Thread: Pride comes before a fall

When i really feel like going BBS I do very close to what Outback does. But like he said, its not for a newbie. Even if you dont draw blood it will give some major irritation. Most the time i dont sweat it. Its not worth all the extra effort.

Hi Guys,

I had my 9th shave today.

I have read a lot of posts on here and have taken advice I was given by fellow members to heart.

This is what I have learnt.

Face prep and good lather are not optional.

Shaving with a cartridge may be like eating at McDonalds where you eat it and beat it but straight shaving is fine dining, eat slowly, savour, take you time.

I had my shower today (all my Sandalwood stuff). Got dressed as I always do before putting a straight razor to my face just in case I need to go anywhere in a hurry. I stropped my razor on my board carefully 60 laps & made loads of thick creamy sandalwood lather.

I shaved slowly, s l o w l y. It took me about 25 mins to do 2 passes and I even kind of tried the X pattern that Outback and Gasman use (not very well but no blood).

I angled my razor more so that the spine was closer to my face than usual and ignored the feeling that I wasn't even shaving because if I were running the spine down my face I could always just shave again.

Anyway, I had the smoothest shave yet, didn't even feel like a shave. No blood and can't wait for tomorrow so I can do it again.

Thank you everyone for the advice, it is starting to make some sense.

Steve

Watch those Jockey's videos I posted for you on the other thread. He demonstrates the Coup d'Maitre stroke on the neck. Light pressure is key or you'll get a nice slice.

Originally Posted by HungeJ0e

Watch those Jockey's videos I posted for you on the other thread. He demonstrates the Coup d'Maitre stroke on the neck. Light pressure is key or you'll get a nice slice.

I just watched them again, I had forgotten that he said to hold the razor open flat to do the neck.

I'm going to try that tomorrow.

Steve

Here's a trick I learned because I have the crossways beard under my ears down onto my neck...now be careful, but, try a "rotating or scything" motion. The edge ALWAYS has to go perpendicular to the skin, but by "pivoting" around your thumb (depending on your grip) you'll find a semi-circle motion that trims all those whiskers but no skin.

My introduction to SR shaving was in a mall store -- Hoffritz-- but a lot like Art of Shaving in US malls now. I said to the guy who sold me my first SR, "what should I do" and he said, "never move the blade 'the long way'! " and drew a line down his cheek with his finger. I was terrified and never got a decent SR shave until almost 30 years later when I found SRP.

Lots of advice here, BUT, we've all cut ourselves. My worst came on my thumb when a distinguished senior, respected member here sold me a REALLY sharp SR that was sharpened all the way from toe to heel. My thumb slid up onto the heel while I was adjusting my grip. If not for my wife, I might still be bleeding 5 years later.

Go slowl! it's about the journey and learning, not the destination!

Originally Posted by STF

So I don’t have to figure it out the hard way.

How should I deal with the sideways hair problem on my neck?

I tried to shave with the razor slicing as it moved down and that didn’t turn out well.

Then I tried holding the razor upright toward my chin and shaving sideways, don’t do that because I had some surprisingly red results.

There must be a trick to it that doesn’t involve a cartridge razor.

On a side note, I was touching up my moustache with my clippers and caught the skin between my nostrils so let it be known that I can even cut myself with an electric razor

Steve

The only question that matters is ...

Why did you not put a picture up on "Cut of The Day" ??

Originally Posted by Magpie

The only question that matters is ...

Why did you not put a picture up on "Cut of The Day" ??

I should have, it's gonna happen again soon I'll bet so if I can get a good pic that doesn't show me crying I'll post it.

Originally Posted by STF

I even kind of tried the X pattern that Outback and Gasman use....

BTW, Steve. I got to give credit where credit is due. I had asked the same thing about getting the hollows of my neck closer and Outback sent me those same pics. It helped me to get much closer than what I was doing. Now I dont worry much about it.

One thing to consider too. It's always good to try to find the best way, seek the best shave, try to improve your game or your shave, try to find the best beer or wine or cigar or tea or whatever it may be. The problem is there is also a downside to that. Aficionadocism can very easily turn into chasing the dragon. Then it makes it hard to enjoy the ordinary things. Don't even get me started on the audiophile pursuit. These people become so obsessed with the most minute little detail that I wonder if they even enjoy it anymore. Are you really listening to the music or are you just picking apart the sound quality? I don't mean to bash anyone's pursuit, that's not what I'm saying. I guess I'm suggesting that another way to look at it is to just let it come to you. I never really pursued fancy strokes or techniques or any of that. I first initially started shaving with a straight razor as a teenager and no one taught me, there was no internet... Hell there weren't even PC's or even cell phones. I'm not saying this is right or wrong I'm just saying I didn't really have a method or formula I just did it and after years of doing it you learn techniques almost inadvertently...or maybe accidentally is the word. You're on the right path Steve and you're excited about it which is cool but it will come to you with time. I'm not saying you're wrong for trying to learn the techniques but What seems like a struggle now will just sort of come naturally after you've been doing it for a while.
We are big hockey fans in my house. my daughter was telling me her physics professor was talking about hockey one day in class and said, "there are a whole lot of physics equations going on down there on the ice." You know, I don't really believe any of those hockey players have their slide rule out while they're playing. To them it's not an equation they just do it. Could you make a physics equation out of it? Sure you could. This is unrelated I know but I've always laughed about the cliche scenes in TV shows where some guy is good at geometry and lo and behold he's a pool shark without ever having played the game... uuuhhh. I don't really think so.How does this relate to what I'm talking about? Understanding it doesn't make you good at it. What makes you good at it is doing it. Once it becomes a habit and is committed to memory a lot of these things will just come to you.

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