Thread: My approaching second partial shave.

I just read the article on shaving with a straight razor (I always do things before reading the instructions. I blame it on testosterone) and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I'd approached straight razor shaving the right way! I hadn't actually intended to shave with a straight. I was into buying, restoring and selling DEs and started finding and collecting straights and starting to restore them. They're such pieces of real-life art! Anyway, I got beyond grinding and polishing and into honing (with a lot of guidance from the SRP) and when I finally got what felt to my thumb pad like a true shaving edge, I wondered... And there was obviously one way to find out, so I took one of the straights I'd honed, stropped it, and marched into the bathroom and lathered up. I explained to my beloved Super Speed that this was just a test. No worries. So I unfolded the straight, put the scales at 90º and made my first tentative stroke. And it worked! I actually shaved right below my right sideburn with a once-dull razor I honed myself! Not only that, but it was a really close shave! And the sound a straight makes... it's so much more pleasing. Anyway, I only shave a patch of about one and a half square inches and decided to call that good. I picked up my Super Speed and proceeded with my usual shave. But a couple of times I picked the straight back up just to see how I would approach other areas. Like under my nose, my neck and, most challenging, the left side of my face. But I didn't actually shave any of those places. I could tell I needed to do some reading first. So I came here this morning, learned that I was proceeding as recommended and am about to go in and try shaving a bit more with that straight. Is it wrong to feel this giddy?

Hey Rickosovitch, it sounds like it went well! There's
nothing wrong with feeling giddy -- straight razor
shaving is somewhat unique in its ability to impart a
great feeling on the shaver

Welcome to SRP!

- Scott

Originally Posted by sebell

Hey Rickosovitch, it sounds like it went well! There's
nothing wrong with feeling giddy -- straight razor
shaving is somewhat unique in its ability to impart a
great feeling on the shaver

Welcome to SRP!

- Scott

Thanks Scott. I went ahead and shaved my entire right cheek this morning. Got my first weeper, but I didn't feel it happening, just noticed it in the mirror. I shave right over the jawbone too, but when I got to the top of my neck I had to stop. The grain of the whiskers there go up, not down, and I lost confidence when I started to put the blade to the base of my neck to start a stroke. I'm going to take this just a little bit at a time and try to build my confidence in small steps. I really don't know if I'll become a full-time straight razor shaver, but it is something to be able to take a naked blade to my face with good, or at least okay, results.

Originally Posted by Rickosovitch

I'm going to take this just a little bit at a time and try to build my confidence in small steps.

That's absolutely the best way to start. Take it
easy, know when to stop, and you'll avoid a lot
of unnecessary irritation and the resulting pain
and frustration. Use light pressure and keep a
consistent angle < 30°.

Originally Posted by Rickosovitch

I really don't know if I'll become a full-time straight razor shaver, but it is something to be able to take a naked blade to my face with good, or at least okay, results.

We'll see if that statement holds another month
from now...

- Scott

Your experience brings back memories. You are doing well and don't worry about the weepers. When I go for a great BBS shave, there is usually a weeper or two, but they close up quickly with a cold water rise or just close up quickly on their own with a normal hot water rise.

You are in pursuit of the BBS shave! Keep going!

Pabster

Well, I did my third SR shave this morning, and, in my usual style, threw caution to the wind. First off, I used the 30º angle and learned that my blade could be a little sharper. So I need to keep after my honing/stropping till I get that right. Second, I took advantage of not getting that close a shave and kept on going. I intended to just do the other cheek, but after I did that I tried a few tentative strokes on my neck. I was really just learning how to approach each area. You know, how you hold the razor, what sort of strokes. Anyway, I did my whole neck too. Now, by this point, I had a pretty stubbly shave, but I didn't have a single nick, scratch or weeper. So, what the heck. My chin and was the only thing left unshaved so I went for it. Again, not a close shave at all, but I can see what everybody means about what a tough place this is to shave. So then I tried a little touch-up on my upper lip. And then I re-lathered my cheeks and made another pass. Then I re-lathered my neck and did a litte XTG work. And I still hadn't cut myself! So I was starting to feel a little glow. I really can learn to do this. I grabbed my Super Speed and gave myself a light once-over, did the back of my neck, rinsed off and put on my AS splash. Then I fed Steve, Luke and Dave (my two dogs and one cat) and went to my work desk and got out the venerable old pumice stone a very good friend gave me. I'd heard that the Norton grits (I have the starter set - 4k/8k, 1k/220, and cutter stone) aren't really as fine as American grits. So I wondered if my pumice stone would put an even finer edge on my blade. Can't really tell with my thumb pad. We'll see tomorrow morning.

I still don't know why using a straight razor is such a compulsion. I feel like a moth circling a light bulb.

It's fun though.