Another first shave thread...

So today was the big day.:)

I have been looking forward to trying a straight for a while now. I really enjoy the experience and results with my DE razors so using a classic straight blade must be the best, right?

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I ended up getting a 7/8 Brandonisio and Bros. Uno. I started with a 6/8 round point in the cart for $55 but changed when I realized that if I take to this, I likely wouldn't use the razor and if I didn't, it would be harder to get my money back out so...I went for the gusto. The blade on the 7/8 doesn't look or feel too big on my face. No regrets there.

Mike sent it shave ready with strict instructions not to stop before the first use so I had one less thing to learn before shaving today and wasn't concerned with the condition of the blade. I took my time and did about 3/4 of a shave before I bailed and finished with a DE. A couple of small nicks and a small patch or redness but I am still in one piece.

A few observations:

- I found the process of holding and moving the razor really awkward. Coming down from the sideburn was the most comfortable but still awkward. I think the advice of practicing with a butter knife might go a long way to helping build a comfort level. I am definitely going to try that.
- I tried to keep the angle shallow and went very slowly. At first I noticed that most of the lather was accumulating on the underside of the blade but as I spent more time with it, the lather started to be on the top/outside of the blade.
- I also noticed that quite a bit of the time the blade seemed to stick to my face. I was moving it very slowly and was rather nervous of cutting myself so I wanted to concentrate on the feel of the blade on my skin so I could react quickly to anything that felt like a cut.
-I had passes on both cheeks, under the nose, my chin and neck. I was on an ATG pass up my neck when I felt it was time to stop. The areas that I had shaved were still a bit rough so I did a pass with my slant to finish up. In retrospect, I think Lynn's advice of starting with one cheek and just doing that until you get comfortable and then building from there might be the best idea. That is my plan of attack now.

Welcome to SRP. It sounds like your doing fine, got your head on straight. Don't forget to stretch the skin and remember your not trying to scrap off the whiskers just glide across the skin and get em at the bottom. You'll get it !

You survived putting a blade to your throat for the first time. That's a good start and it gets better and easier from here, the nerves will settle down after a few shaves.
You are doing the right thing going slow and cleaning up with your slant, in a few months you probably won't need the slant.

Sounds like you got a fair bit done for your first try so im sure some more practice and you will be fine. It's just a matter of learning to shave this way. Good luck

Great news, glad it's going ok.
Lather on the underside would be the blade edge not contacting, and the stickiness could be many things, the first that comes to mind is too dry a lather, and skin stretching ( or lack of).
Sorry for the short reply am at work.

Day 2, shave 2

Prepping on the stop seemed more comfortable today and it made all the right noises.

Today I went down from the sideburn on both sides plus a bit of the cheek. The strokes were smoother and more confident. I think that knowing that I was just going to do a little bit of the shave helped me feel more confident. Right hand on the right side: left hand on the left side. No cuts or weepers. I got a bit of burn on the left side but not the right. Working the right side was much more comfortable, (I am right handed). Shave wasn't real close but I finished off the other areas with my DE and did my usual XTG and ATG passes with my DE so, in the end, it was BBS.

I spent some more time re-watching Lynn's videos last night and also practiced a bit with a butter knife. Baby steps,

Welcome to the club . . . and yeah, the biggest thing I've learned in my journey so far is patience and comfort. If it feels awkward, just leave it for a bit - it'll come around shortly. I'm three weeks into my journey and I used my DE this morning to clean up one little patch I had trouble with below my nose (wanted to keep my nose attached to my face, so didn't attack it with the straight . . . ). But just think through it and take your time! Good luck!

Day 3: A little smoother. Still just below the sideburns and part of the cheek. I forgot to stretch the skin on the left side and the results showed it.

I am having difficulty seeing what I am doing coming down from the sideburns, with the razor and my hand in the way. I turn my head to the side a bit but it still seems like I am taking a bit of a "leap of faith" until the blade makes contact with my face.

I have noticed a few small dark spots on the razor, are those water spots? Will they polish up with some metal polish?

Good going with the straight razor! Yeah, it is a bit like a leap faith sometimes but it is sort of like driving your car. You can't really see the corners of your car, but you can sense where they are. Those water spots will clean up with polish but I wouldn't really worry about doing that until your razor needs honing. You will just need to be better at preventing them in the first place. Don't get water in the pivot point and completely dry your razor after using it. Keep it up, it will get easier.


Mike

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Originally Posted by HappyOne

Day 3: A little smoother. Still just below the sideburns and part of the cheek. I forgot to stretch the skin on the left side and the results showed it.

I am having difficulty seeing what I am doing coming down from the sideburns, with the razor and my hand in the way. I turn my head to the side a bit but it still seems like I am taking a bit of a "leap of faith" until the blade makes contact with my face.

I have noticed a few small dark spots on the razor, are those water spots? Will they polish up with some metal polish?

