Thread: My first shaving success

I finely did it. 20 years ago I decided I wanted to try a straight. I went and bought the only thing I could find. It was a Bartman made in Solingen. I got a strop and went to work. Put it on my face and said yeeeouch! No matter how much I stropped it still hurt. So in the drawer it went. Many years later I took it to a professional knife sharpener. Same results. In the drawer again it went again.

A couple of weeks ago I bought another package of disposables and said this is stupid. I have a razor and I’m tired of spending money on razors. So out came the razor again only this time I went to the Internet found this forum. I got a barber hone on ebay and some honing film strips (15 micron, 5 micron, and .3 micron $5) and a DMT extra fine home at woodcraft. I went to work and finally got an edge that passes the hanging hair test with ease. No more ouch. MY FIRST STRAIGHT SHAVE after only 20 years of trying.

So here is my question. I glide that thing over my right cheek with east and no slicing and what shows up but a bunch of little blood spots. There are no skin bumps that I know of and no zits. Some parts of my face were relatively blood free and others looking like a battlefield. So what gives? Is my angle wrong? I didn’t use a protractor but I think I was close to 30 degrees. I had absolutely no slicing action. It was messy.
Craig
Other than that I am really happy about this success. I suppose I can’t complain since I am basically like a 13-year-old kid starting to learn how to shave for the first time. As for the saving money……… I used to pay about $20 a year on razors. I just spent $7 barber hone ebay, $47 Sheffield razor ebay so I can let one reset while I use the other, $44 DMT, $5 honing film, about $30 for soap making supplies so now I and a buddy have shave soap for the rest of our lives and some to pass on, and hours and hours of fun and frustration trying to make it work. That makes $133 or 6.5 years of disposables. I’ll probably end up buying another razor and hone so in 10 years I might break even. I’m not sorry I did it.

Craig,

The learning curve for straight razor shaving is measured in months, not days. If you persist, you will succeed. It took me about 3 months to get comfortable and consistent shaves. Best of luck!

Scott

To me it sounds like you're using too much pressure. as the person before me said - it usually takes weeks to get fairly proficient, but as long as you're having fun you're fine.
use very light pressure and more than one pass, each one reducing the beard, not eliminating it. also you probably want to temporarily get content with a presentable shave, not perfect...
I think buying quality soap from somebody who has mastered the trade (thegentlemensquarter.com comes to mind) might have been wiser than learning to make your own, but again, if you want to get into soapmaking, there's nothing wrong with that.

congrats on the first shave, they only get better

I'm relatively new too. The advice I've been given is that you might want to think about sending your razor to Lynn (classicshaving.com) for a professional honing. Then try shaving with your straight. Once you feel the difference, you will be hooked on Str8 razor shaving -- the rest (on-going prep, stropping, shaving, honing, etc.) can be worked out via practice, technique and patience. I've won a few battles -- and I keep taking small steps with the kind help of others in the forum. You can too. Don't give up bro.

To me it sounds like you're using too much pressure. ......use very light pressure and more than one pass, each one reducing the beard, not eliminating it.

Thanks for the tip. I did not know that. I thought it was all suppose to happen in one shot. I did use a lot of pressure.

I think buying quality soap from somebody who has mastered the trade (thegentlemensquarter.com comes to mind) might have been wiser than learning to make your own,

I am new to straight razor shaving but not to soap making. My bubby tells me that it's as good as his special shave gel his wife buys him so I guess its good. I always shaved in the shower with regular soap or just water so I'm no judge.