Thread: First shave... FAIL!!

I am not worried about you at all. It was your first time. Looking at your face, I am very confident that with practice your shaves will improve immensely.

I don't know how difficult a Japanese straight is to use, but the learning curve for straights does seem to be steep. Yet it is not unconquerable. Take your time, focus, and enjoy!

Don't be afraid of the razor. It's a tool and like any tool, it deserves your respect, not your fear. In the next few days, you will nick yourself. There's no doubt about that. But a nick is only a nick, you'll only feel a short, split-second little sting, it will cure without hurting in a few days.
Don't curse yourself for being afraid. We all were afraid when we started. It's the first thing you need to let go.

I don't know anything about the tosuke, but if you're sure that it is shaveready and it is not cutting whiskers, the cause must be that you don't use the right angle to put it against your face. Minimal pressure is a good thing. Lay the blade flat on your cheek, right underneath the side-burn and start stroking downward, while increasing the angle until the razor starts to cut whiskers. The shallowest angle that works is good for learning. Later you'll learn to experiment with the angle a bit to improve closeness of the shave.
You'll get the hang of it pretty soon. I'm sure of it.

Have fun,

Bart.

Aram, after my first shave with my pre-honed razor (first use) my results were very similar. I had been shaving for some time, and had the technique down pretty pat before I got my DOVO in. I sent mine back to be re-honed because I knew it wasn't my technique (tried multiple angles throughout the shave - same result) so just make 100% sure it isn't your technique. If you're positive, get it honed up real nice.

Good luck man

Aram,
The first shave is always the most tense and tentative one. I am going to have to say that jumping to str8s w/ a Japenese straight might be a bit much to handle. I am assuming that the str8 is shave ready.

You have made a significant investment already. My recommendation would be to get a traditional str8 and begin there if you can.

If not stick with the Tosuke you will get the hang of it I am sure, the learning curve with a Japenese str8 might be a bit steeper.

I agree that technique may have something to do with it, but it shouldn't give you razor burn and miss hairs, that sounds like an underhoned edge.
I have a couple of questions for you.
1) Did you strop your razor before shaving?
2) Did the razor come from someone with experience honing japanese styled razors?
3) Did you feel the razor pulling hair?


I'm going to go out on a limb, and say that I don't think your razor is sharp enough. This is especially true if you felt it pulling. However as I have absolutely no experience with japanese style razors please take this with a grain of salt.

to JMS: I wish I could have made it today. Next time, for sure. Its was only a few miles from here

The member whom I purchased the Tosuke from informed me that it was shave ready. He said I shouldn't even strop it so I know what it feels like to shave with a shave ready razor. He was knowledgeable about Japanese style razors.

I applied the sharp thumb test, and it felt sharp.


One thing I also forgot to mention is I thought that the razor was going OVER and skipping most of the hairs. Is that a sign of an OVER-honed razor?

What about the burning sensation after the shave? My face felt like it was on fire.

I do have a DOVO Special, so the next shave will be with a regular straight.


Thank you to all the generous members here who are helping me with this learning process.

I appreciate it all very much, and im not quitting anytime soon

so... THANX

-aram

Hi Aram,

Welcome to SRP. I definitely do not have the amount of hair growth you have. But I do experience the not taking all of the hair off on the WTG pass. I get all my hair off on the ATG pass.

Also, when you go WTG on the first pass, try not to go over the same spot more than twice without relathering. If you go over the same spot a few times without relathering you will definitely get that razor burn feeling.

A shave ready razor will conquer all hairs. It may not do it for long and will need to be rehoned sooner than later but I'm sure the other members that have a heavy hair growth can chime in on that.

Good luck and keep shaving.

Originally Posted by Aram

My first shave was the worse shave i've ever gotten in my entire life, but im still not quitting.

It was with a Japanese Tosuke that I received today from one of our members here.

1. Took a hot shower.
2. Made a nice thick lather with one of coleens soaps, and spread it across my face with a regular cheap-o brush.
3. Hesitated for about 5 minutes, then finally went for it.

The first stroke, i barley touched the blade to my face, and it took a few hairs off.
I dont know why, but I was terrified of the blade cutting up my face, so I did not put any pressure on the blade AT ALL.
I have Lynn Abrams DVD, and when he shaved in there, he said not to use pressure too.

I went over the right side of my face, NOT against the grain. I did that for a few times, and it seemed that it was taking ONLY about 15% of what it should take.

In the end, my face started burning like hell, but at the same time, i still had a lot of facial hair. I had to finish off with my mach3. And now, my face looks like 'doodoo' with a lot of bumps and all that normal regular stuff you get from disposable razors.

I hope this is just a learning curve and i'll get over this. I've already invested so much money into this, and I really want it to work.


**Im thinking that the stubble I had on my face was a little too much for the razor? You guys tell me, heres a pic.

Originally Posted by Aram

The member whom I purchased the Tosuke from informed me that it was shave ready. He said I shouldn't even strop it so I know what it feels like to shave with a shave ready razor.

On a side note, I'm assuming (and this is directed at everyone on the forum) that our forum honemiesters strop up razors they hone before sending them out. This may have been discussed before, but I have missed it since I've only been on here a month.

I'm assuming this because I believe each honemiester test-shaves the razors?

Thanks for the clarification...

~Chris

Originally Posted by cwrighta70

On a side note, I'm assuming (and this is directed at everyone on the forum) that our forum honemiesters strop up razors they hone before sending them out. This may have been discussed before, but I have missed it since I've only been on here a month.

I'm assuming this because I believe each honemiester test-shaves the razors?

Thanks for the clarification...

~Chris

Some suggest you strop whilst others don't. If your a newbie and you strop, you may roll the edge which will produce a crappy shave. However if you don't strop, depending on how many days it is in transit the edge may oxidize slightly thus also producing a crappy shave. 6 of one or 1/2 dozen of the other.

Welcome to SRP Aram! Glad to see that you are not giving up - the guys above have all given you terrific advice.....take advantage of the forums and the knowledge contained here and you'll be shaving with fewer and fewer problems as the days pass. Best of luck!!