Eight shaves in, what I have learned so far.
OK, so I admit I am far from being any kind of expert here but wanted to pass along a few things that I have learned so far. I will admit up front that there is nothing here that has not already been posted by others, just thought I would try to add a my own experience to this vast bank of knowledge.
First off, to me the two most important keys to a comfortable shave beyond a properly honed blade are angle and pressure. To much of either and you will feel it, especially post shave. One of my best shaves so far came on shave number three. I had planned on skipping a day as my face was really feeling the burn after my first two shaves. However, when bath time came, I could not help it and went ahead with shave number three. Trying not to add to the burn I learned to nearly lay the blade flat on my face as I shaved and got, surprisingly, a really close shave with little effort.
Secondly, a beginner should not use a pointed(?) blade. If not careful that point will get you if you are not paying attention to it. A rounded blade is much more forgiving, specially around the ears. Luckily I only received minor scratches, but it got my attention. A first time straight user has too many other things to think about to have to worry about that sharp point at the end of the blade.
Third, if starting out with more than one razor, it would help if they are all the same style and grind. I started with three razors, all slightly different in one way or another. One with a pointed/square point, the other two different degrees of rounded point. Also, one a wedge or quarter grind with the other two more of a full hollow grind. The feel and "feedback" you get as the blade glides across your face can tell you a lot about how you are doing. I basically have three different razors speaking three different languages. Learn to shave first, then explore different style blades once you know what you are doing.
This is just a small sample of what I have learned so far, but what I believe to be pretty important lessons. I know there are a lot of people that will read this and say "I told you so", or " hey, haven't you been paying attention here". My only reply would be that some of us have to learn the hard way. Besides, learning ( even if it is the hard way) is half the fun. So far it has been a great experience and I look forward to learning more as I go. How this info is helpful.
