Thread: First shave was not too bad, I think.?

I've said in other posts that I have shaved with a "No Sharpen" straight about 3 times but without the proper pre-shave routine or technique resulting in many nicks and/or cuts. So I bought a Dovo Micarta, Strop, Pre-Shave products, and Lynn's DVD.

Today was my first shave with my new stuff. I started out with a shower then I used Proraso Cream with a hot towel, Tabac Original soap with a hot towel, and finally Tabac soap. Based on the poor lather and number of brush bristles falling out I definitely need a better brush.

I was actually a little nervous and shakey and had to calm myself down but once I got started I was good to go. I started with my right side burn and cheek, I am right handed, and found myself making short overlapping strokes while working downward without even thinking about it. I guess it just felt natural to me. The sound of the whiskers being cut was really awesome to hear and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was going so well that I decided to go for it and do my whole face and neck. What the hell right, got to do it sometime.

I finished the shave with some stubble to the touch here and there but otherwise what I think was a descent shave only giving myself a small cut at the base of my neck on the left side and a pretty good gouge on top of my chin on the right side. The gouge was purely a rookie mistake, I tightened my bottom lip during the down stroke pushing the skin into the blade. That will never happen again! The nick I believe was from not being patient and properly taking the blade off the skin. This was due to taking so much time with the prep and starting to rush as not to be late to work. I definitely need a good hour start to finish, not including the shower.

Believe it or not the shave itself isn't what has kept me from shaving with my new straight till today, it's the stropping and not wanting to ruin the SRD honed edge.

After the shave I wiped off the blad with some toilet paper, minding the edge, dried it even more with the blow drier, stropped it about 20-30 times on both sides, whiped it down with a Tuf Cloth, and then set it in its stand.

(I'll be posting a question on counting the stropping as I'm not sure if away and back is considered one or if it's two.)

Any advise on what I should do differently or better would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Congrats on your first! All in all it sounds like it went pretty well for you Keep it up and it will only get better. Don't worry about the nicks...we all learn from our mistakes...well, we're supposed to anyhow...lol.

Sounds like you did very well for a first time, and don't worry it does get easier and faster.
Down and back up is one.

All in all, it sounds like it was an excellent hour for you. And I believe you've learned a great lesson: tighten your face/skin before the blade contacts your face!

Watch a few of the stropping vids if you havent already. AFDavis11's video is excellent. He shows stropping from a number of different angles, for better understanding.

Have fun with the next shave!

There is a question I have meant to ask... is back and forth counted as 1

So if I am meant to strop the razor 50 times before a shave I have to go back and forth 100 times?

Congrats on your first shave. You are off to a great start! Back and forth counts as 1, another back and forth is 2,...etc.

A good read on the SRP wiki will move you up the learning curve quicker.

Enjoy the ride up the learning curve. Looking back, it was a lot of fun for me.

Pabster

Originally Posted by bmf2001

I was actually a little nervous and shakey and had to calm myself down

Lol...that happened to me too,

Congrats on your first shave! The best advice I can give you is to give yourself at least an hour to shave with a straight when starting out. In the case of straights, slow is better. When I first started, I was rushing for work and gave myself a deep gash in my thumb. It took four stitches at the ER to close it. Since that day, I have learned to go slow and easy. The shaves will get closer as you become more proficient with the razor.