Thread: Advice, tips and help required.

Hi all. OK so, I have, thanks to Curunner//Roy, been introduced to straight razors...and been trying to get my technique sorted for the razor he kindly sent me...however, I have two types...one is a 5/8, and the new one is 8/8. So is there a difference in the technique needed? I'm still trying to get the technique correct for the smaller one...but without much success. Any help give would be appreciated. Thanks

Well techniques vary, in part because skin types and hair types and hair growth patterns are all different. It does require a bit of experimenting to figure out things like the order in which certain passes are made. Some things are pretty much the same. Keep the blade angle low, the lather wet, skin taught by using stretching, holding and body stance and making faces.

You might stick to the smaller one for a while till you get to hang of it. I love the big ones myself but they might maneuver differently especially around the curves.The technique is the same i would say, just keep the spine a low as possible (just above your skin) and shave away. JMHO
What are you struggling with in your technique?

So, I guess you got that Monster razor. Glad it made the trip.

As the guys say, its really the same. The issue is being new at it. The little one is what I would recommend learning with. It will help you to learn angles and pressure. The big one is much heavier and makes pressure all on its own. As said, Angle and a good lather make all the difference. Plus the fact that it takes around 100 shaves before you really start to figure it out. Go slow and easy and dont give up and you will win in the end.

Getting the angle right....I've tried with the blade at what seems to be around the recommended 30 degrees, but the blade ust seems to scrape over the stublle, without cutting...I have tried at a much sharper angle, and whilst that works with an old fashioned insertable blade, it doesn't with a straight razor. I did get it right...once...the rest of the time, not. I'm running out of plasters! hehe!

Could be to do with stropping technique as well. Slow and steady wins the race there. 5/8 is a good choice to learn with and starting out on an easy spot like cheeks until you sort the angles out. A decent lather helps the razor glide and cushion your face from the edge.
Stick at it, all comes together eventually.

Originally Posted by WILDKATMIKE

Getting the angle right....I've tried with the blade at what seems to be around the recommended 30 degrees, but the blade ust seems to scrape over the stublle, without cutting...I have tried at a much sharper angle, and whilst that works with an old fashioned insertable blade, it doesn't with a straight razor. I did get it right...once...the rest of the time, not. I'm running out of plasters! hehe!

You have received some good advice. But 30 degrees is a bit steep of a shave angle. A good basic shave angle can be found by laying the razor flat against the face, then tipping the spine out away from the face so that the gap between spine and face is equal to the spine thickness. Extremely sharp razors might work best with an even narrower gap, in extreme cases nearly dragging the spine on the face. A dull razor might still shave, if you tip it out to about one and a half spine thicknesses, which coincidentally IS in the neighborhood of 30 degrees. However if such a high angle is needed, then your razor needs at the least, a touch-up honing.

There are sharpness tests that you can perform, just to sort of verify that the razor is or maybe is not sharp enough to do the job. One simple one is to pass the razor over your forearm but not touching the skin at all. At a height of about 1/4" a fairly sharp razor should lop the tips off of at least one or two hairs in each pass. The exact results will vary somewhat due to several factors such as hair texture, sweep speed, angle, etc but on average a razor that treetops at 1/4" should be sharp enough to get the job done. Note that shave comfort and razor sharpness can seem to be at odds with one another. I am talking about just raw cutting power. Now if it does not treetop at 1/4" but it does at 1/8" or maybe even slightly closer, then it will probably shave, just maybe not so well, and it could stand a touchup on a good finisher by someone who knows what he is doing. If not even at 1/8" then very likely a dull razor is your problem. If you received it from a member then most likely it was shave-ready sharp at the time, but it is not unknown for a new straight shaver to dull the edge with too steep a shave angle, excessive sharpness testing, improper stropping, or storage in a moist environment. BTW, if you attempt to shave arm hair at skin level, that is not a valid sharpness test for a razor to be qualified as shave-ready. It is a good test for a pocketknife, or maybe to check that the bevel is set while honing a razor, but that's it.

Any sharpness test that you perform, particularly without much experience at this, should be regarded as an indicator, not proof of shave-ready condition. It does not point to a fact, but merely to a strong possibility to medium probability.

Your shave technique is still developing. You are not yet in the running or even walking stage yet, but are still beginning to crawl. Your personal shave technique could be at fault, but this will all come to you after an indefinite number of shaves. Shaving with a shavette does get your hand in the game and gets you acquainted with straight razor format shaving, but the differences can be confusing. For one thing, a shavette with a fresh blade has a lot of cutting power, more than all but a very few straight razor edges you will experience. A reasonably sharp razor that many shavers would declare shave-ready, could disappoint you, coming straight from a shavette. The straight razor often needs a bit of help. The operator has to do his part not merely to prevent skin cuts, but to promote whisker cutting, as well. It will come to you in time. This is especially true if you have a very tough beard, which a fresh shavette blade plows through with no trouble. One way of helping your razor is to add a bit of slicing motion to your shave stroke. Don't overdo it, and watch your shave angle and pressure and stretching, or your slicing stroke might slice you. Normally this would be considered an advanced technique, but I am feeling like you might benefit from adopting it.

Most shavette shavers will be quite satisfied with a single pass shave. Most, or at least many, straight razor shavers will shave in two or three passes, lathering in between. The first pass merely reduces your facial foliage, and the subsequent passes clean it up and make it closer. A good beginner shave is two WTG passes, or as close to WTG as practical. After a dozen shaves or so, you could add a third pass, maybe making it ATG. Prep is important. Hydrate those whiskers before shaving. Shaving right out of the shower without drying your face is a very good way of doing that. A nice slippery lather is an absolute must.

As for the razor, sure, the 5/8 will be a little easier right out the gate. That does not mean you CAN'T shave with the bigger razor, only that you probably should try it a few times before attempting to shave with the big one. In fact, if you don't soon find your shave improving, I would definitely give the bigger razor a try. It may be sharper. Your grip and technique might make the bigger razor more suitable to you, just maybe.

If you are getting your first dozen or couple dozen shaves without any bloodshed, you are actually doing pretty good, even if the shave is not particularly clean and close. Survive unscathed for now, and closeness will come with experience. You are probably making more progress than you realize, and it could well come to pass that in only a dozen or fewer more shaves, you will find your shaves becoming quite a bit more satisfying.

When I first started to straight shave and it wasn't all that long ago, I got my iPad out and recorded a shave. I uploaded it to YouTube as a private video so no one could see it unless I gave them a link.

I gave the link in the forum so the guys here could actually watch my shaves and give me advice.

I am sure that some of the guys here remember that terrified newbie.

I got so much help and advice that it felt like having a couple of experienced shavers standing behind me and my shaving abilities took a huge leap forward, maybe you should consider it too.

A piece of advice I can offer because it's so basic but one of the most important things I learned, keep the razor moving as long as it's touching your face. If you stop moving the razor it will cut you.

Originally Posted by WILDKATMIKE

Getting the angle right....I've tried with the blade at what seems to be around the recommended 30 degrees, but the blade ust seems to scrape over the stublle, without cutting...I have tried at a much sharper angle, and whilst that works with an old fashioned insertable blade, it doesn't with a straight razor. I did get it right...once...the rest of the time, not. I'm running out of plasters! hehe!

I don't think the advice to use a 30 degree angle on the blade is helpful. Not because it is necessarily wrong but I think it is hard for most people to visualise 30 degrees accurately, at least it was for me. I think it is much easier to actually see the gap between the spine and your face. For me using about one spine width gap, give or take, works out best.

Bob

It has been said it takes 100 shaves to get the hang of using a straight.
Don't give up.