Thread: OMG... First shave and I couldn't finish it with a straight razor.

as a beginner myself, one thing i recommend to others getting into straight razors is to buy a cheap shavette before using a straight razor with a strop and maybe sharpening stones. when using a shavette, you know that each new blade will be sharp enough and you can solely work on technique and the feel of straight shaving before even getting into sharpening and trying to tell if the blade is sharp enough. i found this transition was very easy into the straight razor world and i feel it is the way to go for everyone before blowing their money and potentially their face.

Glad you got that honing meeting set up. That's an awesome opportunity. With a new Torrey razor I wouldn't have expected you to need to go down to 1K, depending on where you got it from it should at least have had a good bevel on it, and could have even been shave ready out of the box.

I've had the same experiences with razors that will "shave" arm hair, but not facial hair. For me, a razor that catches and cuts suspended arm hair is what's needed for a good shave...but that's my face and my arm hair. Could be different for you.

Be sure to update us all on your meet with Howard on Friday. Let us know how it goes, what you learn, and how the shaving progresses from there!

Peace,