The Newbie Wall

**shammer** · 07-03-2011, 12:39 PM

I've been slowly progressing since I bought a Dovo in the classifed section. I'm now able to shave the entire right cheek area WTG and getting a fairly decent shave. However, yesterday I hit The Wall. Nothing I did was right: the lather was thin & runny, and I couldn't get the razor to cut any stubble at all. I whipped up a somewhat better mug of lather and tried again, with the same results. I tried changing the angle of the blade and the pressure without any improvement, so I fell back on the Fusion and completed my shave.

I know I need to work through this, and I intend to. I think my main problem is that the razor still sits awkwardly in my hand, and I find it very difficult to maneuver the razor into the correct position and angle on my face. Would there be any value to buying an inexpensive razor in the Classifieds and asking the seller to blunt the edge so I can practice just the shaving motion? Or would it be similar to asking a car seller to take a sledge hammer to the car I've just bought before he delivers it?

Thanks for reading this longish post. Have a great 4th of July weekend!

**Brighty83** · 07-03-2011, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by shammer

However, yesterday I hit The Wall. Nothing I did was right: the lather was thin & runny, and I couldn't get the razor to cut any stubble at all. I whipped up a somewhat better mug of lather and tried again, with the same results. I tried changing the angle of the blade and the pressure without any improvement!

Hey shammer
I'm only a noob so i might not be too much help but...

From what i found out so far is, with the lather, you don't need much water at all so don't add water unless it looks really dry and if you have a cheap brush (like i did) it makes it a lot harder to create a lather. So now i have a nice badger hair brush and take my time making the lather and i seem to have it down pat.

With the razor not shaving, even with a watery lather it should still cut, maybe not nicely but it should still cut. My first razor i rounded the edge with in a few days lol and again found out the hard way. so you may need to have the edge checked, or a senior member might be able to tell you how to check it correctly.

Anyway, like i said i am still a noob myself and can only advice on what i have done wrong.. so wait for someone to get on here, make sure what i have said is correct or they might add something themselves.

Keep going with it! You will get there!

Edit: i round the edge from improper stropping

**Havachat45** · 07-03-2011, 01:33 PM

Hi Shammer and welcome to SRP.
From my (limited) experience I would think that , maybe, your stropping technique may be a bit lacking (I know mine took a while to develop).
I am assuming that, since you purchased your razor from the classifieds, it came shave ready.
IMHO there is no point in trying to shave with a blunt razor - the only way to know if your technique is working is if you can get a good shave - you won't get that with a blunt one.
The main thing is that you don't give up or get too downhearted 'cause we all have days that are better than others.
Maybe there is a member here that lives close to you and who could assist with your stropping technique.
The important thing is to enjoy the ride and things WILL get better.
At least you're using a good razor, unlike myself, who started with a Gold Dollar and tried to use it straight out of the packet...

Cheers,
Geoff

**pinklather** · 07-03-2011, 01:51 PM

Hey, Shammer.

You're following a well trodden path. Neither stropping nor making lather came easily for me. With the blade, its most likely the stropping. Glen's 3/11 beginners tip thread was the gold mine for info/vids on stropping. http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ch-2011-a.html
As many will say, the noob is in an unenviable position of both needing better edges to obtain success, and from both stropping and shaving technique - they're very hard on edges. 'Don't worry about that - it'll change. You'll get good at both.

For making lather, Mantic's vids are good. YouTube - ‪How To Build And Apply Traditional Shaving Lather‬&rlm;

**ace** · 07-03-2011, 11:24 PM

You can make your Dovo into a practice razor just by covering the edge with something. You could try taping it with masking tape. You can also just shave with the spine.

**DerekC** · 07-03-2011, 11:52 PM

Butter knife. Use it with your fingers in the same position. As if the scales were upright. If need be, build up some tape between the blade and handle to give you some good sense of separation. Use this for awhile until the pressure in your fingers feels good. Scrape it against your face to build the muscle memory in your hand and wrist. Try putting some lotion on your face to provide a bit of glide. This way, you only waste soap for shaving. Don't be downhearted. Pull up those bootstraps and march forward! It'll be rewarding in due time, my friend.

**RyanL** · 07-05-2011, 01:46 AM

Keep your chin up (and the skin tight!). I'm just starting out as well so I feel your pain. There are some good lather tutorials at Badger and Blade Part 1 and Part 2. I spent an evening practicing making lather. A good practice technique, IMO is to start out making it too dry (sticky) and gradually add water until it is wet and runny. Practicing that a few times will let you pick out some clues as to when it's ready.

The butter knife is definitely a good tool for practice. Some people also recommend lathering up an inflated balloon and shaving it. This will give minimal wear to the razor and give good feedback on angle and pressure.

Good luck!

**sinnfein** · 07-05-2011, 02:41 AM

Is it pulling at the hair or just not cutting it? The edge could have been dulled and may need a touch up. Poor stropping could be the culprit. As for the lather if you have been getting good lather in the past you have just been having a bad lather day, I've had days when I just couldn't make a good lather for the life of me, keep at it and have fun.

-dan-

**Snuff** · 07-05-2011, 10:45 AM

As others have said when you're new to this the blade can get dull because your stropping technique is not correct, I think using a blunt razor won't do much good, you will be scooping the lather off your face but the important part, using the correct angle and pressure (or rather lack off) can only be developed by using a good sharp razor. Try finding someone with experience in your area to help you out. I got lucky, after only two weeks into straight razor shaving I got in contact with someone who wrote a book on shaving with SR's and who has organised shaving courses for years. A real eye opener. Things have improved a lot since. Just keep at it, it's just the fact that several things have to come together before you can get a good shave. Good stropping technique, a well honed razor, the lather, using almost no pressure on the blade.

**carlmaloschneider** · 07-05-2011, 11:37 AM

I'm new too, and that means my learning is new and fresh to my mind. I second the butter knife idea; I spent some time in the dining room mirror with a butter knife considering the angles. At one point I considered one hand and a rather strange grip. I feel that the razor should cut (well or not so well) regardless of angle and cream quality. If it's not cutting at all I reckon it's blunt. And if it cut before it must be stropping that's dulled the edge (I'm out on a limb here; I know nothing). I'd say, in my limited experience, even if your cream is really bad and the angle is really bad it should still cut...

After four weeks I'm quite comfortable now shaving everyday with my Burrell, some are better than others, but all are as good as with the Bic, I've still got a LOT to learn and experiment with (and I wouldn't want it otherwise) but it's certainly really achievable. What I'm doing ASAP is buying a second razor. So if I stuff up the first one with poor stropping or whatever I can continue while I fix up (Or get fixed up) the other razor...

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