My second straight razor shave.... an improvement in the making

[discomike]

I never shave on back-to-back days. Today proved to be an exception. So.....

Based on last nights shaving disappointment, I was inspired to try again tonight. Why in the world would I do this, I just do not know.
Before I got started, I performed my first strop ever. I stropped the razor that was used last night - 25 passes on the linen - south to north, 50 passes on the leather south to north. Stropping went fine. No damage to the strop as others here claim was their first-time-experience.

Bone up on a couple of youtube videos again on straight razor shaving.

Wife comes home. Suddenly I feel the need to try another straight razor shave again. So I go to the bathroom. What do I do ? You guessed it !!!
Used my trusty Proraso Eucaliptus & Menthol pre-shave. I decided tonight to use Proraso Eucaliptus & Menthol shaving cream/croap using a boar brush.
Broke out last nights razor. Started shaving.

This night was not like last nights shave. No 8 passes or so wtg with frustration. No 8-10 passes atg with continued frustration. No 45 minute shaving disappointment. Not as much grabbing on the whiskers when performing wtg shaving as I had last night. No, it was not as much shaving struggles as I had last night. Tonights shave was a better shave as I improved my grip. I learned that when going atg, not to hold the razor the same as I would when going wtg. I did notice some tugging on the whiskers when going atg. However, when shaving on either side of my face, I still use the same hand.

The good news about tonights shave - like last night - no nicks or cuts. I am proud to say that I retained all my bodily fluids during both SR shaves.

Tonights shave was an improvement over last night. I still struggle over the chin area. I still feel fuzz when going atg all over my face, including the cheeks. There is still improvement needed. Or I need to try a different blade. I may have to have this blade honed. After the shave, I stropped the razor once again (just before this post).

Still waiting for that BBS shave.

Will I shave tomorrow night ? We will see.

 

[rbscebu]

It will take many tens of daily SR shaving before you will be getting BBS over most of your face. SR shaving every second or more day will take many more shaves to achieve the same result.

By the time you get to BBS all over, you will be enjoying SR shaving so much that you won't want a BBS result as you will have nothing to shave 24 hours later.

 

[Kyle89]

It takes time to really get the subtle nuances for each bit of your face (blade angle, optimal stretching). You'll get there! Took me forever to be satisfied with my chin/neck hallows without overdoing it.

When I really started taking the extra time to perfect prep/lather hydration things stepped up a notch. Had a similar experience of not shaving too close to blood for the first few shaves but once I got comfortable (cocky) that DEFINATELY changed haha. If it's something you would like to stick with, try at least 30 SR shaves in a row if you can to max out the learning curve.

Why in the world would I do this, I just do not know.

LOL I remember thinking those same thoughts. It really is a silly thing to want to do imo. But hey, playing with sharp objects is fun!

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Your just starting and not a bad start. My first shave with a straight was nerve wrecking. I didnt get anywhere near what Id call evan a half-assed shave. But after four months of nothing but SR shaving daily it came together. After my first year i thought i had it all fingured out, but no. After my third year i was finally at the point where i knew what was what and was satisfied. BBS is not something I worry about. Its more the comfort of a DFS.

Keep it up and dont give up. After a while you will start to learn the difference in a keen edge and a smooth keen edge. Then what and how much keen you really need to get the best comfort from a shave.

 

[Steve56]

Congrats, keep it up!

 

[HazMat Shaver]

You should be on shave #10 by now. Unless you have a baby face type of whiskers . How's it going?

 

[rbscebu]

@discomike, give up now while you still have the blood on the inside of your skin. You will never get a shave with a SR as close, comfortable and irritation free as you get with an electric shaver, cart or "safety" razor. I will be quitting SR shaving as soon as I have discovered what I have just told you.

I look forward to seeing your SR gear listed (cheaply) in BST.

 

[discomike]

@discomike, give up now while you still have the blood on the inside of your skin. You will never get a shave with a SR as close, comfortable and irritation free as you get with an electric shaver, cart or "safety" razor. I will be quitting SR shaving as soon as I have discovered what I have just told you.

I look forward to seeing your SR gear listed (cheaply) in BST.

I was thinking more along the lines of....
If I wanted to give up on SR shaving.... I would pass on what I have learned from my SR gear towards my nephew.
Or.... I would sell it off on BST after you sold off your SR gear. We could have a contest to see who would sell off their SR gear the fastest. I say... You first.

Show us pics of the gear that you use for the best damned fine electric shave as well as the BBS cartridge shave that gives you the "ultimate" in shaving which no SR could ever give.

By the way, I am going to read the PDF documentation you posted on SR Shaving Instructions Rev E. I am looking forward to a good read.

