Thread: 10 shaves in and still having issues

I watch youtube videos where guys straight razor shave and they whip through it in a couple minutes. It takes me about 20 and I still end up and a few minor nicks. Here is where I'm struggling.

1. skin stretching. I'm finding that I can't stretch the skin where I've just shaven because its still slick from the lather. So I can only pull from my sideburns and the base of my neck.

2. Left hand. While I'm better than I was when i first started, using my left hand to shave the left side of my face is still awkward. Using the right for the left face is even worse. So that side is guaranteed to get nicks.

I see about a post a week in here where some noob like myself gets BBS across his entire face, first try. Or at least it seems that way. Should I stop before I need reconstructive surgery? Does it get easier eventually to the point one can relax and enjoy it instead of having to think so much?

Just stick with it. I am a few months in and have great shaves some days and then there are days where I have mediocre shaves. Just the other day I was concentrating to hard on making my goatee straight that i wasn't concentrating on the point of my Wapi and nicked myself pretty good. Just keep at it and keep asking questions on the forums, or just searching them I learned a lot that way. You will get better as your technique gets better. Good luck and happy shaving.

William

Strange I just posted something a minute or so ago about the left hand problems, I'm having them also.

I wouldn't worry, I think many of the new members claiming BBS is... BS. I feel like aside from the left side of my face I get great shaves but I wouldn't yet consider them to be the best I've had.

I think the time issue will come with more experience. I'm at about the same exact level as you (1 month in) and having very similar problems. I don't nick myself much though but I find when I do it's simply because I hurried through a pass or broke another key rule

A little tip for Ya, for getting some traction on your slippery face. Get yourself an alum block,then wet your fingers and then rub them on the alum block and now put your fingers on your face and stretch your skin,its like velcro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, don't worry about your shave time right now, speed comes with practice. Hell, if I'm taking my time and having a leisurely shave I'm probably approaching the 30 min mark and loving it. Of course, once experienced you can whip off a shave in 10 minutes or under, but what's the fun in that?

Second, don't worry about claims made by others. I will guarantee you that no newb has had a perfect BBS shave on their first try. Unless they think that BBS stands for Blatantly Bad Shave...

Our friend nessmuck has already offered the alum block trick for better finger traction, which works well, or else you can just wipe your fingers on a towel. Other than that just keep working on your left hand technique and it's bound to get better. BTW, it's good that you're thinking too much about the shave - it means the likelyhood of getting cut goes down!

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Took me two or three weeks to get to where I could finish my entire shave with the straight. Had to resort to my DE for the chin and the mustache for that long.

It would take me so long to shave one side that the lather was dry by the time I got around to the other. Had to redo the lather. It got better slowly until before I knew it I was doing the whole shave with the straight and faster too.

For stretching keep a towel over your shoulder to wipe your stretching fingers if they get slippery. Read my sig below to avoid nicks and cuts.

Ten shaves is not a lot when you are talking about mastering shaving with a straight razor. If you keep working on your technique things will start to fall into place before you know it. Just relax and don't judge yourself too harshly, it's not a competition. In fact, for many of us it is just the opposite...we try to enjoy the process and sort of find the zen in it.

If you stick with it you will find ways to deal with the problems that you are having. That's where SRP can help. You have a highly skilled group of members willing to lend a hand and make your learning curve a little flatter, so take advantage of it.

The alum trick is right on. I still have some troubles and it has been a couple of years!

You are doing well and at about 6 months you will be a far better place than you are now. Just stick with it.


Take Care,
Richard

Welcome to the club!

+1 on the alum trick... I just learned that a couple weeks ago... by accident.

+1 on taking your time and enjoying the shave.

+1 on lurking, asking questions, getting hints from experienced members; the people here are awesome.

I joined not long before you did and was in the same point that you seem to be but it all gets better and better. I still have problems with the whole non-dominate hand thing so I just use my dominate for the whole face. I also look back at what I thought was a good shave and realize it was okay, maybe not as good as I thought at the moment but it gets better and better. The journey is what is the best part, learning something new and getting better at it, finding new (to you) techniques, the right soap/cream, razor, everything.

Bottom line is good luck and its nice having you here.

Originally Posted by mranderson

I watch youtube videos where guys straight razor shave and they whip through it in a couple minutes.

All that shows is that they know how to edit videos.

It takes me about 20 and I still end up and a few minor nicks. Here is where I'm struggling.

Left hand. While I'm better than I was when i first started, using my left hand to shave the left side of my face is still awkward.

Of course it is. If learning to chord a guitar with the left hand was as bloody a proposition as learning to shave is, there'd be a lot more desolate silence in the world. Keep at it.

I see about a post a week in here where some noob like myself gets BBS across his entire face, first try. Or at least it seems that way.

It's the inter-web. Assume they're lying.

Does it get easier eventually to the point one can relax and enjoy it instead of having to think so much?

Of course. If it didn't get easier none of us would be here, and there'd be a lot more desolate silence in the world.