The Very First Straight Shave.

[Disburden]

I didn't shave this morning before work. I had to be at the bank before 8:00am this morning so I didn't have any time to shower, prep, and then take my time on the shave. Plus I had a woman present that may barge into the bathroom while I am trying to figure out the straight on day number one.

I waited until I got home and I had a hot shower. I should probably mentioned that I have been shaving DE for several months and I get BBS shaves 95% of the time, if I don't it's because of a tiny rough spot under my jaw line near the chin. I use Feather blades and a Gillette 1926 NEW and it's an amazing combo. The straight is a Wapiencia from Ken's RupRazor.com. I know he is known for good work, but the razor didn't pass any hanging hair test, the hair just bent when I passed the blade through it. I think it's just my inexperience.

Anyway, I took a shower, a hot one of course. I soaked my brush in some steaming hot water and splashed some onto the soap. I left my straight outside the bathroom because I am paranoid about rusting from the shower steam. After the shower I got out and splashed some really hot water on my face for about 2 minutes. Then I built my lather with Tabac, my daily soap. Lather was slick and awesome like usual. Then I picked up the razor and ran it under the faucet for a second. I was terrified I would cut myself the whole time and my heart was racing. Holding the straight really is harder than it looks. I felt the scale moving a little while I had the traditional grip, plus my facial hair grows in a thousand different directions so I was having problems maneuvering the razor on my face. I also had problems stretching my skin since it is already very tight and I have a very thin face. Something happened to me that never happens during my DE shaves, the soap died out on my face! Probably because I took twice as long to do a complete pass. Also, probably due to angle, the blade kind of stuck against my face while I tried to do a stroke. I did my whole face BTW neck and all, two passes WTG. plus I used BOTH hands.

Besides the horrible shave (I still feel like I did this morning) and the soap drying out, it wasn't bad at all. No burn, no cuts! I can't believe I didn't cut myself or get a weeper. This is actually better than my first DE shave where I had cuts and stubble all over the place.

I don't own a strop yet, so I am going to use a newpaper from my mail box tomorrow morning to strop the razor. I also don't have any mineral oil yet to keep the blade, but I will get some as soon as I can. I dried the whole razor with a towel, not rubbing the blade edge of course, and let it sit open for a few hours in my bed room.

I hope things get better. The shave wasn't good at all, but I am really happy I didn't cut myself once. I think I was too afraid and didn't angel the blade enough.


Thanks for all the help Guys!

 

[tpoof]

Hey, no cuts is a good start!

I was terrified I would cut myself the whole time and my heart was racing.

Thats the way I felt too!
It gets better...but it takes awhile...
You'll be glad of it..
someday!

 

[mkevenson]

If your lather dries on your face before you get to it just apply more. It will get better, both the shave and your confidence. You did GREAT
Oil on the blade for long non use seems good but if you dry it well You shouldn't need to oil the blade. At least I haven't had too.

 

[Disburden]

Thanks a lot for the responses, guys! I was adding more lather as I went but it was just disheartening. I haven't had the lather dry out since I first started wet shaving!

I can't wait for tomorrow. I'll try a less flat of a blade angle. I'll respond with an update. I saw on youtube that a member from Straight Razor Place said to use a scooping stroke when shaving your stache and chin areas. Anyone else do this?

 

[HoosierHacker]

Congrats, man!

I hope to do so well when mine shows up in a few days

fwiw I have trouble with soap drying on my face with a DE...

 

[netsurfr]

You did extremely well for your first shave. Sounds like much of your problem could have been attributed to lack of stropping. It makes a huge difference.

 

[tg16]

My first was like yours with a little blood and afterwards I realized I was tense. That'll pass. Think back and your first straight shave will probably compare to the first time you danced with a female of your same species. Tense and a little awkward. You're well on your way.

 

[Disburden]

This morning's shave, the second one:


So I ordered a strop from Ruprazor (Where I got the straight) but that'll take a couple of days. To strop this morning I used a folded newspaper on the table and taped down one end so I can pull it tight. It actually made the blade a lot sharper than the shave I had yesterday right out of the mail box. I didn't want to use any of my belts for work since I don't want cuts in them.

I did three passes. One WTG and two XTG on my face. I did two passes on my neck, one N-S and one S-N.

Only cut myself once which is under my ear on the corner of my jaw bone/side of the neck area. I just applied the blade at too sharp of an angle. Only a hair thick of a cut and should be fine by tomorrow. The shave was a lot better than yesterday's. The cheeks and face have a closer shave, but the neck is still suffering from heavy stubble. I cleaned it up a little since I work at a bank and don't want to walk in with a neck beard while talking to clients throughout the day.

