Entire Face - First shave ever
So... having never so much as touched a DE let alone a straight razor... tonight I just shaved my entire face with the straight razor right out of the box from forum mentor JimR.
I lathered my face up (first time making a lather too) with the hardsoap I got from Jim, then let it sit while I talked to my brother for about 5 minutes, then I took a hot shower with water about as hot as I could stand on my face, then put a bunch of conditioner in my beard, then hot water for a while again. Then I got out, lathered up again (this time with a shave cream that came in the box from Jim) and opened the razor for the second time ever (I couldn't resist but to have a look beforehand)
I got rolling pretty quick on my right cheek, but had difficulty crossing the jawline or onto the mustache area. Eventually I got the throat pretty well figured and the right mustache. I was videotaping the whole thing, but the camera died soon after I started working on my left cheek/sideburn area. At some point after messing around with it gently, I got the feel for the left side and it all came off in a hurry. The last thing on my face I got the hang of was my left jawline, but after 2-3 relatherings I made a run at it and managed (by pulling the skin up to on top of the jawbone). I wound up with a couple spots of red on my left jaw, but it was from pimple spots and not deep at all (no lines, just circles) and when I did against the grain on the areas below my sideburns I got a bit of razorburn, but I got them totally smooth in both directions. I also got part of my neck completely smooth as I don't know what all direction the hair grows, and did some against the grain on accident, happily there was no bleeding down there.
I put the camera back on with the dregs of the battery and got the finished product, but now its going to look like I used the interim and cheated on the hard spots... Oh well, I feel like a total badass.
Thanks JimR for a super-sharp razor, I had no issues whatsoever with pulling, and I had 4-5 days growth when I started (and I grow a solid full beard). And thanks to everyone who makes this site go round as there is no way this would have worked out if I hadn't watched the videos and read the instructions you all provide.
I am way excited right now, I feel so accomplished...
