Thread: Waddle, Waddle, Quack, Quack - Shave Three

Last night when I went to bed, as I'd written yesterday, I planned to give the Duck a rest. Because I have to be in court, I was going to go with the DE. As luck would have it, or maybe it's fate, I woke up early. As any good newbie would do, I interpreted that to mean I'm supposed to use my straight today...

So, I headed for the bathroom. As my water heated in the sink for my lather bowl and brush, I set up the strop. I'd watched several videos last night on stropping technique, so I felt well prepared. I gave the strop fifty strokes with the palm of my hand to warm it up and then I reached for my red and white slicing machine--the Duck of Whisker Death!

My stropping felt like it was much better. I used a very light stroke, focused on not trying to go quickly and tried to keep repeating "never let the spine leave the leather..." Things were going great, until I noticed I've nicked my filly on the right edge in two places. I'm still trying to figure out where they came from. I don't think it happened this morning, but it reminded me that I have to be even more careful stropping! I finished 50 laps on the leather and felt like the blade is ready.

I showered with a hot face prep shower. When I got out, I started whipping up my Proraso lather. As the bowl filled up, I decided I'd try a trick I'd been reading here. I lathered up my face and then went back to my strop to do another 15 laps.

Next I set out to let the Duck do his thing. My first pass (WTG) went really well. No nicks appeared on this one. I was feeling good. Both hands were working for me but the neck still felt raw. I relathered and decided no XTG today (I learned that lesson yesterday). This time I went for an ATG pass. Everything was going swimmingly for me and Howard (the Duck) until I got to the neck. I managed to give myself quite a good nick on the lower part of the neck. This didn't seem good as I saw the mirror reflection of my crisp white dress shirt hanging to my left, but I drove on.

I rinsed my face and assessed the state of my shave. It felt pretty good, but I knew I could improve so I relathered and set out on a second WTG pass. The right side of my face went great so I started shaving the left. That is where things went horribly wrong. I forgot to switch hands and found myself in an akward position on one of my strokes. As a result, I gave myself the worst cut yet just off the left corner of my mouth. This one was big enough to see the cut! By this time I was getting mad at Howard, and should have stepped back, but on I went. Under my nose, I got bit again--this time because of indecision on my part while the blade rested at a 90-degree angle to the skin.

That last cut, though, made something register in my mind. I realized that the razor doesn't cut me. It can't. The truth of it all is that I cut myself with the razor! This was a breakthrough. Suddenly I was more confident and both my grip on the razor and the manner in which I let it slide on my face lightened--I'd learned how to control the blade instead of it controlling me! What a revelation! Now I was even able to touch up my neck without it feeling like I was peeling two layers of skin at the same time!

I think I definitely need to take a break tomorrow, but my new found knowledge has me hopeful for my next adventure in the Duck Chronicles!

this is what i mean with take you're time if you are rushing the blade controls you
like to hear you found out to bad it had to be with a few bad nicks

regards
Stijn

Bill,
now you are hooked completely.
It's hard not to shave with a straight once you have seen the light
If you do not have styptic pencil get one it helps a lot with nicks and cuts.

Originally Posted by mainaman

Bill,
now you are hooked completely.
It's hard not to shave with a straight once you have seen the light
If you do not have styptic pencil get one it helps a lot with nicks and cuts.

Stefan,

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have one because I learned some of these same lessons the hard way when I transitioned to a DE. Sadly, I must be a slow learner because I'm having to relearn the
now!

Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

Stefan,

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have one because I learned some of these same lessons the hard way when I transitioned to a DE. Sadly, I must be a slow learner because I'm having to relearn the
now!

Bill,
do not worry everyone got nicks and cuts when they started learning straights.

Whats a few scars? they are cooler than tattoos - they have a history

Originally Posted by Belicoso

Whats a few scars? they are cooler than tattoos - they have a history

They are chick magnets as well, well as long as you aren't deformed by the scar... hmm

What a trooper you are. Yep you are hooked but good.
The more you handle sharp objects the more confident you become.
You develope situation awareness.

I do most of the cooking and have been into knives most of my life.
All of my Cutco's are kept shaving sharp. I use them everyday.

When I started shaving with a straight it never bothered me to be moving around my face with the razor. I was actualy cuting myself less with the straight than I was with the twin blade razor. I seemed to nick my nose everytime I tried to trim my upper lip.

When you bring that razor to your face know what stroke you are going to do before you make razor contact.
Use a light touch and watch the angle of the razor on your passes.
To steep of an angle with pressure will give you razor burn.
Take your time and enjoy the shave. Hast makes waste and I know you want to keep both ears intact.

Silver2

I've been shaving straight exclusive for 6 months now, I get few nicks with my round point blades... I'm still prone to drawing lines on my face with the square points. Hence i am still a bit leary of them.

Which type is "Howard" square or round point?

ex

Originally Posted by exarcher

I've been shaving straight exclusive for 6 months now, I get few nicks with my round point blades... I'm still prone to drawing lines on my face with the square points. Hence i am still a bit leary of them.

Which type is "Howard" square or round point?

ex

Howard's "beak" is a very sharp spike. I think I'll be a better man for having learned with a spike point, as I'm convinced that everything else will seem "safe."