SOTD - My Very First Shave Using A Shavette - 14 nicks/cuts

[arnuld]

My thumb injury did not stop me from doing my first SOTD. I was so much excited even though I can't put pressure on my thumb . Products mentioned here all are from INDIA:

Prep: Warm Water Bath

Brush: Ajay (Amazon Link) - No, I did not get free toothbrush =) .. I bought it offline

Razor: SYGA Straight Razor from Flipkart

Blade: Gillette 7o' Clock Permasharp

Shaving Cream: LASER 3 Sport Shaving Foam (I hated it from the day I bought it. Shaving foams are a no no for me now. I have tried Gillette too. These dry too fast and don't feel good like a shaving cream does)

Passes: WTG (XTG + ATG at some places, by accident)

After Shave: Homemade

Alum: LUCAS, bought locally for $0.33

Disinfectant : GONYLE from Patanjali (think of a kind of Ayurvedic Lysol). I could not locate where I kept my Savlon bottle, hence got this disinfectant as a quick solution to my problem. 30 ml in 200 ml of water where I soaked my Shavette and also cleaned in the same while shaving.

Music: "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor



After-Shave Recipe

I learned how to make Aftershave by searching internet:

• Iso-Propyl alcohol 99.9% pure (30%)
• Rose Water from Patanjali (30%) (Indian astringent, replacement for Witch-Hazel)
• Old Monk Rum (40%)
• Vegetable Glycerine , Unscented Glycerine, Pharmaceutical Grade, 100% Vegan (10 ml)
• Aloe-Vera Gel from Patanjali (10 ml)

Mix all of them in an empty glass bottle and then shake vigorously. It just takes 2 minutes to dissolve. It stings way less compared to an aftershave.


Experience

I cut myself at 4-5 places and nicked at 9-10 places. Here is the list:

• 6 of the nicks and 2 of the cuts were at chin
• another 4 were because I put the blade at 90 degrees. Yes, perpendicular, speaking mathematically. 20+ years habit from using cartridges. The hand just goes straight automatically.
• 2 more were because I could not stretch my skin because of my thumb injury

And alum burned my face like it never did before . But it stopped the blood quickly. That is something I have never seen in an aftershave or balm.



What I Learned

Even with all the nicks and cuts and all the alum burning and al the blood-spots. I enjoyed it. Really. First time, after shaving, I felt like I had a great time.

I learned that T-shaped razor is called a Safety-Razor for a reason

I had to ask myself, why go with a Shavette again. I might have nicks+cuts because of being beginner but why will I want to use it again when a better replacement (safety-razor) is there. I don't need a straight razor or a Shavette to feel manly, there are other things for that . So, I will stick to safety-razor next time, after I am done with this one blade which I broke in two for this Shavette.

But hell yeah, it was fun.

Like a soldier in his playground, wresting, doing a bare-knuckle fight, I got all bloody and still felt awesome in the end.

 

[shupey]

Shavette's are the worst! I have tried mine a few times with similar blood letting. I just don't get why guys use them.

 

[Mitzie]

The guys that win with shavettes, shave with a very gentle, often slow touch. Constantly watching the angle so that the blade holder is flat against the skin and only raised slightly for the shaving stroke. Good prep to soften the stubble makes shaving with a shavette easier. As others say: 'If you can shave with a shavette you can shave with anything'

 

[APBinNCA]

Stretching, I hear no mention about stretching, it is not optional. You need to plan this out better before putting the razor on your face, look where you are going to start and importantly where you are going to end each stroke. Make shorter strokes at first, pulling skin tightly as you go. You have to control the momentum on a shavette type razor and not let it move uncontrolled. I am sure the video above is good so watch that. Thanks for posting your experience.