Your Biggest Straight Shaving Revelation

[Calder]

I started shaving yesterday around 5pm. (probably my 8th-10th shave) Stropped before hand, made up a nice rich lather, took a nice long shower, and went at it. I had finished my cheeks up after using some longgg passes the entire length of my face. I had about 5 days of beard growth, and I feel like my beard is on the tougher side so the razor wasn't performing optimally (Ohh well, probably time to pick up a finishing hone anyway ).

I made the transition from cheek to neck rather seamlessly, my shaves are really starting to come together and my time is being cut down a minute or two every shave it seems. I was working precariously around my throat, trying to use the entire length of the blade to take off as much hair as possible (and bending into some pretty strange contortions I may add) when I had a revelation

I didn't have to use the entire length of the blade!

Not sure why this didn't seem so obvious in my earlier shaves, but I had always been trying to use as much of the blade as possible when it simply wasn't worth the effort (and risk ) I put the razor down, looked at my half shaven face in the mirror, picked the razor back up and used the last 1/2" of blade to carefully and precisely mow down some whiskers that were hiding in a crook right next to my trachea. Perfect, no blood, no drama, nothing but a close shave and a new technique.

So I ask you, fellow straight users, what would you say has been your most important/helpful "Shaving Revelation"?

 

[Slartibartfast]

It puts the lather on the skin or gets razor burn again.

 

[LaughingAtFate]

I think the day I got my first razor and tried it, was a revelation of "I can do this without Super-Pressurised-Blood-Spurting happening!"


Short of that, The day I managed to get the nearest to all over BBS for the first time.

 

[dpmtherrien]

It took me awhile to realize that using different parts of the blade made the shave easier, and reduced the chance of spilling blood. That and realizing that I had to back off of the pressure. Realizing the pressure thing after thinking that I wasn't using any pressure at all. I've found that just letting the razor glide over my face, almost as if it was floating, along with the right angle, was the biggest improvement I've had.

 

[Luc]

I think a bit of what was said already.

That I do not have to use the full lenght of the blade on every stroke.

Shave #1 wasn't that good, it was like I didn't shave. Around shave #10, I would say that it felt like 1-1 1/2 pass with a DE. Not very close but something happens. This is were I realised that I need to stick with it and it will get better!

 

[Klarion]

Personally..... A more confident stroke. This helped me in several regards:

-Keeping better pressure on my face. It really isn't no pressure, but just enough to keep the blade on your face while not digging into your skin.
-A smooth cut. I'd often get chatter on the blade, moving slowly to keep from cutting myself, but getting caught on the friction between steel and skin. Smoother meant quicker, and quicker meant a more even blade pressure.
-Making sure the razor is always moving. Oddly, the times I've really cut my skin up have been when I'm placing the razor to my face and taking it off.
-Completely disregarded the "keep the razor almost flat against your face" wisdom. It did not work for me. I'm very big on technical stuff - I'm geeky, and have a technical job that uses tons of numbers. I just said "To hell with angles!" and limited myself to using whatever angle actually engaged hair. I'm discovering different grinds have slightly different angles and, of course, different passes also require different angles.




Good on you for sticking with the shaves so far, Calder. My initial ones absolutely sucked, but now I absolutely love it. It's a rewarding experience, actually.

 

[Big_Fuzzy]

Angle. I thought I had a pretty shallow angle as it was, but then I kinda realised that 30 degrees is not an absolute.

So I made the blade even flatter and suddenly I felt that famed 'knife through butter' everyone mentions. What was taking 6 passes now takes 3.

 

[chfair]

that while my straight was way longer than DEs and cartridges i could easily do precise shaving without making mistakes. (do not magically cut off my sideburns using a straight that is)

 

[whitebar]

Two things come to mind:
1. The value of always stretching skin before shaving it
2. The importance of paying attention at all times no matter how good you think you are at this activity

I have found the failure to heed either of these often leads to a loss of my blood.

 

[Calder]

Personally..... A more confident stroke. This helped me in several regards:

-Keeping better pressure on my face. It really isn't no pressure, but just enough to keep the blade on your face while not digging into your skin.
-A smooth cut. I'd often get chatter on the blade, moving slowly to keep from cutting myself, but getting caught on the friction between steel and skin. Smoother meant quicker, and quicker meant a more even blade pressure.
-Making sure the razor is always moving. Oddly, the times I've really cut my skin up have been when I'm placing the razor to my face and taking it off.
-Completely disregarded the "keep the razor almost flat against your face" wisdom. It did not work for me. I'm very big on technical stuff - I'm geeky, and have a technical job that uses tons of numbers. I just said "To hell with angles!" and limited myself to using whatever angle actually engaged hair. I'm discovering different grinds have slightly different angles and, of course, different passes also require different angles.




