My first try and problems and problems...

Hi All

Tried for the first time with just arrived vintage razor.

My problem was...

I felt that my beard was too hard to be cut by this thin blade. Maybe the blade is not sharp enough? (I stropped a few times and it looked kinda sharp). Or do I have to put hot wet towel on my face for a few minutes to soften the hair? (Sounds too tedious - I am kinda impatient :))
Or am I not shaving right way? (I was not sure what way is the best to shave - to pull or push the blade against hair? To push - I felt it might cut my skin, so I kept pulling but it wasn't removing hair very well.)

All in all - I am disappointed. What am I doing wrong here? Maybe everything. Just go and grab that old electric shaver again? - I feel its waste having bought a few cut throat razors already.... :) Please help me.

Thanks

umm theres a lot to answer in only one question
maybe your blade isnt sharp. If its not honed by a pro im pretty sure its not up to par.
but you need prep. I only shave right after a shower so i dont really need the hot towel
also a good shave soap or creme helps
and reed this http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ead-first.html

+1 to Janivars comments. Read that post he references, and read the Wiki as well. Theres a link at the top of the page for that one.

There are four elements of a great shave:

- A shave ready razor
- Good stropping
- Good lather and prep
- Good technique

If one of these is missing then you'll feel it on your face..!

1) Make sure your razor is shave ready. A lot of sellers mark razors as shave ready when in fact they are not. Factory edges are usually done on a grinding wheel and then some stropping, but this rarely results in a good edge.

A shave ready razor will have been honed on various stones by someone who knows what they are doing. Check the classifieds for member services, or sites like SRD for honing services. If in doubt, get it honed. This takes care of one of the four elements.

2) Stropping is key to a good shave. You'll need a good quality strop and learn how to use it to get the best results.

Places like RupRazor sell good quality beginners strops. SRD also sells a wide range of strops.

When stropping, keep the pressure light and roll the razor over on the spine, never the edge. Keep the razor flat of the strop and concentrate on getting a good stroke. The speed will come later.

If you roll on the edge, or use too much pressure, you'll dull your edge and you'll need to send the razor to be rehoned.

3) Lather: Needs to be from a good quality soap and lots of it. Really work it into the beard with your brush and make sure it has that whipped cream consistency.

Prep: Get a flannel or hand towel, soak it in hot water and apply it to your face for a minute or two. If you shave after a shower, work some conditioner into your beard before you get out. This will also soften the beard.

4) Technique: Once you've got all the other elements sorted out, technique is really just down to practice..! Keep the angles at 30 degrees and keep a light touch. Too much pressure will give you razor burn or a cut. The same applys to your angles.

Its very common for newbies to have a bad shave and blame either the razor or their stropping, whereas its usually their prep or technique that lets them down.

Be prepared to spend a little time working all these elements out. When you get there the rewards are worth it! :)

Good luck!

In addition to what was already said, I suggest going out on youtube and check out some of the straight razor videos. In particular, look for the videos made by Jockeys. That helped me quite a bit when I first started. He does a good job of explaining in the videos what you should be doing and what you should avoid. It also gives you a good idea of the proper way to hold the razor and the technique you should be aiming for. Keep in mind though, that everybody's face, beard growth direction, thickness, etc is different. What works for one person may not work for another so you will need to use that as a baseline and make adjustments as needed for yourself. But all that comes with experience.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spaderblade

Hi All

(I was not sure what way is the best to shave - to pull or push the blade against hair? To push - I felt it might cut my skin, so I kept pulling but it wasn't removing hair very well.)

Thanks

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This bit struck me as very odd. View some of the SRP and other shaving videos on YouTube.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spaderblade

(Sounds too tedious - I am kinda impatient :))

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Hello and welcome to SRP

Shaving with a straight razor takes months to master and takes a good 10 to 15 min to do, some are faster, some are slower. If you can battle past the small bumps in the road you will be there for the prize.. An enjoyable shave that is no longer a chore.

Hang in there.

Crom

Impatience has no place in straight shaving,imo, if you cant handle slowing down I doubt you will ever enjoy it. Patience is a virtue, especially when dealing with the sharpest edge around. Straight shaving takes longer and is more complicated with everything that goes into it but the end result is well worth the wait. Folllow the advice you have already received and before long you will be loving it, just expect your first few shaves to take as long as a weeks worth of shaves with the other options.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spaderblade

(Sounds too tedious - I am kinda impatient :))

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Welcome to SRP. If you're impatient you picked the wrong shaving discipline. There is a learning curve that requires study and practice. Check out the suggestions that Lynn gives for the first straight razor shave here and if your razors aren't honed by a pro look to that and get them honed. You can find those services here. :gl:

Spader,

There's a lot of good advice here. If you haven't seen someone else shave with a Str8, then you really need to look at the videos cited to get an idea of what all in entailed. If all you want to do is get your shave done as fast as possible (impatience kicks in) then you need to use the electric shaver. Wet shaving, particularly with a Str8, takes more time than the modern whiz-bang. We here think the Str8s do a much better job than does a Norelco, Remington, or Braun, but it takes dedication and patience to learn and after that it takes some extra time to do.

good luck with your choices,

for all very useful advices and information. I think I will be more patient and try to face it with learning attitude. :)

Will keep trying and learning.

S.

Hello, Spaderblade:

These learned gentlemen have offered sound advice. For me, whether my shave takes 15 minutes or 45, I try to make a pleasant ritual out of it. The worst you can do while wet shaving with a straight razor is to rush the process just to get it over with. That is not the idea. Take your time and enjoy something that is worth the time and energy. Consider the process as taking time out for yourself. Good luck.

Regards,

Obie