Throw in the towell, SR and the strop that hasnt even arrived yet?

Oh yeah, I was going to do this right! I bought the $58 Wap honed by Ken, looked at every video on this site, ordered Lynn's video, Miller strop....
Unlike my usual rush into a new venture, I decided to take it slow...mostly out of fear.
But, this morning, instead of picking up the slant, that I'm only now getting used to, I, gasp, took the shiny handled cheek slicer.
Why?
I put the spine against a sideburn (dominant hand side, of course). Angled the blade.....stroke. My god, no blood, no whiskers. Again. Again. Now move closer to the crease lines near my nose. Jackass! Why did you move down when it was evident the toe was pressing in, the heel out? Slice...blood. Hard to stop blood. Stopped. Evidence apparent. Wife's "sympathetic wrath" (folks, I once (true story) was bitten by a shark! en route to the hospital in the ambulance she kept calling me an asshole for doing this to her!!! Ok she was pregnant and about to pop due to the excitement).
So, sell the strop the moment it arrives?
Keep getting those nice de shaves that I've been getting for years?
Be satisfied with looks of my brushes and scuttle neatly arranged on the counter?
In need of support. Am I really going to slice myself each time I try?

Jim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jleeg

Oh yeah, I was going to do this right! I bought the $58 Wap honed by Ken, looked at every video on this site, ordered Lynn's video, Miller strop....
Unlike my usual rush into a new venture, I decided to take it slow...mostly out of fear.
But, this morning, instead of picking up the slant, that I'm only now getting used to, I, gasp, took the shiny handled cheek slicer.
Why?
I put the spine against a sideburn (dominant hand side, of course). Angled the blade.....stroke. My god, no blood, no whiskers. Again. Again. Now move closer to the crease lines near my nose. Jackass! Why did you move down when it was evident the toe was pressing in, the heel out? Slice...blood. Hard to stop blood. Stopped. Evidence apparent. Wife's "sympathetic wrath" (folks, I once (true story) was bitten by a shark! en route to the hospital in the ambulance she kept calling me an asshole for doing this to her!!! Ok she was pregnant and about to pop due to the excitement).
So, sell the strop the moment it arrives?
Keep getting those nice de shaves that I've been getting for years?
Be satisfied with looks of my brushes and scuttle neatly arranged on the counter?
In need of support. Am I really going to slice myself each time I try?

Jim

---

I'd give it a chance.

I'm assuming you have the lather and prep down, since you all ready shave with a DE.

Light touch on the razor. no more than 30 degree angle, try a little less. Proper skin stretching is important. Try taking shorter strokes.

If it doesnt feel right or you are uncomfortable at all, STOP!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jleeg

In need of support. Am I really going to slice myself each time I try?

---

That, as they say, depends. Mainly on the amount of pressure you apply. Incidentally, I only cut myself badly once, and that was when I switched from round points to a heavy spike. My, my, who would have thought an ear wound would take more than two hours to heal?

You might find the beginners section in the Wiki useful, but also this article: Basic Shaving Passes - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Good luck.

Jim,

Welcome to SRP! Cuts can happen, but I don't know any
of the guys (besides Rich ;)) around here who have cut them-
selves more than a couple times.

My advice is to keep the strop, and pick up the blade when you
feel comfortable. Don't push it, and don't worry about giving it
another shot right away. Learning to shave with a straight does
take time, but I think you'll find in the long run that it is well
worth the learning curve and the little cuts along the way.

Good luck!

- Scott

You learn very quickly during the first few shaves with a straight. You start with practically zero relevant skill, but almost immediately you develop muscle memory that helps you make safe confident strokes. Soon you have forgotten those early, nervous steps. Then one day as you are nonchalantly swiping the blade over your face you ask yourself: "Wait, how the hell am I doing all this WITHOUT cutting myself?"

The situation really is reversed completely. Your assumption (and fact) becomes that you can shave without serious injury.

Trust me, the fear of the blade fades quickly. You just need to remind yourself to respect it.

Don't give up! :gl:

You can't go giving up after that! Just be more careful next time & keep an eye on what the blade's doing. Be aware that the blade is sharp, but it's your tool & works better when used with confidence. I know that can be hard when the damn thing's just bitten you, but it will grow as you become more profficient.
Good luck.

Take it slow. It is really worth the effort and the patience. Stay cool and respect the blade. They are sharp, you know? ;)
Good luck! And ask questions, surf the forum and ask more questions. There is no other way to learn.
:gl:

I jest, of course

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rajagra

You learn very quickly during the first few shaves with a straight. You start with practically zero relevant skill, but almost immediately you develop muscle memory that helps you make safe confident strokes. Soon you have forgotten those early, nervous steps. Then one day as you are nonchalantly swiping the blade over your face you ask yourself: "Wait, how the hell am I doing all this WITHOUT cutting myself?"

The situation really is reversed completely. Your assumption (and fact) becomes that you can shave without serious injury.