Good on you for sticking with the shaves so far, Calder. My initial ones absolutely sucked, but now I absolutely love it. It's a rewarding experience, actually.

I shaved late one night last weekend after consuming a light amount of alcohol, enough to give me a very mild buzz. I really fell like it gave me that slight amount of "liquid courage" needed to push myself into a confident I'm-not-gonna-kill-myself stroke. I think that was only the 2nd where I didn't draw any blood!

So far I've just started playing with the blade angle when shaving above the lip, it seems like you can cut hair with some really harsh angles if you're careful about it. Holding a steady angle with my left hand though is a whole different story

I'm starting to think the razor may need a really light hone by the way it pulls sometimes though. Only 10ish shaves in though? I thought I had a pretty good grasp on stropping until recently lol.

 

[quixand]

It puts the lather on the skin or gets razor burn again.

Definitely.

It puts the lather on.

 

[O.G.]

Slow down, let the lather sit, find the hair growth direction follow it. Be gentle to your face, dont use alcohol - for me at least-, have someone else shave me if possible, my girlfriend actually enjoys doing it and I enjoy her doing it, sterlize the blade - this was a major revelation - dunk it in some alcohol. Use a facial scrub that is not girly or it wont break the pusstules that are holding the ingrowns in AKA no neutrogena. For ingrowns dislodge don't pluck - oh yeah this is easier if someone else does it. Cold water rinse then aftershave splash then a balm or moisturizer. Leave some Thayers witch hazel - lavender or other - at work so you can "freshen up." Don't buy a bunch of stuff until you know what you are doing just buy a few things because what I didn't like made great gifts for family and friends who ended up enjoying it more than I did.

Oh yeah never stop learning.

 

[bonusmarple]

1. Always err on the side of using too shallow of an angle
2. Good stropping is absolutely essential
3. If you are not confident with the stroke, don't do it. Figure out why and fix it first.

 

[scottish steve]

.....realizing that I had to back off of the pressure. Realizing the pressure thing after thinking that I wasn't using any pressure at all. I've found that just letting the razor glide over my face, almost as if it was floating, along with the right angle, was the biggest improvement I've had.

I was just about to start my own thread on this very subject! When I first started using a straight, I made sure to use no pressure. Then after a while I found that with my increased familiarity with the blade and muscle-memory I really was able to use no pressure. . I tend to use mostly my DEs and then for a change I'll use one of my straights for a few days. Invariably, I'll nick myself after getting overconfident and go back to a superpseed in frustration. But the other day I was using my cute little '30s Friseur 4/8" and I had a revelation about just what exactly no pressure actually means. As fate would have it, I was so busy being amazed at what a great shave I was having that I cut myself. Still, the last 3 or 4 straight shaves I've had this week have been better than ever. My edge keeps getting sharper and my technique better every time I return. I'm eagerly anticipating a time when blue light surrounds my straights and they hum softly.

 

[Amyn]

Pay attention to the blade even when it is not on your face shaving your hair. One bad move and it could be cutting your twinky.

 

[BigRich]

With proper technique I can get equally fine shaves with straight razors and DE razors.

 

[gumbo]

When I realized how stretched the skin can actually be, and how much it improves the shave, and how many contortions I can make with my face to get those last chin whiskers that hide out. And when I learned the across the body XTG pass (left hand, right side of face from temple to lips) and vice versa.


Also, a few purchases that drastically improved my shave:

1. Once I got a Tony Miller (now I have 2 and a 4 sided TM paddle)
2. When I started using a scuttle with HOT water in the base(Dirty Bird 1.5)
3. When I started using Balsa and ChromOx every 10th shave or so
4. Grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, and Olive Oil 2:2:1

 

[Alacrity59]

• Learned how little pressure to use.
• Got to the point where I can shave by feel the spots where my view is obscured by my hands.

 

[MWS]

Leaning forward.

No joke, I don't wear glasses, but my vision isn't perfect. When I leaned over the sink, face about six inches from the mirror I could really see how a lighter touch was more effective...and by stretching out it actually helped tighten/flatten the skin on my neck.

 

[scottish steve]

Pay attention to the blade even when it is not on your face shaving your hair. One bad move and it could be cutting your twinky.

I nicked my non-razor hand a few weeks ago due to duffusness (is that how you spell it?) I had both hands in the sink when I decided to shake off the lather from my straight and grazed the knuckle of my spare hand. I think that's why so many people either give up on a straight or just don't try it at all. One second's lack of concentration has a 50% chance of resulting in a cut or worse. That said, it does concentrate the mind wonderfully, and I am definitely getting more methodical and safety-aware than I otherwise would, i think.