Thread: Newguy from Australia.... introduce myself

Originally Posted by Ashley

Hi Matt,
... you can get some stuff from the shaver shop in the Myer Centre ...

Just a correction - that should be the razor shop, not the shave shop.

The Razor Shop - Brisbane - HOME

Cheers,
Ash.

G'day Matt. How ya going ?

Lucky the girl didn't sell you that razor with her blood on it. Probably all rusty by now

You seem to have found your feet with the internet shopping.
May I recommend Mamma Bear's shave soaps. The ingredients are all natural and they lather like crazy.
Can't tell I'm a happy customer eh ?

Have fun with it mate.

Wish you many shaves & a steady hand.

You sound like a man with apurpose, I am surprised you listened to that salesgirl as long as you did, you should have talked to her manager.

Hi all,

Thanks again for all the welcomes!

It was a very exciting day yesterday when I got home - a big parcel from the invisible razor with all my stuff in it! Opened it all up and I was very impressed with the packing and the quality of it all.

I had a busy evening with work, so didn't get to look at it any more, nor plan for using it. However I woke up early and even though I had a big presentation to do today (only 180 people watching!!) I thought today was the day. My wife got in the shower, and I laid out everything to have a shave.

The first problem was the fogging mirror - luckily I had read somewhere on here that soap on the mirror fixes that - which it does!

Did my normal pre shave hot washer and then king of shaves priming oil. Opened up the soap, and tried to get a good lather - wasn't too successful, but got soap all over my face. I need to work on getting a better lather – I’m sure that would make a positive difference.

Shiny new blade - what could go wrong?! A seconds hesitation and away i went. Cheeks first, starting at the sideburns - no dramas. Swap to the right side, its a lot harder backhand, but still doable. Upper lip and chin is damn hard - nicked myself at the corner of the mouth, but no worse than I have done with the safety razor. The alum block is super cool – stings a bit, but wow – doesn’t it stop the blood flow!

Started on the neck, but was out of time – my wife was out of the shower and the pressure was on to leave! Had to finish with the mach, but was very pleased I didn’t have to touch up anything that had been done with the straight. A little razor burn after, but that wasn’t unexpected. I’m not convinced the razors are as sharp as they could be – but they have been halfway around the world and shaken who knows how.

I had a great time, and can’t wait for the next shave. I have to sort out stropping – can’t wait to get the new strop from Tony – this one (Dovo) seems very small! I also need to work out what to do with the yellow strop paste – do I put it on this strop as my pasted strop – and how much?

I’m really glad I bought a pair of old blades – they look and feel great, and I’m sure they remember what to do!

Onwards and upwards – the neck tomorrow! (shave that is, not slice I hope)

M

Ok

You're likely getting burn if you're pressing too hard or going at too steep an angle. Experiment with very little pressure.

Don't paste your daily strop. (nuff said)

Instead of going backhand, swap hands, most of us become somewhat ambidextrous with time, the sooner you get it down the better. (left side of the face with the left hand, right with the right)


Take your time.. don't be rushed for your first few shaves.

Good advice there on pressure and angle.

I think the yellow paste is basically a leather conditioner. A little infrequently would do.
Someone else may chime in on that but basic advice on stropping is keep the blade flat so you don't roll the edge.

You're right a good lather makes a huge difference. Experiment with water / soap ratios when you're not in a rush.
Did I mention Mamma Bear's soaps

Thanks guys - and yes, I'm looking at Mamma bears soaps in my other browser window - what a choice though!

Just finished my second shave (first full shave, no Mach touch ups). Dropped my wife in to do some shopping, so came home and had as much time as I needed.

Figured I had better get the stropping thing happening, and think I've got the hang of it. The first 50 or so passes took forever, and I'm glad I'm doing this on the "packaged" strop (Dovo little one) rather than the one coming from Tony - the poor strop has a couple of nicks in it already! After 50 passes, the edge was definitley worse than when I started, along with the nicks in the strop - obviously I was doing it all wrong!

