Thread: Yay!

hey all,
i promised myself that I wouldnt get too excited about my first shave.... but alas!
i got my boker back from Sham (hi_bud_gl) after he so generously posted up his free honing "contest" and i finally got the chance to shave today.
not only was it my first shave, but it was BBS on most of the face! there are a few rough spots on the neck that need attention. i only nicked myself twice.
but let me tell you, the shave hurt like a mother after a while. i think i need to invest in some better soaps... and figure out the learning curve.
ok, thats enough from me... thanks to everyone on this forum for the priceless knowledge!
brock

It sounds like you are off to a great start. Although it is a blast shaving with a straight for the first few times, DO NOT RUSH! Your face will thank you! Make sure your using minimal pressure with the razor at appx 30 degree angle and make sure you make a good warm lather to start. Shave after the shower so the beard is nice and soft. Keep at it, it's a lifestyle bro!

Brock , very cool man . It will get better but like Jeremy said Dont Rush, I believe you can actually shave without nicking yourself if you take your time. Your face will get use to shaving with a straight and it will get better for you. You definitly should try shaving after you shower and get yourself a good shave soap or cream whatever you prefer , oh and some Bay Rum ... lol . Im laughing because I didnt know what bay rum was till I joined here now Im addicted to the stuff.

If the shave hurt, then you probably know you have room for improvement. Aside from good prep, an important thing to constantly remind yourself of is that you need to keep the pressure very light. The blade should barely be touching your skin. Also be on the alert for the proper angle of the blade relative to your skin. When in doubt, put the spine closer to your skin. As you vary the razor angle, pay attention to shaving feedback you are getting and that way you will very quickly learn to instinctively keep the blade at the right angle.
Congrats on surviving your first shave!

Sounds like you hit the ground running.

A note about the soaps though, you might not need to spend any more money on soap at all. The soaps and creams I use didn't cost more than a few dollars. You might be better served getting your lathering technique down.

Good luck, there's loads of advice here.

Congrats. You did it. +1 on previous post. Don't feel like you have to spend more bucks on new stuff. Make what you have work. You probably bought good stuff to begin with, it is just a matter of learning to use it best. Oh, and when laying that blade on your skin. think LEVITATE. No pressure, and then use less pressure. That blade will cut all by it self.

Welcome. and Happy Shaving

Mark