Thread: Incredibly uncomfortable - not getting better.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. There are plenty of guys with ultra tough beards shaving with a straight razor successfully. Note the threads devoted to head shaving. Much tougher density than a facial shave.

IME if you've gotten a smooth, close and comfortable shave with any alternative to a straight razor you should be able to get it with a truly shave ready straight as well. Sounds like a blade and/or technique issue.

I agree with what everyone else has already stated. I also used a disposable shavette before I started with a real str8 and it helped get my confidence up and motivated me to spend the money on a real one. I have only been at this a few months but it is totally worth it once you even just start to get the hang of it (like myself). I still have a great deal of learning to do but am already having a blast.

Everyone on SRP is really, really good about helping out. Just keep asking questions and you will get the hang of it eventually.

-amt

IMHO,

Step #1 - cease and desist what you are currently doing

Step #2 - Your razors are now in suspicion of never/no longer being shave ready. You will never ever get a good shave off of them

Step #3 - Send them out to be honed by one of the honemeisters here - Glen, Lynn or any number of other really good honers.

Step #4 - Read the beginning Wiki's a number of times

Step #5 - You should not even know about your chin problems right now
If you have never had good results on the area between your sideburn and jawline (right and left sides) there is no point in moving on past that. These are the easiest spots to master and the chin is usually havoc for most people - even seasoned guys can nick themselves here

Step #6 - Prep, prep, prep. This means softening the beard properly, stropping properly and mixing lather properly. It takes a while to master these areas, but at least make sure you are not fighting poor quality

This can be mastered but it takes time, diligence and listening to the experienced guys here - they really know what they are talking about.

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Have you tried to shave yourself with a disposable like the barber used?

That would eliminate the blade as a problem. Strong chance the fault is in something you're doing/not doing eg mis-stropping.
Wait a minute ... You say razors were honed in shops. You mean knife shops ????
If so that is likely a problem as they don't really know how to sharpen razors unless they shave with one themselves.. As for your own honing , how many razors have you succesfully honed to shave ready. Do those ones shave you well ?
You need to eliminate variables to win this so start with a razor honed by a guy who uses one. This link will find you such a person
Member Services - Straight Razor Place Classifieds

I've had them honed at the art of shaving, excalibur cutlery, and by someone who advertised it on craigslist. They all had an identical feel across the nail of my thumb when testing.

I tried shaving with the solingen when new (which was shave ready) and it was more of the same.

One thing I might not be doing is holding the blade flat enough against my skin, perhaps. I could just be doing too great of an angle (after watching a few more videos, I just noticed it)

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. There are plenty of guys with ultra tough beards shaving with a straight razor successfully. Note the threads devoted to head shaving. Much tougher density than a facial shave.

IME if you've gotten a smooth, close and comfortable shave with any alternative to a straight razor you should be able to get it with a truly shave ready straight as well. Sounds like a blade and/or technique issue.

This is how I feel, as I've gotten a good shave from someone -else- before, it's more than likely something I'm doing wrong.

Originally Posted by colday

Not recommened just starting out unless you are looking for a scar.

Well I am starting out, and I have no scars from this technique...

Dont run them
Over your nail

Originally Posted by Dups

Dont run them
Over your nail

Read that this was a method of testing the smoothness/sharpness of the blade, to just wet your thumnail and lightly drag it across, to feel for uneven-ness.

Is this incorrect?

(Also shaved for quite a few times before even learning this trick)

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

It takes several months to develop the skill to shave with a Str8. Until then you need to go slow, follow the wiki and the advice of the members on SRP. Someday you will shave and find yourself with a close, comfortable shave. How long that takes depends on how you learn and if you follow the advice your given and the wiki.

Keep trying, it is worth the effort.

As a fairly new str8r I can say that many times finding info here on the forums is difficult becasue there is no ONE way, no ONE technique, therefor alot of advice is conflicting. I think it important for the OP to continue his quest by trying different recommendations, but only varying one thing at a time. I would advocate a disposable, only to remove one variable from the equation...his stropping technique. Even if he has his blade re-honed, one bad strop is going to create a bad shave regardless of technique.
My conflicting recommendation would be as follows:
Start with just shaving the cheeks, skip the jaw/chin/neck for now.
Shave with a DE. How light can you shave with it and still get a good pass? Now try that with your Str8, WTG only. Try different angles, try to duplicate the sound the DE made. When you have success, stick with that and duplicate it several times before moving on to the more difficult parts.
Then move to the chin and neck and jawline, but only as a second pass WTG after using a DE for the first pass. If you can do this successfully, then try a first pass on these.
Like Mvcrash said, go slow. Try not to get too many variables at one time. Prep/soap/lather. hot or cold, all of these are secondary to Razor, angle, touch, stroke.
Hope I haven't confused the issue. But being a NOOB it is fresh on my mind what has brought me success when starting out. I can get BBS on 95% of my face without feeling like I fell face first into a den of vipers.

Originally Posted by Honeybadger

Read that this was a method of testing the smoothness/sharpness of the blade, to just wet your thumnail and lightly drag it across, to feel for uneven-ness.

Is this incorrect?

(Also shaved for quite a few times before even learning this trick)

You will probably ruin the edge if you do that to an already "shave ready" razor. That is an excellent test, but only while you are honing the razor, and should not, IMO, even be used on the smootest hones towards the end of your honing.

The edge is far more delicate than you would imagine, so the TPT (Thumb pad test) would be better when you want to check shave-readiness. Another good test is moving the razor through your hair (arm, chest, leg etc. about 1cm above the surface of your skin, and if it is shave ready, you will be slicing off quite a lot of hairs this way.

Enjoy!