7 days and counting.....

In exactly one week, I will be 28 years old.
If my dear bethrothed has taken the sutble hints i have left for her (e.g a printed list with the model number,price, and website it can be purched from), this time next week i should be the proud owner of a dovo "best quality" razor, a dovo strop with canvas backing, kent bk 2 brush, and some mitchels wool fat soap.

I have a few questions that i could do with ironing out, if any one would be so kind,

1) When breaking the strop in do I need to use any form of paste or do i just rub my hand over it?

2) how often should i apply oil to my razor? after every shave, once a week? once a month?

3) i intnend to use this razor every day, I have read that i should leave it out on a towel to dry after use, is it ok to leave it on a towel in the bathroom?

4) I have used a brush and soap for years, and have always just cracked and melted my soap into a mug, and mixed my lather up on top of the soap cake, other people seem to use a method where they mix the lather in a seperate bowl. I am happy with the way i mix my lather but wondered if there was any disadvantage to using my method?



Thanks, Ian

First off, congrats on your soon to be new st8 razor set and good luck with your first of what will hopefully be many fine shaves. As for you questions i can only speak from my experience.

I have never used a Dovo strop, I have an Illinois and an SRD Latigo, but neither required any prep to break in other than rubbing them with the palm of my hand. Some people use certain types of oils and lotions but I never had the need.

As far as applying oil to your razor it isn't necessary unless you live in a very humid climate or you plan on storing the razor for an extended period of time. As long as you ensure that the blade is completely dry after you finish using it rust should not be a huge problem. After I shave in the morning I take extra care to remove any moisture from the blade and lay the razor on a dry towel and I haven't had any problems with rust yet.

When it comes to shaving soap, it really is a matter of preference. Many people have many different ways of doing it. Some load up soap and create the lather on their face, others load the brush and then mix it with water in another bowl or scuttle to produce a lather, and some do it your way. Just test some of the other methods out and decide for yourself. The only right way is the way that works best for you when it comes to lather.

Good luck and enjoy your new razor my friend.

1. Rubbing it with the palm of your hand is fine. Other than that, the simple rule is if you wouldn't put it on your skin, don't put it on your strop.

2. I do it daily, applied with a finger and wiped off with a tissue. Oil is cheap, razors are expensive...it's cheap insurance.

3. Bathrooms gather humidity and can rust a blade. I store mine in the living room up on the mantle. If you have kids, keep them up high.

4. Soaps are generally mixed in the bowl containing the soap to gather up some and them lathered on the face. Creams are lathered in a separate bowl and then applied. There are no rules....if it works, go for it, experiment, have fun.:)

+1 on the palm of the hand for treating the strop. After the shave I like to strop the razor about 20 strokes on leather following rinsing and drying on a tissue. I do wipe the razor with a rust preventative on a gun cloth. An ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure and I store my razors out of the humidity of the bathroom.

Nothing wrong with lathering on the puck but just for kicks take a cereal bowl or something similar and load the brush on the puck and then lather in the bowl adding a dribble of water as necessary and I believe you'll find that you can generate a lot more thick and creamy lather than what you are used to. :gl:

Thanks guys,

I`m guessing just wiping over with a cloth with some 3 in 1 oil on would do the trick?

Fortunatly my bathroom dosent hold much humidity, by the time i finish shaving 80-90% of the moisture has gone from the air, and i`m the last one in the bathroom before we go to work, so i think storing it in the bathroom shouldn`t be that big of an issue.

Question #5

What do you do is you have a spot or such like? do you shave round it? go over it or grab the old disposable?

Todays the day:D

And its done.......

Prep: Hot shower and NG pre shave oil.
Brush: kent blk2
Soap: mitchels wool fat soap
Strop: dovo
Razor: Dovo "best quality"
ASB: ~Body shop Kistna
Scent: Issey miakki


Not the closest Or most comfortaqble shave, ~But my first shave with a straight. Managed to do my full face with no cuts.

YEAY ME!

congrats ian! it is a huge feeling of satisfaction to get that first shave in with little to no blood!

Well today will be my third shave.
Still no blood, but my neck is on fire.
obviousley need alot of worn on my teqnique.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BigIan

Well today will be my third shave.
Still no blood, but my neck is on fire.
obviousley need alot of worn on my teqnique.

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BigIan,

Try some aftershave balm (Nivea) on your neck after shaving. That should relieve some of the burn.

BTW...you should expect some razor burn when you first begin shaving with your str8 razor. The skin on your neck and face has to adjust to the new tool you are using on them and your shaving technique is still probably a bit crude as well. Things will get better over time.

Take care--and smooth shaving...

I use a balm from body shop that usually works a treat.

I shal plow on.....

Congrats on the taking the plunge with not even a nick!

Just wanted to throw out my experience with shaving soap in a mug. . .original I preparred my lather same as you. . .since then I have switched to whipin up a lather in a seperate bowl. . .I found that in a seperate bowl I have far greater control over the soap to water ratio. .. .therefore giving me a much thicker and creamy lather. . .good luck:beer1:

Sadly yesterday i drew blood, twice.
I now have two symetrical cuts on each om my cheeks....

I think i was enjoying the shave to much and smiling.

other than that my teqnique is improving as my shaves are closer, with less irritation. i`m not really having any issues with stropping either,
its a slow process but i`m speeding up , no preddure on the edge and the edge is in constant contact with the strop.

the one area i am ahving problems with is my chin..... hw the hell do you shave your chin?

Gratz on the forward progression Ian, As for the chin area...I do alot of small buffing strokes to get mine, but thats what works for me others may have other suggestions that may work for you.

I`m getting there, can get all WTG and AGT strokes on my face. its below the jaw line that is bothering me at the moment.
I can`t get WTG or ATG at all on my nect because of the curve of my neck and the way the stubble grows, so i tend to do "polar" xtg strokes on my neck. south to north then north to south.

can any one recomend qa diffrent teqnique, i can play with?