Thread: First shave success!

Well, after months of reading, researching, watching DVDs, purchasing razors that need honing, and participating in SRP for months, I finally did it! I guess this story starts a few weeks back when I bought a shave ready Genco Fluid Steel 5/8th round point from HeavyDuty.

Things were a little crazy around the household since my fiancée and I were in the last preparations of our wedding. Well, I ordered the razor anyhow (thanks David for being so great about the entire process!) and knew that the razor would arrive during my honeymoon.

So yesterday, my wife and I get back home from our honeymoon, and before I even unpack the car, I go to the neighbours to get the mail to see if my razor had arrived...and it had! I unwrapped it like a kid on Christmas, admiring how nicely it had been restored and sharpened. The razor past the hanging hair test immediately!

Well, I tell you gents, this is how you know you have married the right woman - this morning, I shower and get ready to put the razor to the test (HeavyDuty had already stropped the razor so I would have a perfect first shave). My wife comes into the bathroom, and sits down on the tub edge and proceeds to watch my first straight shave and offers not only her encouragement, but also some good pointers (she watched all three and a half hours of Lynn's DVD with me the week before our wedding!).

The first pass with the grain was a little tricky, not really knowing which hand to use, what grip to use, et cetera. I was also being very careful of my pressure and blade angle. All of my machinations and razor grips were made more complicated by the fact that I grow a goatee during the winter months, so I had to figure out how to get the blade up to, but not past my chin in a near vertical position.

My wife noted that it looked like "I needed to shave again - all you're doing is removing the shave soap." I reminded her that straight razor shaving is about beard reduction in passes, and not elimination...we both had a good chuckle over my verbatim quote of Lynn from his DVD!

The second across the grain pass certainly did the trick. I was a little more confident, and adjusted the blade angle and pressure slightly. I used more confident strokes, and can gladly report BBS cheeks, no irritation, or weepers!

I just wanted to thank you all at SRP for pointing me in the right direction, offering tips, advice and your experience. This place, I have to compliment, really does set you up to succeed if you take you time and learn before you put steel to face.

Thanks again, and I hope I don't ruin my edge tomorrow stropping!

Mark

P.s. Do you know how you know how great you got it? When your new wife, on her honeymoon, suggests (unprompted) to go antiquing for straight razors, even though she's allergic to dust! Yes, my friends, I certainly lucked out!

First off Congratulations Mark, certainly sounds like a wonderful woman.

Second, I have no idea what else to say actually, other than good luck and keep us posted.

Thats neat. Get her posting so I can learn something!

Sweet!!!
You have WAY more patience than I do!!

sounds great, mark! congratulations!
oh, and the new wife looks like a keeper, but if you ever change your mind let us know

Great write-up! I'm still waiting for my razor to arrive so I am curious to see what happens with my first shave. Luckily this extra waiting fixed a couple of nasty ingrown hairs left behind from my last safety shave.