Not having much luck

Something in my technique is wrong and I am not having much luck with the straights that I have. I am not getting cut anywhere but and I am taking off quite a bit, there is a lot of shavings in the sink but I do not get a particularly close shave. So clearly I am doing something wrong. I have a DVD on how to straight razor shave and still nto getting far enough. Both razors were pre-honed for me before they got to me, so that's not the problem. Sugestions would be great? I have several double edge shavers in the shave den so I have had to rely on those since I am unwilling to use one of those terrible cartridge razors.

This is very typical. It takes some getting used to handling the razor, then finding which way your beard grows and then how to approach it. Most of us use two passes some three passes to get the close shave. The first pass is with the grain (WTG), then the second is against the grain (ATG). The first pass reduces the beard the second finishes it off. One of the major points of shaving with a straight is to get the skin taught or supported for the whiskers to stand up and stay put while the razors cuts them. If you can position your non razor hand oppssite the direction of your razor this will help draw the skin taught. I usually recommend finding an old school barber and ask him how to shave your face. I have never met an old school barber that wouldn not show you a bunch of pointers and tips.

I KNOW your razors are sharp. :w Hang in there, it will come.

Takes time to get it but it is worth the effort. How is your preparation ? That can make a big difference. I wash my face with hot water twice before I lather. Sometimes I use a hot towel out of the microwave. The skin stretching and short strokes too. Here is a Wiki article I wrote on gradual stubble removal which might give you something to go with. :gl:

So what you are saying is that this is normal and I am on the right track, what I need to do is to keep up the fight and practice more and eventually I will get it right. Troubble is that I do not have all that much time in the morning getting ready for work and need to get the job done and get off, I guess the old double edge razors will have to suffice for that job where as I need to save the straights for when I have more time to practice with the blade.

Shave at night if that is an option! You can touch up in the morning with the DE if you need to!

On most nights that is an option, I love the idea of working with my two straights and getting an excellent shave out of them. They I will have something valuable to teach my four year old when the time comes in another ten years. His mother and his grandparents already think I am nuts, but I have never been one to mind them on this sort of thing. And the Mrs loves the results so she is a little hardpressed to argue with how I get those results.

i think i may have been in the same situation you are in at one point (as have most of us i believe) and for me the thing that really made the difference was paying more attention to the angle of the blade. there is a sweet spot and it is hard to describe but too much angle and it pulls and too little won't cut all the hair. for me i do a 2 pass shave and then touch ups. this is WTG, then ATG (except the upper lip) and then touch ups (sometimes even with a DE). but i think 2o big factors for someone just starting out is to really pay attention to the angle and to also realize that one pass won't get BBS so don't overdue the pressure.

but i am still learning and i have been shaving for abouta year and a half. i can get pretty good shaves but am always searching for the perfect routine. but i find that fun also.

i would say keep at it and check out all the videos on youtube to try to find the best technique for your beard. if i had a barber that would give straight shaves then i would be there in a second, but i don't.

good luck

I shave in the evenings too because I have to get out early in the morning. I much prefer to do that and take my time and take care doing it. It sounds like thats what you need to do as well. If you are having trouble the worst thing you could do is try to rush it.

Start doing it in the evenings and take particular care and attention to your preparation. Remember- hot shower to open the pores and soften the skin, Good lather, correctly stropped razor, pull the skin tight in a direction away from the way you are shaving. When you are done, rinse with hot water to cleanse the pores and then cold water to close them. Towel dry and moisturize.

Recipe for a great shave.

:tu

(did I miss anything?)

I have only shaved a few times now, but I get more comfortable with each time and am definitely getting a better shave than with mach 3. I can tell a huge difference with the razor angle from one pass to the next, but I think the thing that makes the most difference (for me) is how smooth my stroke is. If I try to go too slow or force the blade to cut with "brute force" I not only get a poor shave, but it doesn't feel right. If I use a light, smooth stroke and let the wonderfully sharp razor do the work it is totally the opposite. You can just tell when you get a good stroke, like hitting the sweet spot on a baseball bat or golf club. It feels effortless. That is what I try to reproduce with each stroke.

It takes practice, do so when your not in hurry. Practice at night when you have time and can concentrate. You try to rush with a straight razor and you'll have scars for life. If your in a hurry in the morning getting ready for work, use the DE.
I work 330pm - 1200am, which is great for me, I don't set an alarm and I have lots of time. I look forward to shaving everyday, like a little kid or something. I have quite a collection of razors, soaps, creams, etc..so it's fun. Make sure your prep is good, shower first if you can, or use the hot towel. I do 3 passes to get BBS. I have a heavy beard. If you can work some extra time in the morning that would be good. 5, 10 minutes tops should be more than enough....

