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Stubble Trouble's Straight Journey

Shave 2.0

I started DE shaving in August 2013 and have really enjoyed the challenges and rewards and was gifted a shave-ready straight by buca3152 this afternoon at a local meet and greet in NYC. :laugh: I shaved with it as soon as I got home in true OCD fashion.

I travel quite a bit and don't plan on taking it on the road since I don't check my bags, but I'm excited to work it into my routine when I'm at home and my first shave was quite enjoyable! Off we go!

Shave No: 1

Strop: Tony Miller - 50 Laps
Time Since Last Hone: 1 Day
Hones: Chosera 1K, 2K, 5K / Suehiro 10, 15, 20 Japanese synthetic stones
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Semogue 1250 Boar
Software: Mitchell's Wool Fat (what else? I'm on the 4T Days of Lanolin)
Razor: Redge Sheffield Made - 9/16 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1.5
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: I think SAS+ is the final verdict now that the face and neck are fully dry. Definitely some visible stubble upon close inspection, but I'm happy to report no irritation or cuts. My last shave was BBS off of a 2011 R41 DE yesterday morning, but enough time had passed that I was sporting some stubble.

I was pretty conservative as I guess I should be on a first shave with a straight, but was pleasantly surprised that each rinse didn't indicate any irritation, so I continued on with two more passes. I started to adjust the blade angle just a touch steeper to get a bit more audible feedback by the third pass. Not sure on the pressure thingy, but I basically followed the DE mantra.

Work On: Ha! Everything, N00B! Seriously, it was enjoyable and I'll keep my ear to the ground. :thumbup:
I'll also look at some more Straight Journeys when I get some time to get an idea of a 'standard structure' of reporting, but I think this will do for a first post! Thanks again to all of you for your help and brotherhood!
 
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Just need to warn you about RAD and HAD, lol. Great first shave, razor was honed on chosera 1,2,3,5, suehiro 10,15,20. 50 laps on Tony Miller strop.
 
Shave No: 2

Strop: Levi's Jeans - 50 Laps
Time Since Last Hone: 2 Days
Hones: Chosera 1K, 2K, 5K / Suehiro 10, 15, 20 Japanese synthetic stones
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Semogue 1250 Boar
Software: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor: Redge Sheffield Made - 9/16 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: Closer on the face today (Not quite CCS, though) than yesterday, but I did have some minor irritation on the lower neck - the usual spot when I do something wrong with any shaving. Also a few weepers, but no styptic required, thankfully.

Remarks: I've ordered a strop and hopefully it'll be here soon. I used a steeper angle today after watching a few videos, which perhaps accounted for a bit closer of a shave.

Questions:


  • I don't think I should shave again until I have it unless someone chimes in and says it's OK to continue to strop on my jeans.
  • The blade felt different, but I have no idea if that's because it's not as sharp because the strop wasn't up to par or if it was the different angle.


  • I know exactly what passes I need to hit WTG, XTG and ATG, but I have no idea how I would hold the straight to accomplish that! Seriously, there must be some XTG compromise going on to hit all the spots I can with a DE. :huh:

Work On: Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling, etc.
 
Steeper angle may feel better, but IME it will cause irritation and dull the blade quickly. The stropping is always suspect when the blade sharpness drops off after one shave. Videos are very useful.
 
Steeper angle may feel better, but IME it will cause irritation and dull the blade quickly. The stropping is always suspect when the blade sharpness drops off after one shave. Videos are very useful.

I was using about a 20 Deg angle. It was was shallower (say 10 deg or less) would I have to use more pressure then?
 
If the blade is sharp enough, you definitely should not be using any significant pressure. That is a recipe for irritation and cuts. Like Buca mentioned, keep a shallow angle. About one spine widths for the most part. When you do attempt ATG keep the blade almost flat against the skin and use no pressure, let the blade do the work.
 
