First Shave--The Full Experience

[EdgeWorks]

Well, after much anticipation, the day finally arrived...my first straight razor shave! After buying my kit and requesting a shave-ready blade, I figured the Friday before father's day was as good a day as any for this memorable occasion. I took a nice hot shower, lathered my soap in a bowl (well, started to, but then realized I'd added a little too much water from the brush--let it soak for five minutes in the hot water first--so I then reached for a back-up mug and got a good little lather going in there). After applying the soap to my face, I reached for the blade...

...a Dovo Black Micarta Inox 5/8". I performed a final canvas and then leather stropping, then tried a "hair test", which it didn't pass, but I figured maybe I wasn't doing it quite right, and valor being the word of the day, I jumped right in. Oh, no, no simple shave your sideburns then wait 'til the next day and take it farther for this guy, heck no, I'm using a manly straight razor and I want the full treatment. So, venturing right in where many fools have opted not to tread (along with angels), I started by pulling my skin tight, slowly moving the blade downward at what I supposted to be a 30 degree angle, and going over it again...the first sideburn went okay, though I had difficulty seeing what I was doing because of my hand obstructing my vision. (Question here: do seasoned shavers get their sideburns right by feel/instinct, or can you actually see the line you're cutting over to the ear?)

So, on down the cheek...OUCH! My first little nick, and it's a little bit of a bleeder, but not too much. Besides, I wanted to try out the brand spankin' new styptic pencil that was recommended to me, but that will wait until after I finish, so, on with the shave. All in all, I found that as the dust settled and the fog of war cleared, I had around 6 minor nicks (one parallel to my ear, trying to angle the razor in there and one on my nose, where I got a little too foolhardy and gently swung the razor over a little too far shaving up under the nose). Then I had the utter joy of experiencing the styptic--not too bad, it's a good kind of hurt. Yep, I felt like Jeremiah Johnson, the mountain man, after killing the griz.

I then rubbed in some aftershave balm (I needed it--I guess I'm applying too much pressure or maybe going back over spots too many times, as my skin felt a little raw). I need to work on my mustache area--hard to get that angle-- and around my sideburns and chin--those are either hard to see or hard to hold the right angle. Overall my face is smooth, but inconsistent. I guess the right shave comes with practice, and I'll keep giving it a go. It took 50 minutes or so for me to complete the shave, so for now I may practice it mainly on the weekends until I build up a little more dexterity and speed.