Thread: Help with shaving techniques

Hey Baron, thanks for bumping my thread, I seem to have gotten a good number of replies with great tips in them after you did that!

I'd like to thank all of you who posted for all of your wisdom you've passed to me. I will definitely be looking into getting a set of towels specifically for this since the current hand towels I am using are leaving some lint behind on the razor. Any suggestions on where to pick up towels and what type (micro fiber, cotton terry etc. etc.) After looking into it more, I really do like the idea of shaving in quadrants to get the hang of figuring out the blade positions I should be using. I was shaving my whole face with little problem using the Fromm feather shaver as compared to my first real str8 shave, so I think this will help me get the feel of using the different style of razor. I did notice that when I was shaving with the Fromm I never stretched my skin, but when I did use my str8 the other day I did try stretching my neck, and that resulted in quite the large nasty nick and a lot of stinging from my styptic pencil So, maybe I will put stretching off for now until I get better at figuring out the angle I should using and controlling the blade. I think I may also try to put even more time into my face prep, I already spend a lot of time on the whole ordeal, but from what I've been reading there's no such thing as too much prep as long as your lather doesn't look like small mountains coming off of your face. I've been thinking about using a pre-shave oil, but haven't been able to find one locally. I am interested in trying it out, but the cost on SRD for such a small bottle seems a little risky should I find out it doesn't work. So, I've been thinking that maybe...just maybe baby oil would be a good alternative just to try out since it lubricates and helps the skin hold moisture. Any opinions on that?

A little off subject, but while I'm at it I've decided that when I'm done shaving I'll rinse the blade (and only the blade), wipe it from the spine side, dip it in alcohol, let it sit open for a while and air out, then put a thin layer of mineral oil on it. Does that sound like a good plan? Also since I've bought a large bottle of alcohol and another large bottle of mineral oil, any suggestions for how to go about applying them?

Anyway before this becomes more of a novel than it already is, I will be hopefully making another attempt tonight, but will use my SRD soap since that was suggested in the chat, and let you guys know how it goes. Thanks again!

So I tried out some of the advice you all gave me and did my shave in sections rather than concentrating on the whole thing. I also used the SRD soap I had (which is a great soap, I managed to get my lather to the consistency of Cool Whip and the Blood Orange smelled great) and made sure I had some clean towels. I took it slowly and ran into very few issues. Right below the jaw like I had some tough hair, but I managed to work out a good technique to whack it down using the toe of the blade. I also left those two trouble spots on my neck for last and was able to figure out a good angle and got that cut down too. End result was BBS on the face and probably one of the closest shaves I've had on my neck in a long time with no nicks whatsoever and very little irritation. Hats off to you guys!

However...I did something I'm really worried about. After cleaning and sanitizing my razor last night I was closing the blade and was holding onto the foot-end of the plastic scales while doing so. Apparently that was just enough pressure to push the sides of the scales in and the blade lightly touched and bit into the plastic a little. I spent probably 20 minutes looking at it in every different angle I could to see if I had bent the blade at all, luckily it looks like I didn't. Then I ended up stropping for about the next hour 10 passes on the canvas and probably 50 or more on the leather. I'm kind of worried, but I'll be testing it out again on Friday sometime and hopefully it will work, luckily though since I got it from SRD I've got free honing for life.

Wolfman, congrats on the bbs shave on your face!

Most guys around here will tell you that the key to a close shave is the stretch, but, I figure, if it works for you, there is, really, no right or wrong way to shave, so long as it doesn't burn, cut, nick, or pull. Keep it up, you'll find the way that works best for you, and then you'll really know what it is to enjoy, and look forward to, shaving.

Originally Posted by wolfmanXIII

However...I did something I'm really worried about. After cleaning and sanitizing my razor last night I was closing the blade and was holding onto the foot-end of the plastic scales while doing so. Apparently that was just enough pressure to push the sides of the scales in and the blade lightly touched and bit into the plastic a little. I spent probably 20 minutes looking at it in every different angle I could to see if I had bent the blade at all, luckily it looks like I didn't. Then I ended up stropping for about the next hour 10 passes on the canvas and probably 50 or more on the leather. I'm kind of worried, but I'll be testing it out again on Friday sometime and hopefully it will work, luckily though since I got it from SRD I've got free honing for life.

If the edge contacted the scales at all it's very likely that the edge was damaged (even though you couldn't see any damage). It is so delicate that it's unlikely to have escaped without some damage. Even minor edge damage could adversely affect your shave, to the point of cutting the skin in some cases.

The edge may have bent slightly, and your stropping may have re-aligned it, but still I'd be very wary of using a blade that 'bit into the plastic' of the scales.

I'm fairly new to this, but I don't do a lot of stretching either. In many areas of my face, that makes it harder to shave. When I pull the skin, I lose the flat surface. I know stretching is highly advised here, but I've found that I get a better shave in most areas without doing it.

Just my $.02. YMMV

Originally Posted by yohannrjm

If the edge contacted the scales at all it's very likely that the edge was damaged (even though you couldn't see any damage). It is so delicate that it's unlikely to have escaped without some damage. Even minor edge damage could adversely affect your shave, to the point of cutting the skin in some cases.

The edge may have bent slightly, and your stropping may have re-aligned it, but still I'd be very wary of using a blade that 'bit into the plastic' of the scales.

Thanks for the heads up yohann! Completely understand what you're saying there about the blade being so delicate, especially considering it is a full hollow I'm afraid to use it half the time because I don't want to hurt it, haha. I'm going to strop it a bunch more before I use it again (probably tonight or tomorrow morning) and test it out since they say the best test is to shave with it. If I notice any problems I'll stop right away and definitely send it back to Lynn to have it honed back to good health again since I got the free honing for life on that one. I'll probably hold off on that though until I get my other str8 in the mail.

Thanks for the encouragement rcardon.

@hayduke I've noticed that there are some places where some stretching helps, but that trouble spot on my neck actually gets harder for the blade to pass over when I stretch it. I'll just have to figure it out on my own like everyone has been saying, but so far you guys have gotten me onto the right track. Cheers!

I shaved again last night and was thinking about the stretching. While sitting on the couch I was experimenting stretching my skin lots of different ways and felt what it did to the whiskers. When I shaved, I did all kinds of stretching. I think it definitely helped in some areas, but there are parts of my beard that shave worse if stretched.

We all have different faces and beards, so we all have to shave differently. The trick is learning how to shave your face.

Quick update on that, I got very very lucky so far. Forgot to post it, but after my straight had slightly bit into the plastic handle of my Dovo I stropped the hell out of it both on linen and leather. My next shave was still just as good as it's always been with my straight, so I think my stropping fixed whatever damage I may have done. phew!

It may or may not help, but I have always had issues on the neck thanks to the odd directions the whiskers grow.

Maintaining a proper (read shallow) angle and a LIGHT stroke has always helped.

I also have to keep in mind that each pass reduces, not eliminates the whiskers. Take you time and don't try to get everything in one passe (or ever two).