If you do a You tube search for Mantic59 you will find some excellent videos that may help you get started. Happy Shaving!
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If you do a You tube search for Mantic59 you will find some excellent videos that may help you get started. Happy Shaving!
Like @JTmke I started with a straight and later (re)explored safety razors after a 40-year lay off. A straight does ask for good prep, excellent angle, light touch and serious sharpness. With a DE you don't have to worry about sharp but the rest is still up to you. I started with the head of the DE razor on a sideburn and, as I drew the razor downward, I gradually dropped the handle until I heard/felt whiskers cutting - that's what I call my perfect angle.
It took me a quite a few shaves to get that angle thing dialed in and keep it consistent. IIRC that was not a comfortable time for shaving ATG. After a couple of weeks (and with a couple of very aggressive razors) it suddenly got easy but, even with good prep and skin-flattening, I still don't (or can't) draw strokes on my neck/chin and jawline strickly against the grain. Like canoe guys I pull a series of small curvey slip-sliding "J" strokes that cut clean and without any pull.
http://webspace.webring.com/people/g...e/j-stroke.gif
Others have said this, but I just want to second it. It's better to master shaving with a DE first before you get into straights. Learning how to shave well with a DE without cutting yourself will teach you the correct amount of pressure you should be using with a blade that sharp. (next to none.) Also, it's totally ok to shave ATG. I do it every shave.