I Guess I am getting the planes of the face down little-by little, but the blade just isn't cutting on my neck. I think I need more practice on the angle when shaving there. No burn though! So I Think the razor is honed properly. It cut the hairs off my forearm after I stropped this morning.


Now I have to wait until tomorrow again! BLah!

 

[Ernie]

You seem to be on the right track. Just keep at it, don't get cocky, and don't lose your concentration yet. Overall, keep practicing.

 

[professorchaos]

If you didn't cut yourself, then you did well. Congratulations. Persist through the poor shaves and you will be well rewarded.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

Persist through the poor shaves and you will be well rewarded.

True.... it takes practice. Took me close to 6 months (the second time around) to actually get to the point where I felt well shaven via a straight. A properly honed and stropped razor makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Disburden]

Third shave this am and it was better than the last two, but still have some stubble. Now I am starting to be concerned because my blade is sticking a lot to my neck and chin areas when I make any type of pass. There is also a lot of blade skipping. This shouldn't be happening right? Is there a link to any visual guide to blade angles on certain passes?

 

[Kema]

Did you get your strop yet? Maybe blade is just too dull and needs some refreshing.

I am also beginner but I made same "mistake" to start shaving before my strop arrived and blade went pretty dull at the beginning. Now I have been shaving daily with straight, stopping every day and I also refresh blade with diamond pastes every weekend like today.

Do 50 on linen and 50 on leather side and see if there is any improvement.

What comes to angles, on XTG pass my blade bevel is almost gliding on skin.

 

[Disburden]

Did you get your strop yet? Maybe blade is just too dull and needs some refreshing.

I am also beginner but I made same "mistake" to start shaving before my strop arrived and blade went pretty dull at the beginning. Now I have been shaving daily with straight, stopping every day and I also refresh blade with diamond pastes every weekend like today.

Do 50 on linen and 50 on leather side and see if there is any improvement.

What comes to angles, on XTG pass my blade bevel is almost gliding on skin.

I definitely need a strop. I have been using news print until it arrives. Which works, but perhaps not enough.

 

[NFlames]

I have found that my stropping technique (speed, and number of passes) has had the greatest impact both good and bad on my shaves. From what I've read here, and in my short month of experience I have found that it's not possible to over strop but very easy (and painful) to under strop.

Right now my "sweet spot" for stropping has been 20 passes on the linen side, and 40 passes on the leather side.

Keep it up, it just keeps getting better. I have been mildly disheartened a few times shaving with a straight but going back to the drawing board and reading techniques here and refining my technique (skin stretching, focus, but most importantly stropping) has made a huge difference in my shaves.

Congrats on your progress.

 

[Disburden]

I just hope the sticking and snagging of the blade on my neck and chin is something I can get past without sending the razor out. going WTG is fine, going upward ATG is snag city USA.

The shaves are closer, but I can't get smooth results due to snagging of the blade. I had to strop about 80 times on my belt to get a HHT done.

 

[tpoof]

Hey D, lots of good advise from the guys... you may want to try something with your lather
if I use a thicker "fuller" lather I don't get the "wetness" for making a clean slice with the straight.
something to think on...

 

[NFlames]

I just hope the sticking and snagging of the blade on my neck and chin is something I can get past without sending the razor out. going WTG is fine, going upward ATG is snag city USA.

The shaves are closer, but I can't get smooth results due to snagging of the blade. I had to strop about 80 times on my belt to get a HHT done.

I still have a rough (pun intented) time going ATG. I think now that I'm getting closer on my WTG and XTG my ATG will improve, will keep you posted.

 

[Disburden]

Hey D, lots of good advise from the guys... you may want to try something with your lather
if I use a thicker "fuller" lather I don't get the "wetness" for making a clean slice with the straight.
something to think on...

My lather is always thick and full . I've been DE shaving for several months and got the soap thing DOWN pat. My DE shaves with my gillette NEW are super BBS shaves....

 

[pal]

Right now my "sweet spot" for stropping has been 20 passes on the linen side, and 40 passes on the leather side.

Keep it up, it just keeps getting better. I have been mildly disheartened a few times shaving with a straight but going back to the drawing board and reading techniques here and refining my technique (skin stretching, focus, but most importantly stropping) has made a huge difference in my shaves.

Congrats on your progress.

+1 What he said!