Thread: The Pace of Learning

Originally Posted by Brenngun

After a recent shave I realized that I've become proficient using a str8 razor. I know that sounds strange and a little boastful but it's true. The most noticeable proof has been a progression from 40 minute shaves with carefully thought out strokes, occasional irritation & touch ups to a 15 minute smooth, even, consistently good, irritation free shave with little to no supplementary thoughts. Almost automatic movements.


This realization got me thinking about the factors that contributed to my progress through the learning curve and what I found helped me go from unconscious incompetence (frustration) to unconscious competence (learned skill) as quickly as possible. I offer them below in hopes it may help others in their journey. Feel free to add your own.


After the obvious shave ready razor, proper kit, beard prep, understanding the angles & reviewing shave videos the difficult learning begins. That's where I found the following practices helped me.


1.) Time & Space. Allow for plenty of time and don't forget to shut and lock the door if necessary. Removing distractions will keep your concentration high, reducing the risk level allows you to relax and aides learning.


2.) Turn Fear into Respect. Although you're working with a very sharp blade exercising a basic respect for handling your razor will avoid serious injury. You would have to make a very big mistake to seriously cut yourself while shaving. The sooner you become comfortable with this the faster your learning will progress.


3.) Use the same razor. When learning a dexterity based skill it's advisable to eliminate any and all variables that may directly affect repeatably. Razors are like snowflakes. Each a little different. Feel, handling, size, weight & balance are all different. Regularly changing razors during early learning stages introduces variables that will lengthen your learning time. There's plenty of time later to add new razors plus you'll be able to adapt to them quicker with your newly learned skill.

Whilst all points are good ones I'll agree on point 1 for sure. Early on with my exploration of straights the wife came into the bathroom and said my name, I turned my head while the razor was on my upper lip. Slice and canny little scar on top lip. 2 weeks later, same again. I now look 'WELL HARD' with my scars, I feel it's an icebreaker at the very least

I now lock the door, even with a safety razor and get me some tunes on the go.

So I've got some 20 shaves left to feel comfortable... Must persevere!

I must admit that it didn't go that quickly for me. It took me a month to get to the point that the shaves were good shaves. It took me two more months before I was getting the great shaves I was looking for. It wasn't until perhaps the six months point when I felt like I was really accomplished at what I was doing. Now, coming up on three years, I still find ways to improve with each shave, always trying something different with each shave. It does take time, practice and plenty of patience, but now I can get a fine shave in five to seven minutes if I want to get it done quickly and never over ten minutes.

Great tips! And I like the title of the thread too - it really is all about learning, and it is interesting to talk about the speed that it happens for different people, and within yourself.

Although I am not an old and grizzled straight razor user from decades past, I've been at it a little while and I can say that for me the learning never stops (or it at least hasn't stopped yet). Probably the pace of learning has dropped as the years have gone by from that initial frenzy of the first few months, but there is still a pace of learning, or maybe now you'd call it a "shuffle" of learning

That's in no way meant to take anything away from the OP and the mastery he has achieved so far. But if your experiences are anything like mine, there's more learning and mastery to come and to continue to come! It's quite exciting actually, knowing there's always things to learn.

James.

I am about 3 weeks in and am just starting to feel like this is going to be worth it.

I had a good shave this morning, no nicks and pretty close (no BBS for me). Last week I was ready to give up. My wife was noticing the redness and nicks on my face, and it was just plain frustrating. Not so much now.

I strop the blade(s) alot, and make sure it passes the HHT before I shave. I try to concentrate on NO PRESSURE, just letting the weight of the blade do the work. That, and stretching the skin, makes all the difference. Carry on!

+1 Brenngunn. I'm right there with you.

Albeit, #3 is completely out the window for me. I find it sinful not to shave with the blades I acquire. It isn't without peril, mind you. I most recently made a classic newbie mistake which partly involved the point of a heeled out razor(shorter than my usual 3") and a foolish mistake in technique. Pissed me off pretty good. I'm still pissed about it and it has been 2 days. <--this is me chewing myself out for the mistake.

I agree,
Point 1, I work away so I had as much time and space as I wanted in my own bathroom, I now am comfortable shaving at the sink while my littleun has a bath and asks me all sorts of questions.
Point 2, fear and over caution are a recipie for disaster, careful but confident is better, as long as you are mindful of the careful part, otherwise it's.complacency, and stitches.
Point 3, I only owned 2 razors for the first few months, and only really used one of them, when I did change it was like taking a few steps backwards.