What Did You Learn From Your SR Shave Today?

[haggis]

Lather matters. I thought I'd accidentally applied wall spackle or contact cement. I was lucky to get out alive and unscathed. Perfectly fine for DE rescue mission though.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

I learned today that maybe sometimes it's just a bad shave. No clue what happened today but the shave was "normal" and the results were terrible. BBS nowhere. DFS in places. And some places not even what I would call SAS. Was it the blade, the lather, or me... ?

But ... One bad shave in over 2 1/2 years of straights ain't too bad in the grand scheme of things.

 

[seattleshaver]

I continue to learn that although I feel that I have got straight shaving down, I never get a totally close shave all over as compared to my double edge shaving.

It's just as close (or closer) in most areas but in the tight or close quarters parts of the face I just can't get it as smooth. I can get it so that it's an acceptable shave if I'm not rubbing my hands all over my face but since I know that I can easily do better with the double edge, I usually run that over my face as a last step.

Because of that, straight razor shaving is a "hobby" that I do once a week or so because I enjoy it. I'm pretty efficient at it at this point but I'm just not able to get that long blade as close to every part of my face as with the double edge.

I have a more pointy rather than square jaw and that's the main area although the corners of the nose is another area even though I can get in there.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

What I learned today?

What I learned today was to pay attention to detail?

I was using my WH Morley today.

It was stropped and ready to go.

Without much thought, I got everything ready, grabbed the straight razor, and started shaving.

It felt different.

Hmmm...

It was was still shaving well...but different.

Crushed the shave.

Then I looked up, and the WH Morley was still it it’s stand. I had used the Shapleigh. (Both stands are next to each other)

*sigh*

Still an exceptionally good shave. But I was thrown off by not paying attention to detail.

Funny, but true story.

 

[rbscebu]

Not learnt today but thought of while shaving.

With my initial technique when SR shaving I would subconsciously increase the blade angle of I thought that I was having difficulty in an area. I would have to consciously remind myself to decrease the angle for problem areas.

I was wondering why I subconsciously increased the angle. I think it was from my DE/cart days. Maybe that's what I did then to try and improve the shave results.

Now of course it is not a problem. I automatically decrease the blade angle when needed.

 

[haggis]

I need to remember (more importantly, internalize) that.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

Today (I THINK) I learned something from feel.

Yesterday I was using my newest acquisition, a “Worcester Razor Co.” straight razor, for the second time.

And I noticed that it shaved very similar to my JR Torrey.
I even made a comment about that in my SR shave of the day post.

Well, I was looking around, and I noticed that my Worcester was stamped, “Worcester Mass”.

And then today I noticed that JR Torrey’s are also stamped “Worcester Mass”.

Hmmm...

Could they have been using the same blanks?

I have not investigated this yet, but oddly enough, they are both stamped the same...and sure feel the same when shaving.

Interesting coincidence.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I am learning to hone my razors on stones. I purchased some neglected razors for practice at a very reasonable price. I have managed to get great shaves with four of them after working on them. I learned that there are some great shavers out there. Also learned about how much I have to learn. I must say though that it has been a enjoyable process.

 

[rbscebu]

Today I learnt not to do a Fool's Pass as my first pass on the upper lip.

With 24 hours of whisker growth, I was about to start shaving for the first time with the "Thursday" SR of my Japanese M7DS and decided to see how it would go ATG on my upper lip in the first pass. Well, I shaved beautifully, smooth, comfortable and close with a BBS result. I was very happy with the edge. I then continued on with this SR doing my normal WTG first pass.

As I was about to rinse my face with cold(ish) water for the second lathering, I notice three pin-***** (looks like auto correct doesn't like the word p.r.i.c.k) sized blobs of red on my upper lip. I didn't even feel that happen!

Lesson learnt, always go WTG on the upper lip before trying ATG.

 

[xmacro]

Learning that I really, Really, REALLY hate sharp points. I want very much to lead with the toe of the blade - lay it down to make first contact and establish where I want the blade to be, follow with the body making sure the angle is right, then start shaving - but the sharp point just digs in and bites me every time, so I have to lead with the middle or the heel. I can manipulate the razor well enough to get everywhere I want, even a fools pass, so the whole "it lets you get into small areas" is total BS, but that sharp point effectively means I can't use 1/3 of the blade to lead, only trail, lest I poke myself with it.
Learning that XTG is very strange, a totally different beast than WTG and where all my cuts come from. The angle is the same, but the muscle memory involved is quite different drawing across instead of down, pulling on the offhand side and pushing on the strong side, which is a very different thing than DE shaving which is all pulling

 

[Tomo]

Jnats are in a league of their own.

