Thread: Shaving angle

You might want to take every other day off for the first little bit. Straight shaving is quite aggressive to your face and it will take about 2 weeks for you to become adjusted to it. Don't hurt yourself unnecessarily.

X

Pitbulls,

I have a two-sided Tony Miller paddle strop like yours and because the paddle strop is shorter than a hanging strop, you'll need to do more laps. I usually do about 60-80 laps before shaving (which is equivalent to about 30-40 laps on a hanging strop).

I have an old phone book that I put on the bathroom counter, then I put the strop on the phone book so that I have clearance for my hand to support the razor without hitting the counter. I put put my index, middle and ring finger on the hollow of the blade (spaced across the blade) and support the razor handle with my other hand and then I strop the razor. It's important to exert almost no pressure on the blade or you can dull the edge. The finger pressure along the blade is just to keep the edge in contact with the strop and I use the other hand to move the blade ever so gently along the strop. This allows me to be very precise in my stropping and after awhile, you can build up a decent level of speed on the strokes so that it doesn't take you 20 minutes to strop. Just take your time.

Ed

Figured I would update

I shaved this morning with no nics or cuts YAY !
I used the pasted side of the strop and made like 15 passes on it figureing maybe it was time to maybe help the edge out. Now I honestly don't know if it did need it since I have only used it 5 times but after I did I stroped it alot and started shaving.

I have been learning from my mistakes but unfortunately you have to have pain to figure out whats wrong lol.

I also am getting better going against the grain and normally at this time of day I would have more stubble on my face. So maybe I am getting a closer shave.

So far so good.

Glad it's starting to work for you. If it dulled this quickly then it's likely you managed to dull it with the strop. Thats common when you're starting out (I did it several times), so it's good that you had the pasted strop to clean it up again.

i would definitely agree that the more times u actually shave the better shave and the little angles and quirks you will figure out: position of hand, which hand for what parts of the face and should u use the tip of the blade or the heel of the blade for those areas. i am new also and each time i shave i learn and it just gets closer and easier with less irritation.

angle of the edge of the blade to your cheek to shave 20-30.

on the angle of holding the blade to your face, this is something that changes with what parts im doing. i have found that if i angle the tip of the blade up towards the sky say 20 or so degrees from parallel to the floor i personally have the most control. maybe it has to do with how my hair grows but thats what works for me.

carefull with the scythe motion you can definitely give yourself a nice war wound that way!

just remember the more times you do it the better it gets and the more things you will figure out that are unique to your hair growth and face.

now, if i could just get my throat area to go more smoothly i'd be happy camper.

~J

ps. no pressure when you strop!!!!! go slow with it and do a few extra laps

I figured out that for me going against the grain was much easier if I lay the razor almost flat on my face. I saw where someone else did that and I thought I would try it. So far that is working out.

Stropping - now I do probably 50 or more times. I just keep going till I am like.. This has to be to much lol.. I would lather before I strop but it takes me to long to strop and the lather would be nice a dry on my face.