Thread: My newbie advice to fellow newbies

So, I'm trying to find ways to give back a bit to the community with my limited experience, I hope maybe this helps fellow newbies and folks researching as I have been.

Looking back at my first several shaves with a straight razor, and the entire process of true wet-shaving (meaning, not just slapping some Barbasol on and scraping my face with a disposable for 2 minutes), I think I've learned a couple valuable lessons when just starting out that I didn't catch on the forums.

1. Don't buy into the BBS hype quite yet. A Baby Bottom Smooth shave will come in time, just concentrate on one pass for your first several shaves, get comfortable with the whole concept, learning what it's like to shave with a straight razor. It might have saved me some raw skin at the beginning!

2. Don't get too bogged down with the huge amount of shaving soaps and creams out there. Just pick one, and go with it at first. In time you will develop your preferences. I drove myself nuts with all the great options. Just remember what your skin likes in terms of your other daily soaps (aloe? menthol? sensitive? moisturizing?) and look for those qualities at first.

I never really saw this advise on the forums cause I probably missed it, but this is what I would pass on to anyone new to SR shaving.

I hope it helps someone! This is a great, friendly community!

A great post! Welcome to the SRP world!

One more thing that seems kind of silly but when you are anxious to get into straight razor shaving, one might forget.

Be sure to wear a shirt. Or robe, or anything that will protect the skin on your arms and chest.

I did a lot of switching my hand position, going back and forth with the blade between hands etc, and did manage a very minor nick on my thumb. It was a wake up call to all of the switching around I was doing, trying to get comfortable, and if ever I slipped....well I'd rather it dig into my sleeve than something more vital.

And although I'd be cussing up a storm I'd rather it bounce off my shirt on the way to chipping it's edge on the sink below.

Originally Posted by MintyFresh

One more thing that seems kind of silly but when you are anxious to get into straight razor shaving, one might forget.

Be sure to wear a shirt. Or robe, or anything that will protect the skin on your arms and chest.

I did a lot of switching my hand position, going back and forth with the blade between hands etc, and did manage a very minor nick on my thumb. It was a wake up call to all of the switching around I was doing, trying to get comfortable, and if ever I slipped....well I'd rather it dig into my sleeve than something more vital.

And although I'd be cussing up a storm I'd rather it bounce off my shirt on the way to chipping it's edge on the sink below.

I've read a lot of posts about people cutting themselves while moving the blade from one hand to another. My rule of thumb-- always actually *look* at the blade when you are holding it (either directly or in the mirror), and don't stop looking at it until you set it down...

-Chief

Originally Posted by MintyFresh

Be sure to wear a shirt. Or robe, or anything that will protect the skin on your arms and chest.

And a towel/pants/boxers/whatever!

[QUOTE=MintyFresh;504271]One more thing that seems kind of silly but when you are anxious to get into straight razor shaving, one might forget.

Be sure to wear a shirt. Or robe, or anything that will protect the skin on your arms and chest.

I used to shave shirtless; but not anymore. I always wear a t-shirt and boxers...when switching the blade between hands I always have eye-contact with the blade. One thing I'd like to add is the need to be careful when you start shaving and the blade approaches the skin. In this area I move in slow motion and start moving the blade in short strokes. I have a half in scar in my left cheek to remind me of this.

Originally Posted by MintyFresh

So, I'm trying to find ways to give back a bit to the community with my limited experience, I hope maybe this helps fellow newbies and folks researching as I have been.

Looking back at my first several shaves with a straight razor, and the entire process of true wet-shaving (meaning, not just slapping some Barbasol on and scraping my face with a disposable for 2 minutes), I think I've learned a couple valuable lessons when just starting out that I didn't catch on the forums.

1. Don't buy into the BBS hype quite yet. A Baby Bottom Smooth shave will come in time, just concentrate on one pass for your first several shaves, get comfortable with the whole concept, learning what it's like to shave with a straight razor. It might have saved me some raw skin at the beginning!

2. Don't get too bogged down with the huge amount of shaving soaps and creams out there. Just pick one, and go with it at first. In time you will develop your preferences. I drove myself nuts with all the great options. Just remember what your skin likes in terms of your other daily soaps (aloe? menthol? sensitive? moisturizing?) and look for those qualities at first.

I never really saw this advise on the forums cause I probably missed it, but this is what I would pass on to anyone new to SR shaving.

I hope it helps someone! This is a great, friendly community!

I think you really have your feet on the ground with your comments on shaving. Those are real good and considerable advices for anyone. Thanks.

I think that is some solid advice Minty, and I like your enthusiasm. Since I have nothing tangible to give back to this community either, I try to give the same way, with helpful write ups and such like this.

Always nice to see someone doing what they can to show their appreciation for the fine ladies and gentlemen of these forums.

Great post. I wish I had heard it! When I started shaving with a straight, i had been a DE shaver for a little while. But still, I think I ordered about 20 soaps, creams, aftershaves, etc in that first week! It took me longer than it should have to figure out what I liked, because I was always changing so much!!

Originally Posted by MintyFresh

Be sure to wear a shirt. Or robe, or anything that will protect the skin on your arms and chest.

Reminds me of two pieces of advice I heard a while back ...

1 - If you drop the razor don't try to catch it.
2 - Never shave naked.

Number 1 is actually hard advice to follow. I actually did drop a razor once and was just barely able to stop myself from trying to break its fall with my (bare) foot.