Thread: My first st8 shave...and a question

Thanks for the tips!

Yes, the Razor was honed. I figured it was worth it to pay the 20 bucks to have Lynn Abrams do the first honing to ensure it was done properly.

I shaved again last night (shave #2) and had far less irritation. I concentrated a little more of my form, trying to keep that 30 degree angle, was far less shaky, and bought a new aftershave (a Aqua Velva Cooling one). I like the Aloe idea though, I'm going to give that a try. I also used less pressure, which I could see making a difference.

All in all it was 100x better than the first time, and I hope to continually improve.

Quick question...why strop immediately after shaving and again prior to shaving. Does the blade lose its edge sitting there quietly on the shelf? Or is it because of those little shaving gnomes that come in and use my shaving gear in the middle of the night? (a distant relative to the sock stealing gnomes that live in my dryer)

Stropping after your shave helps dry the edge. The edge can be very tricky to dry and oil. I had an edge rust once when the entire rest of the blade looked clean, it's the worst shaving experience imaginable.

As has been said, between your developing technique and your skin getting used to an open blade, some burn is to be expected. As long as its cutting well....Give it a week or two of gentle practice and don't go for a really close shave. Go for a comfy shave and you'll be fine.

Jordan

Originally Posted by Xiolo

Quick question...why strop immediately after shaving and again prior to shaving. Does the blade lose its edge sitting there quietly on the shelf? Or is it because of those little shaving gnomes that come in and use my shaving gear in the middle of the night? (a distant relative to the sock stealing gnomes that live in my dryer)

If you would prefer not to do an all out stropping, you can just do a few passes. As mentioned, it's mostly just to thoroughly clean the edge. I actually do this part on a soft, white undershirt rather than my strop; I prefer not to get the hair/cream/water on my strop. I just hold the shirt taught or lay it of a flat surface and give a few very light passes. Then the blade is ready for the leather next time it's her turn.

There is a massive learning curve at the start, trying to get pressure right, angle right, worrying about cutting yourself, trying to get a bbs shave etc... The one thing which you forget to do is to relax and enjoy the experience. After a few weeks everything will fall into place, your shave and skin will be fantastic and then you will show the first signs of RAD!

Yes, little razor gnomes creep out during the evening and make the edge less sharp!
Actually, The purpose of stropping it to clean the edge but also to remove any oxidation that has occurred, and it has, it starts as soon as water, steel and air mix, burnish the bevel, realign the edge ( it does get unstraight) and a very slight sharpening from the silica in the strop.

The end result is a clean, rust free, straight, very sharp and much more comfortable edge.

I have a few follow on questions for those more experienced than I (that's anyone who's shaved with a straight...ever):
I just purchased my first straight, but thanks to the miracle that is military post, I won't get it for a while.
Since I have to shave every day, have already guessed that I won't be shaving with the straight every day, for a while anyways. I currently use an M3, and go rather haphazardly over my face. I have pretty coarse hair, so a cartridge lasts about 3-4 shaves before I really must get rid of it. I also shave my head, and that takes about a shave and a half off of the blade.
Do guys have any hints that I might use specifically for my daily habit? Is one pass good enough to get through the day (grows decently quick - I get a five o'clock shadow at around 4:30)
Head shaving? I don't even look at it when I do it now, and I know which way the hair grows. Are there any other hints?
Sorry for the long post, but I've read around a lot and these are the questions that remained.

-Chris

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Yes, little razor gnomes creep out during the evening and make the edge less sharp!
Actually, The purpose of stropping it to clean the edge but also to remove any oxidation that has occurred, and it has, it starts as soon as water, steel and air mix, burnish the bevel, realign the edge ( it does get unstraight) and a very slight sharpening from the silica in the strop.

The end result is a clean, rust free, straight, very sharp and much more comfortable edge.

Thanks Randy! That actually makes alot of sense...though I like the gnome idea better. Mostly because it helps explain the dryer gnomes.

And thanks everyone for the great advice. I'll continue to frequent the forums, and hopefully get to the point where I can help out others with the knowledge I'll get from shaving. I'll just keep it fun, and things'll progress.

Happy Shaving!

Originally Posted by Xiolo

Thanks Randy! That actually makes alot of sense...though I like the gnome idea better. Mostly because it helps explain the dryer gnomes.

And thanks everyone for the great advice. I'll continue to frequent the forums, and hopefully get to the point where I can help out others with the knowledge I'll get from shaving. I'll just keep it fun, and things'll progress.

Happy Shaving!

Don't confuse drier gnomes with razor gnomes. They are entirely different species and would not appreciate your "a gnome is a gnome" attitude.