Thread: My first shave, full after action report... I Lived!

Well, to start... My thanks to Bassguy for the wonderful edge he put on the JR Torrey 6/8 spike I just received from him. My thanks also to Lynn and Jockys for the great videos here... and also to the several other folks who wrote all the beginner's stuff on this site. I've learned a lot already.

Let me tell you what... it was pretty intimidating to look for dull spots on the blade under strong light and to see that I was holding the sharpest blade I've ever seen in my hands.... and that I would soon be putting it on my face. My Emerson pocket knife can shave the hair off my arm easily, but it looks like a butter-knife when compared to this razor.

I realized today that I had two days growth and a new razor to give a whirl too... Today is the day I become a man I decided. At 30+ years of age. With a wife, kid, house, etc....

To start things off properly, I made sure the wife was at work, the dogs were out running merrily around the back yard and the toddler was soundly asleep in her mid-day nap. I then made sure that my will was up to date and all my important papers were in order in case the worst happened.

After a hot shower I oiled the face slightly with some King of Shaves Alpha Oil stuff I had hanging around and built a nice lather with some Burt's Bee's Bay Rum Shaving Soap... (neither are the best I found... shall be replaced). I put on clean underpants. Mom always made me put on clean drawers before I could go outside.... "What if you get hit by a car? Do you want the doctors to see you in old stained underpants?" Thanks for the good advice Mom! And also thanks for the good advice here to not shave nekkid... seems logical, but I probably would haven't of thought about it if I hadn't read it here.

I dialed "9" and "1" on the cordless phone... that way I'd only have to hit "1" on the phone to request that EMT's come apply a tourniquet to my neck to stop whatever damage I managed to do to myself today.

I stropped the blade and applied lather all over. I had intended to only shave my cheeks and the larger flat parts of my neck/throat to start off as the beginner's FAQ suggests... but I'm stupid, and don't follow safety directions all that well...

I started under my right sideburn... the first several strokes may have removed a collective total of 6 hairs. I decided it could take a while to shave if I kept doing such small strokes... so I gritted the teeth and made larger smooth strokes... I thought to myself "Self, this is pretty dang sweet"... I then threw all learned caution to the wind and shaved my entire face.

It only took 40 minutes and the rebuilding and reapplication of lather about 6 times.

When I was done, I washed off... stropped the blade a bit after cleaning and drying it. I then looked closely in the mirror to assess the damage.

Two minor nicks on the left side of my throat in the "hollow" area next to the Adam's Apple... Just shy of BBS everywhere, the closest shave I've had since I was professionally shaved by my old barber years ago. (he used a wicked beautiful straight that had that "dreadnought" or "Spanish" type blade... I should get one of those) I honestly think that I probably wouldn't have nicked myself at all if I'd used a round tip blade... I think trying to shave the left side of my throat using my right hand and a spike blade led to the minor tip nicks I suffered. Only minor razor burn on my lower throat and a touch on my left cheek... all from my technique, I'm sure it will get better with each shave.

I just did one pass WTG... After I get more comfortable with this whole scraping the face with an extremely sharp blade thing I'll add an ATG or XTG if needed...

The only really tricky parts I found were directly under the nose and on the tip of my chin where I have an old scar from childhood... it's *this* close to being smooth.... but not quite.

I washed up again... applied aftershave and was pleasantly surprised to find it didn't burn near as much as after shaving with a Gillette Sensor Excell. Said a prayer of thanks to which ever guardian angel was on duty today and sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee in my freshly shaved state.

Today I have become a man.

My thanks to everyone who has shared knowledge here... I'm hooked on straight razors already. Once my technique gets better/more efficient, I'll never touch a disposable multi-blade again.

A most enjoyable read I smiled all the way through that


Thanks for sharing.. and welcome to SRP

Originally Posted by OiRogers

I dialed "9" and "1" on the cordless phone... that way I'd only have to hit "1" on the phone to request that EMT's come apply a tourniquet to my neck to stop whatever damage I managed to do to myself today.

That is hillarious!!! Ha!

Great job on the first shave. I cannot say that I had the same success my first time through, but I did improve. The chin and stache will come with time. I still have issues with my neck.......keep it up!

Great read. Looking forward to more

Nicely put, congrats on a succesfull shave without too much blood loss. i have to find the right razor and strop, then it will be my turn.

Great job and a very enjoyable post. My first straight razor shave was not nearly as successful. I still manage to nick my upper lip at times if I'm not paying attention. Stick with it, it only gets better from here.

Hilarious story .

I remember my very first time too...and I tell you, you didn't become "DA MAN" after your shave...that happened in the last few seconds before your blade hit your face and you consciously willed it through the act. That my friend, epitomizes the state of "manhood"...making "THE" decision in the face of adversity when every fiber in your body is telling you to quit!! You see, it takes guts to see that blade and still have the will power to take it to your throat, knowing full well what it is capable of doing.

Congrats!!

& welcome to SRP

Great story. Proof that you never forget your first! We all look back fondly on the rites of passage through which we became a man!

Welcome to SRP and to the world of straight shaving!

Good for you...Congratulations! Believe me, they'll only get better.

Take care--and smooth shaving.

My thanks to all those whom have taken the time to reply.

I've now shaved three more times and it has become progressively faster, cleaner and remains pleasant. I'm down to under 20 minutes for a total shave and have added an ATG 2nd pass in my last two shaves... it really does make a big difference in the final BBS factor.

I've figured out how to get my chin area... just needed to stretch the skin a bit further to get it onto a "flat" surface to work on.

Now the trick is learning how to shave under the lip in the "soul patch" region... I swear the hair I grow there is actually steel wool. No nicks there yet, but not BBS there either.

I'm still nicking myself a very little on the left side of my throat in the hollows... I need to get better with my left hand and perhaps it will become easier... I'm assuming it's all technique now that I have the very basics down.

I get the odd feeling I've started down the path of yet another lifelong hobby and acquisition disorder... much like fountain pens, firearms and wristwatches... it is impossible to have "too many".