Thread: First two SE shaves done :(

I got my "kit" from Tony on Friday. Very nice razor and strop! Good price and fast shipping. It is also easier to order a kit, I would recommend this to others starting out. I have been reading lots of info hear and elsewhere, so I figured it would go fairly well.

First off no bleeding that cold water couldn't stop Thanks to some of the prep advice here I have been getting a very close shave with my Quattro and can usually get by shaving everyother day for work. I had shaved Thrusday, so the beard was not that long on Friday. I figured it would make it easier to learn.

I had a hard time with the soap, kept drying out. I figured that is partly me, partly the soap (Williams), and me being used to canned stuff. I made sure to keep reapplying though.

The razor just seemed to pull an awfull lot Even doing the simple areas such as sides of face. I managed to get my whole face done. It wasn't smooth in most areas, but it took enough off that it looked fine.

I cannot ever remember having razor burn that bad in my life I didn't apply hardly any pressure, and felt the angle was correct. I suppose my face will have to toughen up a little. I didn't dare go against the grain for a 3rd pass. I tried a few little areas( against the grain) and the razor jumped around and pulled.

I tried again on Sunday, but switched to the quattro 40% of the way through. I didn't want razor burn again
I finished up with the soap. When I got done, the shave with my quattro seemed a lot smoother with the soap than with the canned stuff. My face felt softer, smoother, and a little tight. I can't wait to try a better quality soap and see what that does.

I don't think I damaged the edge with my stropping, I was very slow and methodical. Maybe I have a thicker beard and the razor needs to be a little sharper? Or maybe I am not using enough of a cything motion?

I wetted a spot on my leg and the razor shaved it smooth on the first pass. I realize that hair is not as tough though.

Just wanted to share my experience/fustration. I can see there are so many variables when you first start out it is going to be a challenge. I am not giving up, and certainly don't want to discourage anyone else from tyring it. But it should serve as a reminder the just about everything in life looks a lot eaiser then it is.

I am guessing a pasted paddle strop, better soap and more practice might be the ticket. Any words of encourgement/advice are certainly welcome.

I'm fairly new to this too and I'm just now getting a really good shave--it took a couple weeks to get somewhat confident.

The advice I can give is to try varying the angle of the blade. I use something close to the recommended 30 deg. on the sides of my face and neck, but for the chin and moustache I lay the blade almost flat against my skin. I also discovered that the same angle works the best when going against the grain, if I use my normal angle I get a lot of drag and irritation. Anyway, just my $.02--I thought my (new) razor was just dull, but now that I started playing with angles I'm doing pretty well.

if you got it shave ready from tony, why did you strop it? i don't really know much, but i'm wondering if you didn't dull it, careful as you think you may have been. a sharp razor shouldn't leave you with any irritation to speak of unless you really dug in with it or went over the same spot too many times trying to get it smooth (my favorite mistake).

I can't imagine how it could happen as the blade that Tony sent me shaved at least as well as anything I honed. I am guessing your angle is off. When I was teaching my co-worker and mentioned a 30 degree angle, he put it almost perpendicular to the skin. Other problem areas:
1) Prep. Make sure you wash your face well before applying lather. When you remove the oils, the hair will absorb the water. Make sure you give it plenty of time to absorb (120sec).
2) Stretching. If you stretch your skin properly you will make your cuts much easier on you.
3) When shaving with the grain, make sure you know which direction the hair is growing in. Know thyself well and thou shalt achieve laudable shaves, grasshoper!

i disagree with you, firestart, 1,2, and 3 are to blame if a person isn't getting close enough shaves, but i've done all three for one reason or another, and they don't really cause razor burn.

They don't directly cause it, but if your shaves aren't effective, you are more likely to apply more pressure and pressure = burn. Therefore, do not argue with the Zen-Budha Master


Edit:
Also, when your angle is off, you are more likely to scrape the skin instead of cutting the whiskers and may even throw a few more ineffective passes that will just cause further irritation, a.k.a. razor burn. QED

yeah, i wasn't arguing about the angle, just the three items you listed. if those things were contributing to the problem, then the real problem was still going too hard or going over it too many times, as i initially suggested.

so, now you see that the student has become the master...

The student will become the master once he realizes that if the first domino doesn't fall, others won't either. The reasons I listed are the main causes of too much pressure and too many passes.

alright, rather than go back and forth about this, let's wait and let the guy who posted first weigh in and see what he thinks. we could be missing the point entirely.

its already been mentioned but blade angle, pressure, and soap slickness are major factors. The blade shouldnt be pulling though. if you have bad angles you would miss hair or cut yourself, and if you use to much pressue you would get bad razor burn and possibly cut yourself, but it still shouldnt pull.

A few things to think about:
1. your face will need to adjust to using a straight, at first most of us had some razor burn and discomfort, especially if you are switching from a disposable to a straight, and not going to a DE in between. Keep in mind this is really the first time a real blade has ever touched your face.

2. I was very careful when I was stropping one of my first razors and I still managed to dull the edge accidentally. If the blade is actually pulling this could be a possibility as much as I know you would hate to admit it.

3. If you have pulling from a dull blade you WILL have razor burn, especially if you have sensitie skin.

4. technique, technique, technique. When I first started with a Lynn honed razor, I had razor burn after my shave, mostly from using to much pressure. I then worked on lowering the presure and also found an aftershave regiment that worked well for me, and now that same razor gives a very comfortable shave, so it really wasnt the razor at all.

5. If you can get a straight razor shave from a barbershop, even if they use a feather or DE blade, and notice that it feels more like a massage than a shave simply because the blade is barely touching your face. I still have not achieved this amount of skill, and still have to remind myself that I using to much pressure on certain spots, or that I need to use a different angle on my neck and chin than I do on my cheeks. Its an art, and if you were a pro over night it would be a pretty boring experience when all said and done. This is why the true great shavers and honemeisters (of which I am neither) have so much pride in their shaves and sharp blades.