 

[rbscebu]

Learning that I really, Really, REALLY hate sharp points. I want very much to lead with the toe of the blade - lay it down to make first contact and establish where I want the blade to be, follow with the body making sure the angle is right, then start shaving - but the sharp point just digs in and bites me every time, so I have to lead with the middle or the heel. I can manipulate the razor well enough to get everywhere I want, even a fools pass, so the whole "it lets you get into small areas" is total BS, but that sharp point effectively means I can't use 1/3 of the blade to lead, only trail, lest I poke myself with it.
Learning that XTG is very strange, a totally different beast than WTG and where all my cuts come from. The angle is the same, but the muscle memory involved is quite different drawing across instead of down, pulling on the offhand side and pushing on the strong side, which is a very different thing than DE shaving which is all pulling

I didn't start to use my Spanish point SR's until I was very comfortable with using my Dutch (round) points, after about 100 or more shaves. Sharp points are not recommended for those starting out on their straight razor journey for the very reasons that you are experiencing.

Come back to your sharp point SR in a few months time. I think you might then start to enjoy shaving with it.

 

[Raymondmillbrae]

Learning that I really, Really, REALLY hate sharp points. I want very much to lead with the toe of the blade - lay it down to make first contact and establish where I want the blade to be, follow with the body making sure the angle is right, then start shaving - but the sharp point just digs in and bites me every time, so I have to lead with the middle or the heel. I can manipulate the razor well enough to get everywhere I want, even a fools pass, so the whole "it lets you get into small areas" is total BS, but that sharp point effectively means I can't use 1/3 of the blade to lead, only trail, lest I poke myself with it.
Learning that XTG is very strange, a totally different beast than WTG and where all my cuts come from. The angle is the same, but the muscle memory involved is quite different drawing across instead of down, pulling on the offhand side and pushing on the strong side, which is a very different thing than DE shaving which is all pulling

I am by no means a pro.

But if memory serves me correctly, I was already having very clean shaves by my 25th straight razor shave.

I prefer the square points myself, as I have hairs that grow in my mustache area that I can swear partially hide-out in my nostrils.

And those sharp square points make quick work of them.

Like it was mentioned, it takes muscle memory and practice to get the straight razor rhythm down pat.

If you already own a square point, and are having trouble with it...kill the very tip of the square point cutting edge on your honing stone.

Just the very edge.

It’ll take away the edge at the very tip, until you get better control or muscle memory.

Just a suggestion.

 

[RumpleBearskin]

Today I tried my first attempt at the Fool's Pass. The razor definitely caught some whiskers, and the blood stayed inside, but it's not for me. While I'm sure I could master it in time, I don't feel the need as my usual N-S + two passes ear-to-nose leave my upper lip BBS without adding stress to my otherwise relaxing shave.

 

[rbscebu]

Today I tried my first attempt at the Fool's Pass. The razor definitely caught some whiskers, and the blood stayed inside, but it's not for me. While I'm sure I could master it in time, I don't feel the need as my usual N-S + two passes ear-to-nose leave my upper lip BBS without adding stress to my otherwise relaxing shave.

Yes, you really need an atomic edge on the SR to do a Fool's Pass comfortably. That's why I only do it to test the edge condition of my SR's.

 

[Tomo]

Don’t use a balsa strop to refresh a Jnat edge. The edge sharpness gets a boost but the smoothness is lost. I was very surprised that only 50 laps on 0.1u balsa was enough to totally change the edge characteristics. It seems that shortcuts rarely lead to optimal results. A close but slightly less comfortable shave today.

 

[camoloc]

HHT might not be the end all be all benchmark for me to follow.

I'm having trouble understanding this. as I'm experimenting with natural finishes vs. balsa. the blade feels sharp.....not balsa sharp. couple razors barely pass HHT or not at all...........but damned be all if they don't shave well and very comfortably.

my somewhat rational mind says this shouldn't be so but the final shave test doesn't lie. my 5x magnified mirror definatley tells no lies.

camo

 

[rbscebu]

My thoughts are that all blade edge tests, except for one, only test for sharpness. There is only one test that tests for shaveability and smoothness - the shave test.

 

[Ravenonrock]

Well, I learned I really like using a sharp razor, after forcing myself to shave with a sub par razor yesterday. Whoever honed it (me) obviously didn’t know what he was doing. I also honed today’s sharp comfortable razor. I’m at the point where some of the stuff I’m doing on the stones is a bit of guess work, learning, trial and error. So things are inconsistent. I’m also learning on cast away razors, which is probably both good and bad. Some of them I can tell have issues beyond what my newbie skills can handle. I will keep shaving with the fruits of my labour and learn as I go.

 

[camoloc]

Well, I learned I really like using a sharp razor, after forcing myself to shave with a sub par razor yesterday. Whoever honed it (me) obviously didn’t know what he was doing. I also honed today’s sharp comfortable razor. I’m at the point where some of the stuff I’m doing on the stones is a bit of guess work, learning, trial and error. So things are inconsistent. I’m also learning on cast away razors, which is probably both good and bad. Some of them I can tell have issues beyond what my newbie skills can handle. I will keep shaving with the fruits of my labour and learn as I go.

school of hard knocks has an excellent professor and headmaster!!!!

camo