Thread: First shave completed

Hi everybody. Got my Dovo Best Quality razor yesterday, so i thought this morning it's now or some other point in time to do this. On the whole it must have taken me around an hour to complete my shave.

I did learn a couple of things though.

Patience is key
How to avoid accidentally catching my ear lobes
A good lather is key to a nice shave(learnt that in stages as i went along)
And finally i need to improve my shaving the neck technique

On the whole though, with only a few minor nicks i have to say it felt great. Really made me wake up quickly when i was watching myself shave in the mirror with a instrument that can cause some serious pain.

If anyone has any tips on building a good lather i'm open to suggestions. I'm currently using the Turkish Arko Shaving stick.

Originally Posted by gencer

Hi everybody. Got my Dovo Best Quality razor yesterday, so i thought this morning it's now or some other point in time to do this. On the whole it must have taken me around an hour to complete my shave.

I did learn a couple of things though.

Patience is key
How to avoid accidentally catching my ear lobes
A good lather is key to a nice shave(learnt that in stages as i went along)
And finally i need to improve my shaving the neck technique

On the whole though, with only a few minor nicks i have to say it felt great. Really made me wake up quickly when i was watching myself shave in the mirror with a instrument that can cause some serious pain.

If anyone has any tips on building a good lather i'm open to suggestions. I'm currently using the Turkish Arko Shaving stick.

Good job on the first shave. I think the neck is definitely the hardest part of shaving. For me, the neck is always a challenge. I think the key is figuring out innovative ways to stretch the skin.

As far as lathering, I will give you the same advice I was given on this forum two months ago when I started. Go to Walgreens, Cvs, etc. and pick up a puck of the inexpensive shave soap (Williams or VDH). Practice making your lather over and over again on the inexpensive soap. Do not wait until it is time to shave to make your next lather. Experiment adding too little water, too much water, more soap, less soap...... I did not understand how important pre shave prep was until I visited this site. Keep practicing and you will have it down in no time.

Excellent! That is great for you. I think the challenges you mention are very typical when you start out. Two additional things to watch for are your angle of blade to the skin and making sure us use NO pressure while making the pass. These are sure fire ways to nick yourself or get razor burn.

Congratulations and keep posting.

David

Congratulatons,

Sure is fun isn't it? That sounds like a very successful first straight shave. I hope it continues to go well for you.

Gerald

Congrats on the first shave!

Like fbones said, practice your lathering on an inexpensive soap, it'll be more comfortable and you won't waste the better soaps on a bad lather. As for the neck, it'll come with time. I finally managed to shave mine with a straight and not have to go back to my mach 3 for a touch up yesterday on my fifth shave. Just keep practicing and take your time, patience is definitely a key.

Enjoy the adventure!

Pcdad

Originally Posted by gencer

If anyone has any tips on building a good lather i'm open to suggestions. I'm currently using the Turkish Arko Shaving stick.

This is what turned the page for me!

I get excellent results using cheap shaving soap (Williams or Van der Hagen) and any of three shaving creams I have tried.

I also add a squirt of Astroglide personal lubricant!
Namaste,
Morty -_-

gencer,

It sounds like you are well on your way. You learned one of the most important ideas related to straight razor shaving--patience. Patience is the key. There is no need to rush.

Take care--and continued smooth shaving. Enjoy the adventure.

Believe it or not..Godrej $3 shave soap (only 1 version for now) on Welcome to West Coast Shaving - REALLY nice lather and decent scent..I am not a fan of soaps..but I cut this small cake into into 1/4 pieces and works very well!! can't beat the price! and its from India which are known to make good face stuff

pcdad