Thread: 1st Shave

Originally Posted by Samo1

Lather the same as I use with my DE. Angle- layed it flat against my face then lifted the spine about 1 inch. Didn't strop it as it hasn't arrived yet, Titan razor arrived shave ready (rehoned & sharpened by Anthony Espisito) so I figured it was good to go for at least 1 shave ?

Far too much gap!

Im wincing thinking about that much gap. I usually use 1 spine width between the skin and inside edge of the spine. You also lower the angle on the second pass and again to almost touching the skin on the 3rd pass

It's been said earlier in the post, but I want to add a +1 on the single pass only shave your first time! The angle advise is great also, I made the same mistake
Don't give up, it gets easier!

Everything folks have said is true, but that 1 inch, as BobH said, is too large an angle. One-two spine widths (maybe 1/4" at the most, if I had to guess, having never measured) is the rule....and agree on the one pass thing! No more for a while than one comfortable pass!

Ok follow up time- several shaves in & angle is finally figure out. Now it's still pulling like a bear, I've stropped it before & after (20-30 passes each time), still feeling a pull on the whiskers? Right side of face is much easier to do than the left (right handed) & under chin really feels like it's pulling/scapping. Do I need to have it rehoned or is it just not a perfected technique yet?

I've only been at this for a couple months so I'm pretty new too. Once I really had the blade angle figured out, there's almost no resistance especially with the grain. If there's a lot of pulling using the correct shaving angle I think the blade probably isn't sharp enough. I was debating this question myself a few weeks ago. How do I know if it's the blade or my technique? Then one day it felt nice and smooth coming down my cheek and I realized it had been my technique that needed improvement.

Hope this helps and good luck!

You may want to consider purchasing a different straight razor if you feel like you would enjoy straight shaving. There are almost always some excellent razors in our classifieds that are shave ready. You will find most any razor in our classifieds much easier to learn to shave with than a Titan.

Samo1,
How confident are you with your stropping? It took you a while to figure out your shaving angle so you may have been shaving wrong with a good edge but now it is possible that you are shaving right with a bad edge.

Have you always kept the blade flat on the strop without ever lifting the spine?

Hang in there! Plenty of good advice on this forum. Don't get discouraged!

You may have thought you were doing it correctly, but you probably damaged your edge while stropping. Don't worry...we all have done it! You might want to consider getting your razor re-honed by a pro, or just pick up a shave ready one from the exchange or a place like straight razor designs. (When you get the new one send the old one out for honing)
As you get more into this hobby you will end up with multiple razors anyways so you might as well get started on the collection