Thread: First Straight Razor Shave

While waiting for SRD to send my new Dovo BQ, I watched a lot of videos on how to use it. The best one, of course, is Lynn's, but there are some other good ones as well. I also read Lynn's tutorial article. Since I already had some experience shaving with a really sharp skinning knife, I presumed that it wouldn't be harder to do than that. I ordered a Merkur 34c as a backup solution in case I needed to work my way into shaving with the straight razor slowly. But...

Today the Dovo showed up, but the Merkur still isn't here. Like any kid with a new toy, it wasn't going to stay in the box for very long. I got everything ready, cleaned the oil off the razor, gave it about 15 strops on the cloth and 40 on the leather. Put a steaming washcloth on my face and lathered up with some Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream. I held the razor using the recommended grip, at the recommended angle and mentally compared how much more agile it felt than the knife that I had been using. Then I started making smooth one or two inch strokes down the right side of my face, just letting the blade do it's thing. I could hear those pesky whiskers snapping off with every stroke all the way down to my jaw line. I looked at the track the razor had made through the lather and didn't see anything but clean hairless skin, there was no pain and no blood spurting across the room, so I was encouraged and braver.

I switched the razor to my left hand, set the angle to somewhere between 20 and 30 degrees and made the same 1 to 2 inch strokes headed for my jaw line. I could hear the razor singing as it worked its way through the whiskers. When I got to my jaw line, again, there was just hairless skin and no apparent damage. "This IS a lot easier than shaving with a knife -- nice," I thought. By this time, I'm thinking this is going to be a breeze. I switched hands again and went for the right cheek -- woohoo!. Next, I did the left cheek without any issue. Now emboldened, I looked at that annoying patch of hair that grows under my lower lip. I pulled my lower lip into my mouth, held the razor over it and stroke, stroke, stroke -- annoying hair gone. The angles for the area under my jaw took some thought, but it ended up devoid of hair as well. Still no blood and no pain. The mustache and goatee are staying, so onto the neck.

Now, this old neck has got a lot of deep wrinkles in it and I wondered if that might be a problem, but since I'd had such good success up to this point, I figured I manage it somehow. So I started pulling hanks of skin here and there flattening out wrinkles like an old bed sheet as I went along. Swish, Swish Swish -- swap hands -- Swish Swish, Swish. Neck done. I washed my face off and inspected my skin, just in case there was damage that I hadn't seen or hadn't felt. No, everything looked good, and virtually hair free.

Feeling around I still felt some places that still had some stubble so I lathered up again and made a 2nd pass, then a third. I'm sitting here now, a couple of hours later, without a scratch, a smooth face, and smelling really good.
In case, you think that everything went perfectly -- well it didn't. I have one warning for new SR shavers that think this is really easy and nothing at all will go wrong. If you rub an alum block over your face, whatever you do, don't get that stuff on you lip, then lick your lip -- that stuff tastes really nasty. Oh, and if you want SR shaving to seem easy, shave with a sharp knife for a while like I did -- it's like a batter swinging two bats while he's in the on deck circle and it will certainly get you over the fear of having sharp blades next to your throat -- don't expect a great shave from the knife though.

Sounds like your on your way. I don't know about the knife advice for starters though. You have to admit the straight s more proper for the task. Add some sugar to the alum block :<0)

Oh man, as I read along I kept expecting the slasher ending!!!

I'm glad that did not happen. Honestly though one moment of distraction is all it takes to do damage, but I'm very glad that did not happen to your today. Congrats on your first real shave! I trust that you learned your lesson on the alum so nothing needs to be said about that!

Your first shave post should be bronzed as a permanent testimony for the people who don't believe the feeling of a straight razor shave.

For you the fun is just starting. Next it's more razors and all the additional tools for your new hobby.

I very much enjoyed reading your post. Great start.

Very well written post. I was just going to read a few lines but like a good book I couldn't stop reading....all the way to the end. A happy ending too. Success.

Congratulations!

Was watching Lynn's YouTube video last night (his DVD is hopefully in the mail ), my 6yr old stepson was watching with me - fascinated. He asked me if that's how HE will be shaving "when the time comes"

That's fantastic. You get to start him out right!

Congrats on your first shave. My first was like using the knife (30 yrs ago)
But I didn't have Lynn there to help me out or anyone else. "School of hard knocks" but all went well.[emoji4]