Thread: Well, I'm alive...

Sorry for all the new posts, but since each happens to be on a somewhat different topic I thought that was the way to go. Anyway I finally gave the straight razor shave a try tonight, is there supposed to be this much bloodshed? Actually it wasn't all that bad, I got several good nicks and learned a ton. First off I watch a bunch of Youtube videos of people shaving with straights. This didn't really help a great deal, I kind of figured out how best to hold it as I went along. I read the Wikapedia article on straights and found that my particuler razor is a spike razor and not really recommended for a newbie, after shaving with it I now know why, I would say that 100% of my cuts where caused by that nasty little point. I actually shaved about 75% of my face until I let the blade down wrong to start a cut and left a nasty long cut on the side of my neck, then I decided to finish off with a electric razor. Something I learned was that my razor wasn't nearly sharp enough, and that likely caused me problems, I could feel it grabbing slightly sometimes. Also I think the cheap soap I bought isn't good (however the cheap brush I bought rocks). The soap seems to lather up really thinly, I think it needs to be alot thicker so that the blade has some lubrication, most of the time it felt like I was dry shaving. Also is it true that you shouldn't let your razor get wet with water? I just wiped the lather/blood/hair off on a clean cloth and when I was done I wiped the razor good and coated it in mineral oil. I got a lot of nicks around my chin and my ears, that was my two trouble spots. Interestly under my nose seemed really easy. So that is how it went, I must say that I will for sure keep trying this, it's p$ssed me off so much that I got all the nicks that I'm determined to master this now. Makes you appreciate how difficult it would have been for a teenager around 1900 just learning to shave. Also I was pretty nervous with this being my first try, so my hands weren't what I would call steady either. Any tips that you guys could give me would be awesome and hopefully help me out here. Thanks..

Well.. A teenager back in the day would have the benefit of hands on training from his father or grandfather. All we have now is eachother.

You'll be amazed how much you will have learned from that first experience. I can pretty much guarantee that the next one will be a lot better.

Don't be disheartened, and keep it up. You will get there in th end!

First try is always the worst. There will be blood, as you have learnt. You'll start to "learn" your face & beard & accuracy & time taken will improve. If you haven't already, get yourself a razor which has been honed by an expert. The difference is amazing & you'll not nick yourself as much.

Welcome to the coolest club Anywhere!!!

Well my razor was honed by Gugi, I bought it off him, but he said it needed stropping. I did strop it but maybe my technique is not so good. After sleeping the night I washed my face this morning and you can hardly notice all my nicks. You guys are sure right about a close shave though. Where I shaved with the straight is still smooth this morning, but where I shaved with the electric razor is getting rough already.

Originally Posted by Cyclophile

Well.. A teenager back in the day would have the benefit of hands on training from his father or grandfather. All we have now is eachother.

This is true, however if/when i have kids i plan on teaching them the "real" way to shave as well as the modern way. My family all start shaving around the age of 13 but i was never "taught" how to shave properly. So as i re-learn everything with my first straight i'm excited that one day i'll be teaching future generations of DMcLeans, and i already ahve a few friends interested !

Originally Posted by DMcLean

This is true, however if/when i have kids i plan on teaching them the "real" way to shave as well as the modern way. My family all start shaving around the age of 13 but i was never "taught" how to shave properly. So as i re-learn everything with my first straight i'm excited that one day i'll be teaching future generations of DMcLeans, and i already ahve a few friends interested !

For the tree-hugger leaning folks, you can talk about it being "sustainable" and "eco friendly" since you are not tossing all of those spent cartridges into landfills.

I won't be touching the spike, just will have to learn that it's there and watch out for it, that's all. My wife's at her Mom's for a few days with the kid, so she hasn't witnessed the results of my experimenting yet. "Honey, I went to the bar one night while you were gone and got in a knife fight!"
Yeah, that's how I got little cuts all over my chin and neck.

Hey Gugi, can you post a picture of a "spike", and a "non-spike" for us nubies?

Thanks for the post flybyu44. Ill be posting the same, hopefully with out the blood , but not counting on it.

For some reason I have that feeling like I just scored a Elmo (you dads out there know what im talking about ) a few years back, and im waiting to get it and give it to my son. Im almost giddy waiting to try this for the first time.

Originally Posted by FLYBYU44

Also I think the cheap soap I bought isn't good (however the cheap brush I bought rocks). The soap seems to lather up really thinly, I think it needs to be alot thicker so that the blade has some lubrication, most of the time it felt like I was dry shaving.

If you have a normal to tough beard you will find you haven't been doing enough prep-work before you shave.

Find ways to soften your beard, spend the extra time and you will find it much easier to shave nick/cut free.

Shower before shaving using either Noxzema or Proraso, Shave cream/soap soaking into your beard for at least 15 minutes. The hot towel treatment in place of or in addition to the shower is good too.

PREP!!!!!