Thread: Cat Scratch Fever!

Oh dude, thats horrible. One word, Neosporene. Has your razor been honed professionally? Those look like the kind of cuts that come from an improperly honed razor.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Oh dude, thats horrible. One word, Neosporene. Has your razor been honed professionally? Those look like the kind of cuts that come from an improperly honed razor.

I agree --with the little I know , I don't think you should be wacking yourself up that bad. The only time I've seen this is in a post with someone who used one of those feather blade straights. If you are happy and encouraged with results like this, then I say you are a good man but believe me the results should be better and I don't think your getting the full glory of using a straight.

Justin

I agree with Alan. If you have to muscle the razor through the sahve AT ALL then your blade is not sharp enough. It should just glide ofer the skin easlily and cut through the whiskers like a hot knife through butter. Your face is still new to this so it will love you for some moisturiser right now.

X

STOP! Wait, halt...someone.

I haven't started with the straight yet but is that how it normally goes? For the first few shaves? For the first many shaves?

Should I be having second thoughts?

By the way, that sucks man. Hope your face heals. I agree...Neosporin!!!!!!

DUM, DUM, DUM, D-DUM, D-DUM...CATSCRATCH

Originally Posted by Bear

STOP! Wait, halt...someone.

I haven't started with the straight yet but is that how it normally goes? For the first few shaves? For the first many shaves?

Should I be having second thoughts?

By the way, that sucks man. Hope your face heals. I agree...Neosporin!!!!!!

DUM, DUM, DUM, D-DUM, D-DUM...CATSCRATCH

You can't stop now man! And no, I don't think it is normal. I would hate to think I ruined your experience just because of my misfortune. As I said, it was largely the lack of good lather. And my over eagerness probably didn't help much either haha. Continue on courageously, and if you cut your self up as bad as I did, then you have my empathy. Just make sure your face is well lubricated and that you don't put much pressure on the razor. GO SLOW and I am sure you will do fine.

Matt

Originally Posted by Bear

I haven't started with the straight yet but is that how it normally goes? For the first few shaves? For the first many shaves?

No definitely not. With good prep and a properly honed blade your face will just tingle a little, perhaps feel a bit raw. Kinda like your gums feel after the dentist is done poking around in there. It mellows out very quickly as your face gets used to teh heavy depiling of the top layer of skin that the straight razor accomplishes.

X

Dude you look like you went a few rounds too many with the heavyweight champ!

Actually after I had my first shave with a straight I'm not sure my face looked much better to be honest. I didn't have the cuts like you but I had redness and splotches and irritation in spades.

As we say some pick this thing up easy and some hard, some fast and some slow. It does get better and down the road you will look back and laugh.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Hi Matt. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Just generally, how do those cuts come about? Does the blade stop moving and dig in? Are they mainly from against the grain passes?

They look like they should heal up OK in a few days or so. Don't know how often you shave, but it might be a good idea to hold off until they heal.

Ah, I had long hair once - those were the days. Then I became as bald as a badger at a barber's convention....

James.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Oh dude, thats horrible. One word, Neosporene. Has your razor been honed professionally? Those look like the kind of cuts that come from an improperly honed razor.

I really doubt it's the honing, as most of the cuts you see are from the first shave which I did right after getting the kit from Tony, I was very excited. I have done all the tests described in the Razor section, and both the arm test and the hht were passed with flying colors (though it took me a bit to get the hang of the hht). I usually go pretty slow when I strop as well. Laying the blade flat on the strop with no pressure on the blade it self. The blade continues to pass the test well so I don't think I ruined it stropping. Plus, as mentioned, the majority of the cuts were from the first shave when the blade was new and untouched by any except Tony himself.

No, I attribute these bad boys to poor lubrication and poor technique. You are right James, the blade usually just kind of stopped and dug into my poor, unsuspecting flesh.

I was using William's Shaving soap, and was really having a hard time to get a good, lubricating lather. It either dried quickly, or was too runny. Either way it didn't work, plus it irritated my skin.

I went and got some Proraso today, along with some of their pre-shave cream. This worked much much much better, as you can read about in the soap section under "The Right Tools". The pre-cream got my skin nice and smooth and ready, and the shaving cream really built into a good lather that really helped to lube my face well. It also sustained well throughout the shave. I nicked my self once, but it was on an overgrown zit that couldn't be avoided , SO IT DOESN'T COUNT HAHAHA . The Proraso made a big difference and it made the shave go a lot smoother. as I was able to let the blade do the work and just glide right through the hair. Thanks for the concern you guys. I feel so loved! Ha ha.

Matt

Glad to hear things are going a bit better now.

James.

Kentriv,

I had my 8th straight shave today, and I have to say, things came together for me.

My lather came together nice. I am using Colleen's Black Cavendish. NICE!!! Good volume and it was thick. I always work it into my face with the brush for about a minute. For me, that's the single most important point. Let it soak in and work it into the beard. Don't consider getting the lather on to your mug the task, but instead getting it into your face and pores a bit.

I soak my Proraso boar brush in a sink of hot water while I'm in the shower. B&B brush on the way, can't wait. It stays a bit warm, though I don't use a scuttle.

The razor I used was newly honed by me, and though I didn't try any tests, it cut through the beard on the first pass like I've never experienced. Very smooth. I did a small pyramid on a 4k/8k stone and finished with 20 passes on a Shapton 15k. I then stropped with 30 passes on linen and 30 on leather.

I looked in he mirror and didn't have any irritation ( a first for me, including when I used a Mach 3). I also didn't have any cuts. It was truly my best shave ever.

Last, I had a new bottle of Pinaud Clubman which I used for the first time today. Now, I love the smell, and just like Lynn mentions in his video, it brings me back to an old time barbershop. Only complaint, I had cloying taste in the roof and back of my throat after I put it on my face. I think this was due to the vapors/smell. I couldn't do anything about it. I tried drinking milk, etc... and it just went away with time. So, I may not be using Pinaud in the future. I am going to give it a try tomorrow and I'm crossing my fingers as I like the stuff. If not, the generic Aqua Velva works great for me.

Anyway, take care and hang in there. You've got balls to continue after the bloodletting that you look like you endured. Rock on.

John