+1 To what Attila said. This is new to you and we all start off the same way! LOL. I think the most important thing to do in the early stages is preventing cuts and getting used to moving it around. In a very short time, you will be surprised at how easy it will become. I started out shaving at a very steep angle, and I got irritation and weepers, my blades got dull quickly as well. Your doing fine! Low angle is very important. The pressure has to be very little. Even if you skip over some patches, you WILL only get better at this.
 
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If the blade is sharp enough, you definitely should not be using any significant pressure. That is a recipe for irritation and cuts. Like Buca mentioned, keep a shallow angle. About one spine widths for the most part. When you do attempt ATG keep the blade almost flat against the skin and use no pressure, let the blade do the work.

+1 To what Attila said.

Got it. Perhaps it needs better stropping (and overall technique) as there was a good bit of tugging on the shallower angles.
 
Welcome to straight shaving. Bet you can hardly wait to try it again.

Thanks! So far, all's going quite well, as you can see! Four hours post-shave, I do have some minor burn on the neck, but this is so much better than when I started with a DE and didn't have a clue.
 
Yes, and shavettes. But I haven't been able to match the best straight shave I was given by an old Italian barber, nor hundreds and hundreds of my 2011 R41 shaves.

The more I look, the more I'm beginning to understand that with straights, you're in complete control, honing, stropping to blade angle.
 
The more I look, the more I'm beginning to understand that with straights, you're in complete control, honing, stropping to blade angle.
Yes which can be difficult in the beginning but really works to your advantage once you have everything sorted out. At least that has been my experience.
 
Yes which can be difficult in the beginning but really works to your advantage once you have everything sorted out. At least that has been my experience.

+2 That there is exactly it! A simple conclusion yet one I have not really put my finger on. My answer when asked why I straight shave has always been "because I get less skin irritation" or "I get comfortable close shaves that last longer". But those are all causal...really getting the ultimate "adjustable" blade set up how I like it is what makes all those other factors possible.
 
+2 That there is exactly it! A simple conclusion yet one I have not really put my finger on. My answer when asked why I straight shave has always been "because I get less skin irritation" or "I get comfortable close shaves that last longer". But those are all causal...really getting the ultimate "adjustable" blade set up how I like it is what makes all those other factors possible.

I think of a recent experience with a DE blade. I finally threw a Dorco ST301 sample in my 2011 Mühle R41 and was blown away by how well it shaved in that razor! I liked it so much that I purchased a bulk order (hey, they're dirt cheap), only to find out that the manufacturing process was changed with the blades I received. This would seem to remove that helpless feeling to a great degree! Fly fishing is another... Make a slight change in the fly and go try it the next day. It may be better, or it may not be, but in either case you hold the keys to open the door!
 
Shave No: 3

Strop: N/A - Pre-Stropped
Time Since Last Hone: 1 Day
Hones: Unknown
Prep: Shower, scrub beard with Cetaphil, rinse, repeat, hydrate well
Brush: Semogue 1250 Boar
Software: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor: Gold Dollar - 3/4 - Round Point
Growth (days): 1
Method: Three Passes - WTG, WTG, some XTG
Post: WH / Osage Rub / Proraso Menthol Green

Results: Not close at all today. It really doesn't look like I shaved in many spots. No irritation or cuts, though, and the blade didn't seem to tug or pull.

Remarks: If proper angle is blade nearly against the skin, my interpretation of that is off, or perhaps I'm not making deliberate enough strokes. As I recall yesterday, I was using about one spine width off the face (maybe 15 deg, but angle is somewhat subjective) and got better results. I made sure I stretched the skin on each stroke as well. I know for a fact there's nothing wrong with the straight - it was honed and stropped yesterday, so it's 100% technique. I'll go watch some more videos and shave again in the AM. :001_tt2:

Questions:

None.

Work On: Angle, Stropping, Pressure, Proper Handling, etc.
 
Possible stropping rolled











It is not uncommon for beginners to "roll" the edge stropping the razor. I would try my balsa strop with the green and red pastes to see if it can bring the edge back. If that doesn't work, I'd send it out to be honed.
 
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