Trust me, the fear of the blade fades quickly. You just need to remind yourself to respect it.

Don't give up! :gl:

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jleeg

...
Why did you move down when it was evident the toe was pressing in, the heel out? Slice...blood.
...

---

Now that you know one mistake to avoid, why stop now? I think that you should keep trying now that your "initiation" cut is out of the way. :tu

And welcome to straight shaving.

You're trying to give up that easily? Seriously, you can't expect to get an awesome shave without cuts the first time you use a straight. I nicked my chin this morning and I am 2 weeks into learning this and that's with everyday using the straight.

Like everyone has said on these forums, it can take months to get an awesome shave without cutting yourself.

Let the cut heal, put something on it to help it, and then go back to trying. Just be more careful. When I said be careful in our PMs I REALLY meant be careful. I am sure most of the guys on here have sliced themselves several times, if not more, and still learned to use their straight and now get amazing BBS with it.

When you touch the blade to your face make sure it's not with the edge totally against your skin. You're going to slice yourself.use light slow strokes, short ones, with your arm not with your wrist.

Don't try to use the razor until you strop again! You've already shaved once, without stropping the next shave will probably be worse.

Keep the blade almost flat against your face. Don't go for a 30 degree angle, have the spine of the razor off of your face by only one width of the razor. This will halep the razor glide over your face, instead of having it want to dig into it!

Hey Jim,
Welcome to SRP!
It can only get better now... its like the first scratch on your new car.. The good thing is that this scratch will probably be gone in a couple of days..

On my third shave I tried to shave my upperlip against the grain and I looked like I was attacked by a wild cat.. after that I only really nicked myself a couple of times when I was in a hurry..

last time I bled I didnt know where my steptic pencil was... when I found it the bleeding had stopped..

Maarten

Always be aware of where the tip of the blade is. Read my sig below for what helps me avoid cuts. Read this post by Lynn for easing into it. :gl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jleeg

In need of support. Am I really going to slice myself each time I try?

---

Cutting yourself up while shaving is normally a self correcting problem (the more you practice the better you get) so I wouldn't let a bad first attempt stop you. Would you have given up learning to drive if the first time out you got into a minor fender bender? I would study a little more before trying again as there is a lot of good advice on this forum such as staying away from the chin and upper lip areas until you have first gotten a handle on the grip/angle/stroke aspects of using a straight. For what it's worth I've been doing this for a couple decades and still cut myself once in a while when I don't pay attention.

You could certainly give up. You should see how often I cut myself with a DE. On the other hand, you many have learned the most important and painful lesson really early.

If you want some real honest advice, totally unbiased, I would suggest you just keep using both. Use the DE predominately and just work your straight in a little at a time for the next 6 months to a year.

Rushing into a shave or the process as a whole isn't really helpful.

You should give up! ... And sell the strop and razor to me for $20 :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyboy

You should give up! ... And sell the strop and razor to me for $20 :D

---

Thanks all. Of course I'll have a go at it. Cant stop looking at all the posts here at SRP, the online tutorials, the stuff to acquire...know I'm knee deep into this ...and sinking. Will wait till I get the strop, work the blade, and give it the ole college try once again, and again.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Jim

oops, the super glue didnt hold and my ear fell off again

With your incident you have learned (the hard way) to respect the blade but there is no need to fear it.

Put it away for the rest of the week - let your wound heal - use your DE until the weekend. On Saturday, lock yourself in the bathroom (or where ever you shave), prep your whiskers, and go about it slow. Work on your sideburns and cheeks only (leave the neck, upper lip and chin alone - use your DE for these areas). Do NOT force the blade - if it feels like it is "caught" don't push through. Lift the blade, reposition, and try again. Take short, deliberate strokes through the whole process.

As you get comfortable with your sideburns and cheeks, move to another easy area. Repeat this process over a few shaves until you are able to do your entire face. Once you get the hang of it you will love shaving this way.

Please let us know how you make out.

Best of luck.

Cheers,

Rick

Give it a chance! You'll see improvements with every shave. Then all of a sudden, one day you'll realize that this is one of the best things you've ever done. The final results of a BBS shave is very gratifying! And your wife will LOVE the way your skin looks and mostly feels! Just ask questions whenever you have one and someone will be more than willing to assist you! Get that strop, use it on the razor and have a great shave! Just remember, don't ry to take all the whisker off in one pass, ecspecially being new to str8s. But you might want to donate blood at the Blood bank just in case! (Only joking):roflmaoHave fun, and enjoy the shave!

ok as one of the more senior members here, in years of membership anyways,(certainly not by post count) I will admit that it is very disheartening when one cuts himself...i remember this feeling well...however do not loose heart or motivation, you have entered a brotherhood that will nurture your interest in this field.My first shaves were by barbers so i learned that way, so to speak.

Facts...anyone who doesnt cut themselves atleast occasionally be it very occasionally is a storyteller ....

This is not an activity with first time results

The sight of blood will terrify anyone with a resounding...oohh you bugger....wtf!!

