Bad first experience

I tried shaving tonight after a nice long hot shower and beard prep to boot. I lathered up with my tabac and started to shave with the DA and it seemed to pull the hairs and kind of bounce sometimes on my cheek. Am I doing something wrong? or is this one not very sharp? I did nothing to it, I just pulled it out and shaved with it. That was what I was told to do by the the guy on here that sells them. He seems to be well respected here. He is a very nice guy so I am not here to bash him. I just need some help, I felt like it was not that sharp. Is the pulling and bouncing a usual dull problem?

If you bought a DA from a well respected member here (there are quite a few), and were told it was shave ready, not even to strop it...then it is quite unlikely that it was not sharp enough to give a comfy and close shave IN SKILLED HANDS.
Please take no offense, but it is likely either your technique or perhaps your prep/lather.
Did you limit yourself just to sideburns-down, to get the feel of it? That is often recommended, until you get used to ahving that balde on your skin. Your angle could also cause an issue.
Have you used tabac before (maybe a DE shaver before straights?), and are you familiar with making a good, slick lather?

Hope these help point you in the right direction. It is VERY common for a new straight shaver to feel that the razor isn't very sharp on their first tries. If it was shave ready, and you do your part (and stick through the learning curve!!) those DA's can give a fantastic shave!

Good luck!

Sorry for this question, but did you stretch the skin you were shaving?
Without streching, the blade can do funny things as well.

I'm a newbie too... just completed my 5th shave, every shave has been a significant increase across the board. Your experience with your first shave sounds very similar to mine...

In addition to sharpness, there are several things to learn in the shave itself. One is blade angle; the angle of attack required is *much* lower than what I was attempting with my first two shaves. Keep the spine only one or two spine widths off the skin for the proper 30 degree with the grain (WTG) cut. Another is proper lather, my initial lathers had way too much water, and were very runny. Proper pressure and stretching of the skin are the two areas I am still having trouble with.

Proper stropping techique will be needed to maintain a keen edge of course...

I was very disappointed after my intial shave, second was better but not great. Since the third shave on, I look forward to the next morning so I can try out new techiques. It's getting better every time!

Cheers,

- HJ

Just so you don't feel like you are the only one... a post similar to this one goes up about every week where someone has a similar experience.... then about three or four weeks later we get an update from the original poster explaining how after a few slight changes in technique they got a really nice shave. hang in there, read lynn's tips in the newbies corner and just take it easy... the shave will take care of itself after some practice. Welcome to SRP and don't hesitate to ask questions (it is good though to try to find all of your answers on the wiki and in the newbies corner first if you can, but I have yet to meet a member that wasn't willing to help someone out.)

Welcome again!

Dave

Here is SRP founder Lynn Abrams recommendation for beginning straight razor shaving. I started in that way and it worked out well. My first two or three weeks I was finishing my shave with a DE until I developed better technique. If you haven't checked out the tutorials and videos in the SRP Wiki go here and scroll down for great info on straight razor shaving, prep, honing and maintenance as well as videos.

Welcome to the forum!

My first shave experience was amazing, but I'm still pretty new to it, so every once in a while, I'll have an experience like your first. I'm pretty sure it's because I'm not being consistent yet. Keep at it though, and be sure to read up on the advice you'll find here, it can be a life-saver!

The main thing I've experienced that sounds like yours, is when I forget I need to stretch the skin... whenever I do that, I realize quickly, because the blade acts just like you're describing.

I'm sure with a bit of practice, and some good advice from this forum, you'll do just fine!

Edit:
The post below mine brings up another good point I forgot to mention... a lot of times, I still find myself using too much pressure... a lifetime of using mach3's and their ilk have made me think you need to use a lot of pressure to get a good shave. With a good sharp straight razor, you really don't need much at all... it's a concept I'm still trying to make habit.

Don't feel bad. The same thing happened to me. I bought my razor from Straight Razor Designs which means Lynn Abrams honed it and after my first shave I thought maybe he forgot to do this one. I was completely wrong. It was my poor newbie technique and had nothing to do with the razor or its honing. After three weeks of learning, I am getting a much smoother shave. I asure you the razor didn't become sharper just by stropping. Make sure you are really stretching the skin; using proper angle and using very light pressure. Stick with it. It only gets better. And don't forget to read the posts at the very beginning of the newbie section.

+1 to pretty much all the sage advice. Just thought I'd add my .02 cents as a fellow n00b who completed his 3rd shave this morning.

I had what was probably the worst shave of my life the first time I tried this. My razor was purchased from SRD and honed by Lynn. The problem was a combination of bad technique, too much pressure, and a poor lather...not necessarily in that order.

Second shave (yesterday) was quite a bit better, but still left my skin moderately irritated, and my chin looked like I hadn't shaved at all. (It would probably also help if I actually listened and started with the cheeks instead of the whole face, but I'm impatient to a fault)

This morning something just clicked. I've obviously got a long road of learning ahead of me, but this 3rd shave was a completely different experience. I got my first real glimmer of what a decent straight razor shave can be.

I guess the main thrust of all this ridiculous babbling is to not lose heart, it will get better faster than you think.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smokelaw1

If you bought a DA from a well respected member here (there are quite a few), and were told it was shave ready, not even to strop it...then it is quite unlikely that it was not sharp enough to give a comfy and close shave IN SKILLED HANDS.
Please take no offense, but it is likely either your technique or perhaps your prep/lather.
Did you limit yourself just to sideburns-down, to get the feel of it? That is often recommended, until you get used to ahving that balde on your skin. Your angle could also cause an issue.
Have you used tabac before (maybe a DE shaver before straights?), and are you familiar with making a good, slick lather?

Hope these help point you in the right direction. It is VERY common for a new straight shaver to feel that the razor isn't very sharp on their first tries. If it was shave ready, and you do your part (and stick through the learning curve!!) those DA's can give a fantastic shave!

Good luck!

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No offense taken. I have been using DE's for about 1 1/2 years now and have used and love tabac also before. I have since this post talked to the guy I bought it from and he told me it could not be sharper and it was my angle. I am still learning and love the challenge. I do want to have success at some point. :cry: I did try the sideburn area and did stretch the skin.

I think everyone else has hit it on the head, prep angle, technique. I posted simply to say that from your pic in the avatar that you look familiar, do I know you from somewhere?;)

Thanks to everyone!!:y

I got my cheeks BBS along with most of my upper lip. Chin is a long way from where I want it and so are both sides of my neck. Although, both sides of my neck has never been where it should be, I just cannot get that part very close or it gives me all kind of problems.

Much better shave. This time did everything the same (prep wise) except used JM Fraser's (very very slick) to shave with.

This time I was much less nervous. Some things I noticed that I changed were...
1. Held the razor much much more lightly. (second biggest mistake in first attempt)
2. Got more creative on ways to grip the razor in order to "get to" places.
3. Moved my face more in order to see things better.
4. Made many passes, did not finish with my DE
5. I CHANGED THE ANGLE. (This made almost all the difference)

Quote:

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do I know you from somewhere?

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Why, yes you do my friend.;)

It sounds like you're tackling the learning curve with the expertise of a mountain climber! Keep refining the above points and you'll be doing great in no time.

I've been delighted to find that as my technique gets better, even the worst spots like my neck and chin can be super-smooth without any irritation or ingrown hairs the next day! Granted, there were those early days when I looked like a knife fighter....but in a month, I've come a long way. I can't wait to see what TWO months will teach!


Welcome to the boards, and to the path of shaving enlightenment. May you find Nirvana. :D:gl: