Tried my first straight shave today..

[ccrowder]

So I got my blade in from Larry at whippeddog.com and gave it a go this morning. For the flat areas such as the sideburns and cheeks it was smooth and easy but I did feel a bit of tugging on the first WTG pass. The chin and mustache area were a different story.. I have never had that many small nicks before in my life (think it was 6). I don't know if it was that I was going slow and my soap was drying out (I did rinse and relather by the time I got to my neck since the soap was flaking off) but the razor was catching something fierce no matter what angle of approach I tried on my chin.

Do folks have any suggestions for these tough curvy areas? My issues are also compounded by being thin so my chin is fairly angular and bony. Also while not large there is a bit of a cleft I have to try and shave around and getting the razor at the right angle there is damn awkward. I will try to post a pic or two later if folks think it might help.

Also.. when you are shaving.. what should it feel like as the blade goes across your face? Like I mentioned it seemed to be pretty grabby on the first WTG pass. I don't know if it I just have tough wiskers or maybe the lather but it didn't seem to glide much.

 

[JeffE]

Add some pre-shave oil to your routine. Just a little bit applied before shaving cream makes a big difference, if you ask me.

About the chin and jawline, you should try more jelly donuts. Keep eating them until the skin of the neck flows seamlessly into the cheeks. Problem solved -- you're welcome!

 

[Brownbear]

I'm a little ahead of you and I come to offer hope. You will figure out your chin, it will always take more effort and thought.

Start WTG, keep a very low angle, spine touching or almost touching your skin, do two or more passes WTG or at slight angles off the axis. Very light touch. Stretch the skin, take small strokes much like the polishing strokes. Monkey faces, chin up, chin down, turn to the side, stretch from a number of angles. It will come along. There are still parts of my chin and around my mouth that I can't go ATG, but surprisingly you will magically learn how to deal with the complex curves and tough whiskers over time.

Good prep of course, good soap that doesn't dry and relather often until your speed goes up.

It will start to come together.

 

[ccrowder]

One issue I experienced with trying to do the really low angle pass first is that it felt like the blade was suctioning onto my skin and not moving. It wasn't a grabby feeling like it was stick on hairs just more of a stuck not gliding sensation. This was mainly on cheeks/sideburns so I went to the 30 degree angle and it worked great for those regions. Maybe I will try the shallower passes on the chin since there is less blade contact to provide whatever is causing the sticking/friction/suction.

JeffE.. I do have some preshave oil on order so will see if that helps (well wife actually ordered it for me as a surprise).

 

[BladeRunner001]

All normal problems at first. Keep at it and it will all click soon enough. The reason for the "grabbiness" is you probably have the angle wrong and/or are applying too much pressure.

No jelly doughnuts required .

 

[mikromicke]

Thin chin area is by far the hardest for me. I have fairly course beard and need a very sharp razor to get through it. If it isn't sharp enough to slice a hanging hair it tugs and catches very much.

I've noticed two things that I think make a big difference. The soap/cream used for straight shaving needs to be slicker than what you could use for a DE. That extra slickness you have in some products is really great in protecting your skin from the super sharp blade.

The other thing is that using a more scything motion, almost more sideways than forward works wonder on the chin area. I usually start by stretching my skin by moving my lower lip into my mouth. I then shave a normal WTG down until the chin starts curving. After that I pull down the skin on my neck (which usually brings the already shaved part below the curve of the chin) and then use the scything motion there.

 

[sanfranciscian]

six nicks sounds about right, and the whole shave seems to be spot on for a first effort. I found that making my lather a little thinner and slicker helped a lot but in the end only months of shaving made any real difference. I don't say this to throw any sand in your shave cream but to encourage you to keep at it, I so wanted to be able to speed up or circumvent the experience process but alas it was not to be. Still you are at an enviable spot where progress will come fast and furious and you will be so thrilled when you make another step forward. Please enjoy your new discipline and keep us in the loop. I can guarantee you this forum will make things go a lot faster than it must have been back in the day when dad handed you a razor and said clean that mess up.

