How many ? I'm not talking about 1 pass BBS , just really good shaves . For me it was around 100 .
How many ? I'm not talking about 1 pass BBS , just really good shaves . For me it was around 100 .
While I was getting randomly good shaves early on, it took probably close to 100 before I could get a good shave consistantly.
Took me about a month after watching Lynn's video before & during my long journey. I started really seeing progress after the second week...
still working on it...the point of my chin, the areas down from the 'stache (like if I grew a fu man chu) and the lower hollows of my neck on each side are still giving me fits...but...keep on truckin' right?
As I recall after a month I was getting reasonably good shaves but it took several months before I got truly good ones all over my face.
It took me 50 shaves in to get decent shaves, 100 shaves to get to where I was really competent with it, and about 125 until I could get good close shaves without razor burn.
To reach a good shave on a regular basis, I would guess about 50 shaves.
It was still getting even better after that.
At about 100 I was able to more or less constantly get the result I was aiming for at the day.
Now, close to a year and a half later, I find myself still learning.
New techniques, changes in routine, and generally just more and more experience.
Another factor that helped a lot was to learn honing(Which I still very much am).
Finding "my own" edge preference in terms of sharpness and smoothness was important.
Much of this would not have been this way, had it not been for this site, and all its members;)
I shave once every 4 to 7 days - bit of a minimalist - so I think I've just past the 40 shaves mark and I'm getting consistently razorburn free shaves.
I'm still having a little bother with either side of my chin area when my razor isn't keen enough and the last milestone I learned was that the lather is really important for smooth, close shaves. So right now I'm experimenting with a couple of different soaps; suds law, MWF and I'm waiting on Tabac being delivered as well, its alot of fun, next ordered will be mama bears soap I think...
Its weird but I don't realise how much I actually rely on this site and its members for information and how much I appreciate the help I've received, turning a daily chore into one of my favourite hobbies. I have to say the best forum community I have ever been part of, and its the members that make it.
regards Alex
I'm guessing less than fifty to get decent shaves, but I started a long time ago and don't remember. This time around I was getting decent shaves less than six shaves into it, although it took a few more to get consistent shaves.
I'm still experimenting with angles and stretching, but I get good shaves every time providing the razor is sharp.
And speaking of... I discovered that for my sideburns I get a better shave if I go XTG rather than ATG on the second pass, and I think this is helped in no small part by the fact that I run my hand behind my head and pull on my ear while shaving towards the ear.
Back to the topic... while I get good shaves, I'm always looking to improve. Probably by my millionth shave I'll be satisfied. Or not. :)
I THOUGHT I was getting good shaves after a couple weeks but I keep finding subtle things I can change to make it better. So in comparison to my first two weeks, I'm getting really good shaves but maybe two years from now I'll find that what I'm getting now isn't so great either. Who knows?
I was getting some decent shaves after the first month but I was not really in charge of the outcome until after about 100 shaves.
It is interesting to note that now I can get a decent shave regardless which razor I use. My technique, while still in its infancy, is more consistent and increasingly less the problem area for my shaves.
I was pleased after the first two or three shaves.
Jim
It took me about 100 shaves to get a nice smooth finish, although I got some excellent random results early on. I think once the hand eye memory kicks in that's the sweep spot. Mind you, I still have the odd bad shave now ten year on. Maybe in another ten years I'll be prefect!
Around 75 and my sideburns, cheeks and mustache area were/are bbs. My neck and chin areas still give me a hard time but I know I'll get it figured out with more practice.
It took me about 3 months, shaving ever 3-4 days, to get a good shave all over my face. Of course, after that they have still been improving and getting more consistent, but that was right around the time that I really said "wow, this is the best shave I have ever had" and really meant it. No irritation, the shave went smooth, no nicks, I knew what a sharp razor was and how it felt, and just got fantastic results.
I'm still counting.
I started getting good shaves when my razors were getting magicaly sharper & sharper, and my whiskers were getting softer & softer, wich was about 3 months in (2-3 times / week * 12 weeks = 24 - 36 shaves).
I got really good shaves about 50 shaves in
I'm starting to get consistently great shaves, and I'm about 100 shaves in.
I think it took me a few weeks of practice before I started to get bb shaves. The most important thing to realize is not to be scared of the razor. I was so careful at first and I think my first few shaves took about an hour.
Then I watched a video on Youtube of a barber shaving someone. He was so fast and smooth so I decided to throw caution to the wind and speed up my shaves. Rather than doing small motions I would do longer strokes and trust that the razor wasn't going to cut me. I also started using two hands to steady the razor in places like the chin and upper lip.
I haven't really changed much since I got it down but my shaves go like this:
1st pass - entire face with the grain
2nd pass - across the grain on the jawline / against the grain below the jawline
Takes me about 3.5 minutes of shaving. Probably about 5 mins in prep so less than 10 minutes total.
I find that every consecutive shave I learn a little more and occasionally I still reach a plateau that i had not perceived possible before. This follows the adage of learning something new everyday.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aeon
These reports are very encouraging to me. I have been using straights almost exclusively for about 2 1/2 months. I have only been shaving 1-3 times a week on average and just now starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. I'm glad to see that my pace of learning might be very normal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn24
+++1 And that is true about life, as well. If I haven't learned something during my morning shave, I haven't been paying attention. And, for me, this entire experience is a whole lot of fun. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by deighaingeal
It's good to know that the info in this poll is helping .Quote:
Originally Posted by nrdoty