Thread: Scary First Time Straight Shave

Finished cleaning up my Shumate 135 earlier today and took it through the stones (1k, 4k & 8k) this evening.
30 laps on the linen, 50 laps on each side of the leather and studied the edge with a 16x loupe. A couple of pits
remain in the edge, but overall it looks good and smooth. Curiousity got the better of me and I couldn't wait
until morning for the test shave. Hot towel prep. Vintage Colgate lather applied with a Van der Hagen boar brush.
Couple of small nicks, need to figure how to trim around the van dyke. All in all, scary..., but what a thrill!


Not a BBS shave by no means. In fact, the left side of my neck is still furry, hahaha!

Now, you just work on improving one element at a time. A slow, wonderful journey ahead.

Congrats. Now just take it slow and easy from here. Don't get over confident when things start to really come together either. Enjoy the journey.

Bob

Ok Marine. Your journey has begun. If the edge of your razor is uneven I'd suggest going back to your 1 K and reset the bevel. Go lightly here as you move across the stone and check your edge under a strong light. Don't need a loupe to do this. Make sure that there are no shiny parts on the edge. If there are, go back to the 1 K hone and gently polish them out. Then do pyramids on the 4/8 hone to polish out the stryations of the 1 K.
Good luck and Semper Fi!

Are you learning to hone, whilst learning to straight shave? If so, I'd learn to shave first and save the honing for later.

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

Are you learning to hone, whilst learning to straight shave? If so, I'd learn to shave first and save the honing for later.

I've been learning a lot the past few months and I'm grateful to every member of SRP for what I've learned.
I thought about buying a shave ready SR online, but was enamored with the thought of finding a SR in the
wild and bringing it back to service with my own hands. I now have 3 SR's ready to send off for honing, but
something about this Shumate's 135 said "I'm the one". Light as a feather, round point, 11/16, hollow ground,
this is my "beginner" I've been looking for. I took it to my new Norton stones and paid very close attention to
each lap, all the time thinking about what I've read about here on the forum and the videos I've watched.
Am I flat to the stone? Is my pressure to heavy? What does the edge look like, fresh metal, pits gone? I was
focused. I studied the edge and was happy with it. For the HHT, I used my chest hairs holding the blade about
a half inch off the skin, very little grab as the hairs caught the edge and popped off. What a lovely "tinking"
sound it made. I knew my "beginner" was ready and so was I, to begin this part of my journey.

I'm proud of you Marine. Good job. You know what you are doing and where to get help on the journey.

Second SR shave, not so scary this time...

Prep: Hot shower
Lather: Vintage Colgate (I think it's a magic puck that'll never wear out, hahaha)
Brush: VDH badger with a loose knot
Weapon: My trusty Shumate's 135
Mantra: "shave the lather...sfave va laver...snaff a afur..."
Clean up DE: Micro Touch One w/ASTRA platinum blade
Post: Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave balm
Shave: BBS! Yea, baby! One new nick.

Went at it a little different this morning. Started on the left side instead of the right. (Right hand dominant)
Applied pressure in the hairline above the sideburn, 2 short strokes and I reapplied pressure on my upper
cheek near the ear. It gave me a lot more control of the skin in that area. Same on the right. Skipped the
jaw line and went for the throat. Same here, clear a spot and reapply pressure. Can't go WTG or ATG, so
south and north strokes for now. Then the jaw lines. Plenty of spots to apply pressure and tried a scythe
stroke. (A curving stroke? Not really sure on what it would be called.) Learned to forget the grain and pull
into the van dyke. Tried to place, roll for angle and pull away from the beard. NOPE! NICK! Don't roll with
a SR you.....that's a DE move if there ever was one! 2 passes with the Shumate and then a 3rd with my
DE ATG. BBS! I won't shave again until day after tomorrow.

And to think, all those times I shaved twice a day (in the svc) just because I didn't know how to shave.


Just noticed I have been saying my VDH brush is boar, it's a badger...

wow!! that's a very nice looking blade after your work congrats!

Originally Posted by Panama60

Mantra: "shave the lather...sfave va laver...snaff a afur..."