Thread: 4 shaves in and a few problems....

Originally Posted by xman

If it's only one area that you're having problems with, chances are it's your technique and not the razor. Try using a lower angle with the spine closer to your skin than you might think is best.

Maybe my shave vid will help you some, but be warned about the "Fool's Pass" on the upper lip at the end of the shave. It is not recommended nor to be tried lightly if you want to keep your nose.
Here's the link: http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...technique.html

X

Heh, fools pass. At first I thought "Pfft, I do that all the time, what's the big deal?" Then I had a flashback of when I first starting shaving

Kerik, you're going to experience a little difficulty on your left side for a few more shaves. Like everyone else said, if it's only pulling there, then it's likely not the razor. Work on your lather skills and get it nice and fluffy, then rub it into your beard well. Use the brush to actually work the lather into your hair and skin, standing the hairs up for some reduction action. As far as getting your technique down on your left side, take it slowly. Try to understand what works and what doesn't, then work on your muscle memory for using the actions that work. Like X suggested, lower the angle of attack a little and try it out. Pay extra attention to what you're doing when you get good shaves, as well as bad shaves. Above all though, keep at it! Soon enough you'll be trying to trim the back of your neck and anything else that gets in the way

It's really dry here and I am shaving around a beard so I probably take a bit longer, but if I lather my whole face the lather on my neck is completely dried out before I get to it. I like the lather so here's what I do.

1) get very hot water (almost scalding) in an insulated coffee carafe and keep a small towel handy.
2) lather up
3) shave upper right quadrant above beard
4) move to bottom lip. maybe touch up lather and shave that.
5) pour hot water on towel in sink and wipe off all the remaining lather
6) lather up left upper and entire neck again
7) shave upper left
8) more hot water on towel and remove all lather again
9) lather up neck and shave with the grain
10) lather up neck again and shave against the grain

sounds like a lot of work but once you have a mug of lather it's just a matter of grabbing the brush again. Wiping your face off with a hot towel while shaving feels really good. I use proraso with menthol and eucalyptus so maybe I'm addictied to that . You don't want to be shaving with flaky (dried) lather.

Especially if you're using a soap, because soap-lather drying on the skin can dry out the skin, leading to unpleasantness all around.

Originally Posted by kerik

I've been using TOBS Rose and have noticed the lather seems to dry out on my face. Little bits of 'fluff' flake off frequently. Am I not using enough water in building my lather or is it because my shave still takes a while and the lather just dries out?

Same here, sometimes if I breathe out quickly through my nose there is a mini snowstorm in my sink! But it's only because I'm so slow shaving, and the lather on my brush (resting in the mixing bowl in a sink of warm water) remains OK and has plenty left for reapplying.

First, Welcome to SRP and the world of straight shaving!
Not to pile on, but I agree with others about shaving technique being a problem.
However, I did not see any discussion about stropping. I hope that you are stropping the razor before every shave.

^

Yeah, I've been giving it 25 or so laps on a tony miller 3" latigo.

So I had shave # 5 today and things went better. concentrated on skin stretching-i did notice it seemed more natural for me to do my lower neck on the left side with my right hand-using my left to stretch.

Again, did only WTG, finishing with a fusion. On shave six, I will attempt XTG.

Didnt think I was up for a Fool's Pass attempt, so the nostril area was a poor result. On the video, Xman used both hands on the fools' pass. Could someone explain this to me, and maybe some advice on this, or a way of getting that area effeciently?

Also, where can one get an alum block in NYC? Pasteur didn't have any...

guys, thanks for all the replies...one day Rome will be built!

I used to do 25 laps on my leather strop. I noticed there are many folks here that go 50 to 100 laps on the leather. I tried 50 laps and noticed a marked improvement. Now I strop at least 50 laps before each shave.

Dave

I agree with the other guys on the technique aspect..
However I would like to give you a tip on lathering; überlather!
It really gave me a wow experience when I tried it out..

Illustrated Guide to making Ãœberlather - Straight Razor Place Wiki


//Victor

Originally Posted by kerik

Again, did only WTG, finishing with a fusion. On shave six, I will attempt XTG.

Didnt think I was up for a Fool's Pass attempt, so the nostril area was a poor result. On the video, Xman used both hands on the fools' pass. Could someone explain this to me, and maybe some advice on this, or a way of getting that area effeciently?

FWIW, if I were you I wouldn't worry about the Fool's Pass until you are totally comfortable with straight razor shaving. I have a year of exclusivly shaving with a straight and have tried it twice without success and I have no plans to try it again. I can and do get a clean shave on my upper lip going WTG and XTG. Xman would probably tell you to wait until you are really adept at using the razor before messing with the Fool's Pass. Just my opinion.