So I surfed around here for a while, and found a couple of video links. Turns out my idea was right, but I was using way to much wrist, and not allowing the spine to ALWAYS stay in touch. Once I worked out the idea was to get lift the blade edge before slowing the spine stroke down, and the change direction completly before puting the other blade edge down, it all started working. No more nicks in the strop, and after 100 passes it was popping hairs off my arm - not sure about the HHT, as my untouched razor (I bought two) would do it with my hair either. Another 50 passes and it seemed to be the same as my "reference" razor (!!) so I figured it was time to shave.

lathered up, this time with no oil - I thought that might help the soap stay better, but it really didn't make a difference - and the razor burn I have now tells me I need to keep using the oil!

Whole face this time - cheeks were easy, trying to cut in at the sideburns is a PITA (especially on the right side - wrong hand!), and doing the neck is just scary to start with! To many damn angle changes!

I tried doing left with right hand and vice versa, but my dominant hand is REALLY dominant - I think I have a lot to learn - I found myself not even holding the razor correctly by the end!

Anyway, did the whole face WTG and a couple of patches that needed it ATG (pretty much the same approach I use with the mach). I'm not super smooth - but about the same as the same approach with the mach. It took a lot longer (25 mins I suppose, after stropping) - and halfway through I switched to the as yet unused razor - I felt the hairs were really pulling, but I'm not sure if they were or if its the sound I'm not used to - its damn noisy! Both razors cut about the same, and afterwards I stropped them again, and they now pop hairs better than when I started, and kind of cut a hanging hair if I angle it right I am looking forward to the wider strop so I can forget the x pattern - I think thats putting more hassel into it at this learning point.

I think I need to work out the angle a bit more (can't wait for Lynns DVD to get here!), and I think I need to get even more sharpness - I can't really let the blade do all the work - there is still a fair bit of pressure from me. I've got quite a few nicks in me this time, and some decent razor burn - but again no worse than I have had from the mach in the past - I think the oil really helps me there - it won't be being left off again!

Lots to learn, but enjoying it - its certainly not rocket science, but its not a walk in the park either!

Matt

P.S. Thank goodness for alum!

Welcome both to the forums and to the adventure of straight shaving!

If you wouldn't mind a bit of advice from a recent beginner, here's what I have

Don't be too hasty to doubt your equipment. All the reviews I've seen of razors from the Invisible Edge have been quite complementary as to the sharpness of the blades. Sure, it's possible you could have rolled the edge while stropping, but the single biggest variable in your shaving experience is, well, experience. Give your technique some time to develop.

Razor burn is, I believe, a pretty common beginner's experience here. My first shave was horrible! Modern safety razors (especially those with a pivot at the bottom like the Mach 3) teach us to press far too much. Use light, short, overlapping strokes and soon you will be getting BBS shaves with no razor burn. Since I switched to straights I have entirely lost a patch of chronic razor burn that I'd had since I was 14. After a shave I give myself a nice hydrating splash of Aloe Vera juice followed by an aftershave I've made from Witch Hazel, distilled water, aloe juice, and cologne.

Someone with more experience will probably chime in, but I believe the yellow Dovo paste is a leather conditioner and does not contain any abrasives. When you get your TM strop, you might want to use the Dovo for Chrome Oxide or another abrasive paste.

I'd be happy to come over and give you as much help as I can. You're in education, right? My wife is a Math (Maths) teacher and has been wanting to move to Australia ever since she studied at Wollongong.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Can I just clarify one thing - I am sure its me, not the razor - In no way was I suggesting I got something less than great from Steve at Invisible edge - My first shave was great, its the second one after stropping that wasn't crash hot, and theres only three things that could have caused that - me, myself or I!

I'm really pleased I ordered two razors, as I could compare what i'd done to one, and work out I'd stuffed it up - I think I'm working it out now though - but the proof will be in the shaving! Only problem is now I've used both, and between my course/thick/tough hair, bad tecnique and stropping... Maybe I better order another one - just don't tell my wife I told her this would be cheaper than mach blades!

Wollongong is a nice place - I'm a bit further north in Brisbane. Any help is appreciated, but I don't think you need to come over to show me Although we do need a new maths teacher at school....

M

Matt, Don't worry mate, The guys here are a great help & sounds like its coming together. Just hang in there and practice good habits.

BTW Mamma Bear's soaps are divided into Essential oil (EO ) & Fragrant oil (FO) bases so that may help you choose, if you like the all natural stuff but otherwise, yeah, spoiled for choice.