Ian

 

[gull]

Be happy that you're normal! Some people here seem to get it right away

You're experience sounds just about how I was when I started out. For your chin, put your tongue underneath to push some skin out. That should flatten out the chin a little bit. Also do a Jay Leno facial contortion. Flatter=better. Do whatever you need to do to get that area flat. I don't like going around curves either.

Let your lather sit on your face for a few minutes. I usually strop while I'm waiting.

You'll get a lot better in no time. Focus on your cheeks first and finish the rest of your face with a DE. Gradually add other parts.

 

[LarryAndro]

One issue I experienced with trying to do the really low angle pass first is that it felt like the blade was suctioning onto my skin and not moving. It wasn't a grabby feeling like it was stick on hairs just more of a stuck not gliding sensation. ...

The tendency with newbies is to start with too high an angle on the first WTG pass. Saying "lay it flat" is the easiest way to say to reduce the angle. And, even with the suctioning feeling, I am sure the blade would move and shave. But, don't worship the angle or any of the guidelines we mention here. If the blade suctions, lift it slightly.

... so I went to the 30 degree angle and it worked great for those regions...

The 30 degree angle is optimal, and that is about the angle you should start with if it works. You lay be blade flat, typically, for the tougher whisker areas in order to knock down the big "trees." But, if you don't have to, no need to go flat.

 

[Luc]

Agreed with all the above.

Take it slow and practice. The curves are difficult but you will get used to them.

 

[WilliamIam]

Take it slow, and be persistent. You can try a higher angle as well. If you don't like it, lower the angle.
The chin and moustache areas will be kind of strange to shave with a straight. You might try holding the straight steady and slightly moving your lip or head. That might help you keep from nicking yourself.
Also, to prevent nicks, don't put the blade to your skin without moving it, or that will be a nick.


If the blade is really sticking, who made it shave-ready? Could you have rolled the edge stropping it? It's probably fine, but you shouldn't finish a shave with your skin in pain.

The cleft chin is going to be a learning curve. I can't help you much with it, but try the "move your face, not your blade" idea. It can help you get it without slicing yourself.

Happy Shaves!

 

[Gustav]

Thin chin area is by far the hardest for me. I have fairly course beard and need a very sharp razor to get through it. If it isn't sharp enough to slice a hanging hair it tugs and catches very much.

I've noticed two things that I think make a big difference. The soap/cream used for straight shaving needs to be slicker than what you could use for a DE. That extra slickness you have in some products is really great in protecting your skin from the super sharp blade.

The other thing is that using a more scything motion, almost more sideways than forward works wonder on the chin area. I usually start by stretching my skin by moving my lower lip into my mouth. I then shave a normal WTG down until the chin starts curving. After that I pull down the skin on my neck (which usually brings the already shaved part below the curve of the chin) and then use the scything motion there.

I do not have much to add but I would like to ad my two cents to the above. It took a while before I realized how important this lather issue is. I have a great big brush which sucks up loads of soap and when I was DE shaving I used to love plastering my face with lather. When DE shaving you can get away with this but when straight razor shaving you need another type of lather entirely.

Nowadays my favourite brush for soaps is a small sized boar brush (4 cm bristle 2 cm in diameter on 5 cm handle) which is loaded in a jiffy. Then I apply a thin layer of lather on my face with circular motions and repeatedly dip the tips of the brush in water and then do the circular motions on my face. I continue doing this until the lather is so saturated with water that it is slightly shiny and almost starts running down my face. The good thing about a small sized brush is that it is easier to adjust the soap/water ratio. If you do not have a small brush you can still do the above but it may take more time.

On the subject of scything, you'll want to be very careful with those motions since it is very easy to cut yourself, however you can get much the same effect by doing guillotine strokes. That is when you hold the blade slightly askew whilst doing the downward motion on a WTG stroke and it is much safer.

As to the feeling, I thought that it would feel as though you were dragging a hot knife through butter but it does not. There is a certain drag and tug but it should not be to the extent that it is uncomfortable.

Good luck and keep posting.

I would not worry about the chin area and other troubling bits just now since it is a matter of practice, practice and yet more practice.