Thread: WOOHOO!

Ok I just got my new Double Arrow razor from kenrup in the mail today. When I pulled it out of the box I became intimidated. This is new to me I have never been intimidated by a blade before. I collect knives and have grown up with on in my pocket since before I could walk. Ok this is going to take some building up to. Any last recomendations before I slit my throat? And I still want to get to the head shaving with a straight. What was I thinking!

Keep the razor almost flat against your cheeks when starting your first well lathered passes. Meaning, don't lift the razor's spine much off your cheeks. A very low angle will be your friend and will also tell you quickly whether the razor edge is sharp enough. An edge that is not sharp enough with a low angle will result in the razor passing over the whiskers without cutting them.

Stropping your razor well and correctly is THE biggest bit of advice I can give to someone starting out. There are stropping tutorials here now.

Let the blade do the work rather than you supplying external pressure to any significant degree.

Shave your cheeks only for the first few shaves until you gain confidence.

Go for it.

Chris L

A healthy respect for your new razor is good!! Just take it slow and easy and enjoy yourself. Also, beard prep is essential. There are many tips here to make for awesome shaving.

Welcome!!

Ok what did I do wrong? The razor came from kenrup shave ready but when I went to do my first shave it felt like I was shaving with a rusty blade. I tried several angles, nothing worked. I have a very tough beard, it will kill a 5 blade fusion in a few days. I stropped it about 20 strokes and tried again. Felt the same. I couldn't even take a full stroke. Am I doing something wrong?

"This is new to me I have never been intimidated by a blade before."

But:

1) how many of your knives are as "sharp as a razor" (great pun ;-)).

2) how many of them do you rub against your throat/face?

Although I started shaving with a straight in my teenage years, I had not use one for a long time. So, effectively, I am back to being a newbie. Having said that, I will add to the already given advice what worked for me when I restarted:

Strop your razor first (Chris L).

1) First, make this a private moment, girlfriends, wives, children, etc.., around your first shave would make it more difficult.

Bear prep (jjpharris).

2) Do not cover your whole face with soap. It will dry and make it more difficult.

3) Find a grip that fits comfortable. I posted about that recently. Before you start shaving, play with the razor for awhile trying to find how to shave different parts of your face. Unless you are ambidextrous, you will find that shaving the opposite side to your dominant hand seems harder at first.

4) Hold the blade securely. This should hold forever but you will find that your wrist becomes a bit loser after a few shaves. Having a good grip on the razor but a lose wrist works for me.

Angle considerations (Chris L)

5) Take baby steps in your first shave. As your technique improves, and unless you have facial hair, you may want to go in a smooth continuous motion in longer strokes.

Do not add pressure to the blade (Chris L)

6) I keep a small towel nearby to wipe the blade and my fingers after I remove soap from it.

7) Unless your face is different to mine, start with the cheeks. That is the easier part to shave.They should serve as calibration of your technique.

8) Do not pay extra attention to missed or difficult spots. You will get them as your technique improves. Do not be afraid of using your previous razor (electric, safety, etc..) to polish your first shave.

9) If you want to go against the grain, you should remember that it is a bit harder. I did not try it in my first shave.

10) Do not become overconfident or careless, that is when accidents happen. It was mentioned before but I will repeat it here.

11) Apply lots of aftershave and showoff your new shaved face ;-).


One thing that I have found is the with the proper amount of respect for the blade and your face, the number of accidents can be kept to a minimum. Am I missing anything here?

Al raz.

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Ok what did I do wrong? The razor came from kenrup shave ready but when I went to do my first shave it felt like I was shaving with a rusty blade. I tried several angles, nothing worked. I have a very tough beard, it will kill a 5 blade fusion in a few days. I stropped it about 20 strokes and tried again. Felt the same. I couldn't even take a full stroke. Am I doing something wrong?

I felt the same way, like the new razor I bought-shave ready-was not actually shave ready. But it was my inexperience. I've been at this since early November. The blade was jumping all around. I focused on my grip, firm but but not clenched, and the angle of the blade against my face, about 30 degrees-you have to play with it, and pulling the skin taunt-very important! My nervousness eased and I let the blade do the work. After a few short weeks I grew to trust the razor. Kind of.
Prep is important. I shave in the morning, placing my brush in my shaving mug filled with hot water while I shower. Then I wet my face with hot water, apply a layer of lather then strop my razor. About 30 laps on the linen side, then 50 or more laps on the leather side. I apply more lather then go to work.
I've grown more confident and feel like I'm well on my way to learning the art and technique of straight razor shaving.

Good Luck.
Dannyr

Oh and don't forget the mug of steaming hot coffee by your side or whatever helps to make this your special time.

Ok I did it. I had to step back sit down and meditate for a minute. I got past the "with the grain" strokes and decided that it went well enough that I went across the grain. I thought well that wasn't too bad. So I decided to go at it against the grain. I have a few very minor nicks but nothing I had to use a styptic pencil for. My face felt as smooth as the day I was born. My wife thought it was great. This was my first shave and I thought it went fairly well. I appreciate all the help and advice. After I get a few more shaves under my belt my next great adventure will be shaving my head. But for now I will stick with the disposable.

Originally Posted by dannyr

I felt the same way, like the new razor I bought-shave ready-was not actually shave ready. But it was my inexperience. I've been at this since early November. The blade was jumping all around. I focused on my grip, firm but but not clenched, and the angle of the blade against my face, about 30 degrees-you have to play with it, and pulling the skin taunt-very important! My nervousness eased and I let the blade do the work. After a few short weeks I grew to trust the razor. Kind of.
Prep is important. I shave in the morning, placing my brush in my shaving mug filled with hot water while I shower...I've grown more confident and feel like I'm well on my way to learning the art and technique of straight razor shaving.

Good Luck.
Dannyr

Oh and don't forget the mug of steaming hot coffee by your side or whatever helps to make this your special time.

Great advice. We're also usually somewhat tentative our first couple of times out. The more you get the feel for handling the blade; and figuring out the angles you need, the more you can relax and make confident strokes. This is not something you can rush or impose through will. You just need practice. Keep at it!

Jordan