Thread: First straight shave

Hey guys,

Thanks to the generosity of the forum, I had my first real straight shave this evening. I've been playing around with a Fromm disposable, which really helped me appreciate the sharpness of the Lynn-honed straight.

I've got the Korn Keen Kutter that someone donated to the straight giveaway--I'd love to know from whom it came, so I can send personal thanks--and it's nice. Seems to be a 9/16 spike point; scales look like celluloid, although they could be ivory. (I doubt it.)

I've also got my new Tony Miller #2 hanging strop. These, plus a new C&E travel pure badger brush and KMF Peach shaving cream, were my tools of choice tonight.

I ended up lashing the strop's ring tightly to one of the towel racks in my bathroom, to hold it into place. That gives a nice and firm anchor, although I'd prefer it a little closer to the floor. Seems okay, though.

I was terrified of stropping! Very conscious of wanting not to lift the spine or press down too hard, I spent a while air-stropping, and then stropping with just the spine touching the strop. After a few deep breaths, I tried stropping quite slowly. It proved really difficult at first to tell whether the edge was actually touching the strop, as with the spine. Eventually, I seemed to figure it out, partly through careful inspection and partly through changing my hold on the razor. I felt like I was trying to twist the razor down onto the strop, and so I changed so I was just holding it down directly. Slow, for the moment, but it seemed to work.

Hanging Hair Tests are ambiguous for me. Pre-stropping, I couldn't get the razor to pop a hair at all. After stropping carefully for a while, I could get it to go some of the time, on some parts of the blade. Post-shave, I stropped some more and tried it again--seemed a little better. So maybe as my stropping improves, so will the HHT become a useful tool.

On to the shave! Prep was the same as for my DEs, and probably the same as you guys do, so I won't belabor it here.

I now understand on a personal level why people compare straight razor shaving to meditation. I found myself in a relaxed state of hyperfocus as I was moving the blade around my face, and it was quite pleasant. I started off with my cheeks, which were a little bit stubbly since it'd been 12 hours or so since I'd shaved this morning. That went fine--I was afraid that I had sliced my earlobe open at one point, but the point of the blade had just snagged some lather from the lobe, and no blood was shed.

Since the cheeks had gone well, I decided to do the rest of my face, too. It was fine! First the neck, then the upper lip. The coup de maître isn't nearly as hard to do as it looks, as long as you remember not to slice. Finally the chin, which needed some work. I ended up doing two chin passes, and it felt like the razor was dulling near the end.

I had made it that far with no nicks or cuts, and so I decided to let discretion play the best part of valor for tonight, and stopped there. Hot water rinse for the razor, then towel dry the scales and blade, keeping the towel away from the edge. Twenty-five roundtrips on the strop, and I put it away for the night.

On the whole, it was very satisfying! Maybe not something I'll want to do every day, partly because it took so long, but it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the intensity of concentration that I felt was prudent. I'm enjoying learning a new skill, as well. Not the closest shave I've had, but certainly better than I used to expect from my electric shaver.

So, some questions for the next time: should I now do some linen passes before moving to the leather strop? Where do you guys store your razors, if you aren't lucky enough to live alone? It's not safe for me to leave a razor lying open to dry.

Cheers,
Hollis

Welcome to the club! I promise you, as you do it more, and your skill level increases, you'll get your best shaves ever from a straight. A properly honed straight will make an ass out of anything else you've ever used. They'll get faster, too. When I first started, it took me 45 minutes to shave. Now, I can get just as good a shave in 10. I still like to take my time on occasion, but if I'm running late for work, and really need a quick shave, I can do it. Just stick around...the whole point of the giveaway was to get more people involved in the ultimate method of shaving, and the community aspect that goes with it. You won't regret it.

I shave with a straight daily. However, if you really don't like to rush it in the mornings, I'll reveal the big secret to you:

Straights shave so close that you get your 5 O'clock shadow, the following morning. Therefore, you can get away with shaving before going to sleep. You'll still show up at work with less facial hair than someone who just shaved with a mock 3 and your wife will also apreciate sleeping next to a baby-butt smooth face

Congratulations, Piper. Sounds like you did everything right. Most importantly erring on the side of caution. A wise choice out of the gate. I just shaved tonight with Lush Ambrosia Shaving Cream which comes in a squeeze bottle requiring no brush. Just a trim along the neck and sides to test the new honing on my 3/8 Heljestrand (thumbs up BTW) and the whole thing took about 5 minutes. Reading your post made me remember the contemplative relaxation of taking one's time with the full shave. I believe I'll treat myself to the same tomorrow.

Originally Posted by piper

should I now do some linen passes before moving to the leather strop?

I like the linen to warm the steel on the edge before going to the leather. Going gently should reduce the amount of stropping you need to align the edge and prolong the life of the edge between honings some as well. I don't use the linen after shaving.

Originally Posted by piper

Where do you guys store your razors, if you aren't lucky enough to live alone? It's not safe for me to leave a razor lying open to dry.

I have an old cigar box I keep them in. Maybe the sock drawer is a good place for that. In any case you should try to give it some air directly after shaving, cleaning and stropping.

X

Glad you enjoyed it Hollis. That razor is one of about 15 I donated for the give away. Have fun. Lynn

Thank you, Lynn! It's great. Can't wait to use it again!

Welcome piper,

I shave every morning with a straight and for me it is the best beginning of a day. My first shave lasted 1 1/2 hour, now I am doing it without hurry in about 15 minutes. Take your time until you find the appropriate technique for your face. Every shave will improve your skill.

Many good shaves

Arnd

Lynn,
I almost forgot. While you and the recipients were busy thanking us donors I think many of us forgot to thank you for your generous donation to this project.

Your doantion of razors and honing time will serve to get many newbies going instead of just wishing. Thank you Lynn.

Tony

Hi guys,

An update from the field: shaving is going really well with the straight. I've been home sick from work the last few days, so I've had time to use it each day, and I feel like I'm beginning to figure out how to reach the various parts of my face with the blade. It's an enjoyable skill to learn!

However, I'm losing that feeling of the edge cutting cleanly through the hairs. At first, it felt like it was just cleaving through them, with no effort. That's a feeling I associate with my DE blades, and when I lose it, I change them out.

I get that sensation for the first few strokes post-stropping with the straight, but then it's gone, replaced by a feeling of effort. By the end of today's shave, the blade was skipping over my face a little bit, which seems like a dullness issue. Particularly in the chin area, even after a lot of prep, it seems like the blade is fighting with the hairs.

Am I doing something wrong? Or is this just a sign that honing is in my future?

Assuming that it's the latter, people seem divided in loyalty between the Norton 4k/8k waterstones and the pasted paddle strops. Most of these people seem to be relative experts.

Can you offer me advice? The cost seems relatively similar between the hone and the strop, once you consider pastes.

Thanks, gents!

Hey Hollis,

Your stropping may be at fault. Be sure to strop very gently. More gentle passes are better than fewer vigorous ones. You can even knock the edge off your razor by going at it with too much gusto. I've done it and you may have as well in which case, honing is in you future.

There is no doubt that the Norton stone is a workhorse. It'll get the job done right pretty much every time. The difficulty there is that not everybody has the patience to learn how to hone while they learn to shave and to strop. For simply keeping razors in good trim, pasted paddle strops are a great way to go since you're already learning to strop. Your results will be better out of the gate and there will likely be far less frustration getting the sharp shave back that you want. If you plan to clean and/or restore old blades and will hone hundreds of razors however, you'll need the Norton.

X