Fear not! You can do this!!

I've been SR shaving for a few years, but have had to take a break and now am back. Last night as I shaved with a razor I hadn't used in a while I found myself thinking about when I first started with a SR as opposed to now. Although I have experience, I'm rusty, but all went well, and I found myself wondering what the biggest difference was.

I think the answer is "fear" or "anxiety". When I first started, I shaved every time in fear of a wrong move that would cause blood-letting. Last night I realized that for me that fear stood in the way of getting great shaves for months. Last night, I thought about how relaxed I was and how much easier it made my shave to have my hands less tense, my neck and head less contorted trying to get the perfect view of the perfect angle, and how that relaxation let the strokes flow at lots of different angles, while listening to the razor on my beard.

So that's the primary tip I'd give beginners -- be cautious and start slowly, but don't be anxious. Fear and anxiety literally tense your muscles (and your brain), and a tense shave is not a fun or close shave.

Have fun!

When learning to shave, part of the process is developing the muscle memory that allows you to perform without really thinking about it. Even though you have not used straights for a while, it does not take long for that muscle memory to return. I hope you are able to stick with it this time.

The first time you place a razor sharp piece of steel against your juggler vein, it is definitely intimidating. Soon you learn that most nicks and cuts are minor and heal quickly. Shortly thereafter you find you are seldom getting any blood letting at all. However, that does not mean that serious injury is impossible. "Shaving while distracted" can be hazardous to your health.

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Originally Posted by RayClem

"Shaving while distracted" can be hazardous to your health.

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Amen Brother! Lock the door!

'If you want to count to 21 at bedtime, do not shave in the nude"

..old aphorism

~Geezer

With respect to alleviating stress: In spite of how “silly” it looks or feels, putting on some lather and using a butter knife to grasp what your hands, arms, body are going to be doing, really works!! But many men will not do that. They just grab their blades and, slice an ear.

Shaving like shooting might be a right born onto American men, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be good at it.

Simply being a man means nothing - both arts need to be practiced, often. And when starting, doing some “dry runs” is not necessarily a bad thing. To this day I still dry fire my firearms.

Fear is a good thing in that we are talking about putting the sharpest thing you’ve ever held next your face, but you got to eventually shave with nice long strokes vs terrified short ones. This is supposed to be fun...

... you need confidence.

Good advice for sure!
It's in a way a balance of concepts that seem at times to conflict...
1. Stay calm, no big deal, you just have a razor sharp blade at your throat.
2. Keep your lessons in mind, yet clear your mind.
3. May want to avoid excessive coffee intake, yet wake up and stay sharp!

Muscle memory solves much! I practiced with a dull blade a few times a day as I waited for my pro-honed blades to come in the mail. When they arrived, new pathways had been created in my nervous system and reinforced.. when I first shaved it was much easier.

***If you don't need to think about guiding your hand then your mind is available for other functions.

If you drink coffee, consider drinking less coffee (1/2 the usual?) before shave, your nerves will be more steady. This will give more control.

My child almost sliced my throat!!! Lock the door. :rofl2:

I'm NOT a pro-shaver. I still have lessons to learn. My angle is too high, or not level. I get distracted easily. Sometimes I slice a little :tameshigiri: . Still need to be very careful with spikes and square points. My mood affects my ability to shave (never shave angry!) ... etc. etc.

Stay calm, carry on.

In My Humble Opinion,
A great use for a fully dulled GD or similar RSO.
Taught students that way. Just dull enough not to cut but give a real awareness of edge location.
YMMV
~Richard

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Originally Posted by Geezer

In My Humble Opinion,
A great use for a fully dulled GD or similar RSO.
Taught students that way. Just dull enough not to cut but give a real awareness of edge location.
YMMV
~Richard

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Hey now! I like that idea way better than the butter knife. It allows for the folding scales too. Nice.

What’s an RSO?

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Originally Posted by earcutter

Hey now! I like that idea way better than the butter knife. It allows for the folding scales too. Nice.

What’s an RSO?

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Razor Shaped Object

Some razors still cause trepidation as putting them to my face.
Large ones have gotten fairly easy as learning to keep the spine low.

It's those smaller ones that I fear. Gotta keep the spine even lower.
The hand-bone is connected to the face-bone.
You should know pretty quick what a cut is going to feel like and back-off.

Indeed, I contend this sport is not for just everyone.
Some of the toughest and smartest men I know swear they would never try it. ;)


I suppose that means we are crazy? :shrug:

Oh yeah. We are crazy. But at least we enjoy shaving more than others that hate having to shave. Maybe that makes us crazier? More crazy? I dont even know what to call it.

I like to shave with the little ones at times. Keeps me on my toes.