Thread: First Shave and a Question?

@ RNFuller: I think maybe it is preference. I sometimes dip my razor into a bowl of hot water (Seriously guys I am lacking even the most basic of necessities) but fount I have just ever so slightly touched the bowl with the razor. I have tried wiping the blade on the palm of my hand which I read about somewhere but personally don't like having a handful of shaving soap and whiskers, so I just use a damp cloth, but if you do this, you must seriously watch the edge or it will have an ill effect. Congrats on your first shave.

Originally Posted by Markopolo

God as my witness, I tried to do everything EXACTLY as Lynn did in his video......hot towel......(even over the lather).......EVERYTHING !

I believe that it is helpful watching the DVD even 100's of times, I have too but.
You can keep watching the DVD until the cows come home, its not always going to help you get a flawless first shave. Coming from different forms of shaving to straight shaving is a huge change. Most people do have difficulties with their first few shaves. Good luck, they will improve soon.

Originally Posted by Markopolo

Can't understand it.........I honed & honed & honed & stropped & stropped & stropped until I was SURE they were as good as they can get !

(Is it possible to get razor-burn without actually taking any whiskers off) ?......if it is, I think I might have at least accomplished that ?

Marko....

I haven't followed your previous thread(s) so will ask a basic question. Did you have one of your straights honed by a professional first so you would have a reference point when doing your own honing? If not that could be your problem.
I recommend you have one honed by Lynn or Joshearl (those two honemeisters names are stuck in my head, but there are many more) then you can know what it is to shave with a truly shave ready straight and also it gives you your reference point for honing.

Good luck to both of you, and if I haven't already welcomed you both. Welcome to SRP.

Originally Posted by rnfuller

So how does everyone else remove the lather from the blade between strokes?

Thanks again to everyone on the board!

Randy

Welcome Randy and congrats to having a good first shave. Sense I now can use both hands shaving I use my off hand to turn the hot water faucet on to rinse the blade. It works for me.

bj

Good to know... that just seemed the natural solution to me...

Case made razors? Gotta find me one! Case is pretty much the gold standard for me as far as knives are concerned (CV blades all the way!).

Thanks for the moral support Old !.........In answer to your second question, the answer is "No".

After watching the dvd, I thought I could do it, so I tried......(and tried & tried).

Now the old Case.....I figured that thing needed a fair amount of work, as I notice a good amount of flattening on the spine (being an OLD razor, it's only doing what's expected of it)......

Now the new T-I......Well, the propaganda sheet that came with the razor promised that it was "ready to shave with".

I didn't believe it, so I did a little honing on that too !

I'm kind of stumped right now.......do I keep trying to get these things sharp myself (thus enjoying the "pride" of doing it myself), or do I swallow my pride, and send them to Lynn ?

After all, he said in the dvd, that part of the joy is shaving with a razor that YOU YOURSELF honed.

WHO KNOWS ?......maybe it IS sharp, and I'm just expecting too much ?

Marko......

Originally Posted by Markopolo

...
I'm kind of stumped right now.......do I keep trying to get these things sharp myself (thus enjoying the "pride" of doing it myself), or do I swallow my pride, and send them to Lynn ?
...

Consider a compromise and use both approaches? Send one out for sharpening and use it to compare to your own efforts with the second one!

Thanks Steven ! I thought about doing that. I may make up my mind tomorrow. I worked on the T-I again tonight (only because I think it's closer to being "perfect" than the old one).

I'm getting ready (as I type this) to go into the shaving den and give it another try.

If I'm again dissapointed, I'll send BOTH razors out to the Pro.

Marko.....

I avoid letting my razor blade touch water as much as possible. The only moisture my razor really gets exposed to is the shaving lather on my face. After shaving, I carefully wipe my blade down with a couple of squares of toilet paper and store in the closet. Any traces of soap (which would be small) is low in acidity and protect the blade until next time. While shaving, I used to use a hand towel to wipe the lather off but now I use a foam beer cooler. Since they're cheap, I don't mind if they get cut up. When you 're ready just run the holder under warm water to clean it out.
Ernest

I guess this might be a good time to apologize to Randy.......(sorry I hopped onto your thread......forgive me).......

Well, the shave tonight went just a "hair" better.......still no blood........(and just a LITTLE BIT smoother)........But I really think (in my heart) that a straight can do better.

I really LOVE doing this, mind you...........

Tonight, I used Taylors "Shave-Shop" shaving cream.......Absolutely WONDERFUL ! ! !

I think I've made up my mind that I have to send both razors out to be professionally honed.........

I've worked on them for several nights, and have only been able to bring them to barely acceptable sharpness..........

(Hells Bells....I might actually be making them WORSE !)

I've got enough common sense to know that there comes a time when you have to "swallow hard", and get help !

If I can figure out how to get them to Lynn (searched the board, and haven't found yet)......I'll send them both out.

Marko......

Originally Posted by Markopolo

If I can figure out how to get them to Lynn (searched the board, and haven't found yet)......I'll send them both out.

Marko......

Lynn's handle is Adjustme69

Flick him a PM, you won't regret it. You are actually making things worse by continuing with the razors the way they are. Buy a dunger of E-bite and use it as a practice razor (but not a zeepk, kreiger etc)

Thanks Old.......This is what I need.......friends on this thread
to guide me.......(I really want to be a "regular")....

Marko......