My first week with a straight razor has passed and I consider it a success. Bleeding is minimal, almost rare actually, and the overall shave is good. I'm still having a hard time getting a consistent shave on the underside of my chin, but the spot varies from day to day, so I know it's operator error!

Lessons learned:

The angle of the blade was the key to success. Razor burn went down and the shave improved. I haven't experimented with different soaps, hot towels, or steam baths but I do not have a tough beard, at all, so that was never a concern.

Set aside time to do this correctly. I rushed one time and ended up with a sub-par shave and a couple of bleeders. Even my wife looked at me, shook her head and walked away.

Use cold water on the 2nd pass and touch ups. The water isn't as shocking now that I've been out of the shower for a bit and the results are considerably better.

Determine the real direction of the grain. It wasn't until I had a really good shave that I noticed that I had not been going AG but XG in several different spots.

Last thing is to continue learning. I still watch videos and learn about different techniques. My next challenge will be learning to hone.

Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this site wether it be videos or advice to someone else.


Robert