Some guidance please

I have always been a wet shaver (canned lather and throw away razors) but several months ago took the time to get back to wet double edge shaving. I have some superb accessories, soaps, creams, a couple of great silver tip brushes and am shaving with a 1947 Gillette Aristocrat. This past Christmas I was gifted a 1957 Gillette fat boy adjustable and I enjoy it as well on a 5 setting. The Aristocrat remains my favorite. I use Israeli blades and prefer them over all I have tried. I have no problem holding the razor steady with the perfect light touch. I guess my beard would be classified as soft.
I am wanting to get to a straight razor shave, but have some concerns based on my age to some extent on medication I take as well. Obviously at 64, both because of age and some medicines, my hands are not as steady as they once were. Also while the skin on the sides of my face is still nice and taut it is less so on my chin and neck.
I am wanting to try a straight razor, but given my immediate concerns, am curious if I should go there at all.
I am thinking about the replaceable blade straight razors but am not reaching a level of comfort the more I read about them. Can you really get a great shave from them?
I do not mind the involvement with stroping as a requirement and of course just the thought of a straight razor makes me nervous. I've many straight razor shaves in my life and loved every one.
I have inquired of Jim at Vintage for his advice and asked for advice from
the StraightRazorDesigns for a recommendation on a razor and strop.
I would appreciate any thoughts from the community as I venture down this road. TIA!

welcome to srp

i don't see a reason not to try it. if you can operate a de razor you should be able to do a straight as well. it allows more control so it takes more skill too, but i don't think it's that bad as not to even give it a try.
you'll have to stretch the skin, of course, but hopefully you're already doing that with your de razor, otherwise i can't imagine getting very good shaves.

hope this helps

Welcome to SRP. I say give it a go. You've already got the lathering, preparation and as gugi said skin stretching learned. There is a learning curve to manipulating the straight razor and using the proper blade angle but it isn't anything you won't pick up fairly quickly. I've gotten my worst nicks with a DE so just read my sig below and if you follow that old barber's advice you should do just fine.

I just returned from California and was surprised at how many barbers there do str8 shaves, I was going to go get one to compare against my abilities as of now but was too lazy to brave the traffic to go get something I could do myself. You might try to find one in your area and see if the results are what you are looking for before making the jump, if you are set on making the jump, go for it, I am glad I have. If you decide you dont like it you could always re-sale your strop and razor in the classifieds here at SRP. Good luck.

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to provide some guidance. I am getting closer to pulling the trigger. :)

Obviously only you know your body and your medical conditions.

But, although I'm a youngin', I've got some problems in my arms and hands due to nerve injury, and I am sometimes shaky.

I've had no real trouble learning to use a straight. Because the pressure is so light, you can pretty much just rest your fingers on the tang and let the blade do the work for you. I've never given myself anything but the most minor of nicks so far, and even those are few and far between.

I say give it a go. I'm 62 and have a slight shake as well. I go back and forth between DE and STR8, and I would say if you can use a DE you can shave with a STR8.

It is a little freaky to bring that exposed blade to your face the first time, but if you go slow and just start with the easy parts first you'll soon relax and I think the shakes will go away or won't be much of a problem. You have to learn not to pause with the blade sitting on your face. Any shake or jerk will cut you. If you stop to think about what to do next get the blade away from your face. :) I rarely cut myself when I'm actually shaving. It's those pauses that get me.

Let us all know how it goes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ziggy925

I say give it a go. I'm 62 and have a slight shake as well. I go back and forth between DE and STR8, and I would say if you can use a DE you can shave with a STR8.

It is a little freaky to bring that exposed blade to your face the first time, but if you go slow and just start with the easy parts first you'll soon relax and I think the shakes will go away or won't be much of a problem. You have to learn not to pause with the blade sitting on your face. Any shake or jerk will cut you. If you stop to think about what to do next get the blade away from your face. :) I rarely cut myself when I'm actually shaving. It's those pauses that get me.

Let us all know how it goes.

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Thanks for taking the time to post that. My confidence slowly builds. Lynn and Don are sending me a nice razor and strop. I will certainly post as I move on with this. Nice avatar! :)

I would say go for it as well, if you can use your fatboy at a setting of 5 with the Israeli blades (which are nice :)) and not nick yourself i say your doing well and give the SR a try,you could have a trade off of shaving weapons of choice pending how the day is for you :)

Welcome to SRP lz6! Since you have mastered the DE you know alot about what not to do and how to shave your face. Look at the differences between DE's and straights from a safety perspective. W/ DE's the ends of the blade and the cutting edge are slightly shielded from causing a deep cut. The tip of the straight will cause the most cuts if you're not cautious. This can be minimized if you purchase a round point straight or one with a muted square point. Next two things to be aware of is a slicing motion and the proper angle. DE's are more forgiving on the angle but will still cut with a slicing motion. Lastly DE's are shorter blades so you will need to stretch your skin a little more and be aware of more of the blade. If you are curious about straight shaving I say go for it. To minimize cost to see if you like it get a replaceable blade straight (no strop required) or purchase a vintage straight from the classified section that is shave ready and pick up an Illinois strop or a practice strop from someone that advertises here. Pay attention to what you are doing while shaving and stay focused and you'll be fine. Start with just your cheeks and finish with the DE until you get used to holding the straight and keeping the angles at ~ 30 degrees. Read through the beginners guide in the WIKI on the menu bar above. Good luck.