+1 on kenrup his post said it all

I'll give you some strong controversial opinions, cuz, well I'm just in that kind of a mood.

Always start with a review of the honed blade. Even if it came shave ready, pre-honed, or whatever you may have dulled it with poor stropping or bad shaving angles. Think about getting a barber hone for light touch ups. If the blade isn't honed right, you've got a problem from the start and more difficulty will only follow. Its a foundational requirement. If the blade isn't sharp, hone it some more. No puzzles here. Not sharp = hone more. That simple. Once in a while do some circular honing and start over again.

Next, stropping is pretty darn important. Use a light touch and a wicked flat strop. Build up some speed and practice. Get good at it instead of just being so-so at it. The practice is worth the effort. I know, I know, its easy, speed isn't important, blah, blah, blah. Balderdash! Do it right and stop letting people put compromises into your head. A truely well stropped blade can shave you in under 3 minutes. Compromises built up to make you feel okay about yourself aren't the tough love you or your strop hungry blade really need. Seriously, the forum is full of razors that need some truely proper stropping. Don't let yours be one of them.

Study up. Read the barbers manual and focus on honing, stropping, and shaving angles; patterns and directions too. Go ahead, this is one of those "there is no such thing as too much knowledge" sports.

So, honed blade, properly stropped; then shave with a light touch in the right direction with the right angle. BTW, if the razor doesn't "feel" exactly like a razor, then its not set right.

Do some decent prep. Use your brush and scrub the face with the bristles. If you can't devote 4 minutes to prep, skip the straight that morning. Make it a night time or weekend technique. You can always shave a section, say the non-goatee area with a straight, just for practice and then finish with whatever.

Forget about shaving your face and consider just making a few good strokes on your face. If the first several strokes aren't magic, then shaving your whole face is really only practicing failure. On top of all that, it irritates your skin too. Once you create magic, then go forth and fell all the whisker demons you desire.

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

Next, stropping is pretty darn important. Use a light touch and a wicked flat strop. Build up some speed and practice. Get good at it instead of just being so-so at it. The practice is worth the effort. I know, I know, its easy, speed isn't important, blah, blah, blah. Balderdash! Do it right and stop letting people put compromises into your head. A truely well stropped blade can shave you in under 3 minutes. Compromises built up to make you feel okay about yourself aren't the tough love you or your strop hungry blade really need. Seriously, the forum is full of razors that need some truely proper stropping. Don't let yours be one of them.

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Controversial is right.

While you're at it perhaps you're not shaving fast enough. Forget about taking your time. Plough on in there buddy! Who's gonna notice the scars anyway?

No.

Strop. Strop well. Strop properly. Practice stropping.

Then when you get really good at it and are doing it properly speed up if you like. Other wise you'll do what I did when I took similar advice. You'll slash into your strop or drop your razor and ding it. I have done both and boy I wish i'd taken my time.

So compromise? Yes I think I will. I think i'd rather take my time stropping if it means doing it properly and having an intact razor and strop.

Besides, doing it slowly and methodically is something I find calming and therapeutic. :)

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I'lStudy up. Read the barbers manual and focus on honing, stropping, and shaving angles; patterns and directions too. Go ahead, this is one of those "there is no such thing as too much knowledge" sports.

So, honed blade, properly stropped; then shave with a light touch in the right direction with the right angle. BTW, if the razor doesn't "feel" exactly like a razor, then its not set right.

Do some decent prep. Use your brush and scrub the face with the bristles. If you can't devote 4 minutes to prep, skip the straight that morning. Make it a night time or weekend technique. You can always shave a section, say the non-goatee area with a straight, just for practice and then finish with whatever.

Forget about shaving your face and consider just making a few good strokes on your face. If the first several strokes aren't magic, then shaving your whole face is really only practicing failure. On top of all that, it irritates your skin too. Once you create magic, then go forth and fell all the whisker demons you desire.

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Controversial maybe but on the money AFAIC. Reading this barber manual in the help files did me a lot of good. I actually printed it out so I can refer to it easily and often. The prep part is super important and I agree that is the razor isn't getting it in the WTG on the cheeks then going further is not going to be a pleasant experience. BTW, I like to shave at night so I don't have to worry about rushing before I go to work in the morning.

