Thread: In dire need of help!

GupKing,

Welcome to SRP! It looks like you've received some excellent advice so far. Once you receive a shave-ready razor you'll have a "gold standard" against which to measure.

When shaving with a shave-ready razor be patient and remember that you're attempting beard reduction, not elimination, with each pass. It cannot be over-emphasized how light of a touch is necessary for a good, comfortable shave. Obie gave me some invaluable advice when I first started straight shaving 8 mos. ago. Pretend that the razor is a bird: hold it firmly enough so it won't fly away but delicately enough so you don't harm it. JimmyHAD's signature line also expresses this concept. Following their advice, the only nicks I've received have been very minor and no worse than those suffered at the hands of a safety razor. I cringe to think of what would have happened to me had I not read the wiki, watched Lynn's video, and followed Obie's and Jimmy's advice.

I didn't start straight shaving until I was 50 years old and have to admit that I'm envious of you starting at such a young age. You've found a great community in SRP. There are gentlemen here who are a wealth of knowledge and are more than willing to help you.

Enjoy the C&E products - they're some of my favorites, especially Nomad.

Greg

Originally Posted by LinacMan

GupKing,

Welcome to SRP! It looks like you've received some excellent advice so far. Once you receive a shave-ready razor you'll have a "gold standard" against which to measure.

When shaving with a shave-ready razor be patient and remember that you're attempting beard reduction, not elimination, with each pass. It cannot be over-emphasized how light of a touch is necessary for a good, comfortable shave. Obie gave me some invaluable advice when I first started straight shaving 8 mos. ago. Pretend that the razor is a bird: hold it firmly enough so it won't fly away but delicately enough so you don't harm it. JimmyHAD's signature line also expresses this concept. Following their advice, the only nicks I've received have been very minor and no worse than those suffered at the hands of a safety razor. I cringe to think of what would have happened to me had I not read the wiki, watched Lynn's video, and followed Obie's and Jimmy's advice.

I didn't start straight shaving until I was 50 years old and have to admit that I'm envious of you starting at such a young age. You've found a great community in SRP. There are gentlemen here who are a wealth of knowledge and are more than willing to help you.

Enjoy the C&E products - they're some of my favorites, especially Nomad.

Greg

I have received a great deal of advice and am so grateful to all who have shared their experience.
I agree with gold standard suggestion, in a few years when I have built up enough honing tools I may even have a go at getting the enzo up to scratch as it would be good practice and not the end of the world if I damaged the blade.
As for shaving at such a young age, you've probably got an image of a teenager looking like he's part way through lycanthropy! But unfortunately I don't have a decent amount of facial hair yet, just enough to look patchy after a couple of days if I don't shave, a straight razor just seemed like an enjoyable way to stay clean-shaven and avoid patchy 'fluff'.

Originally Posted by GupKing

As for shaving at such a young age, you've probably got an image of a teenager looking like he's part way through lycanthropy! But unfortunately I don't have a decent amount of facial hair yet, just enough to look patchy after a couple of days if I don't shave, a straight razor just seemed like an enjoyable way to stay clean-shaven and avoid patchy 'fluff'.

I'm 50 years old and excluding my mustache and goatee don't have a decent amount of facial hair either - chalk it up to my Native American ancestry. I couldn't grow a full beard if you held a gun to my head. Shaving with a straight IS an enjoyable way to stay clean-shaven, regardless of how much/little facial hair one has. I'm just jealous that you have so many years ahead of you to enjoy straight shaving

Have fun!

Originally Posted by LinacMan

I'm 50 years old and excluding my mustache and goatee don't have a decent amount of facial hair either - chalk it up to my Native American ancestry. I couldn't grow a full beard if you held a gun to my head. Shaving with a straight IS an enjoyable way to stay clean-shaven, regardless of how much/little facial hair one has. I'm just jealous that you have so many years ahead of you to enjoy straight shaving

Have fun!

Thanks. A lot of the pleasure will be down to SRP as well. I would have had to put off straight razor shaving for at least 6 months if not for the help of a couple members and you know how it goes: you leave something for a month and 2 years down the line you wonder what happened to the idea(that makes me sound quite a bit older than 17 but I'm sure there's wisdom in my words somewhere :P).

My dad always goes on at me about shaving; he is insistent that the more you shave the thicker your facial hair so everyone should start shaving early regardless of how little hair they have. I like to be clean-shaven but ultimately I'd like a bit to play around with; a goatee and moustache like yourself is something I plan to try.