Awhile back maybe a year and a half I took the plunge and tried the straight razor thing. Not good for my face I cut myself every time I tried to shave, I thought maybe this wasn't for me. I'de shave a bit and slice, a bit more another slice! Face looked as if a cat got the best of me every time I tried., and i tried a bunch. Untill my wife said "This chick don't dig scars". Sold my swag and now I'm thinking about it again. Somebody stop the madness please. Is there a way to learn without all the blood or is this just not for me?
Thinking About Trying Again
- Thread starter Icemanxxxv
- Start date
I've been using a straight for a couple of months now. I started with a Parker Shavette, and graduated to a Feather AC when I decided to stay with it. I took the blade out of the shavette and practiced the strokes I wanted to use before attempting to actually shave. Took it one stroke at a time and finished with the carts. After a couple of weeks I was shaving the full face. I only am able to do one pass, though. My face breaks out if I do a second pass.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
No time like the present to make a better attempt...
Getting slices on your face can only come by moving the blade in a back and forth motion on your skin. Of course pressing the thing into the skin like you are cutting cheese will do it too, but for the most part moving the blade perpendicularly to the edge will not result in cuts. If you place the blade on the skin for too long before making a pass the natural tendency for the hand to shake can leave cuts behind too.
If you start up a journal and post all your challenges everyone will be more than willing to throw their 2 cents of advice at ya!
If you start up a journal and post all your challenges everyone will be more than willing to throw their 2 cents of advice at ya!
~~~your face lookin like you were in a cat fight is one of the stages *everyone* goes through. this too shall pass
you're payin dues
like Kent said, the cat scratch cuts happen from moving the blade side to side (slicing)...you want to move the blade forward, not sideways. you'll catch on but you have to press on and not sell your kit. of course you can buy more kit and pick up where you left off
if it makes you feel better, i cut myself and was left with a cat scratch about a week ago. redness is almost gone, and I've been at it (shaving with a straight razor) since march 2011...happened moving a square point negligently across my face...one side to the other. you need to pay attention well when shaving with sharp open blades
something else may be happening for you to bleed and that is you might need better prep. if your skin is dry when you shave, it will cut easier. i use the barber towel prep before every shave, but then I don't shower before shaving. if you shower then shave, try standing in front of the shower head longer so the water will hit your beard longer, and, build a lather in the shower and leave it on for as long as possible...you can use bar soap and your hands for this if you want, just get your beard soaped up and leave it there for as long as possible
something else I do and I feel it is worthwhile for me. I always use proraso pre shave, after getting my face wet (hot water) and I work the pre shave cream in well (fingertips) before building my lather. in my experience, this particular pre shave cream tones my skin, makes it softer and I swear it leaves the skin w/additional lubricity. I wont shave w/o it, and the barber towel
you also need to build an immpecable lather. I do it via face lathering. if I'm using a hard shave soap, this is the brush technique I use
http://www.shaving101.com/index.php...do-you-get-a-good-lather-on-shaving-soap.html
if i use a soft soap, i use Marco's technique-
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...with-Italian-soft-soaps?p=2981170#post2981170
which is totally opposite from the shaving 101 link
did i mention i only use shave soap? well, once in a great while I use a shave cream for my lather...maybe once in a blue moon
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there's another technique for prep some use that is quick...make a lather before shaving, apply and leave it on your face for at least 2-3 minutes before shaving. if it dries out, re-hydrate by dunking the tips of your shave brush in your sink water (only a little bit of water on the brush tips), or get the brush soapy agian and go over your lather. you can multi task doing other things while the lather is sitting on your beard for the 2 + minutes
I shave with my lather a skosh on the dry side, whcih means more often than not, after I shave one half of my face, I have to re-hydrate the the other half before putting blade to skin
whatever you do, don't shave with dry lather or on dry soapless skin. keep it damp and keep the blade moving forward
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.
- Thread starter
- #6
Whipped Dog order placed I'm back in the game. I have heard about Larry's medical emergency and sent prayers with my order. Told him I can wait and fully understand.
I would suggest a Parker shavette. It uses DE blades, it's inexpensive and you don't have to worry about stropping and honing. Once you become comfortable then learn to hone and strop.
Good man, Larry is good people.
Take your time and say WTG. Start with only a days growth until you get the hang of it. Don't go looking for perfection, you can always touch up with a DE.
And what Kent said
I know some people try doing just their sideburns to start out with and maybe this is where you should start out with. I agree with kentos, your slicing because your moving the blade slightly back and forth without moving down at the same time. When done properly this is called a scything motion, but I would not suggest trying ti for some time. Skin stretching might be helpful as well. When I do get a cut it's usually in an area that I forgot to stretch properly.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
BE SURE to stretch the skin as you shave it. Slack skin invites cuts and irritation. Tight skin gives the razor a nice flat surface to work with.
Looking forward to following your progress once you start back up. I'm very new to straights at this point, myself.
