Thread: My rookie tips with the straight razor shave.

I just thought I'd plug my story on switching to shaving with a straight razor-mostly because I fumbled through a few things that I never saw discussed.

Tip #1=So when I first started I bought a few very cheap razors, a strop and 1000/6000 stone. I practiced with the razors before the stone arrived--just to get the angles and the hand holding part a little more familiar. The lesson I learned in the next few months---cheaper can get you in trouble--but not always. The first few new cheapo's wouldn't hold an edge--the blades felt too thin--almost like a razor blade that you throw out after a few shaves? I won't plug brand names but I ended up buying two new German straight razors and wow---they were down right dangerous. I also picked up a few vintage blades off of ebay--one of them turned out to be a decent blade with plenty of steel left to make a good shaver.

Tip #2=Strop-STROP STROP STROP. It is ALL the difference between a razor that glides through the beard or tears through the beard. I use a linen cloth/leather combination and that really opened up a whole new world. Sharpening with the 1000/6000 is, of course, important-but I saw ALOT on the web about how to do that and the importance of it. But stropping seemed a little in the grey area. But basically I shoot for an edge that will glide through the hair on the back of my hand (my girlfriend finds delight in teasing me about how I have no hair on my knuckles or hands becuase I test out my razor) and a solid stropping is the difference.

Tip #3=Three pass shave. It was about 2 weeks before I tried the third pass and WOW. THAT really makes your skin come alive.

Tip #4=Aftershave. I'm a big fan of an old fashioned "liquid fire" type-burns like the dickens but the skin settles right down and is soft, smooth and ready for lotion.

Tip #5=Once you start shaving with a straight razor--give your beard a few shaves to get used to the cut and the grain will change to accomodate the new shaver. You'll see electric razors say the same thing-and straight razors are no different.

Just my pointers for those who are trolling for tips and pointers. I've been shaving with a straight razor about 4 months now and have thrown my old safety razor out! It really has turned a chore into a hobby!

Hope this helps!

Welcome aboard, EBowman76.

If shaving has become a hobby, you've arrived at the right place!

Your tips are a bit up for debate, but it's always great to share experiences with other, so cheers for that. I believe many seasoned members here consider a 1K/6K hone a bit coarse/rough for sharpening/polishing a razor. But what doesn't work for one person may well be working for another.

A great shave is always the result of a chain of skillfully conducted actions: pre-shave beard prep, a well honed razor, a perfect stropping, awareness of one's face and whisker direction, razor control, post shave facial care, razor care and storage, ...

I sounds to me like you already have a great deal of all that figured.


Best regards,

Bart.

A couple more random tips:

6. Don't try to get everything perfect on the first pass. You'll do more harm than good if you keep going over the same area.

7. Stretch the skin!!

8. When you're a newbie, don't use the straight when you're in a rush. Take your time, and concentrate on technique.

9. If you're taking a long time, don't let the lather dry up. If necessary, rinse and re-lather (even within the same pass)

Welcome to SRP! Glad you are progressing and thanks for sharing. Your tips may not reflect others' experience but what the heck... they are based on your experience to date.

I'm a big fan of point 9. I took ages for my first couple of shaves and I always had problems with the last couple of passes being very dry compared to the earlier ones.

I got used to refreshing the lather for a time but now I'm a, little, bit better I can manage the whole face either WTG or ATG. Like all skills just practice practice practice seems to be the key.

Well....that and the great advice here and on Lynn's DVD.

I second that "Tip 9" support. I used Williams Mug soap when I started and I would lather my face in 2 sections to keep only moist lather on my face (sideburns, cheeks and neck on both sides first; upper lip and chin on the second, FYI).

Tip #3(b): I would like to add that second or especially third passes should NOT be attempted until you can easily shave without shedding a drop of blood. That's not to say you won't anymore, but you really should be proficient enough before you start going against the grain (assuming your beard can take it). This may be a really hard tip to follow because after your first successful shave you feel like you could catch a bullet with your bare hand, so how hard could a second pass be? Trust me it can end really badly, and no you can't catch that bullet.

Tip #10: If at all possible learn to shave with both hands! You will save yourself a lot of anguish when you go to do those second or third passes and you find out that for some unknown reason your dominant hand won't move smoothly in a certain direction. Of course you won't find this out until you have a really sharp wedge of metal against your own throat at the time. Irony? (not the iron in the blade... or your blood for that matter)