Thread: Any Advice will be gratefully received

Hi Guys,

I have had an immense amount of really helpful advice from fellow members at SRP.

I thought I really ought to actually let you see me shave. It's time for the dogs to see the rabbit

Any advice will be most welcome, as long as it's not sell your razor LoL.

This was only my 12th shave and I thought I might do this again at 20 shaves so you can see my improvement, then 30 , 40 etc.

Anyway, excuse the poor quality I did it in the bathroom with my iPad balanced on a box.

Steve

https://youtu.be/1hAw6AeG_Co

Glad to see you are using both hands, I definitely would stick to it and you will get the hang of it in no time. If that edge is extremely sharp I recommend getting a second razor with a coticule edge. IMO coticule edges don't last as long but I feel like they are very friendly edges/harder to cut yourself with. If you do get a coticule edge though I wouldn't recommend shaving with it if you have over 3-5 days of growth as it might struggle more than a sharper edge ( great friendly daily shaving edge though ).

Also, your shaving angle got a bit steep sometimes. I would try to lower that angle and watch videos of what angle others are using. (I use about the width of the spine but sort of varies)

Steve, that reminds me of how nervous I was when I started to teach myself how to shave with a straight razor. That is all perfectly normal too. You will eventually get more comfortable with it just don't try to push it too hard for now.

We all shave slow at the start so you might want to just lather on section at a time to keep the lather from drying out on you. Regarding the lather, you may want to add a bit of water slowly to make it less dry and slicker too.

Try puffing your cheeks out and really stretching your neck by looking up and jutting your chin out.

Hard to tell if you had much of a gap between the spine and you cheeks. Around 1 to 2 spine widths should do for starters. I thought going against the grain on your neck you had a bit much of a gap. That is when a smaller gap could be helpful.

All in all you are doing better than I did at the point in my straight razor shaving career. It takes about 100 shaves/3 months to get comfortable and decent at it. Slow and easy does it.

Bob

I think Bob has said about what i would say. More water, lather less of the areas to keep it from drying and relax. You act so nervous it made me nervous to watch you. Lol.

Fantastic, bringing back some great memories on how fun it was to climb that curve, to turn a task into an experience, and one I still absolutely enjoy almost 7 years later.

Great job, 20 shaves is a definite benchmark, then it becomes easier and easier and you start to further refine your technique to your face, the spots that are trouble, and your own method.

Has RAD consumed your life yet? :-)

Originally Posted by Phrank

Has RAD consumed your life yet? :-)

I’ve got a feeling I am going to catch RAD from you guy’s, I'm already in the forum most of the day.

Steve

Originally Posted by Christian1

Glad to see you are using both hands, I definitely would stick to it and you will get the hang of it in no time. If that edge is extremely sharp I recommend getting a second razor with a coticule edge. IMO coticule edges don't last as long but I feel like they are very friendly edges/harder to cut yourself with. If you do get a coticule edge though I wouldn't recommend shaving with it if you have over 3-5 days of growth as it might struggle more than a sharper edge ( great friendly daily shaving edge though ).

What’s a coticule edge?

Steve

A Coticule is a specific type of hone referred to as a Belgian Coticule. They are quarried in Belgium and have been used since Roman times.
They leave a rather comfortable edge on the razor but take some practice to get the most out of them.
Be aware that all Coticules are not the same.

This should give you an idea what they look like ....

https://sharprazorpalace.com/hones/1...-coticule.html

A coticule edge is a shaving edge produced using a coticule razor hone. These hones are mined in Belgium and tend to produce smooth comfortable edges. I generally hone my straights on a coticule and then finish on a finer finishing stone, but the coticule edges I get are shave ready and only get better with the finisher.

It seems to me that you should spend more time on the preparation before shaving. A hot shower before shaving helps, but I find that the softening effect on my whiskers wears off by the time I dry myself and get ready to lather up. Soak a face cloth or small towel in hot water and apply it to your face. Let it sit for a few minutes and then repeat. It really does soften the whiskers and it feels really good ; ). Take your time and slow the process down.

Your lather looks a tad dry and you didn’t give it much time to work on your facial hair. I find that applying the initial coat of lather just provides a base for full lather development. Once I have that on my face, I dribble a tiny bit of hot water onto the brush and lather again. I might do this 4 or 5 or 6 times until I feel the lather is slick and rich. Takes only a couple of minutes, but it works a lot of moisture into the lather without making it thin and sloppy. It also hydrates your facial hair and it feels good.

I agree with the others about the angle of the blade to your face.

As for pressure, the best advice I was ever given is to shave the lather not the skin and use only the weight of the razor against your skin. If the blade is sharp enough and the facial prep thorough enough, you will feel and hear the edge cut through the whiskers and the blade will glide across your face.

A lot depends on how well your razor has been honed and stropped and the quality of the shaving soap you are using. You might also consider applying a pre-shave oil to your face before lathering. It will help the pre-shave prep until you are more confident about getting a good lather on your face.

Hi all,

I have read it,you guys have said it.

So why did I leave the bathroom door open and start talking with my wife while I shaved.

Lucky I have fabric side on my strop to clean my blade when it gets red eh?

Must say though that my fabric side is starting to smell like meat

Incidentally, I have discovered what a square point will do to cheek if it isn’t stretched.

Steve