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Hi all,
Thanks to help from a member here who honed and rescaled a (vintage) Bokers razor, I now am able to attempt my first straight razor shave.
I have read the stickys here for newbies, but “what did I miss”? Any last word of advice (I will give myself the weekend to heal; just in case).
Thanks,
V1
Reduce the angle for ATG passes.
That is all.
Thanks,
My plan is to start with "with the grain" and "across the grain" passes above the jawline (and use a DE below the jawline). I'm just afraid, if I don't cut myself badly initially, I will "press on" and try to complete the shave :(, using only the straight.
Good, thick, slick lather. Tallow based, something like Tabac IMO makes it all a lot easier. GL.:gl:
For me, it made sense to shave my cheeks a couple of times to get a feel for the razor before shaving the neck.
Tabac!!
I got a wife in grad school:).
I use Williams, or Walmart VDH soap.
But I will make sure the lather is extra slick.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vee1
I have found VDH to make a very nice, slick lather. It doesn't have the scent or some of the nicer shades of a fine soap, but it is a grand lather for the price. I've also found that a drop of aloe vera will turn this into a superlather...
Start by just doing your sideburns with the str8. Use a safety razor for the rest. Slowly expand your comfort zone. I didn't do that & still have the scars to prove it.
good striping,
good beard prep.
Vary important do not for get to stretch the skin or you will not get very smooth rezults
Vee, try Ogallala Bay Rum shave soaps. They are some of the best out there, IMHO.
Be confident with your strokes. Be careful, of course; but avoid being too apprehensive with the blade.
It takes a fair lack of judgment (or just simple inattention) to injure yourself with the razor.
I have only cut myself once in my three or four dozen straight razor shaves (and a minor cut at that), and it occurred because I was too shaky and inhibited, thinking more about how I would cut that little patch of stubble instead of, well, actually slicing through it.
That would be my advice.
Be methodical, be focused, but, above all, be deliberate too.
Don't drink and shave...
:)
-Chief
I have one HUGE piece of advice.
Relax.
That's probably the single most important thing. All of us here shave with a straight daily or almost daily, and countless millions of men have shaved with them over the centuries.
I have yet to find a single verifiable report of anyone suffering anything more serious than slicing their earlobe with a spike point while shaving, and since your razor isn't a spike point, you've got nothing to worry about there.
Relax, take your time, don't try to get a perfect shave at first, and keep the blade more flat than you think you need to. You can always increase the angle later.