Hi All,
After lurking here for a while and doing much reading (especially the FAQ and instruction guides), I made the plunge!
My girlfriend bought me a nice Thiers Issard Special Coiffeur 5/8 Straight razor, to which I added a leather strop and a pure badger brush (I was already using a shaving soap with another brush when using cartridge razors).
I attempted my first straight shave this Sunday. Tense moments indeed! I had almost three quarters of my face done, and was starting to feel a bit cocky, since the bear had mostly disappeared, and there was not a hint of a cut anywhere.
Things got more... interesting? after that, as I proceeded to nick myself pretty good right under the nose, then pretty deeply on the right jawbone, and lightly in a few more places. Ok. Looks like it's going to be more difficult even then I thought... I'll chalk that up to the inevitable learning curve.
I do have a few questions however, since having no experience, it is hard to know whether what I felt during the shave was normal or not.
1. First question: I had been told that a straight shave is supposed to be smooth as butter. It turns out that it pulled and tugged much more than I expected. The lower part of my face (neck in particular) was really irritated.
I shaved right after a hot shower. I lathered my face once with Proraso shaving soap and brush, with a nice lather. I stropped my razor, and relathered a second time.
I don't know if it pulled because my blade angle was not optimal, because my beard was a tiny bit long, because the lather was too dry, or because the blade is not quite where it needs to be.
The razor was purchased from a trusted Canadian seller, is a good brand (Thiers Issard) and is supposed to have been made "shave ready" by the seller, who again has a good reputation.
Thus, I'm inclined to think that the reason for the pulling is something else. Just to be sure, how can I determine with certainty whether my blade is as sharp as it needs to be?
Would you have any advice as to how to minimize pulling and irritation further?
Thanks for letting me know!
Best regards,
Claude
After lurking here for a while and doing much reading (especially the FAQ and instruction guides), I made the plunge!
My girlfriend bought me a nice Thiers Issard Special Coiffeur 5/8 Straight razor, to which I added a leather strop and a pure badger brush (I was already using a shaving soap with another brush when using cartridge razors).
I attempted my first straight shave this Sunday. Tense moments indeed! I had almost three quarters of my face done, and was starting to feel a bit cocky, since the bear had mostly disappeared, and there was not a hint of a cut anywhere.
Things got more... interesting? after that, as I proceeded to nick myself pretty good right under the nose, then pretty deeply on the right jawbone, and lightly in a few more places. Ok. Looks like it's going to be more difficult even then I thought... I'll chalk that up to the inevitable learning curve.
I do have a few questions however, since having no experience, it is hard to know whether what I felt during the shave was normal or not.
1. First question: I had been told that a straight shave is supposed to be smooth as butter. It turns out that it pulled and tugged much more than I expected. The lower part of my face (neck in particular) was really irritated.
I shaved right after a hot shower. I lathered my face once with Proraso shaving soap and brush, with a nice lather. I stropped my razor, and relathered a second time.
I don't know if it pulled because my blade angle was not optimal, because my beard was a tiny bit long, because the lather was too dry, or because the blade is not quite where it needs to be.
The razor was purchased from a trusted Canadian seller, is a good brand (Thiers Issard) and is supposed to have been made "shave ready" by the seller, who again has a good reputation.
Thus, I'm inclined to think that the reason for the pulling is something else. Just to be sure, how can I determine with certainty whether my blade is as sharp as it needs to be?
Would you have any advice as to how to minimize pulling and irritation further?
Thanks for letting me know!
Best regards,
Claude