Thread: First Shave - Please check out videos - Please help I am doing something wrong.

I looked at the stropping video again. It might be the camera angle but it appears that the strop is mounted very low. If so you will wear out your back and arms. I think anything waste to sternum works. Below or above that back or arms suffer.

Originally Posted by Siguy

Welcome to the brotherhood!

Great post. The stropping looks ok. Just remember, slow is absolutely fine. Almost no pressure laps at slow speed.

I'd be interested to hear more about your pre-shave prep.

Also, it seems that you passed the shave-ready razor test easily with the swipes from the hairline down to the jaw. It always feels a bit nervy the first time. I think I broke into a sweat.

Regards,

Simon

ps-nice equipment, btw.

I am new here and new to straight razors. Using it since a month and ... After the very first days ... Fantastic! Anyway, regarding pre shave treatment I have discovered a old bottle of Argan Oil I bought in Morocco last year. It makes a great difference, don't know if better then other but a film of oil is helping a lot. Btw I use a Bismarck 6/8 and a Livi 7/8 (have put it aside for now, too large for beginners ) best to all you

Well done! Stretching and grip looks great, nothing that practice won't make even better. Make sure you're stropping properly, and get 50 shaves under your belt and you'll see a vast improvement, then when you hit the 100 shave milestone, you won't remember shaving any other way!

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the video!

Interesting last couple of days. The second shave was absolute misery hurt like hell and back, no real blood n guts but bad razor burn. So i took a look at the stropping videos and watched them several times. I thought I have have destroyed my edge with poor stropping technique. after the members here had commented on the video it was obvious there was may to much pressure on the edge. I will put another video up on thursday when i have time so that hopefully you guys can check my stropping style again, thanks in advance. The technique i now use is to put my thumb under the blade and imagine pulling the blade towards me, then rotate and repeat this time with fingers underneath. This pulling rather than pressing seams to have made a massive difference to the edge. I used the canvas for 6 passes the 50 on the leather and the shave was much improved. I am now 4 shaves in and using the straight for my whole shave. although I must admit the area under my chin is carnage. The rest of my face is really smooth and a much better shave than my first effort. Another thing i have noticed is blade angle. I have just given up worrying about it. It seams if I set the blade angle by looking at it the angle is too steep. If I judge the angle by feel the blade seams to somehow go the the easiest angle? weird? I am enjoying shaving a lot with the straight although the wife hates all the gear around me. However as we all know boys never grow up their toys just more expensive and dangerous. I have a chin with a real recess under it not quite peter griffin but it is pronounced and very hard to get around without cutting oneself. Never mind more skin stretching awaits and pulling funny faces in the mirror. Perhaps we should load up a gallery of the most ridiculous faces we pull when shaving ;-)

Thanks again for all the advice its priceless and has reduced the amount of red soap considerably. Without the forum I would never have had the courage to get started and with the advice its really not that bad to get going, even when you do nick yourself these blades are so sharp its doesn't hurt. That is until I put the alum and aftershave on !!!!!

My first days briefly. Lots of videos then finally to the shop. I bought a 5/8 Dovo and started. The first day some nicks, couple of light cuts and a very very lousy shave. Slightly better the third or fourth day. But I made the mistake to over strop with a bad bad technique so the razor went back to the shop (and already with rust) . I did not give up, bought a second razor . A Bismark Dovo 6/8 and a new start. No over stropping, did not touch the stone and was very careful. Result: excellent shaves. Then full of enthusiasm I have found a Maestro Livi 7/8'custom in Milan and that was the real mistake. Too large, over sharp with a pointed square blade. One shave only and I have put it away for better times. So, I am very happy with my results after 30days. I just do it and every day I learn something new. I do not see cons (but the learning curve perhaps) and Pro are no irritations anymore, a shave lasts a good day long and fun! I don't think I will go back to my safety razor.