Thread: Shaves 1-5

Since last Saturday I have gotten through my first five shaves with a straight razor (dovo best). I have been wet shaving with my mach III for about a month now. This week has been quite the learning experience.

Shave 1. I figured out my lather sucked. Not near enough glide for a straight. Lather had been plenty sufficient for the disposable carts but not even close to what I needed for a straight. Scared to death to strop the razor. Took probably 20 min to strop the razor prior to shave. Had to go over the entire face again with mach III to get a decent shave.

Shaves 2-4 improved lather but still rough. I learned the importance of angles with the straight and was trying to find the proper angle. Getting better at stropping but still extremely slow. Had to go over most parts of the face and neck for a touch up with the mach III.

Shave 5 (today). Best shaving experience I've had with a SR thus far. Had a light bulb moment regarding angles. Finally found an angle that actually cut the hairs on my face rather than wiping off the lather. Also included the best stropping session to date (I've been doing the butter knife practice strop for the last 2 weeks). Razor felt better today than the last couple shaves (I think due to improved stropping). Due to the better shave today I only had to touch up two spots on the neck with the mach III. Best shave thus far. Not near BBS but I couldn't be more excited to keep learning.

Thank you to all the contributors of this forum for all the advice. I know that I would not have been this successful on my SR attempts had it not been for this forum. I look forward to continuing on the journey with all of you.

I roughly tip the spine just off the surface of the face. Probable a 24-28deg. angle, but it seems to work for me.
I let the soap "bloom" for 2-3 minutes while me brush soaks. 10-15 seconds with a swirling circular motion in the puck. And I'm good to go.
After shave 9 & 10 you should be doing awesome, and won't need the Mach III anymore.

Thanks lethalgraphix. I found that my angle was way too shallow when I started. Way less than 30 degrees. Basically was just wiping the lather off my face, not shaving. I was scared to come at it too steep and cut myself to hell. Today was the first shave where i felt good about angles. I've been struggling with the proper amount of water for my lather (sandalwood shave cream from art of shaving). Seems like its too wet or too dry, can't seem to find the happy medium.

HarleyGuy:
It's good to welcome another Washintonian to SRP, sounds like you are off and running.
You have found out how important a wet slick lather is to a successful straight razor shave.
Soaps can and do very as to how they will perform with your water, hard water is allot more challenging to get some soaps up to speed with. My three favorite soaps are Taboc, MWF, and Cella in that order and if you have hard water try using bottled water to see if that makes a difference.
Was your Dovo Best delivered to you shave ready?

Razors delivered from the manufacturers are usually lacking in that department, some vendors offer razors that are honed by staff and do come ready to shave with. If you find that your razor tugs it probably needs honing, we are pretty hard on our edges in the beginning usually.

I might also suggest that you try to attend a meet-up, should be one coming up in Yakima soon, can really accelerate your learning curve.
If you scroll up this page to the header and click on "community" you will find a link to shaving groups the "Northwest wet shaving group" has information on local activities and has info on meet-ups.

If you need help with honing just shoot me a PM, I'd be happy to help you out.

you will have hundreds of these ahh hahh moments as you go ,, now get another hundred shaves under your belt and then youll still get new moments of hummmm I should have done this months ago !!!!!!!!!!! tc

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

you will have hundreds of these ahh hahh moments as you go ,, now get another hundred shaves under your belt and then youll still get new moments of hummmm I should have done this months ago !!!!!!!!!!! tc

I agree, I still have the odd one now.

With regards to too wet lather, I find that working it with my brush more helps to thicken it up We'll unless it is soapy water.

Happy easter. And welcome to the proverbial rabbit hole. How deep will you go? We will help remove your blinders so the path ahead is alot more visable. Enjoy the journey.

Welcome Harley guy! Great to see another member with similar interests.
Mine is a 2008 Fat Bob.
Keep at it and you will see rapid progress with results that just keep getting better.
Sounds like you're already at the point of no return!
This is a great place with great people.
Enjoy the ride!

Pete <:-}

Originally Posted by FranfC

HarleyGuy:
It's good to welcome another Washintonian to SRP, sounds like you are off and running.
You have found out how important a wet slick lather is to a successful straight razor shave.
Soaps can and do very as to how they will perform with your water, hard water is allot more challenging to get some soaps up to speed with. My three favorite soaps are Taboc, MWF, and Cella in that order and if you have hard water try using bottled water to see if that makes a difference.
Was your Dovo Best delivered to you shave ready?

Razors delivered from the manufacturers are usually lacking in that department, some vendors offer razors that are honed by staff and do come ready to shave with. If you find that your razor tugs it probably needs honing, we are pretty hard on our edges in the beginning usually.

I might also suggest that you try to attend a meet-up, should be one coming up in Yakima soon, can really accelerate your learning curve.
If you scroll up this page to the header and click on "community" you will find a link to shaving groups the "Northwest wet shaving group" has information on local activities and has info on meet-ups.

If you need help with honing just shoot me a PM, I'd be happy to help you out.

I got my dovo from straight razor designs and it was honed by Lynn before being sent to me. So i know it was shave ready. I have accepted the fact that most of the issues i will have in the beginning are me rather than the equipment. I will definitely check out the community section and look for some upcoming events. I would love to get together with some folks with more experience and learn everything that I can. Thanks for the heads up.