Thread: OH MY! Am I in over my head?

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

There is a cut of the day thread. Its a chance to feel accomplished during these trying times.

Thanks! I think? lol ":-Dx Well this one stopped me 5 minutes into my very first trial with a straight. So got to mend it before I can go on.

OCD I found the "shave of the day" but not the "cut of the day" ... apparently no support groups for us yet! lol The bleeding has stopped ... or plugged up and I'm "back on the horse." ... Going pretty well, just a nick or two. Frankly this is probably not good technique but I find I'm doing better, getting more removal with no cream? Is shaving soap different that way?

Originally Posted by jackdashack

OCD I found the "shave of the day" but not the "cut of the day" ... apparently no support groups for us yet! lol The bleeding has stopped ... or plugged up and I'm "back on the horse." ... Going pretty well, just a nick or two. Frankly this is probably not good technique but I find I'm doing better, getting more removal with no cream? Is shaving soap different that way?

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...0-cut-day.html

Originally Posted by jackdashack

OCD I found the "shave of the day" but not the "cut of the day" ... apparently no support groups for us yet! lol The bleeding has stopped ... or plugged up and I'm "back on the horse." ... Going pretty well, just a nick or two. Frankly this is probably not good technique but I find I'm doing better, getting more removal with no cream? Is shaving soap different that way?

I wouldn't suggest shaving without cream. Heaven's no. You'll go from cuts to burn real quick. There's a reason for that stuff. Don't overlook it.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

I wouldn't suggest shaving without cream. Heaven's no. You'll go from cuts to burn real quick. There's a reason for that stuff. Don't overlook it.

Got that! Burn real fast. Well maybe I'll put some skin conditioner on the spot I did. By the way, I've shave often with the "bag '0 razors" without cream. I always seem to get a closer shave. Then I put skin conditioner on after. But heeding your advice! ":-Dx jack

There's a lot of reasons you might not be getting a close shave. The soap/cream is not really one of them. My advice is to just slow down. Don't worry about perfect shaves right now. You're not going to get one with a SR at this point. But that's ok. You've got the rest of your life to get better shaves. For now accept less than perfect shaves and just focus on getting a little better every time. It seems daunting when you want all of the results day one. Don't fall into that trap. Take a small area of your face and try to improve that area with the next shave. Pick an easy one like the sides of your face, nice and flat. Then next time another. Over time it'll all come together. And accept that you'll make mistakes. Its gonna happen. Don't worry too much if you make a mistake unless it disfigures you. Everyone who has started this has made mistakes and probably continues to do so. Its not the end of the world. The potential mistakes also make this seem daunting. But you're going to make some so don't worry too much about it. Next time you'll do better. A little better, a little better, a little better and holy sh!it I think I got this.

Originally Posted by OCDshaver

There's a lot of reasons you might not be getting a close shave. The soap/cream is not really one of them. My advice is to just slow down. Don't worry about perfect shaves right now. You're not going to get one with a SR at this point. But that's ok. You've got the rest of your life to get better shaves. For now accept less than perfect shaves and just focus on getting a little better every time. It seems daunting when you want all of the results day one. Don't fall into that trap. Take a small area of your face and try to improve that area with the next shave. Pick an easy one like the sides of your face, nice and flat. Then next time another. Over time it'll all come together. And accept that you'll make mistakes. Its gonna happen. Don't worry too much if you make a mistake unless it disfigures you. Everyone who has started this has made mistakes and probably continues to do so. Its not the end of the world. The potential mistakes also make this seem daunting. But you're going to make some so don't worry too much about it. Next time you'll do better. A little better, a little better, a little better and holy sh!it I think I got this.

Now that's really good advice and well put. You should be a razor therapist! haha! Thanks! I get that completely! Jack ":-Dx

I told you no testing!
That was supposed to include not doing the index finger test!

Yes, I did get your PM and I'm glad the razors made it there. I'm sorry to hear about your cut but I guess it's good that you got it out of the way early. Now that you have an adequate respect for the blade you can be even more careful with your face.

The standard rule of thumb for beginners, ignored by many, is that it is prudent to start out by just experimenting with shaving your cheeks. It is an easier area to work out how to hold the razor and what sort of blade angle will accomplish the cutting of whiskers rather than skin. Blade angle is key for a good shave. I think the tendency for beginners is hold the spine way too far away from the skin, with the result being that the blade is scraping rather than cutting the whiskers.

Yes the finger test was a stupid thing but like you said and I was thinking just a while ago. IT DID give me a respect for what it can do. But I got back on the horse after an hour and it had sufficiently stopped. TP paper and styptic on it and pressed to the razor. I've covered near all my face with the blade. My left will be the trick part. Harder to see and get to being a "righty." And I have found that laying the razor down does remove more. A very wonderful way you sent them and I will surely send them back nice and clean ... however duller I would suppose. I do have a leather strop but I don't want to ruin them. It was like Christmas ..... only lend Christmas! hahaha! Toys will be returned. ":-Dx

I did not agree with most of what my dad told me, but he used to say that you are not a good driver until you have had a bad accident.

I guess you are one step closer to being a better shaver!

This is a learning process and you will make mistakes. Really, that's part of the reason why I sent you more than one razor. You could have messed up the first blade in just a few seconds and then that learning process would have been over barely before you had started. This way you have more opportunities to make mistakes!