It's been one month. Update

I was hoping to post this in a few days, on the one month anniversary of that box showing up from SRD but I will be backpacking...so here we are a few days early.

All in all....I really really enjoy this straight razor shaving. In fact, I enjoy it so much that when Southwest Airlines lost my luggage 8 days ago, I didn't replace my Mach 3.

It sounds like I got lucky with my first few shaves, as I was able to do my entire face the first time. It still takes me awhile to get all the hair on the bottom of my jaw on the left side of my face, but that's because I CAN NOT change hands, and I have a screw holding my right wrist together and have only about 20% range of motion left (sweet mountain bike crash!).

I have had a little more normal luck trying to go against the grain. I can do that on my cheeks for some reason, the blade tries to skip up my neck....which is scary. I have found that a few passes on the strop before I go ATG helps on the checks big time.

Stropping is a little scary still, I can't tell if I am doing it right, but the blade seems shape afterwards so it must be working.

Lather building is a challange still, but with patience I can get it done. I can't lather my whole face at one time, or the lather kind of vanishes before I get done...so I lather one section, shave, then move on to lather the next and so forth. You think I am doing something wrong there, or is that normal?

I kind of chuckled when Lynn, in the training video, mentioned how much he enjoys shaving...seemed kind of weird. When I first started, for the first 2 weeks I only shaved in the evening...so I didn't go to work bleeding, and so I was more awake when I did it. I have now started shaving in the morning, and by God that guy is right! It's great to shave in the morning. Even after a shower, I still use a hot wet towel because it feels so nice.

So for what it's worth, other newbies. I have been one month at it, and I enjoy more all the time. It's not hard, it's not dangerous (if you're careful) and although my shaves still aren't quiet as uniform and smooth as my Mach 3...they are getting better as I get more confident.

Thanks to everyone for all the help in this section. I wrote this because I think other new guys need to know what awaits them after a few weeks of shaving.

...it gets better, it gets easier, and it becomes addicting.

Thanks for sharing. Glad you're making good progress.

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Originally Posted by Dirt4dinner

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Lather building is a challange still, but with patience I can get it done. I can't lather my whole face at one time, or the lather kind of vanishes before I get done...so I lather one section, shave, then move on to lather the next and so forth. You think I am doing something wrong there, or is that normal?
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Positively NOT normal. Take a look at jockeys' video on lathering, and also the Wiki.

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Originally Posted by fritz

Positively NOT normal. Take a look at jockeys' video on lathering, and also the Wiki.

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Unfortunately I can't view the video while at work. But I will check it when I get home. I think I might just have to much water in the mixture, I will get it figured out. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Dirt4dinner

Unfortunately I can't view the video while at work. But I will check it when I get home. I think I might just have to much water in the mixture, I will get it figured out. Thanks.

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"Less is more" when it comes to the water-- and you can always add more. I pretty much squeeze out most of the water in my brush, and then drizzle a little bit into the base of the brush if it is too thick (I lather on my face).

-Chief

Thank you for the update, that was a great read. Very inspirational to newbies and it reinforces the fact that despite a possible slow start to SR shaving, it DOES get better!

xman made a video of him shaving only using one hand, so perhaps that would be helpful to you: http://straightrazorpalace.com/video...technique.html.

I solved the lather problem! I went to Bath and Body Works, bought the C.O. Bigelow shave cream and a bottle of Glycerin from Walmart. Yahtzee!!! Big bowl of whipped cream....Uber-Lather receipt works like a charm.