Newbie Shaver - Dovo Special Tortoise 5/8

good morning!

Today was my first real shave with a straight.

I purchased a Dovo Special 5/8 from Straight Razor Designs which arrived last night.

I prepped in the shower with some Real Shaving Company cream hand lathered while I showered, and then whipped up some JM Fraser's - the slickest cream I have.

The Dovo s razor is sweet! I stropped it 20 laps before using it, and the thumb pad test had a distinct 'stickiness' to it.. I think its pretty darn sharp.

I expected it to glide through the stubble like a knife through butter - which it did not do - but that's probably my fault for angle issues etc. It was pretty smooth, but a bit of pulling / grabbing on the first pas especially. I tried to switch hands for the left side of my face, but it feels so awkward, I will need to work on that - I ended up uising my right (dominant) hand for the whole shave.

I completed two full passes with no blood, but a stubbly shave. I used a a Merkur HD with Gillette Sharpedge to do one clean-up pass.

My chin is SO difficult.... LOTS of grabbing and pulling - the angles are really weird, and I see much practice required to get that area of my face shaved correctly.

Overall, a great experience.

In the words of the Monkees: "....now I'm a believer..." I won't be selling all of my DE collection... just most of it :)

Barry

Congrats Barry! You are a quick study. I have been straight razor shaving a year and haven't gotten into using both hands yet. In case you haven't seen it here is Lynn's recommendation for breaking into SR shaving.

It took me a few weeks to begin to manipulate the blade without feeling awkward and I used a DE to do my chin, mustache and a few other trouble spots. After that it was smooth shaving most of the time.

I am still learning and making progress on both the hones and the actual shaving so hang in there it will only get better. :tu

Congratulations, man! And yeah, getting the pre-sharpened Dovo special from SRD was a stroke of genius on your part. Welcome to the addiction!

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Originally Posted by bman40

The Dovo s razor is sweet! I stropped it 20 laps before using it, and the thumb pad test had a distinct 'stickiness' to it.. I think its pretty darn sharp.

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Yah, those guys at SRD know a thing or two about honing.;)

It seems like you are off to a great start! Remember to watch your angle and pressure. The one thing I would have done differently is that I would not have stropped before the first shave. Since the razor is newly honed, it would have given you a good baseline feel without the possiblity of having rolled the edge especially if you are new to stropping. Something to remember when (not IF:D) you get your second razor.

Congratulations!

Hi Barry, welcome to SRP and the right way to shave.

If I might suggest, start with the area between your sideburn and jawline and with WTG only for a few shaves. Get used to the feel of the razor in your hand and against your skin. Work on your angles and pressures. As you get more comfortable you can add more facial areas, and XG and AGT as time goes on. There is no hurry. Not many of us were born with the ability to get that perfect BBS shave without learning the skillsets needed. :tu

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Originally Posted by RayG

Yah, those guys at SRD know a thing or two about honing.;)

It seems like you are off to a great start! Remember to watch your angle and pressure. The one thing I would have done differently is that I would not have stropped before the first shave. Since the razor is newly honed, it would have given you a good baseline feel without the possiblity of having rolled the edge especially if you are new to stropping. Something to remember when (not IF:D) you get your second razor.

Congratulations!

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Huge +1 on that. Lynn included a note with my razor saying that it wasn't necessary to strop it before shaving. Since it's a SS blade, I still haven't stropped it, and won't until the shaving comfort level falls off. Note that I strop all my carbon steel blades after and before each shave. After to prevent corrosion, then before cause carbon steel needs to be stropped alot.

If I'm not mistaken, all honemeisters send their blades out completely "shave ready". No need to strop.

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Originally Posted by RayG

Yah, those guys at SRD know a thing or two about honing.;)

It seems like you are off to a great start! Remember to watch your angle and pressure. The one thing I would have done differently is that I would not have stropped before the first shave. Since the razor is newly honed, it would have given you a good baseline feel without the possiblity of having rolled the edge especially if you are new to stropping. Something to remember when (not IF:D) you get your second razor.

Congratulations!

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Thanks for the great tips and suggestions. I had read that I should not strop the razor before shaving, but I sent Don at SRD an email to confirm and he suggested that I give it a light strop - due to the temperature changes it had experienced along the journey to my place in Canada.

One mroe question: how the HE** do I get that big honkin' blde under my nose to do my upper lip?? that was awkward and a bit dicey for me..

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Originally Posted by bman40

One mroe question: how the HE** do I get that big honkin' blde under my nose to do my upper lip?? that was awkward and a bit dicey for me..

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Do a search for "coup de maitre." LX has a nice youtube video on it.

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Originally Posted by bman40

.... the journey to my place in Canada.

One mroe question: how the HE** do I get that big honkin' blde under my nose to do my upper lip?? that was awkward and a bit dicey for me..

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so where are you in Canada? (no need for a street name or anything :D) i am in Chatham Onatario. i always take note when i see another Canadian.

when i do the under the nose part i basicly put the spine of the razor on the tip of my nose and use very little pressure going down the upper lip. i do open my mouth and and kind of pucker my lips i guess to get the skin as taught as possible. i sometimes go from the middle of the lip out also but i think a big factor is trying to keep the skin taught, like anywhere else i guess.

I cheat and use the "clean up" blade on the backside of a Fusion.:p

+1 chee16 You just got to get your lip flat as possible I draw my lip down over my teeth (if that makes sense) it kinda pulls the upper area down away from my nose the with a light touch start my down passes. If someone were to watch most of us shave they would make fun of the faces we make in the mirror getting our skin stretched.

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Originally Posted by sbrouwers

If someone were to watch most of us shave they would make fun of the faces we make in the mirror getting our skin stretched.

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i use one expression (i saw somebody on here use in a video once) where i open my mouth as wide as i can and then pull the skin up at my side burn. it works great but my girlfriend laughs at me everytime i do it. and i don't blame her though as i do look goofy at that exact moment ;)

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Originally Posted by chee16

so where are you in Canada? (no need for a street name or anything :D) i am in Chatham Onatario. i always take note when i see another Canadian.

when i do the under the nose part i basicly put the spine of the razor on the tip of my nose and use very little pressure going down the upper lip. i do open my mouth and and kind of pucker my lips i guess to get the skin as taught as possible. i sometimes go from the middle of the lip out also but i think a big factor is trying to keep the skin taught, like anywhere else i guess.

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Hey - I'm in Richmond BC - suburb to the west of Vancouver


I need to stretch the skin more I guess....I'll try the weird face thing tomorrow morning.

Barry

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Originally Posted by bman40

.I'll try the weird face thing tomorrow morning.

Barry

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Be careful, it could freeze that way!:D