Thread: I have a chance to try a straight.

Someone has been kind enough to "loan" me a straight. It is shave ready. But am I?

I know I'm going to cut/nick myself. I can live with that. I've checked Lynn's video, lots of good stuff there, can anyone tell me something to keep me wanting to try this?

How was your first shave?

Were you scared? (I am)

How long did it take you to get the "hang of it"?

I know we are all different, that is why I hope a few of you will answer so I can kind of get a curve.

Thamks,
Ken.

Hi Ken, welcome to SRP. My first couple of weeks I did as Lynn suggests and just did down passes and I finished the shave with a DE (double edge). I didn't even try to do my chin and mustache. Took a few weeks and I was off the DE and have been ever since.

Years ago I tried straight razor shaving and gave it up. Back then one thing an old barber told me that stuck was to hold the razor firmly but gently so that if it pulls the razor gives and not the skin. He also told me that if it pulls it isn't sharp enough and never force it. I practice that and rarely get a nick. Lots if good info in the Wiki at the top of the tool bar and in the video section of the forum index, Let us know how you make out.

Hello Ken,

safety first! Don't let the blade's edge come to rest on your skin at anytime, and don't ever slice sideways. Always move the edge in a perpendicular direction from the edge

Also, keep the razor out of reach and out of sight of youngins!

Check out the shaving portion of this guide by Chris Moss, it is what I used. The skin stretching bit is important as well, to help minimize irritation and get a closer shave at the same time. I was scared too, but once I started moving the blade down my face I gained the confidence I needed to finish.

Thanks guys. I will check out all the videos and text I can.

JimmyHAD, thanks for the tip about starting out just one way.

Hogaloo, thanks.

Originally Posted by oldfat1

Someone has been kind enough to "loan" me a straight. It is shave ready. But am I?

Sure. Start slow and precise. Speed will come without really trying.

I know I'm going to cut/nick myself. I can live with that. I've checked Lynn's video, lots of good stuff there, can anyone tell me something to keep me wanting to try this?

The more I shave with a straight, the better I like it...

How was your first shave?

It was better than a DE, except around the chin, only one very small weeper. My first decent nick took a month or two; i.e. once I started to get a bit careless.

Were you scared? (I am)

The first couple of strokes were a bit shaky (was definitely nervous). Once I realized that I really could remove hair without heavy bleeding, it went a lot smoother.

How long did it take you to get the "hang of it"?

That happens in plateaus. Shaving, honing, stropping, lathering, etc... I got comfortable with straight shaving in maybe 8 weeks? That means putting it all together; lathering, stropping, figuring out how my face wanted to be stretched, experimenting with angles and length of strokes, gripping the razor, etc...

Note that my first decent nick came after I thought I had the hang of it.

Good luck and enjoy.

i was a little nervous for my first shave but it went wxtremely well i was only going to do the sides of my face but after i got that done i wanted to do more i ended up shaving my whole face except my chin and moustache but i onle made one pass and it turned out great i did not even cut myself needless to say ive been hooked ever since just take your time so you get a feel for the blade in your hand and adjust your angle as needed until you get the best results and of course the sharper the razor the better the shave oh and welcome to srp

Trust me. The first time you shave your neck, you will never in your life be more aware of your blood pulsing through your jugular vein!

Originally Posted by Utopian

Trust me. The first time you shave your neck, you will never in your life be more aware of your blood pulsing through your jugular vein!

You really know how to encourage a guy!
@oldfat1 just get all the information you can and GO FOR IT! Happy shaving!

DO IT!

just be careful and take your time. i am stubborn so i thought i could do a full shave the first time and i was fine. the shave wasn't that great but i didn't bleed really at all. i have since but that is different

pay attention to your angle and prep and start reading up on here. there is lots to read and learn. keep an open mind.

I wasn't really scared my first time and I never thought about hurting myself. Then again I played rugby so take that into consideration
In all seriousness I ended up doing my whole face without a cut the first time. It wasn't super smooth, but it was fairly irritation free (everywhere but the neck was fine).
If you want to use a straight then you're going to love it. it's worth any time you have to put into it. It will make your skin look better, too