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Thread: the exaggerated art of straight razor shaving; begginner's adivce

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    Default the exaggerated art of straight razor shaving; begginner's adivce

    I've been shaving once a week for little more than six months with a straight razor. That means I've had maybe two dozen shaves, so really I'm still a begginner. However, I've learned to give myself a fair shave in two passes, I believe I'm stropping just fine and I've managed to sharpen a razor with my 4/8 Norton. In all this time I've given myself only two nicks on my face that are worth mentioning and given my small two-inch loom strop two small nicks that don't affect the stropping. All the accidents happened on two instances when I was in a hurry (you should never shave with a SR in a hurry, it's dangerous and takes all the pleasure out of it).

    I've come to the point in my shaving carreer when I feel like I have something worthwhile to post here - that in my opinion, if you're a begginner everything read here on srp should be taken with a pinch of salt.
    One should not shave only half his face on the first try. Instead he should go as far as he feels comfortable, whether it's half a cheek or all the way. I did all of my face on the first try. It wasn't good, but it wouldn't be any better if I waited for the next week.
    One should hone his blade as soon as he wants, can't imagine how the skill of shaving can have an impact on the skill of honing. You can't mistake a dull blade for a sharp one, even if it's your first. The dull one doesn't shave, and if it shaves, it is probably good enough.
    One should strop as he finds comfortable for him. I tried not twisting my wrist, I tried the x-pattern, I tried standing and sitting - all the must-do's (not even suggestions) and found out that it doesn't work for me. Instead I walk around the room with my loom strop, twisting my wrist, running the blade not perpendicular, but at an kind of angled X-stroke. It works great for me.
    I don't do fifty laps on the strop or any other number, I don't even count them. In most cases I've read, twenty should do and you can't do too much. Unless you're doing it wrong, but in that case no specific number will do. So I just strop until I don't feel like stropping anymore.
    Obviously a 3-inch strop isn't a necessity either, as some try to make it seem, although I imagine it could make things easier.
    I guess there are more examples, but I can't think of any right now.

    What I'm trying to say is - straight shaving is not a rocket science, it's fairly easy. Yes, it's harder than with Mach3, but not enormously so.
    The experienced shavers should ease a bit on the scaring of the newbies like me. And the newbies should experiment more, try out what works for them, nothing is set in stone about straight razor shaving. I would problably have started using a SR half a year earlier, if not for this forum that made me feel like I should study all the corpus on the subject before I can even lift a razor without killing myself.
    On the other hand - I probably wouldn't have ever started using a SR if it wasn't for this forum, for which I really am thankful. The good on this forum greatly outweighs the bad, no doubt about it, but there is always room for improvement.


    Hope this helps more people than it offends!

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    Aristocratic treasure hunter Aggelos's Avatar
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    Yes, well.

    First, thanks for your input, the feeling of which I share. Yes it's true, I do find it's not as difficult as it's sold to be.

    Now.
    SRP has a vocation as an educational resource.
    SRP is also a website, the content of which, in many countries, can be used against both the writer and the owner of the website.

    Therefore, for the purpose of education :
    - I find it quite important to stress all the risks and difficulties that may arise.
    - I find it quite important not to sell straight shaving as "remarkably easy". It's not. You have to forget what you know and learn anew. That it was easy for you does not mean it will go the same with anyone.
    - As a former admin/moderator/etc on other communities, I find it preferable to have information in excess (making a topic hard to approach) rather than in default

    But then again, taking everything with a pinch of salt, trying and experimenting for yourself, is it not "common sense" ?

    I mean, you don't follow anymore the step by step process (with a little story to remember it for some) to tie your shoes, do you ?

    Anyway, thanks again, and well, glad you had such a comfortable transition
    Beautiful is important, but when all is said and done, you will always be faithful to a good shaver while a bad one may detter you from ever trying again. Judge with your skin, not your eyes.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    No offense taken. You might be confusing guidelines, suggestions and personal preferences with written in stone instructions though. As an example I researched strops on here before buying one and concluded I would buy a 3 inch strop after sifting through all the comments/suggestions. I picked up a narrower vintage strop later to see if I had come to the wrong decision initially. Turns out I still like the 3 inch strop better and would suggest that to anyone asking. The person asking is certainly free to draw their own conclusions though. Yes, you have to find your own way to what works for you.

    As far as scaring newbies goes I don't think that is the intent of any experienced shavers who are members here. It is more like suggesting a person consider all the angles before jumping in rather than blindly forging ahead. A newbie is free to ignore that too. There is a pool of knowledge here and it is up to the individual how they choose to use it.

    The straight razor has had a scary reputation ever since I can remember as a kid and that was a long time ago. The only thing scary about shaving with a straight is it's reputation in popular culture which precedes it. That reputation also seems to be what attracts some to shaving with a straight razor as a means to show/prove their "manliness". No, nothing scary about using a straight if done in a thoughtful and considered manner.

    Bob
    Life is a terminal illness in the end

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    Senior Member blabbermouth Hirlau's Avatar
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    It had been a quiet couple of months,,,,,,,,,

    I'll take your OP with a "grain of salt" & a pinch of B.S.,,,,,, (Basic Seasoning)

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    barba crescit caput nescit Phrank's Avatar
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    Interesting and I see where you're coming from.

    Yes, they just are "guidelines", which I gather are written towards the lowest common denominator, i.e., written with the intent of starting as basically as possible (shave only the sideburns) and slowly moving up in complexity, the idea being anyone can begin where they feel comfortable.

    And there are those like myself, sounds like you as well, and I'd go so far as to say a majority of the members here, that when someone tells us how to do something, we read it, take it with a grain of salt, and do what we want anyway!
    Geezer and Substance like this.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth nessmuck's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hirlau View Post
    It had been a quiet couple of months,,,,,,,,,

    I'll take your OP with a "grain of salt" & a pinch of B.S.,,,,,, (Basic Seasoning)
    Rookies......wait till the first gash appears....then watch their hands shake as they attempt to get the confidence back ...that they once had. Like Mike Tyson said " every one has a plan...until they get hit "...

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    Senior Member blabbermouth Hirlau's Avatar
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    ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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    Razor Vulture sharptonn's Avatar
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    Walking about the room stropping with a loom strop. Angled X-strokes! Video, Please!
    What we do here is try to get guys into straight razor shaving as easily and comfortably as possible.
    OP, if you will read through all the fearsome, contradictory, and complicated advise here and separate it from the sound, conventional, and proven techniques recommended here, you will see that the former is suggested by newer members who, in their enthusiasm, are reinventing the wheel and spouting their newfound 'factual knowledge' while the latter advise will be given by experienced and more senior members here as a teachable method for newer guys. This holds true in shaving, honing, stropping, and all aspects of straight-shaving.
    It is good you have found what works for YOU. However, unorthodox methods are no way to standardize education and help others progress smoothly. JMO
    Lots more to the madness, I am certain!
    "Don't be stubborn. You are missing out".
    I rest my case.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth edhewitt's Avatar
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    You can learn to do anything by trying i suppose, and it worked for you, the purpose of the advice given is to provide the best chance of success.
    BobH, WW243, Raol and 1 others like this.
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    Senior Member blabbermouth tcrideshd's Avatar
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    OP just look at the cut of the day thread ,, that's all anyone is trying to attempt here, give all the info you can and try to make the new start as enjoyable as you can so it sticks with you ,,, bad experiences tend to make a few new guys quit. But if it works for you That's great ,, probably because you read about the experiences of those on this forum. Hummmmm? Tc
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