Thread: First attempt at shaving

I tried shaving small bits of my face everyday until I felt comfortable. If you don't feel comfortable doing a area on your face retreat until your skills improve. Stick with it.

Welcome to the right way to shave. No need to hurry, take your time and add new techniques (XG and ATG) and new areas of your face as you gain some skills and confidence. In no time you will get to where you want to go. I just returned from a week long business trip and truly missed my straights and the shaving experience. It's too much hassle to take my kit with me, plus the fear of those items coming up missing after the "TSA look through" of my checked bags. So I take my Merkur twin razor. It doesn't come close to the shave I get with my straights!

Congrats on taking the plunge! By combination of fear and total lack of technique, the first shave is the hardest. The ease of shaving and quality of the shave will get better from here, and before you know it you will have the smoothest shave you've ever had, using the most manly of shaving tools!

Originally Posted by dward

It's too much hassle to take my kit with me, plus the fear of those items coming up missing after the "TSA look through" of my checked bags.

Has any one ever had any trouble with tsa taking there razors?

Originally Posted by kd7skx

Has any one ever had any trouble with tsa taking there razors?

As long as it isn't in your carry-on, you should be fine. If its part of a toiletry kit, I don't see how it would arouse suspicion.

Well third shave attempt tonight,

Lets just say that I need some more practice. Probably the worst of the three so far. I tried experimenting with blade angle and stretching skin and pressure.

My cheeks didnt get much attention so less than par for them. My neck, not the greatest either. My chin and upper lip sucked. Needless to say it has a slight burn right now.

I took it real slow tonight and tried to focus on each part of my face. I am not discouraged, just a little frustrated. I still love shaving with a straight, just need to work on my patience I guess.

Cant wait for the next one. Look foward to every shave still, even if not the best I know eventually I will get it.

Brian

P.S. On stropping. How do I tell if I have dulled the razor. I keep the spine flush with the strop and take it slow and about 30 strokes. Just want to make sure I am getting it right. Thanks

There is a link in my sig on stropping that should be able to asnwer most questions.

The most important things with stropping are to roll over the spine, not the edge; make sure you lead with the spine, not the edge; and that you don't use much pressure at all, just the weight of the razor. The reason for this last one is that the very edge of a razor is so extremely fragile, that it is easy to "roll" the edge if you are pressing down into the leather. This can often make a razor shave rough.

You might want to up your strokes. If you have a canvas/leather combo strop, do 30 on the canvas and 60 on the leather. If you have leather only, just do the 60 on the leather. Don't be too slow about it either. The stroke should be swift, but then slow down on the turn and do that part carefully. You'll be stropping like a pro before you know it.

+1 on what Mark says.

On cutting strops, I'm somewhat surprised that so many do it when learning. I'm a newbie, too, but only nicked my strop once when (due to my crappy eyesight) saw a spot on my strop. At the end of the stroke, I thought, "What's that???" and then inadvertently jerked my hand and nicked the strop.

If you do what Mark says--make your stroke. STOP. Turn the razor on the spline. Slide the razor up the strop. Flip down on the opposite side. Take your next stroke, and then repeat the process, I don't see how it's possible to nick a strop, IMO. I would think it virtually impossible to nick your strop if you do this.

(Unless you're a dufess like me and go "What's That?" Then, you'll nick your strop).

Moreover, if the scales are loose on the pivot point, slow down! At least for me, a loose scale-pivot point means lack of control over the razor, and this could increase the possibility of nicking the strop.

As well, lack of gimping on the tang makes control more difficult, too. On my razors without gimping, I slow down to maintain control.

I know these things wouldn't bother the experienced guys on the board, but for newbies, slow down when the scales are loose, or the tang lacks gimping. If you don't you'll risk cutting your strop, IMO!

Kent