First Shave...Illustrated

I bought a Bismarck from Lynn Abrams website, straight razor designs, and used Wal-Mart soap and brush. When I started, I slapped the blade down on my face like a regular razor, and was gifted with a nice little slash. This was good, because I started out from the jump with a healthy respect for the razor. The shave went as well as can be expected for the first time, 3 nicks, all around the chin, except for the original hey goober laceration. Styptic pencils really do work! And Old Spice feels completely different after a straight shave than after a regular shave. I didn't know what to expect getting a razor from Lynn, it seemed really sharp, but didn't slice hairs in mid air, I probably just don't know what I'm doing.
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/7141/dsc1101gk5.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/729/dsc1104ay4.jpghttp://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4112/dsc1105yc6.jpghttp://img387.imageshack.us/img387/6458/dsc1106se2.jpg

Excellent post!

Welcome aboard SRP!:tu

Beautiful 1st razor too!

If you like that Old Spice feel, you should also try a block of alum to tighten up the face after a shave, that usually is the moment I can say the day officially starts! A nice sting.

Nice! Keep at it, you'll get better. :nj

Jordan

I think that's an impressively close shave for starting out. And you look pretty irritation free. Thanks for posting your pictures. I agree, that's a nice razor to start with.

I must say that's a unique twist in the way you hold your razor. Not a criticism, just an observation. Obviously it worked for you!

Chris L

I wish I had got away that lightly after my first shave, still I will keep the styptic pencil industry going.........
Good post.........!!!!

Mark......

Thanks for the comments and compliments.

You really did very well indeed! I love my Bismark also. I might add that it appears to me that you really leaned into the blade because your skin is shiny which means you got very close. Just remember that next time you shave you must not open up the existing cuts or you will have more of a problem than you would have if you let them heal. I find that they are ready to shave over in about 3 days if they heal but if I lay one open it will be another week. You should lightly shave over them with the blade at a 90 degree angle once then work around them after about 2 days but everyone heals differently.

Welcome aboard!

Have a good one,
Richard

FYI, not all sharp razors pass the hanging hair test because not all hairs are the same. You're off to a great start!

Beautiful razor. I wish I had taken pictures of my first straight shave. It was a bloody mess. By comparison you did much much better. Keep at it.


Patrick

Great job! That is that same razor that I used for my first shave as well! And I am still using it now.

Getting better, but having to shave around the wounds now. This pay day, I splurged for a Tony Miller original and georgetown scuttle woo hoo!

Congratulations!

It only gets better after this. After abiut 10 shaves or so you will get a lot more confidence.

My face looked a lot worse when I started.

You will find as you go along you face gets used to straight shave (but you find your 'happy medium' with your razor as well).

Take care,


mudo_koshaka

Macaulay Culkin would be proud! :D :D

Definetely a nice model for your first razor.

very nice :)
no wonder old spice felt different with such a close shave... you're young your skin will forgive you :)
remember - light touch, beard reduction not elimination, 30-is degree angle, the closeness will come with time

enjoy

I just bought my first straight today from the classifieds. Now I have to get a strop and learn to use that. Can't wait to give the razor it's first shot at my face. I suspect that this will take some learning!!

Dan:tu

I believe I've had 4 shaves so far, one without injury.

That VHD (?) brush can use replacing. Even by boar brush standards it's quite bad.
Good results on the first shave, having gotten the blade from Lynn was a huge help.

It's a Wal-Mart brush. Yep, it sucks plain and simple. I'm buying quality replacements every pay-day. Like last week, I ordered a the scuttle and TM strop. Next week it's a brush, then after that soaps and other expendables.

I was just making it known I had the brush, really. Thing shed tons of boar hair on me.
I sometimes like boar hair brushes, so by no means am I downing those.
I softened up a cheap tiny boar brush from Crabtree and Evelyn with hair condition and by holding the bristles bent down with a cap of sorts, and love the Proraso Omega boar brush (got it from target).
The Proraso wreaked of dead boar.

I'm going to go down to Target this evening and see what kinds of shaving things they have. Thanks for the tip.

There are several online sites that are great sources of reasonably priced (and alos some that very, very expensive). I have had my Vulfix super badger for a year now and love it. A nice pure badger can be had for <$30. I have no knowledge of synthetics.

Dan

You can get a Tweezerman badger brush for 10-15$ , I love mine.

Nice maiden voyage..Its inspiring as I have yet to receive my razor ordered a few days ago..Keep up the good work..Beautiful razor....

Thats a real good looking razor. :)

Loved the pics - heck, I've had worse nicks from a multi. You did very, very well.:bow

Thanks! My last 2 shaves, NO NICKS! Now to start using my left hand on the left side. I'm trembling in my boots! Ordered a Shavemac silver tip from Lynn's site, and just used my TM strop for the first time today. 20 on the cloth side, and 20 on the leather side. Man, that was a nice shave. What a wonderful piece of equipment.

Congrats, can't wait to get my razor from classic shaving. Hopefully it comes before I move back to school so I don't have to have it shipped again.