Shavette to Straight Razor Learning Curve?

I just had my first go with a Dovo shavette and carved eight kinds of hell out of my face -- I hung two deep cuts in the face proper and my neck looks like a scratching post.

I must say, though, the actual shaved part is very smooth: apparently blood makes for a great moisturizer.

Therefore, exactly how much more difficult is it to use a straight razor than a shavette?

Don't deter me too much because I'm not ready to give up just yet (and, OK, I did exaggerate a bit up there about how bad it is: none of my colleagues have said anything or attempted to apply a tourniquet around my neck).

Actually a real straight razor is in many ways easier. A real straight is a little less sharp, this means it doesn't slide through the hair quite as effortlessly but it also slides across the skin more easily. It is also heavier and because of this easier to control especially the angle of the blade which is where part of you problem currently lies. Finally shavette blades also often have sharp corners that can catch your skin, even more so if you are using the comparativly narrow half DE blade option. A real straight even a spike point won't have quite as grabby a corner on it and this will save blood loss. Anymore if I cut myself with my shavette I caught a corner in my skin and made a small slice with my real straights it would take work to make this happen.

Thanks, you made my day!

Anyone know how many shaves one can get out of a regular disposable razor blade?

It'll depend on the toughness of your beard, how good your prep is (good prep=softer beard), the make of the razor blade as some last longer than others and how well you clean the blade off after the shave. Cleaning and drying the blade will make it last longer.

And it'll also depend on how often you shave! I use my DE maybe 4-6 times a month, so the blades last ages. My dad uses his everyday and the blades last him weeks so... YMMV I guess!

Very kind of you gents to answer my stoopid questions.

Many thanks!

yeah I went from a shavette to a straight, and have not received nearly as many cuts as I did from a shavette. The heavier blade makes it much easier to control like the above poster said. The shavette was so light gravity didn't affect it at all, and I had to apply pressure, which, like you, resulted in my face looking like "I had fought with a cat", according to TWO people I talked to the next day.

Went from a shavette to a traditional straight. During my learning curve with the shavette, I got lots of weepers and a few small cuts that healed in 2-3 days.

1) Didn't really study up on how to shave with a straight
2) The Shavette isn't as "forgiving" as a traditional straight
3) Used an inferior shaving soap.
4) Thought I could whip it around like the Mach 3 without respect to WTG, XTG, ATG progressions.

Once I understood 1-4, BBS shaves all the way! Sometimes, I get a small weeper that closes up with a cold water rise.

Pabster