Thread: How are you coming along?

Wow! This thread was a bit of a sleeper when I first posted it, but now I must admit I've very excited to see all the responses! It's really heartening to see a bunch of people around the same state of progress as myself.

I'm also really glad to see I'm not the only newbie really jumping in with both feet. It makes me feel a little less foolish.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

3. Somehow I allowed a rust spot to appear on my blade by the pivot pin

I had that problem too, though I think I figured out how it happens. Do you leave your razor open after your shave to allow it to dry? If so, leave it open different amounts on different days. If you leave it open 180 degrees, then a good deal of the area around the pivot pin is burried beneath the scales and can't get air at it, but no matter how you open the blade, there is always some covered areas.

Anyhow, adjusting how much I keep it open to dry seems to have helped me.


Oh, and tonight I'm pretty darn excited. I actually managed to get the Harrison Bros and Howson that I picked up at a local flea market shaving sharp! I haven't used it yet, but I've got it passing the HHT, though it took me ages. Both due to the blade being rather dull, and because of the smile on the blade. Figuring out exactly how to rock the blade to keep contact through the stroke was a little tough at first... and I think I slowed myself down pretty good by rolling the edge at one point... But hey, it's called learning for a reason, right?

Originally Posted by Cobo

I had that problem too, though I think I figured out how it happens. Do you leave your razor open after your shave to allow it to dry? If so, leave it open different amounts on different days. If you leave it open 180 degrees, then a good deal of the area around the pivot pin is burried beneath the scales and can't get air at it, but no matter how you open the blade, there is always some covered areas.

Anyhow, adjusting how much I keep it open to dry seems to have helped me.

Is it ok to just dry the razor with terry cloths after you are done and leave it open until next shave?

It's been a while since I've been on here and I thought this was a good place to let you guys know how I've been doing.
Still a newbie and probably will be for a long time.
I've been shaving with a straight for a little over a month now and it's going pretty good. My chin is still a little bit of a problem area, but that's about it.
I'm hooked and I won't go back to a M3.
Well... I do use it to clean up my chin, but hey... give me a break, I'm still a newbie. lol
Although I still don't get a BBS every time, it's definitely a whole lot more comfortable. No more razor burn, except when I do use that damn M3...

Well... I'll let you all know how I'm progressing.

Patrick

Originally Posted by shaverdude

I am curious to know, how do you have then, probably first with the grain, the across the grain (XTG), then....?

Hey shaverdude,

I actually find that 1 WTG pass, and 1 WTG (sometimes XTG) Scything pass gets pretty much everything. I never go ATG...My skin has a difficult time with it and I find that I just don't need to.

~Chris

Originally Posted by shaverdude

Is it ok to just dry the razor with terry cloths after you are done and leave it open until next shave?

This is a great thread.

Yes you can wipe your razor. If you just leave it to air dry you will get water spots due to the dissolved solids in the water. Also you can get one of those "air-duster" cans to blow the water from between the scales.

Brad

Regarding drying the razor: I have had great success with drying the razor with a cloth (with something of a very light stropping action) and then following this with a good stint in front of the hair dryer (maybe 20-30 seconds). If I plan to leave the razor out of its storage area, or conversely pull it out of rotation for a while, I will also give it a light coat of Cool Care Plus which is a protectant/lubricant/anti-viral spray.

In general: I too am new to straight razor shaving. I have been wet-shaving since before I needed to (thank you USMC) and been exclusively DE for a while now. I have to say that I definitely get the closest most comfortable shaves from my straight. The DE is almost as good, definitely more consistent (right now) and certainly faster but just not as close or comfortable (or manly for that matter) as a good straight shave. I was having some problems attempting to shave with both hands thanks to my ridiculously disinterested left hand (he just doesn't care who he cuts) but thanks to some great advice in another thread I have adopted some different holds, the "backhand" in particular, that can be done with my right hand to shave the left-handed spots. Since then things have been going very well.

I still haven't done much in the way of stropping since my strops have not arrived yet but I am very excited to give them a go and see how that effects my shave. I can definitely tell that the shaves are not as smooth as they once were but when I started with the straights I decided to go sans DE until I get it right so I'm sticking with the plan until mission accomplishment regardless.

I too am preparing to dabble in restoration. I have a couple of razors that I intend to polish up and make new scales for and a Dubl Duck Satin Wedge that I want to restore to its original greatness. However, my wife and I are preparing to move and I have promised to wait until after the move before starting any of these projects.

Thanks for the great thread, like this entire site it is sure to be a fantastic place to pick up new tips and gain new friends.

Originally Posted by cwrighta70

Hey shaverdude,

I actually find that 1 WTG pass, and 1 WTG (sometimes XTG) Scything pass gets pretty much everything. I never go ATG...My skin has a difficult time with it and I find that I just don't need to.

~Chris

Chris, after last night's shave (see a few posts down) I see that it is the ATG (against the grain) shave that leaves the burn and those ugly red bumps, tonight I will do as you suggest above. Just to be clear, when you say "scything" again you just mean a second pass in same direction or is "scything" some special technique?

Originally Posted by icedog

Also you can get one of those "air-duster" cans to blow the water from between the scales.

Brad

Brad,

Freakin' awesome idea, I have been trying to squeeze a paper towel in between the scales and rub back and forth...takes forever.

[quote=mmccrary;205354]I will also give it a light coat of Cool Care Plus which is a protectant/lubricant/anti-viral spray.

but thanks to some great advice in another thread I have adopted some different holds, the "backhand" in particular, that can be done with my right hand to shave the left-handed spots. Since then things have been going very well.quote]

I also use Clippercide, seems like a good lubricant as well, but only use from time to time, plus a always rince and dry blade a few times after using the 'cide, so that minimizes the lubricant part of it pretty much.

I will definitly be checking out this "backhand" technique... thanks for mentioning it.

Well, shaved the left cheek and side of neck last night. Came very, very close to that BBS on the left cheek, so that was pretty awesome. The neck attempt was better than the first, but much stubble still remained behind. No pre-shave oil was used, seemed better not to use the oil, maybe because no long hair just “long” stubble.

As I have been straight razor shaving for almost a week now, I think my razor is too long. I got Dovo 5/8 that I received as a gift, kind of what got me into straight shaving anyway. The razor blade seems too long or I have a small face. I am learning that, especially on the neck, the hair (stubble) grows at very odd angles. In order to try shave at those angles with the razor I can’t allow the razor to achieve full contact with the skin across the whole razor, which makes balancing it very difficult (for a newbie such as myself). I think I would benefit from a shorter, razor blade like so (or so or so or so). The last three are extremely expensive, so I am just using them for illustrative purposes.




I also like this razor, it seems short and fat and heavy at 7/8, perhaps a heavier razor might assist me more in getting that BBS.

Anyway, I think I would benefit from a shorter razor so I could better contort the angle to get those pesky patches of stubble on the neck.

What are all you newbies using in terms of your straight razors? (brands, 4/8, 5/8 or…, quarter hollow, half hollow or fully hollow (singing blade))