Thread: Beginner needs help!

Hey guys, I am still pretty new to this. I have like 8 or 9 shaves under my belt, but i have a problem. The first few shaves I only used my right hand (dominant hand) and didn't attempt ATG. I would just do like one WTG one XTG and call it good. On my 3rd or 4th shave I started using both hands switching to my left hand for my left side. I would do about 2 WTG 1 XTG and 1 or 2 ATG. My problem is, the left side of my face like my cheek, after I was done I would realize I took off like the top layer of my skin. Kind of resembled a mix between a carpet burn and minor road rash. I try and make sure my degrees of angles are correct. I have a feeling it has to do with too much pressure. I use a Tweezerman brand badger hair brush, Col Conk soap, a Shavette style SR, and some basic bay rum aftershave. I would really really appreciate some advice from you masters of the art form known as straight shaving. Thank you.

Angle and pressure would normally be the likely culprits, but in your case I'd look to the Shavette. What blade are you using? The reduced cutting angle and the roughness of many DE blades render them a bit suspect in my opinion.

The brand of razors is shark, they are half blade super stainless. I would much have a real SR but i figured since I am just starting out i would go this way. Most of the time I just use a new blade i have like a 120 of em so i figure why not. The actual razor was made in india. locks the blades in place nothing fancy. Is it okay to do multiple ATG if you lather inbetween passes?

howdy and wellcome . sounds like abought par for the beginning.you might want to try some other soap or cream, conks has never impressed me much. if you can lay your hands on some proraso, its cheap and is a lot slicker than conks. the scent may or may not be to your liking, its one of thoses you either love it or hate type of things.pressure is a learned thing too it takes time to get it right. i call it the touch . with good lather and a sharp blade your razor should glide over your face. if when you clean your blade under running water and you see a line of lather sticking to the edge your lathers too dry.get some witch hazel for your afterburn it works wonders. hope this helps

I to am a beginner to SR shaving. I completed my first shave yesterday with a Dovo Shavette with Shark blades. I completed 1 WTG and 1 XTG. I experienced irritation much like i normally do with a cartridge razor. My lather was to watered down for my liking this time. I am sing a cheap VDH soap (1.25 at CVS) and an even cheaper Boar Bristle brush. My shave was closer than normal most places but not so much on my jaw line and lower right and left neck area.

Hello, MLarge:

Welcome to Straight Razor Place.

Allow me to add a few more thoughts to the fine advice these gentlemen have given you.

I counted the passes you have mentioned and they add up to five. That might be an excessive number of passes for your skin and type of razor. Those Shavettes are sharp and have no mercy on the skin, especially if it might be as sensitive, and untrained for the straight razor, as yours.

I dare say too much pressure with the razor also could beat up your skin. In the beginning, sometimes we don't realize just how much pressure we're using with the razor. Your pressure should be as light as possible. No pressure. Let the weight of the razor be enough, although those Shavettes are extremely light and that sometimes fools the shaver into adding more pressure.

The general rule for razor angle is 30 degrees. General, I said. The angle varies in the different regions of the face. From what I can determine, in places I use about a 20-degree angle. The mustache, chin and neck areas are trouble spots and shaving them requires a variety of angles. Here is where you must experiment, always keeping in my the "general" starting line of 30 degrees and varying the angle to suit the area.

I suggest a better soap. Try Mama Bear, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Tabac, Provence Sante Verlaine, L'Occitane, Institute Karite, Pre de Provence, SRD, Trumper, Truefitt & Hill, Taylor of Old Bond Street. Lather, no matter the soap, must be rich and provide a good cushion and glide. This is extremely important. Obviously the better soaps will give you better lather when done properly. You also might want to use a pre-shave product. I use John Allen's Slick Water and love it. Other gentlemen here have their own favorites.

The left hand will take time to train. Practice by taping two dull butter knives in the shape of an open razor. Start using your left hand for other activities: opening doors, brushing your teeth, and so on. Keep working on the left hand.

For now, until you find your way around with the straight razor using both hands, make two passes with the grain and stop. Forget BBS; that will come in time. Stay away especially from against-the-grain passes for now. You also have the option of using only one hand. I recommend two hands, but realize there is no set rule on this and each gentleman develops his own technique.

Finally, I suggest acquiring a real, shave-ready, straight razor and a strop. You can find a good and relatively inexpensive setup in the Classifieds or through one of the vendors advertising here. With some training you will realize the difference between a real razor and a Shavette. Good luck. Anymore questions, please post them.

