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Newbie 2 weeks in - Struggling

Hello B&B!

I decided a couple weeks ago I wanted to start using a straight razor. I wanted to embrace the traditions of my grandfather and it just seems more manly. I also recently had a son and I thought wet shaving would be something that I could teach him and pass down. Passing down the plastic cartridge, 5-blade Schick Hydro just didn't sound significant. And something about the idea of holding a bare razor against my throat gets my manhood going.

As I was doing some research, I decided that this wasn't something I was going to be able to just jump into. But I really wanted to get started, so I thought I would start with a DE while I learned to use the straight razor. So I bought all my tools...

- Merkur 34C
- Art of Shaving cream, pre-shave oil, after-shave balm
- Badger Brush
- Gold Dollar "dull" practice straight razor
- Parker Shavette
- The largest blade assortment I could find on Amazon.

My first DE shave was with the Gillette 7 o'clock blade. My face wasn't quite like hamburger, but I had more nicks in that one shave than I have had my whole life. I watched a few more videos and it turned out I was doing just about everything wrong...too much pressure, wrong angle, to fast. I waited a few days to heal, and tried again. I have shaved about 5 times now with no blood (yeah), but I am sorry to say that my shaves are no where as close as they were with a cartridge razor. I am doing the 3-pass method (WTG, XTG, ATG), but I just can't seem to get close. I have tried several different blades (new blade every time), but I am not getting that BBS.

If anyone has any suggestions about getting closer let me know.

I have also been practicing with the straight razor and I have tried the shavette a few times on my cheeks. I am getting more comfortable with the process and the angles. But I don't think I am ready to try a full shave with a straight razor.

Even though I am not getting a really close shave, I am really enjoying the process. Face lathering feels so good and it's kind of fun. I love the scents and how my face feels afterward. It is very cathartic to slow down, pay attention to the little things, and focus on the "now". I am committed to learning this art and passing it on.

-Howard
 
Welcome to the club, Howard. Glad to have you aboard. Don't get discouraged--shaving is an acquired skill, like golf or baseball. It takes some time and practice to get good at it. Keep with it and practice, and you will get the hang of it and get much better shaves.
 
The 34C is a great razor to start (and to finish). I am not a straight razor person, so I can only describe my method for DE razors. I do one pass with the grain, one XTG, and one ATG. That will either produce a BBS or as close as I need. Trying to get closer can end up with nics.

Sent via mobile - Chris
 
It sounds to me like an angle problem if three passes doesn't give you a close shave. Two weeks in is a tough spot, but you will get better. For me, this forum plus the mantic59 youtube videos were what helped me through the learning curve.
 
Are you getting a close shave on your cheeks? With that blade you should be getting a close shave there. If the cheek area isn't close then it's likely to be an angle issue.

If the problem is the neck or the chin then it just takes more practice.
 
That Gold Dollar you have, don't write it off. I won one in a PIF and it shaves really well. Once your done practicing with it get it honed by one of the capable gents here in B&B and it will serve you well for a long time.

Btw welcome.
 
I'm a total newbie but your experience almost exactly mimics what I went through last week. I was ripping my face apart with the 7 o'clocks to the point I was about ready to quit. What I was finding was that although I went into every shave with the mindset to keep my strokes light and at a good cutting angle, the muscle memory of years of cartridge shaving kept kicking in. My cutting angle was always going back to being too steep and pressure was too high. I was getting poor shaves with a ton of irritation.

I then got so focused on avoiding a burning face that my technique started to falter - I just wanted to get through a shave without the pain at the end. I thought my technique was still fine but I had become too tentative and my angles were all wrong.

What worked for me was switching to a more forgiving Derby blade (one of the most forgiving blades on the market according to a lot of guys).

By switching to the Derbys, I could focus on technique and not have to worry about thrashing my face. I really tried to make the 7 o'clocks work but they had screwed up my head (and my face). The Derbys allowed me to focus on what I knew was right and to trust the techniques I had learned about. I slowed my entire shave and kept reminding myself to make short, quick, light strokes. I rinsed my razor a lot more frequently than the guys on YouTube, using the time to remind myself of what a good stroke is.

Well, that's what's working for me. I'm finding that even when I focus on good technique, the muscle memory frequently still overpowers my thought process but I'm getting better with every shave. And even though I switched to a "duller" blade, it's a smooth blade and I'm getting some of the closest shaves I've ever had in my life. They're not BBS but with a continued focus, I'm confident I'll get there.
 
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Welcome aboard amigo...... Stick with it, it'll come to you. Patience and practice, that's all it takes. Enjoy the journey....:thumbup1:
 
Hello and welcome, Howard. Great to have you here on B&B. Wander on over to the Hall of Fame and introduce yourself.
 
Welcome to B&B, Howard. Be patient as you learn new skills. I would stick with the DE for now, and keep your variables to a minimum: same blade, same soap/cream. IMO, a good shave starts with the lather, so focus on that. Light touch, find the best angle, take your time, and be patient. It will all come together. :thumbup1:
 
Welcome aboard! The 34C is a terrific razor IMO. I suggest that you read through the wiki which has a ton of useful information.

