Thread: Head is still attached!

Bathroom door closed. Phone on mute. Razor in hand. Aaaaand, cheeks done!

And that's it. I am forcing myself to sort-of follow Lynn's advice. He posts the admonition to just shave the dominant side sideburn area and then stop. I knew I couldn't handle stopping there, that would have driven me crazy. So I went for both sides of my face. No neck, no chin curve. Honestly, my neck area is my real area of concern. I am a super-slim guy and there's lots of concave areas below the chin. How I'm going to approach them is till a bit of an issue.

But, for now, blazing success! No nicks. Blade unbloodied. They'll come, no doubt. But not today.

Just WTG and it was no closer than my DE. Which pretty much makes sense, the two being pretty conceptually similar.

Didn't nick my strop either. 2 for 2!

Practice shaving with a butter knife on your concerned areas to get a feel for angle, technique, etc., while also establishing muscle memory plus it helps prevent knicks. Also practice stropping with a butter knife will save knicking strop. Until you get a good stropping technique established lay your hanging strop on a table/ counter top.

Good luck on your str8 razor journey!

Good job. When you start to expand your area of coverage make sure you're stretching your skin and pay attention to your angles.

Originally Posted by DoughBoy68

Practice shaving with a butter knife on your concerned areas to get a feel for angle, technique, etc., while also establishing muscle memory plus it helps prevent knicks. Also practice stropping with a butter knife will save knicking strop. Until you get a good stropping technique established lay your hanging strop on a table/ counter top.

Good luck on your str8 razor journey!

I've got something better! An eBay straight (quite nice, actually) that's not shave ready. I think I'll reduce its shave readiness even more and use that as a safe stand-in. Once I've gotten some belief that I have it right, I can sharpen it up. Quite the plan, eh?

Originally Posted by Brenngun

Good job. When you start to expand your area of coverage make sure you're stretching your skin and pay attention to your angles.

I've wondered about that. Stretching makes a lot of sense. Have people experienced cutting when they failed to stretch or is it more that it just lets it all work a bit easier?

I never stretch,just the way I roll

Originally Posted by Headcrowny

I've wondered about that. Stretching makes a lot of sense. Have people experienced cutting when they failed to stretch or is it more that it just lets it all work a bit easier?

The few cuts I have received were from trying a tricky angle with the left hand(I am right hand dominant).
Stretching the skin has made shaving tough spots easier for me, especially the neck. My throat is prominent and it creates hollows on either side that are hard to get a good angle on. Stretching has helped flatten out the hollows. Still, I consider myself a beginner and know I have a lot of room for improvement.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

I never stretch,just the way I roll

Heads will roll!

I dunno, stretching does seem to help me out but like everything else with shaving YMMV so try it both ways and see what is best for you.

If someone is any good with a DE it is quite awhile before you can match the closeness of a DE shave with a straight. When you do get there you know you are finally accomplishing something. The biggest difference for me is that a straight gives a more comfortable shave not necessarily much closer.

Bob

I was afraid of the neck area also. Turns out to be the easiest for me. The hollows I pull out and you could call that stretching I guess. The jaw line I pull up on the cheek as much as I can and then go down from where the soap is gone. Takes all the angles out of it. I wish I could do that for the chin but stretching doesn't even work there and if I am going to cut myself , that's where it's going to be. You will find what works for you and it sounds like you are being careful enough. Just pay attention to what works.