First SR Shave... The Results.

OUUUUUUUUUUUUCHHHHH!

I just got my Dovo best quality 5/8 razor today and was very excited to try it. The supplier (TSS) assured me that the razor was shave ready and I didn't need to strop it before my first shave. Against my better judgment, and against ALL the advice on this forum, I decided to jump right into a three pass shave. 2 WTG and 1 XTG.

Surprisingly, I got away with a DFS (in terms of look and feel) and only one or two nicks that went away with cold water. However, the razor TUGGED and PULLED like nothing I've ever shaved with before. I'm a stubborn bastard, so I decided to keep going. I am now sitting at my computer with some of the most horrific razor burn I've ever experienced. Here are two things I'm pretty sure went wrong:

1. I'm an idiot, and I didn't stop after I felt tugging.
2. I repeatedly forgot to stretch my skin.

Even so, when I DID stretch my skin, there was still a fair amount of tugging and pulling. Any advice would be helpful. In the meantime, I'm going to rub ice cream on my face.

Hello. Welcome to the world of straight razor.
Your problem:
1. probably not sharp razor (check on HHT)
2. enough experience
Necessary to prepare the skin. Experiment with hot or cold water.
Acquiring a good soap and aftershave.
And most importantly - do not despair.
Sincerely,
Alexander

When I first started shaving with a straight I noticed a lot of tugging as well. I started to play with the blade angle and taking short but quick strokes and this helped a lot. Keep practicing and your shaves will improve. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I think I have my prep down pretty good (although I'm sure there's always room for improvement). I've been shaving with a DE and have gotten some really good shaves out of it. I appreciate the "do not despair" comments as well. It's easy to get discouraged, especially when I had built up in my head that my troubles would all be solved once I got a straight razor. I'm definitely going to give my face a few days to heal and probably only shave WTG with my DE. I'm definitely looking forward to getting good at the art of the straight razor shave.

You know, shaving with a straight razor is different from DE. Learn all over anew.
Learn to relax the arm. Do not push on the razor.
My first shave was horrible - a dull razor (as I understand it now) and a red neck, chin and cheeks.

Sincerely,
Alexander

If you can get a good (comfortable) shave with a DE razor, your prep is probably OK. Especially if you can do an ATG pass with the DE.

The straight razor needs to be as sharp as a DE blade, and you should be using less pressure with the straight razor. The sharper the razor, the lighter the pressure can be. And the lighter the pressure is, the less razor burn you'll have.

I have "calibrated" my own "shave-ready" test. If a razor catches and "pops" the hairs on my arm, when I move it about 1/4" above the skin, I find I can shave with it comfortably. If it doesn't, I find that it pulls, tugs, slips, and needs more pressure to cut my beard. That's with _my_ hair; that test may, or may not, work for you.

However, I'd bet that if your DE blade passes that arm-hair-popping test, and your straight razor fails it:

. . . the straight razor is not "shave ready".

Razor angle also has to be right. For a DE razor, that's set by the geometry of the DE razor head, so you have no experience in keeping it correct with a straight razor. It can be a steep learning curve.

Try stropping the straight razor a lot. 100-200 laps helps, sometimes, with an "almost-sharp" blade. If your stropping technique is good, it won't hurt. I have had good results using a CrOxide pasted strop, but you _can_ overdo that.

Charles

I also experimented with my first SR shave today and found the razor to be a little dull, except in my case it's my own fault and I know better. I didn't get any razor burn or nicks, however, but I also didn't get a particularly even shave. More learning to do, much more.

I'm really new to this too, so I have no 'wise' comments, however what being new means is I have a good memory of the first shave a week ago. I also shaved without stropping (had no strop). It wasn't a problem. I DID find a few days later, that if i used too steep an angle I got a little razor burn. I have found I DO need to concentrate on a 30 degrees or less angle, and I went VERY lightly; probably too lightly, but I thought better that than a sliced up face. I only did one pass WTG first time too; I wasn't brave enough for anything else.
Actually, as much as I am loath to do so, I'm going to disagree with the HHT (I know, banish me). I think you actually already did the appropriate test when you said the razor tugged and pulled; I think THAT was the test that should have told you it wasn't sharp.

If the lather was right & the razor was sharp the angles were wrong.

Some words of wisdom below from JR Torrey:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...tml#post291499

Quote:

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

If the lather was right & the razor was sharp the angles were wrong.

Some words of wisdom below from JR Torrey:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...tml#post291499

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Why isn't that link a sticky. It should get bumped or something. I would have loved to have seen that when I started out.

Now let me get this straight. I read that and it led me to believe that a hollow ground razor can be laid flat against the face to shave. I was wondering what the native angle is on the edge of a hollow ground, and if it is any different on a wedge. Can you really lay a hollow ground flat and get it to 'reduce' the whiskers?

I snagged that photo in the link and blew it up a little for my old eyes. It was kind of a revelation.

Thanks Oz. How'd you remember that old post. It was from like 2008 or older.

M

I think that the main problem sounds like just lack of experience. I remember my first few shave i was so afraid of cutting myself that i barely would move the razor with enough umpf to move the razor through the hair. my hands were shaky at first and i was so scared of digging it into my face witch i never did do anyway but i was so hesitant it made it feel like it was tugging were once i got some confidence and moved the razor through the hair it all smoothed right out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mjhammer

Why isn't that link a sticky. It should get bumped or something. I would have loved to have seen that when I started out. Yeah me too but there was no internet back then :p I think conventional wisdom says 30º or less but no one defined how much less.

Now let me get this straight. I read that and it led me to believe that a hollow ground razor can be laid flat against the face to shave. I was wondering what the native angle is on the edge of a hollow ground, and if it is any different on a wedge. Can you really lay a hollow ground flat and get it to 'reduce' the whiskers? I think it says 'nearly' flat. Other wording I've seen says 'virtually' flat but depending on area shaved I will often feel the spine on my skin. I forget what razor blade angles are but I think somewhere in the teens comes to mind so add 15º and you get about 30 which to me makes more sense.

I snagged that photo in the link and blew it up a little for my old eyes. It was kind of a revelation.

Thanks Oz. How'd you remember that old post. It was from like 2008 or older.

No problemo, I bet you'll remember it too now :)

M

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Quote:

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Now let me get this straight. I read that and it led me to believe that a hollow ground razor can be laid flat against the face to shave. I was wondering what the native angle is on the edge of a hollow ground, and if it is any different on a wedge. Can you really lay a hollow ground flat and get it to 'reduce' the whiskers?

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Roughly speaking, the typical angle at the edge is about 16 degrees. It's set by the ratio of spine thickness to blade width. I _think_ it's about the same for wedges as for hollow-ground blades (but I haven't measured any razors to check that).

I never tried shaving with a f blade flat against my face; I have "theoretical reasons" for thinking it won't work. I'll try it, next shave, to find out.

Try putting the blade flat on your face, and lifting the spine _just a bit_ before starting a stroke with very light (or no) pressure. If it shaves, great! If it doesn't, lift just a little bit more, and repeat the exercise.

You'll get it right, eventually.

... Charles