Thread: First Shave completed successfully!!! At least the cheeks :)

Hi all,

Ok, newbie here. Just got my Boker KC from SRD yesterday, today is the first stropping and shaving attempt. Here are the results:

1. prepped for a good 20 minutes as I was nervous as hell. Showered, hot towel, mucho rubbing. Stropped on my new strop for 40 strokes. I didn't think it needed it, but Lynn advises it.
2. Added a drop of mineral oil to my cheeks before soaping. Rubbed in very deeply.
3. started with VERY hot water, towel and staring at myself in the mirror before soaping.
4. Soaped heavily with extremely wet lather. Not thick lather, wet lather, thin and slick. Worked in very well on top of the oil.
5. started with my right hand on the right side just below the side burn and made several 1/2 inch or so small movements downward, trying to keep the blade @ 30 degrees as instructed.
6. stopped just above the curve of the jawline.
7. keeping the same hand, I then did the same to the left side. Nicked myself 2 times crossing over like that on the left side. Very tiny nicks, as the moment I felt it pull I stopped and restarted. Didn't even feel the nick, it just started bleeding, which is how I know it got me. As I was paying attention to the tiny spot beginning to bleed, I did it again, just below the first one. Neither one even hurt, just a tiny spot of blood on both places.

I finished my shave off with my normal razor, cleaned up the 2 spots with my brand new styptic pen and both tiny spots stopped bleeding.

I then took care of the tools, drying the knife and then placing a tiny layer of mineral oil on the blade. Then I set it up in my bedroom, propped open with a small eraser to dry for a few hours before spending the night in my sock drawer.

I used a tiny amount of Keri oil on my cheeks (sadly it is scented, I want something unscented) and they are smooth as glass and feel wonderful.

Tomorrow I do the cheeks and then move to the sides of my neck.

So far so good, fellows!! This is a wonderful adventure that I'm enjoying very much.!!!

I'll update again tomorrow evening after my next shave!

Best to you all, and special thanks to Lynn for starting me off down the right path with a wonderful tool (my boker KC, Lynn honed) and for the excellent advice on the first shave.

Later!!!