Thread: In Pain!

+1 on everything that has been said and welcome to SRP.

It's really great to see other younger guys getting into straights. You are now miles beyond our peers who drag plastic across their faces!

As others have said, it's all about practice and patience. Straight shaving is like playing an instrument - it takes a finesse that is only obtained with time. Took me a month to get decent shaves, two months to actually feel like I might know what I am doing, and about four-five to think I may actually be able to tell people that I truly shave with a str8 without them telling me my face looked like a badger attacked it.

Angle and pressure (as in zero pressure) are key. JimmyHAD has a great saying in his signature that really helped me with my grip. Keep at it and you will pick up "the touch" that works for you. You will achieve shaving nirvana!

Ditto all the previous advise. Straight shaving is so reliant on technique that the beginner is never going to get the beautifully smooth shave that an experienced straight shaver will get.

Just keep your focus on maintaining proper angle, keeping your skin nice and tight, and keeping the touch very very light. You will be getting BBS before you know it.

Oh, and I would also skip ATG for awhile. Your face needs to adjust to the straight as well, so go WTG for the first few weeks and your face will thank you for it.

Welcome Joshua,
I'm new like you, except a lot older. Don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have on this web site. These guys are really experienced and some of the most helpful people I've encountered anywhere. I'm too new to offer you any advice except keep the skin tight, go slow and use little or no pressure and let the blade do the work. Keep it up.

I always had a hard time in the chin area, cuts, redness and bumps from ingrown hairs. Here's the solution.....grow a mustache and goatee like I did.

All kidding aside. That was always a problem area with a safety, DE or straight. I grew a goatee about 16 years ago and have never shaved there since.

Welcome to the club,i had the same xperience,just be 'gentle' is the way.

Welcome to the group and take it nice and slow. I just WISH I started so young. You have a long time to enjoy this wonderful way to shave. Good luck and stick with it.

Joshua,

Welcome to SRP! As others have said, it's great to see young men like you learning to shave with a straight. I wish I had as many years of straight shaving in front of me as you do.

I had a goatee for the first several months that I learned to straight shave. When I decided to shave the goat, I discovered a whole new series of challenges. It's all about learning the intricacies of your face and peculiarities of your facial hair growth patterns. Be patient and enjoy the ride.

Greg

Welcome to SRP. Make haste slowly.

Like many others have posted start slow. The best advise I have read was that when you start to feel uncomfortable retreat and finish the shave with your old way of shaving. I am a little over a month into shaving and as my shaves continued to not go to bad I finally moved to my chin. Just take your time the chin is the hardest spot since the hair is so thick, it will come if you keep trying.

Take it slow man! start with only WTG passes. Your face will take a while to get use to a straight razor shave. Spend some time studying how your hair grows and make sure to properly prepare your beard too. (good lather) I personally use the cold water method and find it very nice for my sensitive skin.

JF