Thread: Hello, i am new here....

thanks for all the advice guys

i will definitely try again on monday and i will strop a good 15-30 times

been reading around here and that is what some people recommend so i will try and hope for the best

i really think that shaving with a straight razor is a very distinguished skill that has been lost

i just hope i can learn correctly so i can teach my children and maybe pass on my first straight razor to one of my grand-kids


bladessss

You chose a good one. I whip out my DE occasionally for variety's sake, but 99% of my shaves are with a straight razor. Nothing else has the appeal. Actually this is the overriding reason for me to want to have children (no joke)

i was wondering is the 15-30 strops on both sides or just the leather or just the cloth???

bladessss

I do 10 linen, 30 leather. That's the optimum number to get a great shaving edge without spending half an hour stropping

Thanks for clearing that up FiReSTaRT

I have seen many questions about quality blades

mine is a dovo thuya wood...the salesman told me it was a very good blade.


any comments are welcome


bladessss

DOVO is a highly respected maker and one of the 2 remaining major manufacturers of straight razors (the other being Thiers-Issard). With either of the two brands, you can be fairly sure that your blade can take on a proper shaving edge. The scales have nothing to do with the blade quality, but I like wooden scales. Most of my rotation will end up being protected by some variety of wood.

Originally Posted by bladessss

i will definitely try again on monday and i will strop a good 15-30 times

I strop 50-60 laps for maximum efficiency in the shave. I guess that's the difference between Ilija and myself ... he wants to get a shave that is good enough with the least amount of effort ... and I want the best shave this man can achieve.

X

I strop the same way even when going for BBS shaves, but yeah, most times I just do a 2-passer that gets me right up there but I won't die if I can feel a small patch when moving my fingertips ATG while pressing.

You're no fun to play with tonight.

I'm new to shaving as-well and my first shave sucked too. I bought my first razor here form Ivo and when I reported my first shave experience, people jumped in and said " the razors not sharp" this turned out not to be the case as with more practice the razor gets sharper with every shave. the same blade is now scary sharp and wipes the hair off my face this is after a month of shaving.
Now I think its common sense that the blade is not going to get sharper and what is happening is that I am getting better at using it. I think maybe some of the more experienced guys forget what it was like when they started and maybe they started with dull razors as there was no srp for them.
So my advise is practice,
Never force the razor. Imagine gently brushing a feather across your face.
Stretch the skin. this is important so I will say it again stretch the skin!!
Keep your face wet and your razor dry.
Don't aim to high at the beginning just get most of the hair off, you will get better with practice. ie: don't go ATG for now (Lynn still doesn't)

I did most damage to my face while trying to get to close to quick.
I'm by no means an expert but this things I've learned over the last few shaves help make it a more enjoyable comfortable experience. I look forward to getting the close shaves that these guys get. (someday)