Thread: Straight Razor Shaves Everything But The Face. Too Thick, Too Coarse.

Maybe you should go to a barber shop and get a shave there. You can then see how the barber does it and prove to yourself that it is possible to get a BBS on any beard type. That's what I did.

+1 to all the 'don't give up' comments. Just take it easy to begin with and move on the to the tricky bits when you feel more comfortable. I think everyone who shaves with a straight has a similar experience to begin with.

Let us know how your progress goes.

Good luck.

Stu

souriya,

If you can, could you please let your beard grow for around three to four days.

When you then come to shave, wash beard well, lather it and use hot a hot towel over the lather and let soak on your face for a few minutes. Re-lather up and let lather sit on face for at least three minutes; touch up lather and shave as normal and let us know how you got on.

This should give you the best odds of softening your whiskers and getting a comfortable shave.

Good luck !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Wow I did not know that there were so many posts to this thread. The forum did not notify me after the second response.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice.

I ordered a Norton 4000/8000 hone but opened the box to find out that I accidentally ordered the 1000/4000 instead, so disappointing. I was looking forward to honing for the first time to see if I can get better shaves. I guess I'll have to wait a week for the real hone to get here.

However, I am glad to report that I tried Thiers Issard Strop Paste today and it improved the shave, less catching and tugging on the hair. This adds to my suspicion that I ruined the edge with the strop when I got the razor and I need to correct it with a hone. The closeness is better, but not what I have been able to achieve with a Mach 3. The result is similar to what I get with an electric razor.

Also I saw on YouTube there is a fellow in Denmark who did a shaving video and he said something I never heard before "Use short, quick strokes as if you're chopping the hairs instead of trying to slowly push the razor through the hair." I tried it and that also improved the shave but it feels unsafe to be slinging the blade around like that.

I'll give another update after my first hone in a week or two. Thanks again everyone!

Souriya

Originally Posted by souriya

Wow I did not know that there were so many posts to this thread. The forum did not notify me after the second response.

Thanks everyone for your encouragement and advice.

I ordered a Norton 4000/8000 hone but opened the box to find out that I accidentally ordered the 1000/4000 instead, so disappointing. I was looking forward to honing for the first time to see if I can get better shaves. I guess I'll have to wait a week for the real hone to get here.

However, I am glad to report that I tried Thiers Issard Strop Paste today and it improved the shave, less catching and tugging on the hair. This adds to my suspicion that I ruined the edge with the strop when I got the razor and I need to correct it with a hone. The closeness is better, but not what I have been able to achieve with a Mach 3. The result is similar to what I get with an electric razor.

Also I saw on YouTube there is a fellow in Denmark who did a shaving video and he said something I never heard before "Use short, quick strokes as if you're chopping the hairs instead of trying to slowly push the razor through the hair." I tried it and that also improved the shave but it feels unsafe to be slinging the blade around like that.

I'll give another update after my first hone in a week or two. Thanks again everyone!

Souriya

To start I would recomend short SLOW strokes. Fast will only give you a large Cut!
I think that was Maxi on the vid. Was he bald?
Hold the razor with the spine almost flat to the skin then lift it slightly. Do just the strong side side of face. Get the angle right. Hold the razor lightly enough that if it catches the movement on the face stops. Otherwise large cut and pink lather are the result. Ouch!

I have only been at this for six months but experienced the same pulling and tugging when I started out. The first week was awful. Lots of blood and very little hair cut. I didn't try my chin area for at least the first four weeks.

My longtime local barber gave me the best advice, "Keep the angle really low and do very short, choppy strokes rather than long strokes." It really helped to move my technique forward.

Remember:

1. Make sure you do adequate shave preparation.
2. Make sure your razor is sharp. In the beginning, use a professionally sharpened razor and avoid honing and stropping until you have more experience.
3. Make sure to start with WTG passes on the cheek and sideburns until it becomes second nature. Finish up with a DE or your normal shaving method.
4. Make sure to use short strokes in the beginning.

I wish you luck. If you stay with it, it will get easier and better.

+1 on what theBigSpender said - no matter how course it is, no facial hair is a match for a properly sharpened razor that is used with proper technique.

I grew up going to the same barber for over 25 years so I trusted him completely. Right around the age of 28 curiosity got the better of me and I asked for shave (I always saw him using a straight on customers). He said, "I can do it but you'll bleed. Your beard is too thick and course. I'd just stick with a cartridge razor if I were you." So I listened to him.

Fast forward to 18 months ago (12 years since his comment). My curiosity never died - instead it grew. So I thought, 'screw it, I'm going to give it try. Guys had nothing to shave with but straights for centuries and I'm sure thousands upon thousands of them had course facial hair.' I bought a shave-ready straight and gave it go. Not the greatest shave the first time around but not bad either - nowhere near as uncomfortable as I had expected and certainly no blood (not even weepers) as my old barber had implied.

Within 4-6 weeks I was getting very good shaves with only my neck - where the hairs grow toward my ear making it hard to go with the grain, especially in the hollow areas around the adam's apple - experiencing a slight bit of irritation / razor burn.

Within 6 months even my neck was no longer an issue and the shave were great.

That said, your two biggest factors are most likely going to be the razor edge and (e.g. well honed) edge and pressure (all it takes is enough to keep the razor resting on your skin, no more).

Bottom line: Listen to all the great advice that's been given here already and you'll get it - and probably quicker than you think. Once you find the right mix of razor prep, facial prep, and shaving technique for YOU, those hairs won't stand a chance.

Good advise from carazor, go to a barber and you'll get an advise face to face. im sure you'll get an idea to solve the problem