My left hand that I never use in my SE shaves performed a bit better than my natural right. I think this is because my right hand is more used to the SE shaving, and with my left, it was all new to it and I didn't have any bad habits with that hand.
3. I don't think it will be my everyday shaver, but more of a once a week luxury. I may go a week or two with just using it exclusively to get the hang of it and have it feel more natural, but I can see myself still using my Ever-Ready Streamline as my go-to. (This could of course change as I get better with the straight.)
4. Once I got into it and felt more comfortable, it was a fun ride for the most part. I would have never thought a year ago that I would ever shave with a straight razor. Once I was into it, it felt good, and I was a little proud of myself for getting a shave without massive amounts of blood. (I reason this is mainly due to my healthy respect for the straight...also could be why the shave wasn't as close as it should have been. I may have cheated too much on the angle and not shaved as close as I should have.)
5. I can foresee certain areas being my trouble spots with a straight..most namely right under my chin. The one spot I was sure would be a problem, under my nose, was fairly easy to me. I will just keep researching techniques and practicing to get better there.
6. I need to come up with a better way of wiping my razor of shave cream. I used a washcloth on the sink by me, but it quickly got messy.
7. Standard grips that I have read about for holding the razor are nice guides, but it is better to go with what is comfortable for the individual. (Not all my grips were the same as what is pictured in the help section.)
Anyways, I thank everyone who has contributed here to helping the new users like myself, (Both the old hands that seem to know everything about straight shaving, and the brand new users who asked the questions I needed to know and some I would have never thought to ask.) It made my first shave with a straight not only less intimidating, but more enjoyable. I can not say enough about how much you guys have helped me overcome this challenge. I feel a great sense of accomplishment, but I also know I have a long way to go. (Now, I can't wait for my "Poor man's stropping kit" to arrive so I can work on that aspect of this new step in my shaving life.
Thanks to all again!
1. Next time, I won't have 2 days growth. I think that really hindered me. The razor wanted to pull in a few areas. I think for a new user like myself, it is better to have very light stubble to work with.
2. I took the suggestion to use both hands, and I was surprised. My left hand that I never use in my SE shaves performed a bit better than my natural right. I think this is because my right hand is more used to the SE shaving, and with my left, it was all new to it and I didn't have any bad habits with that hand.
3. I don't think it will be my everyday shaver, but more of a once a week luxury. I may go a week or two with just using it exclusively to get the hang of it and have it feel more natural, but I can see myself still using my Ever-Ready Streamline as my go-to. (This could of course change as I get better with the straight.)
4. Once I got into it and felt more comfortable, it was a fun ride for the most part. I would have never thought a year ago that I would ever shave with a straight razor. Once I was into it, it felt good, and I was a little proud of myself for getting a shave without massive amounts of blood. (I reason this is mainly due to my healthy respect for the straight...also could be why the shave wasn't as close as it should have been. I may have cheated too much on the angle and not shaved as close as I should have.)
5. I can foresee certain areas being my trouble spots with a straight..most namely right under my chin. The one spot I was sure would be a problem, under my nose, was fairly easy to me. I will just keep researching techniques and practicing to get better there.
6. I need to come up with a better way of wiping my razor of shave cream. I used a washcloth on the sink by me, but it quickly got messy.
7. Standard grips that I have read about for holding the razor are nice guides, but it is better to go with what is comfortable for the individual. (Not all my grips were the same as what is pictured in the help section.)
Anyways, I thank everyone who has contributed here to helping the new users like myself, (Both the old hands that seem to know everything about straight shaving, and the brand new users who asked the questions I needed to know and some I would have never thought to ask.) It made my first shave with a straight not only less intimidating, but more enjoyable. I can not say enough about how much you guys have helped me overcome this challenge. I feel a great sense of accomplishment, but I also know I have a long way to go. (Now, I can't wait for my "Poor man's stropping kit" to arrive so I can work on that aspect of this new step in my shaving life.
Thanks to all again!
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