Thread: Thoughts about the future?

Everyone says it only gets better. For all of us newbie's could the more experienced of the bunch elaborate? I have difficult areas where my Feather bladed DE does a great job. I was able to achieve a very close shave with my DE in fairly short order; given time patience and perseverance should I expect similar results?

I would say it does get better as your technique, skin stretching and stropping / honing abilities improve so will your shaves.

The more practice you have the more you will learn how to approach the areas of your face where you had troubles when you started.

My first shaves with a straight were less than perfect, but with more practice and prep I am now able to get BBS or near BBS shaves most of the time given a sharp edge, good prep and skin stretching my shaves have improved tremendously.

It's fun always trying to step it up too

At least as good. There are several aspects that you can improve on, and here's some advice from my experience to get there..
1) Edges -- Make sure you establish a proper bevel on the 4k and to a lesser extent on the 8k. That will be your foundation. At the end of the honing process, you should almost be lifting the blade off the hone. Once you reach that point, use something to give it a good polish. I use 0.5 micron chromium oxide for that. The polish will make your shaves more comfortable, thus allowing you to go for more passes or just leave your face feeling better.
2) Prep -- There are several key steps to prepping your face for the shave...
i) Wash your face -- that way you'll remove the oils that inhibit water absorbtion. Some people skip this step, but it's a very important one i.m.e. Remember: Water softens the hair (like bread) & Oil and water don't mix.
ii) Either do a hot towel treatment or go for a shower. I shave after showering and while I'm soaping up my body, I rub the 2in1 that I use for washing my hair into my face. The conditioning element of the 2in1 (or regular conditioner) will soften it.
iii) Lather up -- Just make sure your lather doesn't dry out or run. Takes trial and error based on your brush, water mineralization/temperature and the soap/cream itself. Once you're done with the pass, get water on your face before lathering up for the next one (increases the glide).
3) Blade angle -- 30 degrees is just a starting point. When I have several days' growth, I like to reduce it to about 20-25 for the first pass. You can go as high as 35-40 for the second/third pass.
4) Stretching -- It makes your hair stand out and gives you a firmer working surface. You can do it by using your free hand, moving your jaw or flexing your facial muscles. In any case, make sure you do it.
5) Pressure -- Save it for the final pass. People are often tempted to press down harder or go for some extra blade passes during the inital pass(es). That will only get your skin raw, without much in the way of positive results. Keep it gentle and if you really want to go for a b.b.s shave, you can press down a little harder in the finall pass. This is all relative ofcourse as even that additional pressure is miniscule.
6) Exfoliation -- There is a possibility that a straight shave won't initially feel as smooth as a DE shave due to the greater exfoliating effect of the straight edge. It definitely will after about an hour and your face will be clean longer.
I hope this helps get you up there.

Excellent advice Ilija

Thanks.. As the riding season is winding down, I have more time to contribute here, at least until I start catching up to what's left on my project bench

Great advice...and always good to review...sometimes in the morning...(ok, all the time) I am not really coherent and I forget to strech the skin with every blade stroke....I shave after the shower as well, but i lather, rub it in, and then do a hot towel for 3-4 minutes (please note my user name)...then relather, open up the freshly stropped razor and off I go! The pressure comment is very important...

Also, you may notice that you face gets smother after it has dried. I use a rose water or citrus aftershave tonic with witch hazel and then a very, very thin coating of balm. After I get to work, I am amazed at how smooth my skin is.

Never going back to any other way of shaving...I'm addicted...(like I needed to announce that...)

Greg

Absolutely things get better. All with focus. Pay attention to the small details. Jumping into straight shaving is not as "easy" as using a DE, but well worth the investment in time. The above posts covers so much, so follow the good advice given.

And remember...time heals all wounds!

RT

Thanks fellas, all great advice. I'm committed, or should be?!? I've only been at this a short while and as you know being a perfectionist in the beginning is tantamount to chasing ones tail!

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

3) Blade angle -- 30 degrees is just a starting point. When I have several days' growth, I like to reduce it to about 20-25 for the first pass. You can go as high as 35-40 for the second/third pass.
4) Stretching -- It makes your hair stand out and gives you a firmer working surface. You can do it by using your free hand, moving your jaw or flexing your facial muscles. In any case, make sure you do it.
5) Pressure -- Save it for the final pass. People are often tempted to press down harder or go for some extra blade passes during the inital pass(es). That will only get your skin raw, without much in the way of positive results. Keep it gentle and if you really want to go for a b.b.s shave, you can press down a little harder in the finall pass. This is all relative ofcourse as even that additional pressure is miniscule.

Three huge difference makers for me this morning! The first pass I made with a shallow angle, taking great care to exert as little pressure as possible. Learning the Art of Stretching is another very important piece of advice.
Thanks for the Great Tips! They made a big difference!
Tenacity is the hallmark of Success!

Glad to be of service