Thread: All I Know is Pain

So I received my spanking new Hart Steel 7/8 and followed manufacturer's guidance including "razor comes shave ready" needing no stropping first go around. I excitedly and over ambitiously began to lather up my shaving soap. I had heard that beginners should start with cream and move up to soap but I thought "I'll be the anomaly, like Neo in the matrix." I was severely mistaken. I endured a painful and un-pleasurable shave that day. I vowed to do better next time and after enduring a number of video tutorials, a few days later I stropped my razor and lathered up some shaving CREAM. This should have yielded a better result but unfortunately I experienced the same painful shave with stubble being pulled not cut, as well as having to make several passes to have an effect on the shadow. I eventually turned to my shavette to take care of some troublesome areas. I'll say that again. I had to use my $15 shavette to do the job that my $300 straight razor could not. I must be doing something wrong. Where's the smooth silky, pain free shave promised from switching from a disposable razor and shave gel out of a can to a straight razor and T&B shave cream or soap? Buyers remorse starting to set in.

Slow down , do one section at a time till you learn the angle that a straight needs , they are different than a shavette, plus I don't know if Harts Are shave ready per say , never bought one from them. ,, but this is a learning curve , and instant gratification usually doesn't happen ,, so step back and try to find out what it is that's going wrong , cause it sounds like your angle is off, unless the razor isn't shave sharp . Some of the Hart guys will come along and help with the razors edge from Hart. Tc

There are a few things that could be wrong. The razor may not have been shave ready out of the box for one. If this is the first time you are using a brush and shave soap/cream to make a lather, the lather may be sub par. Your technique might be off a bit wrt blade angle. If it was your first time using a strop you may have made the blade worse instead of better. Really hard to guess what is going on.

Bob

How long have you been using a straight razor. If this is your first experience with straights I would suggest to watch the videos on you tube on shaving with the straight razors. study the angles . Lynn Abrams has several videos on the subject and also honing and stropping. Hang in there. it gets better.

If you put your location up there is some chance that a senior member may be close at hand. I know some people live a long way from the beaten path but not everyone. Hands on help can be the shortest learning curve of all.

Thanks folks. Not the answers I was expecting but the one's I needed. While watching the tutorials they don't mention that it looks so easy because they have been doing it for sometime. There seems to be a learning curve for the shave and I assumed that using a shavette would prepare me for the next step. I'll start again with trial and error.

It's kind of like watching Bob Ross paint.

Originally Posted by HtheBear

While watching the tutorials they don't mention that it looks so easy because they have been doing it for sometime. There seems to be a learning curve for the shave....

I dunno. One barber shave 40-years ago and no shavette history, myself. I remember my first barber- and personal shaves quite vividly (as I'm sure you will!). I sent a flea-market Sheffield to a honemeister and it came back with an "edge". I could hear it cutting whiskers on the first stroke but didn't feel a thing. Had to feel my cheek to see if anything happened Smooth as silk.

The next few shaves went right in the dumper as I mangled that fine edge on a strop. No video for that.

There is light at what ought to be the end a very short tunnel if you already get a good shave from a shavette.

Good luck , most razor makers , really want to make a razor and sell it Not maintain its,but you can see , but if you get the same edge back won't that be like the definition of crazy , send it to one of these guys who shave with a razor , Hart seems like a decent razor , it's not a lot of money , so spend a couple bucks making it a great razor. Tc

If the shavette is working for you use it in tandem with your straight. Try picking a reasonably flat area and shaving that first (typically the sideburn area). Have the razor almost flat against your face and do one downwards stroke, see if you have removed any stubble, if not increase your angle fractionally and try again then repeat until you have success, bear in mind that you will only feel smooth in the direction of the pass if you check in the opposite direction you will still feel stubble most likely. You also need a really good stretch, I tend to pull up from just above where my stroke is starting and open my mouth to pull my jaw tight. Your lather may also need to be wetter.

I am just guessing here really though as I don't know exactly what you are doing currently.