Thread: Me, The Duck and My First Time

So, I went to bed last night knowing I was finally going to take the plunge and try my hand with a straight. When I signed off last night, I was not sure which blade would be my weapon of choice as I faded off to sleep anxious to try my hand.

I woke up this morning, and prepped my kit, I filled the sink with hot water, put a bit of hot water on top of my Proraso White Soap, started soaking the custom Shavemac Silvertip and hopped into the shower. As the hot water soaked into my beard and woke me up, I debated which razor it would be. Would I start with the gorgeous red Dubl Duck Special with that intimidating spike point, or the much more tame looking Case Bros with the barber's notch. I continued to debate as I showered.

As I got out of the shower and started really getting myself more organized, I thought back to the words of Pabster who said the DD has a great reputation, so I boldly let go of my fear and grabbed that blade from my shaving kit determined I would master the spike!

I started making my lather, I was trying something new because I bought some of that B&BW Proraso yesterday. I loaded the brush on the Proraso soap and then started making a superlather combining it with the Proraso green. The lather exploded like I'd never seen. It was so rich, thick and slick, I quickly gained confidence. I applied preshave oil, wetted the face and lathered up. I could already feel the cooling menthol, I knew it was going to be a good shave!

As I opened up the Duck, I could see the oil Mainaman had left on the blade after he honed it before I purchased it from him and remembered his words, "wipe down the blade, but you don't need to strop it before the first use." Knowing nothing of what I don't know, I trusted his advice, wiped the blade down and fumbled to find the right way to hold the blade as I approached my first stroke with a straight razor.

As I set the blade against the skin and tried to take my first pass, I thought, "Isn't this supposed to just slice right through the hair." I wasn't expecting any resistance, though I'm not sure why I had such an unrealistic expectation. So I repeated my mantra to myself: "Watch the blade angle, and no pressure." As the blade slid down, I fell in love with the sound of the straight working its magic. One pass down, and I knew I could do this. I kept going in methodical stripes down my right cheek. Halfway through that cheek, I got ****y. The tip of the spike left a nice red line. I expected to feel a searing pain because I could see the blood. I started to call out for the medic, but realized, it was but a mere flesh wound; so I continued. After my first full pass (realizing everyone was right and the angles get really weird), I rinsed and realized there was a lot more hair taken off than I realized.

After making a full pass with only one little nick, I decided to take it a bit further. I relathered with that glorious Proraso lather I'd made. This time I could really feel the menthol in that cream! It felt great, and I was rejuvenated for my second pass. This time I tried XTG. As I went, my confidence built and my strokes were smoother and felt like they were actually cutting easier. After that pass, I was getting some really smooth areas--but the neck was another matter.

I hadn't realized how difficult that neck area would be. So I lathered up and tried ATG on the neck. That was probably not a good idea for the first spin around the block as I feel the razor burn pretty good there. But I went forward nonetheless.

I finished up with a very confident second WTG all over. Once the shave was complete, I used my alum block. WOW! What a burn I have not felt in a long time after shaving. It was good, though, because it definitely told me where my technique was decent and where it needs significant improvement.

Afterwards, I did as Mainaman told me to do, I dried the blade, tried my hand stropping it (I hope I didn't destroy the edge with my first real strop attempt). I learned quickly that all those posts are right; stropping is an acquired skill. Then I oiled my blade, and put it away.

My final verdict: I think I pass. I only got a couple of nicks, no major reconstructive surgery necessary to remove the scars. My confidence in the blade is growing, and I think I got a DFS. I wound up BBS on my face. The neck is a DFS, though not as good as I can get with my DE. I'd say that area is somewhere between my DE and a cartridge.

So here I am, a new straight shaver. I survived the ordeal and know that this is but the beginning! So here's a big thank you to Mainaman for my first razor--he did a fabulous job on the restore, and made sure I was shave ready the first go around; and here's another thank you to all of you here. You made my first foray a success. Now I just need to keep learning, and develop the right muscle memory! In the meantime, tip your glasses fellows!

Bill,
I am very glad it went so well for you.
Wow ATG on the neck with no WTG first, you are a brave man.
The spike is a very useful feature but it requires respect, a few more times with the razor and you will no nick yourself with it.

Welcome to the right way to shave. It is sorely tempting to venture into lots of places and techniques. Take your time and get comfortable with the blade in you hand and against your face. Add other areas of your face and different techniques as you get more comfortable. It's not a race...

Congrats! It sounds like you'e off to a good start...! Just keep at it, take it slow and enjoy the process.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Now you've done it! There is no turning back....

Nice, nice...Kudos for sticking with it . Before you know it, nicks and cuts will become a thing of the past.

Neck areas are tough...one thing that helped me in terms of technique was using "scything"...it really works wonders and cuts that beard like a lawn mower on a nice Sunday afternoon ...For some reason or another, for the first time around, scything came fairly naturally for me and my hand(s). Trust your hands' instincts too when you shave...we seem to come pre-programmed with a lot of evolutionary instincts, which become abundantly apparent when seemingly faced with the notion of "self destruction" via a sharp object .

Happy shaving,
-Robert

Thanks for all the encouragement, gentlemen. I think I'm going to enjoy the straight shaving, but it will take some time to adjust, I realize that fact now more than ever.

Stefan, you did an excellent job on the razor! If you ever need someone to attest to your ability to do an outstanding restore, send them my way! In fact, I picked a Wade & Butcher off ebay that will need some honing (and maybe even new clothes), if you're interested in the business...

I guess I wasn't entirely clear but I go WTG on the neck before the ATG. I also noticed on the drive into work, as I looked at my shave in the mirror while I sat at a red light, that I think the razor scored more points than I realized. I have this odd cut on the top part of my ear that I don't remember getting. Heck, I can't even quite get the geometry behind that cut...

Good job! The only thing I would recommend for you is when you post about razors place add a ton of pics!

Congrats on your first shave Bill!

I too have a spike point. Despite the intimidation factor, it sure makes it easier to get right against the beard that joins my mustache to my goatee. I didn't appreciate that until I used my round point razor for the first time yesterday. In addition to watching the angle of the blade with your face, the spike tip demands that you watch the angle of the length of the blade with your face when you're on "curvy" small areas where the entire blade length cannot touch your face - in my case, that's the sideburns.

Wishing you continued success,
Greg

Originally Posted by Disburden

Good job! The only thing I would recommend for you is when you post about razors place add a ton of pics!

Disburden: I wouldn't want to let you down, and I'm happy to give Stefan (aka Mainaman) a shameless plug about the awesome job he did on the Duck I bought...