 

[rbscebu]

I was thinking more along the lines of....
If I wanted to give up on SR shaving.... I would pass on what I have learned from my SR gear towards my nephew.
Or.... I would sell it off on BST after you sold off your SR gear. We could have a contest to see who would sell off their SR gear the fastest. I say... You first.

I'm a very slow learner so you may have to wait quite a while before I learn the enjoyment to be had from electric, carts and "safety" razors over SR's.

 

[discomike]

Sorry @rbscebu - I cant talk now. I am too busy reading your guide to SR shaving and will be soon working on my 5th SR shave tonight. Im on Page 6. So far, everything I read in your guide is what I've been doing - as I had also been following youtube videos before my first SR shave and stropping.

Speaking of which - when are you going to post up some youtube videos ? Cmon @rbscebu - we want to see you become a youtube star !

Now, back on to reading your PDF.

 

[discomike]

From @rbscebu Shaving PDF File on section 7.3:

"It sounds and feels counter-intuitive, but the lighter the pressure perpendicular to your skin,
the closer, safer and more comfortable your shave will be. Over many shaves, you may find
that you are subconsciously increasing your shave pressure. Stop, think about it, and work
harder at reducing your shave pressure."

Anyone who is new to shaving should follow this advice.

 

[rbscebu]

From @rbscebu Shaving PDF File on section 7.3:

"It sounds and feels counter-intuitive, but the lighter the pressure perpendicular to your skin,
the closer, safer and more comfortable your shave will be. Over many shaves, you may find
that you are subconsciously increasing your shave pressure. Stop, think about it, and work
harder at reducing your shave pressure."

Anyone who is new to shaving should follow this advice.

My recent experience:

What Did You Learn From Your SR Shave Today?

Over the last week, I learned that it is possible to manscape a surprisingly large area of your body with a straight razor. At least it's efficient. Did you do a Fool's Pass?

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[SparkyLB]

My mother-in-law was fond of the expressions, "A hard head makes for a soft ***," and "bought sense is better than taught sense." I don't mean to suggest any of these apply to present company. To @discomike, you're either going to learn by mistakes of others, experience of others, advice of others, or your experiences. I'm a firm believer that we are all a product of our experiences. I learned many things the hard way, and those things I'll not forget. There's something to be said for that. My wife, who is WAY smarter than me (but I'm far more handsome), says, "You can learn something from everyone--even if it's how NOT to be." I've learned less from the experience of others--which is often, but not always the best way to learn. I've learned least from the mistakes of others.

As I've gotten older I try to learn from the mistakes of others lest I make them myself. Second source being the experience of others--with the caveat that I must learn who to trust. I try to make learning from my own mistakes the last source of education. Paradoxically what hurts the most, at least for me, has the most sticking power (happily I've not been exposed to napalm). In that case learning from one's own mistakes has its place on the heirarchy.

You already come across as the non-quitter type, but nobody has to tell you when your time is up. Only you make that decision.

I teach electrical apprentices to become Journeyman-Wiremen. Being the latter myself, I've had my time in the field. In my particular station in life; we give each other a hard time--but I tell my students it's "all said with love." When I was told I ****** up, it was said with the intention of making me better. Sometimes it wasn't. I had to learn to discriminate between helpful suggestions and offensive ones. You can learn something from everyone, even if it's how not to be.

As should be the case, you're going to make your decisions. If someone tells me if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, I note if they're standing in said kitchen, or if their intentions are dubious. I suppose a corollary to the hierarchy of how we learn, is who we choose to take advice from. Is this person trying to shape me, shame me, encourage or discourage me? Only I can make that decision.

I know this guy who says, "It's shaving for ****'s sake," "It's taking a blade and rubbing it on steel to remove hair from my face." It's not the owners' manual for the Cessna, or the FBI guidebook. In my experience, there are things to take as gospel, and there are things that are more forgiving. This is shaving. Do you enjoy it? I do. Since my reply is, "I do," it's till death do us part. If a friend that I respect immensely tells me I need to leave my wife, I've got a decision to make--or perhaps not, since I took a vow. Probably a ****ty analogy, but I like my marriage. Sometimes she's smooth as silk, sometimes she cuts me (but almost never nowadays), with time, perhaps I'll beat her into shape. If and when I to, I'll do it with love.

You can learn something from everyone. Even if it's how to respond to cries of gloom and doom. If your job is guarding the gates to hell, you might do well to take their advice to the letter. If your job is inviting, enjoyable, and your tool bag is full of high-quality, precision made implements--you might cut yourself some slack. No pun intended.

 

[madmark]

Keep up the hard work..