Regards,
Obie

Thanks for your help guys. I'll look into some new soap, cut down to 2 WTG and go from there. My only problem with finding a SR here is I have a stupid filter my dad has on the computer. It blocks the classifieds on here. It would be very helpful if some sellers out there could reply to this forum, then we can send messages back and fourth to figure out details. Again thank you all for your helpful words.

Originally Posted by Obie

Hello, MLarge:

Welcome to Straight Razor Place.

Allow me to add a few more thoughts to the fine advice these gentlemen have given you.

I counted the passes you have mentioned and they add up to five. That might be an excessive number of passes for your skin and type of razor. Those Shavettes are sharp and have no mercy on the skin, especially if it might be as sensitive, and untrained for the straight razor, as yours.

I dare say too much pressure with the razor also could beat up your skin. In the beginning, sometimes we don't realize just how much pressure we're using with the razor. Your pressure should be as light as possible. No pressure. Let the weight of the razor be enough, although those Shavettes are extremely light and that sometimes fools the shaver into adding more pressure.

The general rule for razor angle is 30 degrees. General, I said. The angle varies in the different regions of the face. From what I can determine, in places I use about a 20-degree angle. The mustache, chin and neck areas are trouble spots and shaving them requires a variety of angles. Here is where you must experiment, always keeping in my the "general" starting line of 30 degrees and varying the angle to suit the area.

I suggest a better soap. Try Mama Bear, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Tabac, Provence Sante Verlaine, L'Occitane, Institute Karite, Pre de Provence, SRD, Trumper, Truefitt & Hill, Taylor of Old Bond Street. Lather, no matter the soap, must be rich and provide a good cushion and glide. This is extremely important. Obviously the better soaps will give you better lather when done properly. You also might want to use a pre-shave product. I use John Allen's Slick Water and love it. Other gentlemen here have their own favorites.

The left hand will take time to train. Practice by taping two dull butter knives in the shape of an open razor. Start using your left hand for other activities: opening doors, brushing your teeth, and so on. Keep working on the left hand.

For now, until you find your way around with the straight razor using both hands, make two passes with the grain and stop. Forget BBS; that will come in time. Stay away especially from against-the-grain passes for now. You also have the option of using only one hand. I recommend two hands, but realize there is no set rule on this and each gentleman develops his own technique.

Finally, I suggest acquiring a real, shave-ready, straight razor and a strop. You can find a good and relatively inexpensive setup in the Classifieds or through one of the vendors advertising here. With some training you will realize the difference between a real razor and a Shavette. Good luck. Anymore questions, please post them.

Regards,
Obie

So I have looked around online and my 3 shoices for soap are, Mama bear, Sante Verlaine, and Taylor of Old Bond Street. Which is your favorite out of these 3? What are the pros and cons between the soft cream soap, and the hard hockey puck shaped soap? Thank you.

Originally Posted by MLarge

So I have looked around online and my 3 shoices for soap are, Mama bear, Sante Verlaine, and Taylor of Old Bond Street. Which is your favorite out of these 3? What are the pros and cons between the soft cream soap, and the hard hockey puck shaped soap? Thank you.

Hello, MLarge:

Thank you for your note.

Currently I rotate 12 shave soaps. Provence Sante Verlaine (named after the French poet Paul Verlaine) is my favorite shaving soap of all that I have tried through the years. It is loaded with shae butter, creates great lather, and provides thick cushion and smooth glide. I find the light and clean flowery fragrance delightful. This comes in a puck, for which you will need a mug — try a latte mug.

Mama Bear is a glycerin-based shave soap that comes in a plastic container tub with a screw cap. So you will not need a mug for it. Sue Clark makes it in northern Wisconsin. It's a lovely soap, with good lather, cushion and glide. Also, Mama Bear comes in a variety of fragrances. Take your pick. I use the unscented.

Taylor of Old Bond Street soap puck would be my third choice in this group. It's a good soap, with good lather, cushion and glide. If I remember, it comes in fragrances such as lavender and sandlewood. There might be more.

If I were to choose for myself, I would reach for Provence Sante Verlaine. On the other hand, you might want to consider acquiring that as well as Mama Bear to give you good sampling of different types and styles of quality soaps. Later you can try Taylor's.

Regards,
Obie

Cool, thanks man. I'll order some right now. Do you happen to know of anyone selling a good starter SR? I can already tell the shavette isn't the real deal.