Some rough shaves

Well, This is the first week that I primarily shaved with a straight. Here's how things look so far....

My first shave was "Very Rough" and left a lot of stubtle and some tidbits of blood. As I progressed through the week, the shaves got kind of rougher (more tidbits of blood and more redness), but less of a stubtle. (not to say that the stuble is gone though...).

However, I do have to say this though. After my razor was rehoned, the shaves were better than my first couple of shaves (to which apparently, it wasn't shave ready)

The roughness may easily be explained as....I didn't let my face rest since I shaved every day. I'm hoping that's the case anyway.

I think I am going to let my face rest over the weekend and try again Sunday Night before heading into work.


There are a few other things that I need to keep in mind. I was alternating between 2 razors to see which I like better. Can't really say at this point which one I like better. Both of them felt good in my hands, and over the week, I got more comfortable using both of them. Since I am having issues at the same spots on my neck with either blade, I don't know that I can say one is worse than the other. The fact that they got progressively worse through the week really somewhat indicates to me that I just need to let my face rest a bit.

So anyway, next week I'm just going to use 1 razor (most likely the one that was rehoned recently), although I like the other razor better (visualy speaking of course).

Also add that I am still learning the stopping process, I am in hopes I didn't roll the edges while stropping (I tried to make sure the strop was tight and the blade layed flat, but I can't guarantee that was a 100% correct strokes either). I feel like I got better with the stropping, but I'm sure I have a ways to go to be truely Profficient with that as well.

To end....If anyone has any other thoughts, I'm sure willing to listen (or read). Yeah, I know...I probably should have just started with 1 razor

I'm certainly in no position to offer advice with only one shave under my belt, and a horrible stropping experience.....but it would seem to me that if a shave is getting progressively worse, it may be due to the stropping. Either not enough stropping, or incorrectly done.

Anyway, another member shared this stropping video with me, and although I have yet to try the technique, it's very clearly explained and gives me hope that it really can be this easy:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ing-video.html

Practice.

Don't expect too much too soon.

Shave conservatively. You never know when you shaved enough, until you shaved too much.

Shoot for an irritation free shave first and foremost. Closeness will come with time.

Focus on the fundamentals of the process rather than the end result.

I actually have a tougher shave if I don't shave every day. Something about my facial hair and skin. If I wait even a couple of days it hurts way more to shave - it's closer and smoother when done, and it's not too red. But it is not comfortable. '

But your face will vary (get it...your mileage may vary...hahahha :-), and maybe yours does need to recover between shaves.

Cornerbooth has hit a lot of relevant points, but I'll add some. Let your beard grow for a few days. With this type of shaving, you need to map your beard growth. What you believe to be WTG may, in fact be XTG or even ATG. This may be why you're being left with stubble and tidbits of blood. Also, remember to keep your blade properly angled. This means about 30 degrees for WTG, 15 for XTG, and 5 for ATG. Make sure you keep your skin stretched, and don't apply any pressure, other than what's necessary to guide the blade. Things WILL get better

JC,
My first week was very rough too. I cut myself really bad, not once, but several times. I finally ended up taking two weeks off--That did the trick for me. While my shaves are not close to perfect yet. they are way better and seem to be getting better every week.

My Shaves were closer (less stubble), but I still have stubble. But in all intensive purposes, when I said that they were progressively getting worse, I was meaning in the same places. I believe it was primarily because my face really hadn't "healed" from the previous shave is the reason. If I wait a couple days and shave again to find out that it equals the last shave or so in irritation, then I know it isn't the healing time issue that I believe it to be.

I have now been using a straight for 10 days, so I am no expert.
I was struggling a bit through the week with similar issues to what you describe.
This morning being a day off work I took a lot more time about my shave and I had zero cuts or irritation. I did not feel I was rushing through the week but I guess I was.
I think I will be getting out of bed earlier so that I always feel that I have heaps of time.
I also had a day off shaving the day before, so maybe that helped to.
I am looking forward to tomorrows shave.
Good luck I hope it improves for you soon.

Shave every few days using the same razor until you improve your technique, once you feel confident with the one razor then try something else.