My first SR experience

So, after weeks of waiting for all my supplies to get here as well as reading everything I could about SR shaving, watching Youtube videos, and asking questions on these forums I have finally finished my first ever SR shave.

I started out with a nice hot shower and using conditioner on my whiskers. Once I was done with that I moved onto some Proraso Pre-shave cream and began whipping up some MWF lather. I ended up doing a half in the bowl lather/half on my face until I got what I think was a good lather. I was planning on following the First SR Shave advice on the forums and only do one section but that kind of turned into a whole face deal... From there it turned into two more passes of XTG and ATG...

It was amazing.

The only problems I ran into were finding a good way to hold the razor while working below the jaw line, shaving the chin (of course), and my lather did dry out after a bit but I think I was going way to slowly (or I could have mixed it wrong).

Overall, it was a really satisfying experience and I can't wait until the next time. I probably won't even have to shave tomorrow since I'm smooth as a baby's bottom and my whiskers don't grow that fast.

Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions on here in the past. Yall are the best!

Good job with the whole face shave, I tried it and cut myself to pieces :(. Shaving under the jawline is tough. I hold the razor the same as I would shaving the side burns area. Just watch your angles.
Welcome to the madness :beer1:

Try checking this for ideas on grips: Different ways to hold a straight razor - Straight Razor Place Library

or this (printable version): http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...oster-pdf.html

Don't read while shaving :dropjaw:

"Way too slow" = "just right" at this point. Take all the time you need to do it right (blade angle, prep, skin stretching, grips), and speed will take care of itself eventually.

Remember, practice does NOT make perfect: practice makes permanent! You're right to take the time for your muscles to soak up the right ways instead of the hasty ways.

Fantastic. A lesson to all the nay-Sayers on the site(Dodgy???). Str8 is a great way to shave.

Welcome to the club. I am far from experienced, got a whole weeks worth of shaves completed... haha. I too went right to full face shave and have been doing well, the key for me is to make sure I am comfortable, but not complacent. Go slow, take your time, if it doesn't feel right it probably isn't. I have lots of issues with my lather drying up right now too, but that's all part of the learning curve. For now I will lather each section of my face separately before shaving it. Not only does this eliminate having dry sticky/goopy gunk on my face but it gives me a chance to look at beard growth directions and play around a little bit with different ways of holding the razor. I look forward to shaving everyday now it's a little bit strange, but the good kind of strange.

Oh yeah, and welcome to SRP