Thread: Ouch!

I am a newbie to Straight Razor shaving, but I have been a fan of trying to get to that ever elusive BBS shave for quite some time. My first shave with a straight edge was acutally last week and did ok. I was a little nervous about putting a giant razor to my face, but took it slow and watched the pressure and angle and made it through without any nicks. I was doing well until this morning...

Did the usual prep, put hot water into the mug, put brush into water, pour some hot water onto the soap, shower, oil, lather, shave. Well after doing the first pass with out any problems I continued to re-lather for the ATG pass. In the mean time my 20 month old daughter woke up looking for me. She found me in the bathroom shaving and at first she stared at me and kept trying to touch the lather. Then being bored decided to walk away. Well that would have been fine except as I put the razor up to my cheek in the vertical position for the ATG pass she walked by waving "bye' to me and I looked down and... dragged the blade straight down on my cheek. Giving me a 2" cut on my cheek next to my ear.

All I have to say is damn that hurt. Clean cut and with a decent amount of blood that caused my wife to question why I was doing this in the first palce, but it taught me a good leason...


Don't get distracted while shaving with a Straight -Edge Razor!!!

Ah, yes, the infamous TISC. Toddler Induced Shaving Catastrophe. As a father of a little girl that will be two on Friday, I know quite well the nerves of steel one must have to shave with a young one around. Abby loves to watch me shave. And we have a strict no-talk, no-touch rule in place during my shaves. Of course, this means she runs around talking non stop and touching everything she can get her hands on. It has only caused one major cut, and no lasting scars so far.
Fortunately, my wife realizes the danger and (usually) is able to keep the blood shedding to a minimum through distraction (of Abby, not me).

Good luck!!!

I can sympathize, but not TISC thus far.

I have a 19 month old who takes great interest in anything that looks like bubbles. She waddled in the other day as I was applying lather, so I used the brush to put some on her cheeks, just like daddy. We looked in the mirror and agreed that we looked silly, and I used the back edge of a comb to "shave" the soap off. She seemed satisfied and wandered off. It was good times.

Welcome to SRP. Check out my sig line below. What the old barber told me is still working most of the time. Have you checked out the SRP Wiki here ? A lot of good tips on shaving along with anything else related to straight razor shaving.

Welcome!

I've been shaving for a bit under an year now, but I still give myself cuts once and a while. This last time didn't prep the hot water, I got impatient about it taking so long to heat up. I thought I was taking my time but I managed to give my slight two light cuts by moving my head when I had the razor pressed up against my chin and upper lip. I moved it because of looking for down at my shave bowel.

Everyone is right, take it slow and avoid distractions.

A firmly closed bathroom door and strict orders to to SWMBO to not disturb me whist shaving have been a good insurance policy for me against "distraction cuts" so far. I did get hasty the other day, fumbling with a too-small 4/8 razor in my big fat hand and gave myself a little cut, but that can only be blamed on me

Hope you keep the TISCs to a minimum!

Larry

Man the worst cut I've gotten so far was on my THUMB, lol. I can't remember how I did it, I was testing the quality of my pass or something and had my two hands near each other, one with the razor.

That same day I had my thumb all bandaged up, and was cutting vegetables for a salad and while chopping some lettuce I chopped a chunk off the tip of the same thumb! Two band-aids on one thumb.

Good thing I wasn't doing any tablesaw work or routing that day, it's my good space key thumb!

Yep!- cuts certainly focus your mind-I have a 1 inch scar next to my mouth from an illconceived charge down my cheek at the wrong speed and angle-OUCH !!
Fortunately my daughter is grown so i don,t have TISC - (my cat has surprised me a couple of times though).
Welcome to straight razor shaving!
Kind regards
Noggs

The closest thing I have to a kid is a cat and its scary how similar they can be. My cat has learned my routine and knows when I close the bathroom door and start shaving that means I'm getting ready to leave and its his turn to start scratching at the door and crying until I open it, and get as much attention from me before I leave for work. Sometimes the only way to get him to leave me alone while I have a blade to my face is to put him outside.

I know you can't do that to a kid but you might want to reconsider changing your shower/shaving routine to before you go to bed when things are more calm. Sorry to hear you cut yourself. I bet your wife gave you the "I told you so". I make a simple rule if I don't have a lot of time, feel rushed or I'm being distracted, I don't hesitate to put down the straight and reach for safety razor or mach 3. I just isn't worth risking cutting yourself.