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Are you using your other hand or trying everything with just the dominant hand? I will say, I tried for about 30 seconds with only my right hand before switching to use my left as well . . . so much easier! Takes a bit of practice, but honestly, three weeks in, I am about 60/40 with right/left, and honestly, feel like my left is at least 80% as effective as my right even in the most awkward spots (and the "easy" spots it is as good if not better).

Right hand right side, left side left hand. I knew I had to learn this way so I started out that way.

Day 4 shave. More comfortable with the motions. Did both cheeks and most of the jaw, WTG. No irritation today but the razor was pulling a bit and I put a small nick in my stop up by the handle. I think I really need to focus on my stopping technique.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HappyOne

Day 4 shave. More comfortable with the motions. Did both cheeks and most of the jaw, WTG. No irritation today but the razor was pulling a bit and I put a small nick in my stop up by the handle. I think I really need to focus on my stopping technique.

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Add an "r" in their and it will get better . . . :)

My first four shaves decreased in quality a bit because of my stropping technique. (Further evidence of the "don't strop a shave-ready razor"). But once I figured it out a bit, shaves got better. Once i got the technique feeling good, I did some extra stropping before my next shave and it helped a lot. I've got the premium webbing on the backside of mine and usually do about 20 passes on that and then 30-40 on the leather. Once I got it down, I did about 40 and 60 and it really seemed to clean the edge up. Now I'm back to 20/40 and the edge seems to be pretty good.

Butter knife practice helps, and don't rush it. At the same time, I have to keep some pace to mine because if I go too slow, I have a tendency to want to pull the razor back while I flip it on the spine (cutting into the strop). So, my strop passes go from "place the edge flat, run it down the strop, speed up slightly at the end, roll on the spine, pause, lay flat, repeat." Once I got that pattern going, it started to go a lot easier. And I will say the strop I have combined with the razor, great feedback on just the sound of stropping correctly vs not.

Day 5.

I had the day off so I took it easy this morning and didn't shower/shave until mid day.

Today I took my time and tackled a full shave - two passes (WTG & XTG) and some cleanup. I tried to focus on smooth contact and shallow angle. I am pretty sure that I found the 'sweet spot' a few times when it just seemed to glide. I did cut myself under my nose and it wasn't my best shave ever but it wasn't bad. I only used a DE to come up under my chin for an ATG pass that just didn't feel right with the straight blade. Lots more stretching that with a DE. I can see that with coming at areas from different directions coupled with the stretching, you could get a really long lasting BBS. My chin wasn't too bad and my cheeks/jaw were nearly BBS. Even under my nose is pretty smooth - except for the cut and right above it. The only disappointing area was just below my chin and a bit on either side of my neck around the larynx.

The bottom part of my chin is the hardest place for me to get a clean shave. I have only been at it for about 3 weeks so I just keep on keeping on.

Day 6

I didn't have the time I had yesterday but I did get a complete shave in with no cuts. It wasn't very close, though. I am now wondering if my angle is too shallow and is skipping across the surface.

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Originally Posted by HappyOne

Day 6

I didn't have the time I had yesterday but I did get a complete shave in with no cuts. It wasn't very close, though. I am now wondering if my angle is too shallow and is skipping across the surface.

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How's the stretching coming?

Pretty well, thanks for asking. I am getting a pretty good shave now. I still need to do a better job under my chin and on either side on my larynx but the rest is close to what I can get with my DE razors in a 3 pass shave. I am pleased. I also think my stropping is coming along. I did a HHT last night and the blade passed. I still think I can do better but I feel like I am developing the 'touch' need to both shave and strop.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HappyOne

Pretty well, thanks for asking. I am getting a pretty good shave now. I still need to do a better job under my chin and on either side on my larynx but the rest is close to what I can get with my DE razors in a 3 pass shave. I am pleased. I also think my stropping is coming along. I did a HHT last night and the blade passed. I still think I can do better but I feel like I am developing the 'touch' need to both shave and strop.

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Honestly, as I figured stretching out a bit more, and kept the passes short, it helped with any skipping. Also, I started moving in a scything motion/slant a bit (especially WTG) and it helped a ton.

Day 13 update:

Shaving and stropping progressing nicely. Two pass shave with some clean up resulting in near BBS shave. Point of the chin, directly under the jawline (stroking from below) and either side of the neck close to the larynx (stroking from the side) still have a bit of stubble. Still experimenting with new angles and stretches to improve results but overall very pleased.

I also watch how to do a HHT and have been using this as a measurement to gauge the quality of my stropping - which is improving.

Good work! Keep it up and you'll have it down. Jawline, chin and Asam's Apple are probably the toughest for most. I need to do it again but I spent a day with just three pass shaving each area, one at a time. Helped figure out angles and get feedback immediately. (Three passes on right sideburn only, then three on left, then three on right side of neck, then three on left side, etc.). That shave took a while but great feedback!

Sounds like your doing great. Remember not to be in a hurry. Every time I try to rush I end up with a cut that is suitable for the cut of the day thread lol.