This is a skill that takes awhile to learn! Well worth the effort!
 

Graydog

Biblical Innards
Welcome , some blades work better for Me after the first shave. Angle and very little pressure,let the weight of the razor do the work
 
Welcome Howard, glad you decided to join us. My son has been DE shaving on and off for a while with a Slim and a EJ. He finally saw marked improvement when he had a consistent shave schedule, changed his blade blade prior to it going dull, mapped out his growth pattern, shortened his strokes, shave after his shower, and took his time. I would not wish to insult you in anyway, only to show there many variables to reach a great shave. Take you time and enjoy yourself. :thumbup1:
 

KeenDogg

Slays On Fleek - For Rizz
Welcome to B&B, Howard. Perhaps the angle you are holding the razor is off. For information about blade angle, look here in the wiki.
Jim beat me to it on the Wiki info!

Lots of good info here. I, too, recommend Mantic59's videos. He really helped me when I first started. I am over a year and a half in but I am still learning. I look at it this way: It is an artform and requires an open mind and much patience. In time, you will find what works for you.

My biggest saving grace was realizing I had dry skin. Once I started moisturizing, my shaves greatly improved. My belief is that healthy skin can handle shaving better.

I have always found DE shaving really cool. When it wasn't working for me, I felt like I couldn't be one of the "cool kids" so to speak. I had to just be patient and calm until one day it clicked for me. I kept trying to shave when my face would allow. I watched lather making videos and shaving videos and read the Wiki here.

I started with a 34c and a feather blade. I found that combo was awesome for me. A mild razor and a super sharp blade worked nicely together.

In the end, it's all about prep, lather technique, and razor technique.

My advice to you is stick with the same setup for a while and focus solely on technique. Focus on hair reduction, not elimination. Try to get a comfortable shave first and foremost. The closeness will come as you get better at technique.

Keep us posted and don't be afraid to ask us anything. We are here to help!

Kindly,
Adam
 
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As I was doing some research, I decided that this wasn't something I was going to be able to just jump into. But I really wanted to get started, so I thought I would start with a DE while I learned to use the straight razor. So I bought all my tools...

- Merkur 34C
- Art of Shaving cream, pre-shave oil, after-shave balm
- Badger Brush
- Gold Dollar "dull" practice straight razor
- Parker Shavette
- The largest blade assortment I could find on Amazon.

Howard,

Have you tried using the Parker shavette yet? In my 20 years or so of DE/Traditional shaving, you'll know when you're off angle/off pressure with a shavette. The punchline is, when you find the sweetspot with the shavette (even if it's not BBS), mimic that same angle/pressure/feeling with the DE.

You'll be surprised how easy it will be if you try this method.
 
Welcome Howard. A lot of us had similar challenges early on. My shaves were close from the get-go, but I was left with quite a bit of irritation in my neck. By the time I had about 25 shaves under my belt things got better. When I had 30 something shaves under my belt the neck irritation was almost gone since I started to use a more shallow blade angle and a more wet lather. Whatever the missing ingredients are for you right now, you'll find them in time. Just be patient, take your time during the shave, focus on angle and lather and you'll get there. By the way, I'm coming up on my first anniversary and I can only get BBS in 4 passes, maybe 3 will happen for me as time passes.

Last thing to keep in mind...what constitutes a pass? Early on I had the impression that a pass was a single stroke over lathered skin. About 3-5 months into my DE life I saw a post on B&B asking this question and most said they consider each lather a pass and an area of skin had anywhere from 3 to 5, 6 or even 7 strokes over it. So, 3 x 3-7= 9 to 21 total strokes over your face. So, how many strokes per lather do you do?
 
First, you need to map your beard growth directions, it will be growing out in all sorts of directions, especially on your neck.

You will need to learn to control blade angle, and if you watch youtube videos, I find nearly all of them to show much to high an angle. You want the actual blade at about a 20 degree angle to your skin, and will have to move the handle around to maintain that. The cap should be on your face, not the safety bar.

Don't make big sweeping strokes, you need to make lots of corrections for the angle of the hair growth in every spot.

I shave with one pass ATG with some quick touchups, and get a DFS almost every time. As the blades dull with use, I eventually need to do a two pass (ATG) to clean it up nicely, somewhere around 15 shaves on an edge, 30 on the blade).

Nicks and weepers are the result of improper blade movement and too much pressure, they are the operator's fault, not the blade. I can say that for sure in my case!

Hang in there, most important thing starting out is comfort and lack of irritation, not closeness. Once you routinely get comfortable shaves you can work on close.

And last, don't forget a good prep to soften up your beard hair (shower, 4 or 5 min hot towel soak, etc) and good lubricating slick lather. Good lather makes all the difference for irritation. Good prep can be the difference between a really bad shave and a very nice comfortable one.

Peter
 
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