Thread: Two steps forward, one step back

What a disastrous day yesterday was, in my little world of straight razor shaves. On the good advice of those who responded to my plea, I carefully patched up my strop (smoothing out the nicks with emery paper), making the best of an already bad job. Then some more careful research revealed that my stropping technique was clearly at fault. I resolved to improve it. Armed with my trusty Dovo, I prepped for the shave of all shaves late (late) last night.

Now, it is probably perfectly clear to most that it is not the best time to practice this delicate art at 1 a.m. when one is a tad on the tired side. I stropped carefully, slowly at first, rolling the blade on the spine, shank held between fingers and thumb in a pencil-grip as all good stroppers do. Getting the hang of the new technique, I built up speed and was soon stropping at an admirable pace. Until my few remaining alert brain cells diverted their attention to the shaving brush that toppled my freshly-brewed Truefitt into the basin. My technique slipped and so did my Dovo, now scything a precision slice into my best Rindleder. That was sharp!

I will spare you the expletives as I resigned myself to the shave (sleep was calling, after all). Yes, the blade was sharp, soon proven by the two 1 inch incisions in my jawline. I stemmed the blood with a cold wet face-cloth before applying my styptic pencil, which broke at the base. No matter, they aren’t expensive. But what if I bleed in my sleep? Two strips of adhesive plaster would have done the job, had I not pinched my finger in the scissors.

I think I’ll go to bed…