Thanks again, I continue to read the forum until the wife complains and then I read some more. The above posts just make me more confident. Razor set arrives Monday or Tuesday. I had a great stroke of luck today. My local long, long time barber (Baxter) a legit cowboy and barber and generally great guy offered me as much time as I needed to drop in for lessons on all aspects and will start with having a look at my new set up
and "we will take it from there". His shop is full of collected shaving antique items and is a comfortable place. :)

I decided to have my first shave with the Artist RG with the guarded blade. I thought several shaves with this to reach a level of comfort and then I will be ready for the razor Lynn is sending me.
Slipped it gently through a cork twice. Did all the usual preparation work. Hesitated touching the sideburn and remembered the advice to keep moving. Observed constantly to keep the angle but did move it up and down on the cheek to feel the difference with angle (huge). Shaved entire right side of face, lip starting a touch low at the nostrils (nervous) and down and under the side of the chin on both sides. Slick nick at where left lip moves into cheek. Shaved neck up with the grain all around. Switched to left hand but could not seem to see what I was doing all that well trying to start at left sideburn, but went ahead anyway and shaved entire cheek area. Back to right hand, lathered, fininshed chin line all around up to ears. Had to use my DE under the nose and the prominent part of chin. But am amazed at the shave! Need to learn to get into the zen part, focus and relax but loved it, hands calmed quickly. Amazing shave, can't believe how close just going against the grain and partially across the grain afterwards.
Thanks for the world of knowledge your house brings, like a smithsonian library. It is all there, just read it and step up to the plate.
I figure 10 more shaves with this razor, 5 with the professional blade then I will pass the entire set to a friend who wants to buy it and try wet shaving as well.
Can't wait to try the razor from SRD and begin to master better shaving but the strop and honing as well (that's where my barber buddy comes in).
Thanks to all!

Way to go! Watch some of the videos and see if you can pick up some pointers on the harder spots on the face, and not everybody does it the same way. Watch several.

You will have to learn to change the angle of the blade as the angles on your face change. For example. When shaving the mustache area you want to place the blade flat against the nostrils, like you are trying to cut off the air supply with the blade. This angle is too great to come straight down, so you want to rotate the angle as you come down. As a matter of fact rotating the blade will start to shave the area before you start moving the razor down above your lip.

This is just one example, and the way I do it, but it sounds like you are off to a good start. That exposed blade is a little freaky. :gl:

Thanks for continuing the advice. I have the video coming with the razor. It is nice to have the first try out of the way so you can get on with learning the art. I am finding wet shaving very enjoyable, perhaps as a step back to a simple feeling of accomplishment and pride to some extent. Perhaps all those years watching my grandfather shave every morning somehow ingrained in my mind some procedural steps. I remember how perfectly steady he was and shaved exactly the same way every time and at the same speed everytime and it's been over 50 years since I saw him shave. The spash of aftershave is just the icing on the cake.

I've had fine motor tremor all my life. A couple of things you can try are 1) a heavier razor to load the muscles a little and 2) when I approach my face at an awkward angle, I'm not sure I'm seeing the depth right, I will lay the side of the spine against my skin first, then rotate to bring the edge to bear. Easier done than said. It is fun, once you get into it.

Wanted to give folks here an update about my progress and attachment to
straight razor shaving. Since my last post on this thread I have:
Had 3 of my grandfathers razors restored and honed. I have purchased a couple of NOS and a razor or 2 from our members sales. I dealy love them
all. I seem to be making great progress at stropping using the modular with the recently added bridle leather piece. I am getting 95% of my shaves complete with the straights and clean up with my DE's because I am still a little hesitant on the upper lip start and finishing the bottom of the chin. I am crazy about Trumpers sandalwood shave cream. I have tried honing once on a norton 4/8 and consequently mailed the razor off to Lynn for it's return to normal, hopefully. I will continue to educate myself to get the honing down. I have have the good fortune to meet some great folks because of this forum, Bob Keyes among them and continued my relationship with Jim at vintage as well as our hosts. I am visting my dear friend and cowboy barber for 20+ years this afternoon and taking a look at his collection. He has told me I am welcome to a couple of my choice...as he too is retiring soon and wanted to share the experience, so I am excited about that.
Most of all I wanted to say that while I don't post much I am thankful for the education available here from the membership, it is world class and there is nothing overlooked if you just poke around.
Be well folks and thanks for a pleasant place to visit and learn.
Bob :)

(This thread is reason #18182532 on why this is a great forum.)
Congratulations! :beer1:


You wouldn't by any chance.....happen to have any pictures of your grandfathers newly honed family razors?