Well it's good that you are trying to get better even though you are not happy with the results so far. That shows that you have the determination to succeed. I had similar experience when I converted to straights except I tackled honing at the same time. Here's what I did to help improve my technique:


1) Practice a light touch on the strop. No matter how light a force I thought I was using it really wasn't light. I still have to focus on using light pressure or it gets beyond optimal.
2) Test your stropped edge on your arm hairs. Try cutting one hair at a time from the toe, center and heal of the blade. If all three cut hairs easily your stropping is fine, move on to the shave. If not, you may need to touch up the edge which is another topic.
3) Shave in the evening when I can take my time and think about what I am doing.
4) Good prep prior to shave. Shower first is best.
5) make a good lather, apply lather, wait a few minutes, apply lather again
6) have an adult watch you that understands what you are trying to do. CarrieM watched me :D and noticed that my angle was way off when shaving out of the corner of my eye. Also I shave without my glasses until I get to trim my mustache.
7) Take your time, focus on the chore at hand and remember what you did for next time and enjoy the shave.
8) Make minor improvements on your next shave. Don't change too many things at once. If you do you won't know what is working and what needs improvement.
9) Don't shave with straights when you are frustrated, stressed, quitting smoking :chop: or can't focus on what you are doing. There are probably as many approaches to learning straights as there are members here on SRP and beyond. This is what worked for me. :gl:

I've had my straight a month, but used it every 3rd day or so, so only around 10 shaves in all. A couple were so bad it was like I'd never shaved, but a few have been really good and the improvement is clear.

Knowing and using good technique is critical, but I think my big improvements happened when I stopped obsessing about things. I stopped honing my (bought non-shave-ready) razor, and did more stropping instead. Any shaving strokes that got resisted I would just stop trying, maybe doing the area at a different angle on a later pass. If there was a bit of stubble left behind at the end, I just accepted it.

Something eventually clicks into place. Certain strokes start seeming easy. You develop motor skills that enable you to get things done. Where you felt totally cack-handed to start with, you start knowing what works or not, and what is safe.

It's a bit like juggling. You can read a book on it and know the principles inside out, and still not be able to do it. But once you start practicing there comes a magic moment when it falls into place and you can just do it. :gl:

As said, WTG only will not give you satisfactory results (for most folks).

If you then follow that up with an ATG pass, and still have stubble, then we're talking other issues at play...

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Originally Posted by Rajagra

Something eventually clicks into place. Certain strokes start seeming easy. You develop motor skills that enable you to get things done. Where you felt totally cack-handed to start with, you start knowing what works or not, and what is safe.

It's a bit like juggling. You can read a book on it and know the principles inside out, and still not be able to do it. But once you start practicing there comes a magic moment when it falls into place and you can just do it. :gl:

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Very true.... IME. :tu

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Originally Posted by Seraphim

As said, WTG only will not give you satisfactory results (for most folks).

If you then follow that up with an ATG pass, and still have stubble, then we're talking other issues at play...

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True, but the annoying thing about ATG passes is that the areas you most need to do them are the areas where it is most difficult to do so.
I have heavy beard, and if I go against the grain in some places the blade really locks solid. Only once did I try to use pressure to overcome this, and that's when I got my only "linear" cut (not deep, just lengthy. :))
As time goes by I can do more areas ATG in smooth strokes without fear of resistance, but there are a couple of problem areas left. I've learned not to fight it, and my shaves are now good anyway. The more I relax, the better my shaves.

I have a shave-ready razor on order. Nothing fancy, but it should be interesting to compare results.

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Originally Posted by Rajagra

I have a shave-ready razor on order. Nothing fancy, but it should be interesting to compare results.

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Makes a world of difference.

Maybe go WTG, XTG, and then, and only then go ATG?

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Originally Posted by Seraphim

Maybe go WTG, XTG, and then, and only then go ATG?

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To be honest, the only area I can't go ATG now is my top lip, but that's a special case. I may never manage that and I'm not too bothered.

The other tricky bits are under my left chin and below/to the sides of my mouth where there are some funny growth angles. If I go WTG/XTG/XTG(other way) that makes these areas doable ATG. But boy, when the blade stalls in those places it really does jam. I think it's down to the number of hairs there as well as the thickness.

I'm confident I did a good job honing my blade. But I'm really hoping the shave-ready item I've ordered will prove me wrong.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Makes a world of difference.

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+1 Three years of frustration trying, off and on, to learn str8 shaving with a non-shave ready str8, and getting nowhere. I got a shave ready Dovo after Thanksgiving and now I'm a daily str8 shaver. A properly honed str8 is wonderful.

Dave

I don't know if this has been mentioned already, but strop carefully and strop LOTS. I do 60 laps before each shave and 12-20 after. The value of good stropping cannot be over stated.

X