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Thread: A few months slashing... a retrospective

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    Default A few months slashing... a retrospective

    Hello all,

    A little over 3 months ago I went down to the local Supermarket to pick up some blades for the cartridge razor... they were $20 for a package. That was the last straw... the cartridge razor was finished.

    I put on a pretty thick growth and there are lots of times when I don't get to shave for multiple days. The cartridges could handle one or two days growth but after that I would destroy a couple sets to get a shave. The straight razor seemed to be a logical solution...

    I hit the Interweb and picked up a new strop/razor (C-MON)/brush/mug set from CS and red their faq's figuring for literally over a hundred of years a straight blade was a good solution for a unwanted beard it couldn't be that tough to get a handle on.

    (yup bought then researched this is a more common theme than I would like and will likely be appearing in future threads as well)

    So the kit is in the mail and now I decide to do some research

    Razor arrives... I'm sporting a few days growth and figure now is as good a time as any to dive in and start hackin'

    First lather is weak...

    Damn this blade in kinda intimidating...

    uhhhh how do I hold this thing again...


    Brutal. Shaky. Finished with a disposable.
    Where is that whiskey at.

    So I need to go back to the research stage, and start lurking here... I watch the videos, read some posts, and get after it again...

    Second attempt... got a better grip, still rocking a thin lather, stopping is not an issue (just slow) and I am a little less shaky...
    Must mind the point Where is that whiskey at.

    Now I'm rolling, over the next week stropping seems good (still slow), angles are slowly coming together, I'm relaxed, lather is still thin and weak, cheeks are smooth, jaw line and a few neck spots not so much... need to stretch the skin only a couple minor nicks.

    Fast forward a couple months...

    I have not touched a razor other than the straight since the second shave. I figured out the lather about a week ago and now I feel that I get a serviceable shave every time WTG, XTG more or less.

    I have started to put an effort in to get the left hand involved with the blade...
    And I still cannot get a ATG complete pass... my angle is probably too steep and the blade feels like it is catching, although I also still need to work on getting a better stretch in a few spots. Although I believe it is probably the razor (justification) and likely need to try a different style and maybe a stouter blade...

    My second blade is in the mail along with another strop that will get a light touch of the green paste on the hard wool. And I might have fallen into ebay (restoring looks fun ) after a few beers.

    Here we go.
    Next up will be a couple hones...
    Last edited by Dunc; 05-07-2011 at 09:05 PM.
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    Pabster (05-09-2011)

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    I don't know, man; I try not to drink when I'm using a blade against my throat. Seriously though, I've had a very similar experience overall. I've cut myself alot-gotta use less pressure and let each pass get a little more each time. there's no going back for me -I'm stuck on straights.
    niftyshaving likes this.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gadwaymc View Post
    I don't know, man; I try not to drink when I'm using a blade against my throat. Seriously though, I've had a very similar experience overall. I've cut myself alot-gotta use less pressure and let each pass get a little more each time. there's no going back for me -I'm stuck on straights.
    Whiskey tends to be a post shave treatment not during, I need all the focus I can muster.

    As for cutting I only did significant damage on my first couple "shaves".
    niftyshaving likes this.

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    Senior Member hcintineo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dunc View Post
    And I might have fallen into ebay (restoring looks fun ) after a few beers.
    you've got a good story of how you fell into straights. i'm in a same boat as you, still working on getting the technique down.
    a few weeks ago after some drinking, i went on ebay. i got an e-mail a few days later saying i won an auction i didn't remember bidding on.
    http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...xtra-67-a.html
    i didn't do too bad. got it for under $15.

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    Dunc (05-07-2011)

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    Senior Member str8fencer's Avatar
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    Whisky as a post shave treatment, now there's a thought. Perhaps I should shave more often in the evenings in stead of in the mornings

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    Quote Originally Posted by hcintineo View Post
    you've got a good story of how you fell into straights. i'm in a same boat as you, still working on getting the technique down.
    a few weeks ago after some drinking, i went on ebay. i got an e-mail a few days later saying i won an auction i didn't remember bidding on.
    http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...xtra-67-a.html
    i didn't do too bad. got it for under $15.
    I nabbed a lot of 3 that might be decent and later that evening I guess I picked up one more that better be good

    Quote Originally Posted by str8fencer View Post
    Whisky as a post shave treatment, now there's a thought. Perhaps I should shave more often in the evenings in stead of in the mornings

    The evening shave is nice. I figure after years of waiting for the ladies to get sorted in the evening before heading out there should be no complaints if I decide to have a relaxing shave followed by a drink before going out.

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    Senior Member blabbermouth Theseus's Avatar
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    Never tried a whiskey post shave treatment, but I can tell you that Grey Goose works magnificantly.

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    I use the Whiskey as a pre-shave treatment, getting plastered the night before the shave. That way, if I cut myself in the morning, my head hurts so bad that the cuts don't really bother me that much. I highly recommend it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ace View Post
    I use the Whiskey as a pre-shave treatment, getting plastered the night before the shave. That way, if I cut myself in the morning, my head hurts so bad that the cuts don't really bother me that much. I highly recommend it.
    But then you just end up all p***y for the rest of the day.


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    Its always great to hear how newbies keep with it and prevail. I stopped buying cartidges years ago and although I used up one during the learning process, the straight razor still did all the heavy lifting and the cartridge just did the touch up work and it lasted a long, long, long time until one day, I stopped using it and threw it away.

    It made my year to stop with the cartridge annuity "program" and get into straight shaving. Also, I would occasionally get an ugly zit just under the jawline from the cartridges and since I started straight razor shaving, I have never gotten one of those ugly zits. Its a great feeling to look better and come out ahead financially.

    Pabster

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