Thread: First Straight Razor Shave

Hi from Upstate NY. Just got my first Straight razor last night. Dovo best quality, and had to give it a try right away. Got it from Vintage Blades so it was already professionally honed from the get go.

First try wasn't that bad. A few nicks, nothing big. The wife only checked on me a few times to make sure I was still alive.

Cheeks came out good, neck and chin were not quite as good. Razor burn on my neck as the hair there grows in different directions, which would have been funny to watch me try to figure out how to hold the blade and get those hairs.

Need to work on building the lather, it was very sticky and hard to rinse off the blade, which I think made the passes 'choppy'. I used AoS shave cream if it matters..

All in all not bad for my first try, better than I expected.

After I know I will keep up with it I am planning on getting a Norton 4k/8k to hone the blade myself.

Been lurking for a while, lots of good info on this site.

Thanks!

Sounds like you done good. My first time out was nothing short of a disaster so you have a leg up on me. Isn't it funy how some people think that you are going to kill yourself with a striaght razor? To do that you need to do two things: you need to hold the balde at 90 degrees to the skin and second you need to move the blade in a cutting motion. Two things that a straight shaver never does.

We keep advising new shavers to start with the area between the sideburn and jaw line, and WTG only. This gives you time to learn the proper angles and pressures to help avoid cuts and razor burn. But I guess it's hard not to go for the gusto and do it all. You won't need those hones for quite some time unless you damage your edge. Proper stropping, and a pasted strop will keep your edge in great condition for several months. Good face prep is also important for a good shave. Take small steps in your approach. It's not a race...

Congrats! A straight survivor!
I think figuring out how to hold the razor for the various passes you need to do is the hard part...
Are you using both hands to shave?
-Chief

I only used my right hand to shave..I tried to use my left at a few points, but it didn't feel right and I had no confidence to even touch the blade to my face with my left hand, so I switched back.

I am not farmiliar with a pasted strop, should I have a regular and pasted strop? I got one that comes in a set that I got, it has one leather one and one 'fabric webbing' they call it. Is it recommended to use both pasted and not pasted? I had read some stuff on it, but wasn't sure...

I went back and forth with doing my whole face or not, just seemed silly not do at least try my whole face. I did need to touch up some spots on my neck with my old razor, but few and far between.

I went for it all with my first shave too. I cut my lip right below the bottom lip line and it bled for about 30 minutes. Sounds like you did better than that. Still, I say if you feel comfortable with shaving your whole mug at once, you might as well... We men are stubborn. We don't take well to other men telling us what we can't do

I am not farmiliar with a pasted strop, should I have a regular and pasted strop? I got one that comes in a set that I got, it has one leather one and one 'fabric webbing' they call it. Is it recommended to use both pasted and not pasted? I had read some stuff on it, but wasn't sure...

nrvna

A "pasted" strop is one that has a coat of abrasive paste, usually .5 green chromium. It is used once every few shaves to brighten up the razor's edge as it dulls over time. It may also be used as a final step in honing. You bring the razor too it spine first, like you do with your regular strop. I prefer a leather strop attached to a rigid wooden "paddle" for this purpose, since the paste can do real damage to the edge very quickly if the strop isn't held flat.

Welcome Aboard

goshawk

Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

I went for it all with my first shave too. I cut my lip right below the bottom lip line and it bled for about 30 minutes.

Wow! You still got lips? Cool!

Originally Posted by Moonhowl

Wow! You still got lips? Cool!

Yeah, that was really my only mistake, and for it being the first time I touched a SR to my face I couldn't ask for a smoother ride.

Now here is something to tell the Mrs, in order for you to hurt yourself with the straight you need to do two things, both things, and these are two things that a straight shaver never does ever. You will need to 1) hold the razor at 90 degrees to the skin and 2) move the blade in a cutting motion; and these are things that a straight shaver never ever never ever never does if he values his life. If you don't do this its extreemly unlikely that you will hurt yourself with the blade. My mrs does not check to make sure that she has not become a widow, but she thinks I am obsessed with straight razor shaving "need to learn the task so that I can teach my son to do the job" I keep telling her, but does she listen, no.