First Shave....very pleased!!

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10-17-2013, 01:23 AM
Gehring9006

First Shave....very pleased!!
I received my new Boker Edelweiss (beautiful) with my gift set from The Superior Shave last night and gave myself my first SR shave this morning!

My routine this morning was:
- Hot shower
- Pre-shave oil - AoS - Sandalwood
- Lather up with badger brush - AoS Sandalwood shave soap
- Shave
- Cold water rinse
- Aftershave lotion - AoS Sandalwood
- completely dry SR with TP
- 5 strops on linen/10 strops on leather
- Put razor in silicon/oil impregnated sleeve - should I also lighly coat razor with oil ?
- razor stored in dresser drawer (my kids are old enough to know better!!)
Commentary on the Shave

The shave was fantastic...all the reading, video watching paid off! I wanted to shave the rest of my face but decided to just do my sideburns (great advice...Thanks Lynn). One other piece of advice I picked up on this forum that was real helpful was to just try to remove the lather with the razor..the wicked sharp razor did the rest of the work. I just did a WTG shave but to honest..I don't think I'd need to make another pass (I have a lighter beard/sensitive skin). One problem I was having was getting a good view of the angle of the blade as I shaved and I solved that by sticking my magnifying mirror I was using to shave in the shower on the mirror and I could see just fine....my wife told me my eyes are just getting old!! I'm assuming with with more practice I won't need the magnifying mirror!

While I still have a lot to learn I'm very pleased with my first attempt. I can see it will take a lot of practice to get really good at this...but that is true of most of good things in life! Thanks to all who have posted here...the information on this website is invaluable for someone who is wanting to join the SR Club or have used a SR for a long time!!

Keep it Taut!!

Tim
10-17-2013, 03:36 AM
Mechromancer

Be sure to learn to use both hands if possible. Switching hands makes viewing easier. Better to learn now than to struggle later after your habits are well established.
10-17-2013, 03:46 AM
Gehring9006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechromancer

Be sure to learn to use both hands if possible. Switching hands makes viewing easier. Better to learn now than to struggle later after your habits are well established.

Agreed...I used both hands..I'm kind of ambidextrious.....write with right hand, bat left handed, golf right handed (although started out left handed...but was switched while taking lessons!!), play hockey left handed...eat with both hands!!
10-17-2013, 03:50 AM
Mechromancer

Oh yeah, a light coat of oil is good.

Myself, I run my blade under hot tap water, shake it dry, dip it in a .5% mineral oil/alcohol solution, shake dry again, set aside to dry, store.

The alcohol in theory displaces the water. Once the alcohol evaporates an oil residue is left. I do get an oil stain here and there in my storage box but I'm ok with that. I'm sure there are other better ideas. Poke around. You will find one you like.

I notice streaks and minor scratches along my blades when I wipe dry. So it's not my preferred method.
10-17-2013, 04:06 AM
rmagnus

Sounds like you're off to a great start. You'll pick up the weak hand shaving pretty quickly. If your shaving daily or every other day I skip oiling the blade. Not sure you even need to use the sleeve.

I'm pretty new at SR shaving but pretty use to DE shaving. It definitely has a learning curve. I too appreciate all the info here on the forum, it's cut my learning curve down big time.
10-17-2013, 04:16 AM
TaipeiJake

Hi,

Enjoy your Boker, those are nice looking blades.

I live in an extremely humid climate. But, if I am using the sleeve, I don't oil. Just dry and put it in the sleeve, then put the whole thing in an air tight container with a desiccant. Works fine. Jarrod claims it is actually counterproductive to oil the blade if using the sleeve; not sure about this, but it doesn't seem to be necessary.
10-17-2013, 12:12 PM
eddy79

Good to hear all going well. Slow and steady will see you through. Too many of us rush in and are paid back with nicks and burn.
10-17-2013, 12:35 PM
OCDshaver

First off, GOOD FOR YOU! Second, I really can appreciate the plan of just doing side burns for now. I took that advice as well when I got started and it served me well. The next shave, go after a little more. The idea is get used to the razor and how it works before jumping into an entire mornings shave. Its the smart move. And finally, get used to your wife being critical. LOL
10-17-2013, 11:50 PM
Gehring9006

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

First off, GOOD FOR YOU! Second, I really can appreciate the plan of just doing side burns for now. I took that advice as well when I got started and it served me well. The next shave, go after a little more. The idea is get used to the razor and how it works before jumping into an entire mornings shave. Its the smart move. And finally, get used to your wife being critical. LOL

LOL!! I think she is sick of hearing about my morning shave!!
10-18-2013, 12:29 AM
OCDshaver

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gehring9006

LOL!! I think she is sick of hearing about my morning shave!!

Just wait till you amass an arsenal of razors, soaps, and aftershaves. Expect to be questioned regularly.
10-18-2013, 01:12 AM
Gehring9006

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Just wait till you amass an arsenal of razors, soaps, and aftershaves. Expect to be questioned regularly.

LOL....Just like the inquisition!! probably with similar consequences!! LOL
10-19-2013, 12:13 AM
Siguy

Awesome to hear, Tim. Welcome.

You might want to add a drop of oil on the inside of the tang pin area between the scales.
10-19-2013, 09:03 PM
DCB2

Congrats! Be careful though - I'm learning that this is a habit forming activity!
10-20-2013, 12:26 AM
Gehring9006

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCB2

Congrats! Be careful though - I'm learning that this is a habit forming activity!

Yea...i see that!!! Spending way too much time on SRP, eBay and other websites..made a run to Maggard Razors today..sweet shop in Adrian, MI...purchased a nice shaving bowl. Met Brad and his wife Cassie..great shop, great people and relatively close to home...I'll be back often!! My wife is getting worried!!
10-20-2013, 02:15 AM
OCDshaver

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gehring9006

Yea...i see that!!! Spending way too much time on SRP, eBay and other websites..made a run to Maggard Razors today..sweet shop in Adrian, MI...purchased a nice shaving bowl. Met Brad and his wife Cassie..great shop, great people and relatively close to home...I'll be back often!! My wife is getting worried!!

Brad does awesome restoration work. He did this one for me.

Custom Rescales Gallery | Maggard Razors - Straight Razor Restoration, Custom Scales and Wet Shaving Products

See, your wife has something to look forward to.
10-20-2013, 03:02 AM
Gehring9006

[QUOTE=OCDshaver;1228135]Brad does awesome restoration work. He did this one for me.

That is a piece of art!!! How does it shave? I've been looking through his galleries and his work is incredible! I've been keeping my eyes open for a blade worthy of restoration...my search continues....
10-20-2013, 01:15 PM
OCDshaver

[QUOTE=Gehring9006;1228151]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

Brad does awesome restoration work. He did this one for me.

That is a piece of art!!! How does it shave? I've been looking through his galleries and his work is incredible! I've been keeping my eyes open for a blade worthy of restoration...my search continues....

It shaves quite nicely. The thing about his work is that it's very detailed. No cut corners. And of course what a beautiful piece of horn he used to make the scales.