Thread: 1 month later....

You gentlemen have been a wealth of knowledge here...I began shaving with my Boker King Cutter about 2 weeks ago (after switching from a Parker Shavette 2 weeks before that). I have encountered very little nicks/cuts on my face as a result (all were very minor). My stropping is slow and seems to be good.

Is it common for you to take nearly 45-50 minutes to shave? I am having some problems with my 2nd and 3rd passes. I think my angle is good, but I'm concerned about cutting myself. I am using Colonel Conk's soap which seems to be good (any opinions?)

I have been using warm towel to soak on my face before and after, and really like the feel of the straight razor shave. My neck area isn't nearly as broken out/irritated as I encountred with the electric razor. I am, however having issues with getting all the hair on my neck without going through 4-5 passes. Any suggestions?

Thank you for the help.

In the beginning your shave time is longer.
I'm at 15-20 min for three to four passes. In straight shave everyday before work and sometimes in the evenng depending on
if we have a social function, which is usually once or twice a week.

As for your soap choice. I'm not a fan of the Col. There are better soaps out there.
I like Caste Forbes creams, Cella, MDC, G. Trumper Spanish leather tube and red Proraso tube.

Mainly it is just a matter of practice. It takes a couple weeks to establish the muscle memory but you are still learning how to do it so you will continue to improve over the next year. It will become second nature and will go much faster later, but for now focus on improving quality of the shave. Don't rush it yet or you could end up regretting your new scar!

Or let your spouse try to get into a deep discussion while you're shaving.

The neck is a problem area for many of us. It takes time and practice to figure out what works best for you. In the beginning just aim for dfs and in time you can try for bbs. Col Conk is a decent glycerin based soap and you can definitely get a good shave from it but there are some really good soaps in that price range that perform better.

Do not worry about how long it takes to shave. As others have noted speed will come with time/experience. For now just allow for plenty of time and enjoy the experience. As for the neck area you need to determine direction of hair growth and learn to go against the grain on second and third passes. This will take a lot of trial and error but stick with it and you will get it. Before you know it your shave time will be cut in half, but only if you do not worry about the time.

I can only echo what others have already suggested. Don't chase that BBS shave... it won't come! You'll get fed up, lose interest and give up SR shaving. You have a great razor in your King Cutter. Treat her gently and well. For now, just go with a single pass shave and be happy with DFS. Concentrate on quality stropping, but again, don't rush it. Strop slowly and make sure you're getting it right. If you rush, you'll lose your rhythm and end up rolling your edge, or worse. Be patient. Good luck.

45 min for someone who just started shaving sounds about right. Don't rush, it's a luxury to shave with a straight. Enjoy it!

It used to take me 45-minutes to get a fair shave in tree passes plus touchng up. Now I get a much better shave in two- or two-and-a-half passes in 10-14 minutes. The difference for me was learning how to get/keep a razor sharp - that took a while. Well, that and 250-300 shaves probably had something to do with it.

Over time you develop finesse with a strop and techniques that give better shaves in fewer passes in less time. Don't think about time or a great shave or extra passes - it all comes toegther after a while. Just think about where the razor is relative to your nose and ears for a while.

Like @quicksilver said above, "Enjoy it!" Even now I sometimes lollygag through a shave just for the pleasure of the process.

As a fellow beginner I have experienced similar issues. I started out with col soap as well, it took a lot of learning for me to use it. A good lather is possible and what I learned with it has helped me tons. I personally like to master one thing and either keep getting it or try something new.
The neck area is always fun and took me some time to figure out. When I started out I would only use the tip of the razor. But realized the heel has many useful purposes.
Enjoy the journey it's a blast.