Thread: Is it my razor or me?

Zee, have you ever wet shaved before? If not, you might try a week or so of daily shaving with a bic or similar disposable razor while focusing on prep. Make sure you're getting your whiskers nice and soft before you shave. I recommend that you shave without any prep at all, then shave with a lot of prep, and notice the difference. (With a cartridge razor. Don't try it with your straight.) It'll help you know how to ensure a nice soft beard.

Once you know you have good prep, try shaving the under part of your forearm or the backs of your hands to at least get a start on technique.

I know some of the old-timers here will disagree with me on both of these recommendations, but they come from my own personal life experiences. I've owned and sharpened knives since I was 10, and I've always tested the sharpness by shaving my arm-hairs, so I alreay had a good idea of the best angles to hold the blade. Also, I wet shaved for years with cartridge razors, and I would run the entire range of prep from literally stepping out of the shower and running the razor over my face (no soap, cream, etc.) to hardcore, intensive hot towel and soap lather prep. I honestly believe that those two things gave me a good foundation of experience to be able to pick up a SR and get good results right away.

Oh, and one other thing: buy a brush and lather. There's no right kind of lather, just use whatever shaving soap or shaving cream you want/like. The point is at least use some sort of hot lather. It'll save your face.

Zee, You said, you sharpened the razor, How did you that?

Zib, I think he means stropped, not sharpened.

Originally Posted by aragornelessar86

Zib, I think he means stropped, not sharpened.

Your probably right...Thanks....!

There is a learning curve for using a straight razor. PLEASE read the WIKI.

If you bought a grand piano - never having played the piano before:
The first time you sit down and play - and it does not sound like Mozart, do you:

1) Blame the grand piano?
2) Blame the piano-tuner?
3) Practice, practice and practice some more until you have learned how to play?

1) Blame the grand piano?
2) Blame the piano-tuner?
3) Practice, practice and practice some more until you have learned how to play


The 1 Million Dollar Answer !

Hang in there new guy, I'm in the same phase (3 shaves in) but you gotta check your angles, stretch the skin. If you're not getting good shaves on a side then check the way you strop.

From my personal experience it will be technique more than anything.
I learnt on an old antique cut-throat at first I thought was sharp - was sore more than anything with my first shave. Second time I got it a lot sharper and I got a better shave. Third time and I pretty much cracked it - not perfect but a vast improvement.

Just got a TI from the classifieds on here and found I'm learning again.. The TI is far far sharper than my vintage Kropp (also feels a lot different to use) so I'm having to use a lighter touch and am more aware than I might actually carve my face up if I'm not careful.

It's like anything I suppose - practice makes perfect.

Hey Zee, welcome to the wonderful world of straight razor shaving! What everyone else said is absolutely correct...you will get the hang of this!

My first shave with a straight razor seven years ago was very similar to yours. I remember my hand was shaking, and I was sure I would cut myself badly. It wasn't a good shave at all, and I made the mistake of lathering up and reshaving about six times to get all of the whiskers that I missed--at the end of all that I looked like someone had hit me in the face repeatedly with some old golfing spikes, and my face burned like crazy.

I think it takes your skin a few shaves to get used to a straight razor, and it takes you shaving with a straight over and over to get the technique that works best for your beard and face. I'm still making small adjustments to my technique all the time.

I definately would use a brush and some shaving soap. The foam shaving creams don't give you the kind of lubrication that you need for a good experience.

Just hang in there and play around with your prep and technique, and you will be an old pro before you know it!

I just had shave 3 and its going better. I used the advice on practicing on my arm for technique practice. I dont have a "wet-set-yet" but im getting one within the next week. Im about to read the Wiki, thanks for the link i couldnt find it before. I really think my face has to get used to the razor as well as get a good lather. I used a nice lather, vintage blades brand, the first shave. The razor went over my face smoother i do admit. I did get horrific burn/bumps, but i think thats my "virgin" face to blame. And i did use a strop to sharpen, sorry bout that.
Now i am pretty sure the razor isnt quite sharp enough. I cant dangle a hair and cut it. I stropped it more and that helped a bit, but still i only cut the hair 1 outa 10 times. i watched the youtube video of Lynn Abrams sharpening a razor in between hones with a felt strop and diamond spray. Can anybody tell me how to set that up? or, is CrO better to use?

you can buy that set i think from SRD.straight razor design.