Thread: My First Straight Razor Shave

I am starting this new post since my last post was originaly about buying my first razor and got off topic when I started talking about shaving with it. The razor is a Genco that Glen (gssixgun) very generously offered to me for free. Here is a link to the original thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...usable-sr.html

This is part of one of my posts from page 3 in the original thread where I first shaved with the razor.

Originally Posted by Alltracturbo

I did some last minute reading of the beginner wiki pages here, took a quick shower, and then started my first straight razor shave.

No special brush or soaps, I just used the bar of soap from the shower. I went real slow and just did what I was comfortable doing while always remembering to keep around a 30 degree angle. I ended up doing about 3/4 of both sides of my face. I didn't do any of my chin, neck, or below the jaw bone. The left side was a little harder. I tried to use my left hand, but it didn't feel right. It felt like I wasn't cordinated enough and didn't have enough control, so I used my right hand instead. I'll learn to use my left hand later on. It went well and was really comfortable. It felt better after the shave than the areas that I did with the mach 3. Actually it didn't feel like I shaved at all. I tried to tell which was closer, but it was hard to tell. I think the mach 3 may have been a little bit closer.

All in all it was a good experiance and I can't wait to try it again.

I atempted my second shave today. I didn't get any shave soap yet. This time I just used some Gillette shaving cream. I tried using my left hand again on my left side and this time I felt better about it and ended up doing the whole left side of my face just fine without using my right hand.

I did both sides of my face down to my jaw bone and in almost to the sides of my lips, but I wasn't able to go any farther. Everything up to this point went great and was very smooth, but when I try to shave the area where the sides of my mustache would be, down from there around my lips, and my chin, the razor gets stuck. I can't get it to move, it just tugs on my hair. I got it to move in one spot, but it felt like it was trying to pull my hair out and afterwords I could see that it didn't shave the area.

I don't think the razor is dull since it shaved both sides of my face and was very smooth. On the right side of my face, under my sideburn and the next spot over, I used one stroke all the way from top to bottom. It shaved close and afterwards there was no irritation where I used the straight razor. There's always some irritation where I shave with the Mach 3. It's useually very minor and I don't feel it after 15 or 20 minutes. I don't use any aftershave, just rinse with water.

Does this sound like something that would happen with too shallow of an angle? I tried to stay around 30 degrees again. When it got stuck I tried a shllower angle, but it didn't help. I didn't really wan't to go steeper because I was worried about cutting myself and I figured I would ask here first.

I had the same problem 1st shave on the upper lip, and chin. The hair there is much stiffer - and also those areas tend to get more irritation (probably from increased hair pulling) My recommendation is: practice more 1st. If your cheeks are working well, do the neck next. Then, once that all works well, do the lower lip. If that works well, try the upper lip - but not right under the nose yet. Once everything is working well, do under the nose and then try the chin.

ps: I didn't follow the "gradual approach" advice, and suffered extra irritation as a result. Once I'd been SR shaving about 1 week, the top lip got magically easy - no pressure needed, & didn't get stuck anymore. I think it's a subtle difference in the razor angle. If you want to shave the lip and chin with a SR before you get the angles perfect, my recommendation is to shorten the hair first. I find my electric shaver left the hairs just long enough for me to learn proper SR angles - not too hard to cut, but still made enough noise I could hear if the angle was "good" or "better".

pps: Get some VanDer Husen (VDH) soap ($1.54 @ Walmart), and a VDH brush @ Walmart or CVS ($4 Walmart, or $8 CVS for the "Deluxe" version). The VDH soap worked MUCH better for me than the Williams soap ($0.98 @ Walmart or CVS) in terms of making the razor glide with more ease - plus less irritation on the tricky parts. I used shampoo the 1st couple of times, and the difference shave soap made was HUGE. I hear Porasso Cream is at Target and in the $4-6 range and creates lather easier than soap, and may even lubricate (increase glide) even better.

To me it sounds like a confidence thing... Sometimes when you are first learning what to do your strokes can be tentative and cautious to the point that you don't get the results you are looking for.

Since Glen honed your razor you can be sure that it is sharp (unless you happened to dull it by poor stropping), and the rest will be up to you. I think that if you stick to the areas that worked (cheek, jaw) for a little while longer you'll start to get much more comfortable with the straight, and how you need your strokes to be. I would say that strokes need to be light but confident (if that makes sense), and it will come with time.

I hope this makes some sense,
All the best
Dave

Hi Alltracturbo;

I just finished my 3rd full shave this morning, and it keeps getting better with each try. As Del1r1um said, confidence can be a factor with a lightsaber-sharp razor to your face, but I notice that gets easier with each shave. The brush and soaps will help lots, too. What about your shave prep? I shower first, then go for a hot towel on the face before lathering up - that seems to make a difference on the tough areas for me. Also, I don't lather my whole face at once - I'm slow, so the soap dries before I can get to the other side of my face. I just wet/lather in parts until I get better.

Good luck!

Larry

Thanks for all the great info. I just finished my 3rd shave and this time I did my entire face with the SR.

Originally Posted by JohnG10

If you want to shave the lip and chin with a SR before you get the angles perfect, my recommendation is to shorten the hair first. I find my electric shaver left the hairs just long enough for me to learn proper SR angles - not too hard to cut, but still made enough noise I could hear if the angle was "good" or "better".

The first two times I shaved, it was three days after my last shave. I don't have an electric shaver, but instead of waiting untill I normally would, I shaved early when it was pretty much stubble and I think this helped.

Originally Posted by Del1r1um

To me it sounds like a confidence thing... Sometimes when you are first learning what to do your strokes can be tentative and cautious to the point that you don't get the results you are looking for.

Originally Posted by LarryP

I just finished my 3rd full shave this morning, and it keeps getting better with each try. As Del1r1um said, confidence can be a factor with a lightsaber-sharp razor to your face, but I notice that gets easier with each shave.

I think you guys are right about the confidence being a big factor. I have noticed exactly what you are saying. I just finished my 3rd shave and this was my 1st full shave. It is getting better and easier with each shave and I think it is because I am learning technique and building confidence.

Under my nose was actually quite easy. I felt the hardest part was getting the right angle under my chin. I even did some stretching today.

Originally Posted by LarryP

What about your shave prep? I shower first, then go for a hot towel on the face before lathering up - that seems to make a difference on the tough areas for me. Also, I don't lather my whole face at once - I'm slow, so the soap dries before I can get to the other side of my face. I just wet/lather in parts until I get better.

I useually shower first, but haven't used a towel yet. I have just been using my hands to splash hot water on my face and kind of masage it in. I never really felt like spending the time to use a towel, but I will try it sooner or later.

I lathered my entire face when I used the shaving cream. On my first shave and this one, I used the bar of soap from the shower and I applied it to sections of my face like you mentioned. The soap does dry out quicker, but I think it works better than shaving cream.


Thanks again for all the great help.

Sounds like you're on the right track! For me, it's all a fun learning experience. Enjoy!

Learning is part of the fun in straight shaving.

When I used a badger brush and a shaving soap designed for straight shaving, I took a big step forward in getting better results.

SRP Wiki is there for all newbies to get started. Keep up the effort.

Welcome to Straight Shaving!

Pabster