Thread: Hello Everyone

While I may be a tenured member at B&B, I am new to straight razor shaving. I am using a Wade and Butcher with horn scales that I just got professionally honed. I am having some difficulties with a few aspects of the shave. First, even after good prep, I often find the razor dragging through the beard, and second, I have difficulty applying the right amount of pressure and the using the right angle. Do you have any suggestions?

I'm still a n00b too, but I've learned a few things by reading extensively and shaving compulsively. The issue of drag may be result of the angle/pressure issue as long as it was honed properly.

The best angle I've found is about 2 spine widths off the skin, dropping to 1 for the ATG pass.

Use just enough pressure to keep the blade against your skin. This was the hardest part for me, as I have a tendency to be heavy handed in most everything I try. What worked for me was using virtually no pressure at all, and then pushing almost imperceptibly harder until the blade ran smoothly through the hair.

As much advice as I've read, IMHO it still boils down to some trial and error. My first few shaves were terrible, but it's getting much better.

I'm sure veterans who actually know what they're talking about will be along soon to give you much more useful advice.

Pressures and angles are critical during the shave. Don't get discouraged. For WTG strokes the "ideal" angle is approximately 30 degrees. There is a post in the Newbies Forum here that has the title of "No Pressure, No Pressure, No Pressure". That's misleading and flat out wrong. There has to be two key forces during the shave. One force is moving the blade through the whiskers to cut them. The other force MUST be applied, and that is keeping the blade against the skin. However, this force must be tempered to just keeping the blade against the skin, and nothing more. I realize the face is pretty contoured so there will have to be adjustments made to accommodate those contours. That is something you will have to learn what works best for your face and beard. Work in small areas of your face to learn. Hey, it can't be impossible because there are tons of people who have managed to get it right, myself included. Take your time. Learn what works best for you. And above all, enjoy it...

Speaking for myself as a noob.... I found the wiki section to really give me a great deal of help.

Mike

BOKABA; THE 30 DEGREE ANGLE IS A GOOD STARTING POINT, HOWEVER YOU MUST FIND WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU.
USE IT IT AS A STARTING POINT AND THEN ADJUST A COUPLE OF DEGREES AND TAKE A MENTAL NOTE OF IT, NEXT TIME CHANGE ANGLE IN SAME DIRECTION AND AGAIN MAKE A MENTAL NOTE. IN OTHER WORDS DON'T JUST RANDOMLY CHANGE THE ANGLES, MAKE IT CALCULATED CHANGES SO YOU CAN FIND WHAT IS CORRECT FOR YOU AT THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF YOUR FACE.