First few shaves--not too shabby

Hello, everyone!

I made this past weekend my entry into the world of straight razor shaving and while I have a long way to go, I am pleased with how everything is going. I received my new DOVO Bismarck that had been honed by Lynn not too long ago and wanted to make sure I had plenty of time, no distractions, etc.

For my first shave, I decided to shave just my cheeks and the sides of my neck. I was very nervous, though, and realized I'd let my trepidation get the better of me. Following the initial shave, I then decided to go whole hog and shave my entire face--very slowly and easily, mind you, but how else would I ever learn, right?

While my results thus far are hardly BBS, I do like how everything is going. It's amazing how much a superb razor and a light touch can do. I love how the more relaxed I am and the easiler I go the better I do. It's almost Zen-like: the less I try, the more I accomplish. I was especially nervous about switching hands but after trying to shave the left side of my face with my right hand (I'm right handed), I just couldn't do it. Much too awkward. Shaving with my left hand will take some getting used to but for whatever reason it felt okay, not nearly as bad as I thought. (If anything, shaving with my left hand makes me go easier and more slowly.)

The only problem is when I begin at the sideburns. Much of this, I'm sure, is my nervousness and being such a newbie. It's a bit awkward trying to see exactly where the razor is and what I'm doing in the mirror. I got a very slight (didn't even need my styptic pencil) nick on my ear from where the toe of the razor passed by my ear during the initial downward shave at my right sideburn. Any advice, anything I'm doing wrong, or is it just a matter of continued practice?

Thus far I've been using Proraso before lathering up. I like the way it feels and smells but am unsure what it's really "doing" for my beard. Post-shave is a cold-water rinse, alum block, more cold-water, witch hazel, and then after shave before I leave for the day. All in all, perhaps the best way to start the day and something I shall continue to relish and look forward to.

While shaving with a straight is something I do want to perfect, I figure I have the next fifty or so years in which to do so. If straight shaving doesn't teach one patience, I don't know what will...

Have a great day, everyone, and thanks for allowing me to share my initial success.

Cheers,
Constantine

Congrats! After a bit it becomes second nature and very easy. Until then have fun learning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Constantine

I love how the more relaxed I am and the easiler I go the better I do. It's almost Zen-like: the less I try, the more I accomplish.

Cheers,
Constantine

---

It sounds like you're doing fine :tu. Be careful with that "relaxed Zen-like feeling" , or you might give yourself a good cut :eek: . (don't ask me how I know this :D)

Heh heh. It's interesting to plunge into the straight-shaving when you've got a well-honed blade, eh? My very first str8 shave I held myself to above the chin. I only had one spot, right in the middle of the philtrum, which healed long before the shave ended. Since then all the nicks and cuts, which are relatively few and minor, heal very quickly, unlike some of the disposable/cartridge/double-edge shaves I've had.

Because my facial hair points down and to the right, and I am right handed, in order to accomplish a true XTG shave I basically use my left hand for the majority of my above-the-chin shaving. Upper lip and ATG left-sideburn are about all I actually use right-handed when going for beyond WTG. Actually, because I end up resorting to the left hand for so much I can also easily do the upper lip lefty, and of course half my neck is lefty. As much as I would like to do it ambidextrously, the follicles conspire to turn me into a 2/3rds or more lefty! :hmmm:

Try to think of it as a point of pride. When you tell people your experiences with straight-razor shaving they'll be even more impressed when you divulge the clincher: "And I do it left-handed!" Nothing like scraping your face with an extremely sharp piece of hard steel.. left-handed!!! :D

Nice to see your virginity so pleasently broken.

Welcome to SRP and glad to hear you had fun popping your straight cherry as it were!;)

Left hand gets easier as you go--for me, it now feels awkward even contemplating using my right hand on the left side; when I started, it was just the opposite.

Also agree about str8 cuts healing faster than cartridge. One other big thing you have to watch out for: one str8 is never enough! Your RAD will eventually kick in. You don't really need any more razors, but...
You have been warned.:D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dave5225

It sounds like you're doing fine :tu. Be careful with that "relaxed Zen-like feeling" , or you might give yourself a good cut :eek: . (don't ask me how I know this :D)

---

Yes, well, that certainly grabs one's attention, now doesn't it? There's an awful lot of clarity and focus to be found at the edge of a blade...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Congrats! After a bit it becomes second nature and very easy. Until then have fun learning.

---

Thanks! I read somewhere that ca. 100 shaves was a good number and after that one had learned the basics and gotten comfortable with a straight. I'm in no rush, as I said, but I do look forward to getting better.

By the way, how often should I touch up my blade on my barber hone? I strop between 10 and 15 times on the linen and ca. 20 times on the leather sides of my strop before and after shaving. Should I hone once a month? More or less often? And by "hone" I mean four or fives strokes, just to touch up (nothing major).

Thanks,
Constantine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjzMJ...eature=related

This is a great series of videos teaching you how to hone :)