Thread: Bad Day at Black Rock

Well it had to happen eventually. I've been shaving with a Str8 for about 5 weeks and am getting fairly cocky about it. I can now get an ok everyday shave with one pass and some touchups around the jawline and chin on a second pass. So yesterday I was in a hurry and promptly sliced off a bump on my left cheek, put a 1 inch slice in my right jaw/cheek and generally pissed my self off.

I touched it all up with cold water and a styptic pencil and proceeded to hurriedly clean my str8. As I wiped it down with a bit of toilet paper, the heel of the blade sliced the pad of my middle finger nearly to the bone I uttered several self deprecating remarks and went looking for antiseptic and bandages.

Ten Lessons about shaving with a Str8 I learned this week:

(10) Shave ready razors are sharp from end to end;
(9) Cut fingers can generate a lot of blood;
(8) Don't rush shaving with a Str8;
(7) Concentrate at all times when handling sharp tools;
(6) Its hard to type accurately and quickly with a bandage on your hand;
(5) No one has sympathy for a guy who cuts himself with a Str8;
(4) It's really hard to put on a shirt single handed;
(3) Even if you keep the blood from your hand off the shirt, don't forget the slice on your cheek;
(2) You get asked a lot of really stupid questions (Example: "Cut Yourself Shaving?") with an inch long scab on your face and blood on your collar; and

(1) The wounds heal, the scars fade, and I'm getting up early and shaving with a Str8 tomorrow morning.

Cheers, Mike Layne

Sorry to hear that Mike. Yeah, I've also learned the hard way. Whenever I shave now, I make sure I'm concentrating. And if I'm too tired or feel hurried, I leave it for the next day.

Rule [5] has an exception: you'll get sympathy from other str8 shavers!

Keep on keeping on!
Mark

P.S. You might want to give it a rest and let your face heal before shaving with a str8. I've found that cuts which look like they've healed still have very thin, soft skin still and are likely to open up a little with normal shaving.

Specifically, cuts form scar tissue, which is a more or less random granular mass, half of which sits proud of the old surface of your skin. You are going to shave it off smooth with the rest of your face in time, but best to wait until it has started to harden up.

How do I know? And what is that inch long slash doing on my cheek? :-)

I could see myself doing this too. I get pretty cocky with things, and the next thing you know I need a new arm. At any rate, I guess I am extremely lucky that the first day I ever held a straight razor I was able to shave my entire face with no hiccups. However, I am getting to a point where I am confident with my razor, and that is good. But, I know that I will eventually have something like this happen to me.

I guess what I am trying to say is, I empathize with you. Happy shaving!

I put a rather nasty inch long cut in my cheek a couple of days ago too. Thankfully nothing more serious but I did get a knowing look of sympathy (from the nice man at Trumpers, no I'm not spending MORE money on shaving stuff) whilst visiting a shop.

my wife just read this thread and now wants me to give up before i start!!! but i aint gonna

Originally Posted by tonyspurs

my wife just read this thread and now wants me to give up before i start!!! but i aint gonna

My wife felt the same way until she felt my face after a shave, now she can't keep her hands off of me.

Good rules to live by

I've learned over the years to pay close attention to what I was doing. With years of working with snakes and other reptiles, fish, and furry food items. When I was young and in a hurry I got bit ALOT, as I got older and my charges got a bit more dangerous I decided I better pay attention or have a shorter life span... Amazing how much concentration can be eeked of that realization

Straights are dangerous, they require full concentration. If I'm tired, or over amped about something, I will pass on shaving till I'm able to focus fully. Sometimes I just have to stand there stareing at the job at hand and things come together, if they don't I'll just walk away. Heck I can go two days on one shave before it looks like I need a shave anyway.

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm sure just about everyone here has been in your shoes at one time or another, myself included, and you are among friends that can sympathise (sp).

This is a milestone day for you, Mike. Some lessons Do need to be learned the hard way by some people. Just think, it coulda been worse.

To better shaves,

X

OK....I'll start....


PAIN HEALS...