Whole face or sections at first?

Hello, everyone.

Shave #4 this morning was okay. I'm learning that a mediocre straight shave is on par (for me, at least) with a really good Mach 3 shave. I can only imagine what a really good straight shave will be like and look forward to discovering it as I improve.

Is it better for a newbie to go whole hog and shave one's entire face from the beginning or take one section at a time? I'm tempted to do the former--in fact, I've done just that for the past two days. Not bad--no cuts but some razor burn on my neck. I may be in over my head, though (it felt that way this morning).

Back in January on the "How much do people cut themselves?" thread, Lynn wrote:

If you start off slow and shave from the dominant hand side burn to jaw first for a few days and then move to the cheek and then switch hands and do the same on the other side of the face follwed by each side of the neck up and down and then take on the chin a little bit at a time, you will likely have less nicks than the person who takes on the whole face from the first. The method described lets you get used to the feel of the razor and the angles necessary to cut. This establishes a comfort level as you learn more (28 January 2008).

I think I'll go back to this. I don't like feeling that I'm getting too much thrown at me, if not rushed altogether. What have some of you done and what would you recommend? Thanks!

Cheers,
Constantine

I'd follow that advice. Sections at a time first. The upper lip for example is a particular challenge and is best shaved with the base of the blade (as with most tough areas). It can take a while to learn these various techniques, strokes, and even the best section of the blade for a particular section.

Hey, it is different for everyone. I worked the easy parts of my face for a number of weeks before tackling the more difficult regions.
Do what works for you!

Whatever suits you best, Constantine.
If you like to shave your whole face, and feel comfortable and confident about it, I see no reason why you shouldn't.
On the other hand, there's no shame in approaching things slow either. But to say that it would be wrong to do the whole shave with your straight right from day one, is a bit exagerated, in my opinion.

You know yourself best. If you feel up to it, go for it. If you feel like slowing down, then slow down.

Bart.

I've only been shaving for a couple of days now.
I've been shaving my cheecks and a little on my neck.
I'm slowly trying to figure out the angle and feel of it.
I'll shave more when I'm ready!

Whatever works for you is the best method.

I've been shaving for a little less than a month now and 'til the beginning I've shaved my whole face with changing hands... but I took my time (the first four shaves took me a little less than an hour) and I'm not obsessed by a BBS shave: I do only two WTG passes with the straight, and if I need a closer shave, I passe the ATG with my DE. That's what is working for me, until I feel more confortable to do the ATG with the straight.

I think you can try to shave your whole face but if you don't feel confortable with it (I had problems with my goatee and my jawline) just use your Gilette or DE for the problematic part... You have to enjoy your shave, not to punish yourself... with time, practice and confidence it will come (I hope so :-) ).

+1 to what everyone else said.

Starting by only shaving sections absolutely helps. It builds your confidence in handling the razor as well as helping you gain knowledge in proper angles. Although just like some others have said diving right in may be what works for you. I say shave every part of your face that you feel comfortable shaving. If you felt over your head when shaving your neck then hold off on that for the time being.

Just for reference I started only shaving my sideburns and cheeks. Each shave I would try shaving my neck, if I felt uncomfortable with it I'd leave it for the DE. Just yesterday I did my whole face for the first time. I finally felt comfortable enough with the blade to do it and it all went pretty well.

Do what works for you and like I've seen someone here say:w..... Have fun!

Thanks for all the replies, everyone! I really appreciate your advice. I'm going to stick with shaving sections rather than my entire face. That way, I'll be able to do one thing really well before turning to something else.

I think shaving with a straight is a lot like studying martial arts. In aikido and jujitsu, at any rate, one is dealing with simple movements and techniques, but at the same time they are quite complicated in that they are made up of lots of little (sometimes imperceptible) things. What has helped me in my practice is to focus on the little things, do one small thing over and over and really get it down pat, and then integrate it with the other movements and then deal with the whole. Slow becomes smooth, smooth becomes fast. Before too long, I've got what I've been practicing down pretty well--better than if I would have tried to do the whole technique from the start.

That's my impression, at least. I'm getting comfortable shaving my cheeks and next week I may just work on the sides of my neck, too. I've got the rest of my life to "perfect" this, so it's not as if I'm in any kind of rush.

Thanks again,
Constantine

I think sections is the way to go. Think of it like this, as you shave different areas of the face and use different strokes the skill needed really is different. Its like taking math and starting with Algebra 1 and then going to Algebra 2 and then Int Algebra. Would you want to go from Algebra 1 to Int Algebra? If you were a math wiz probably yes and there are some guys who are a wiz at shaving and can do it all really quickly but most of us are not in that league. So just take it slow and build on you skills.

As everyone else says, do what you feel comfortable with. This is just a line to say that I just jumped in with the whole face from day one. The only time I finish off with a cartridge is when doing my scalp and this is as much (I like to tell myself) because I have to shave that part of my head without my glasses on. Upper lip was surprisingly easy but the chin was a nightmare for a while, much razor burn etc. By the time I got my second, genuinely shave ready razor from Steve at the Invisible edge (as opposed to 'shave ready' direct from TI, thing of beauty though it is) my general technique had been honed so as to solve those initial teething problems too. Stropping, lathering and stretching are definitely included in that general technique. Like I said at the start, my intention here is not to dissent from the consensus (ie do what you're comfortable with), just to point out that it can genuinely include any variation. Hope this make sense.

I've been straight shaving for a month and a half now and I shave my whole face at once. That said, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who has to be well-shaven for work. I take anywhere from 45-90 minutes to shave depending on my success and which razor I'm using and I only do it every 2-3 days. I do about 5-9 hot towel treatments and shave each section separately. I've had two totally BBS shaves and the rest are, as you mentioned, as good as my best cartridge shaves. The sectioning off thing allows you to understand the different angles of approach and what part of the blade to use, both of which I am still working out. I seriously doubt most people have 90 minutes to shave when they need to and that is why I recommend sections and progression where you ween yourself off your old razor. I have to agree that proper stropping, lathering, and skin stretching are key, the last of which becomes more natural if you're going in sections. Good luck.

Adam

straight shaves for me no matter how bad have almost always equaled that of a cartridge razor. Maybe in the very beginning I had worse luck but not after the first few times. THey last hours longer, feel better, and are much more comfortable not to mention close. It did take me a while to learn how to do it right, and to do it right every time, but it is still my faces saving grace. I don't even remember how to shave with a cartridge now.

IT took me a few weeks to do my entire face with the straight. Up until then I was finishing my chin and mustache with a DE as well as a complete second pass. I gradually improved my technique and got a couple of truly shave ready razors and was able to put the DE away. I have been doing a two pass shave solely with the straight for the last few weeks. Watching Lynn's DVD a few times and practicing honing & stropping a lot also helped. Living close enough to a forum member with a few years experience also was greatly beneficial for me. His coaching on honing, stropping and lathering has been a great help. I am still a bit awkward with manipulating the blade in one direction or another but it is getting better day by day as I gain more experience. Practice makes perfect I guess.