I cut myself every now and again so dont worry about it, they heal fast plus usually you can shave a day or so later as long as you dont bring the razor in at the same angle as the cut...

Please give it a chance and enjoy the shave that most men and women now, never have experienced!!

Your amongst friends and brothers of the blade....good luck and stick with it..

regards,simon:rock:

Pink lather gives superior lubrication! :w I've only had 1 big cut, during an early shave, but it wasn't a real bleeder and healed quickly.

I suspect it actually becomes harder to cut yourself over time. Maybe a layer of dead skin cells is easy to dig into and cause a cut, but fresh, exfoliated skin is able to flex around the blade edge without being pierced. :hmmm:

I assume you know how to ride a bike. Did you ever fall off when you were learning to ride a bike? Once the scabs healed did you get back on the bike?
Its the same with a straight. Once the wounds have healed give it another try.
Just don't tell the wife you intend to continue until you have some good results.

I'm sort of new to this also .. the first 5 tries were a little shaky - got better each time .. now I got to the point where I am getting great shaves - I had three BBS shaves in a row with not even an nick or a weeper.. so,this morning... maybe I got a little over confident and didn't take my time around my mouth area .. tzzzzt ! ... bled a little - but I kept on shaving .. the rest of the shave was just fine..

My advice ... move past the cut - just take your blade and shave ... . hear the blade cutting the whiskers... smell the soap/cream... feel the metal glide over your stretched skin.. just shave .. just shave ..!

Don't give up! Granted, the razor might have one the first fight but once you read up some more and take it slowly you'll learn to love the process. I would suggest reading the aforementioned wiki. It also sounded like you were putting a lot of pressure (since you sliced through your cheek). Light firm touch with short strokes. :gl:

nnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooo!!!!!!! dont do it , ive been str8 shaving for a week now and last night i started to come lovly, no nicks no blood and only a small amount of burn , but the shave was ace . so keep at it and tame that blade

WoW, You got lots of support from the guys here, You can't throw in the towel now...You know, I felt the same way at first, thinking, My God, All this money I spent, but honestly, It'll get better, You'll get better. Be patient and take your time. Go slow, be aware of the angle of the blade. Make sure it's honed properly, Don't force the blade....Are you in Florida, by chance, When you talked about the Shark, I'm a Diver.....If you need help or anything, feel free to PM me. Rich

Jim

I have only shaved with a straight 5 times now, I have yet to even nick myself, its getting easier each time and shaves are getting better. For me I need to be concious that Im getting more confident and that is when Im going to get cut, so I slow down and refocus on what Im doing, if something does not feel right or I see myself in the mirror in an awkard position I stop, I stop re focus maybe brush a little more soap on my face and I start over again. I go slow , I take notice of my blade angle, I take short strokes but lately strokes seem to be getting longer. I complete one cheak at a time, I work slow then the other cheak. I do my entire face then I re lather and do it all over again. The second time around gets easier. You have to take your time , Face prep is most important here, I tried shaving without prep and it doesnt work, I also tried shaving without stropping and that doesnt work either. You do not need to force these razors or apply a lot of pressure, remember work slow, short strokes, Face prep, These are just a few things that work for me. Like I said Im very new at this and certainly no expert but I dont wanto to kill myself trying to shave so I work slow and I stay focused on what Im doing. Dont shave if your tired , in a hurry or drunk, I have already experimented with these things and they dont work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rajagra

You learn very quickly during the first few shaves with a straight. You start with practically zero relevant skill, but almost immediately you develop muscle memory that helps you make safe confident strokes. Soon you have forgotten those early, nervous steps. Then one day as you are nonchalantly swiping the blade over your face you ask yourself: "Wait, how the hell am I doing all this WITHOUT cutting myself?"

The situation really is reversed completely. Your assumption (and fact) becomes that you can shave without serious injury.

Trust me, the fear of the blade fades quickly. You just need to remind yourself to respect it.

Don't give up! :gl:

---

+1 to Rajagra. Keep in mind that practice doesn't make perfect - perfect practice makes perfect. You will get a true feel for it. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

Loaded with an unbelievalbe dose of "I-can-do-it" and the backing of my brethren of the blade (dare I include myself yet....yes, damnit, yes indeed) I raced to the street before the trashmen arrived...dunked in the can from head to waist....there, my strop, the glint...yes, my straight razor, soaps, scuttle, brushes.

Arms loaded, not nearly so much as with the confidence I now carry, I returned. No, I'm not shaving yet. Gotta once again watch Lynn shave on that dvd I bought. Ok, a few practice runs with the blade a few inches from my face.....

But first, I'm writing the musical. Cant use the "sun will come up tomorrow" but along that vein. Nicky Arnheim nicky arnheim....and a huge finalee....soap, mugs.........

Ah, damn...ear fell off yet again....hon where's the superglue?

Thanks to you all. I will survive. I'll even tell you all about it.

Jim