Thread: Something not working, help!

Originally Posted by roughkype

I've very little to add, except to reiterate what bharner just said--a properly sharp razor should take off your beard with no more force than it takes for it to take off the lather. Take Zib up on his offer to check out your edge.

Also, try shaving with cold water--as cold as you can run it from the tap. Many folks get less irritation that way. Many (myself included) also believe it's a closer shave than with hot water.

I shave at bedtime in the summer, so my skin can get over the general insult before I take it out into the hot sweaty world for the day.

This is a good point. I have a friend who's father was a barber way back when and he tell me that his Dad only used cold water when giving a wet shave. Why? Because the cold water makes the steel contract, thus giving a keener, tighter edge to the blade. Hot water will make the steel expand, thickening the edge and dulling the blade. True or not, it works for me!!

Originally Posted by Jdulaney

I bought a shave ready straight razor, strop and brush from whippeddog.com. Today is my third attempt, and something isn't working. The first I had major razorburn, which I attribute to probably using the wrong angle. My biggest problem though is I'm not getting much of a shave. I've tried all three directions multiple times, but I've still got stubble. I don't know if I just have a tough beard, if I've messed up the hone on the blade already, or something else. I'm also finding it awkward to find the right way to hold my hands and the razor for certain passes. I'm right handed, and trying to go under my jawbone from my right ear toward my chin, the blade is long and the scales get in the way. suggestions?

Take a deep breath....I know you may feel frustrated, just follow the advice given, at
this forum.
I my self use a glide motion, others use a sickle motion.
I have purchased two razors and had a third honed by Larry at whippeddog.
I then stropped them my self on some newspaper to smooth them out a little more,
but they were vary shave ready with out that step (I strop all my razors on newspaper)
Do not be afraid to finish with a safety razor.
Generation of men shaved with a straight, some guys can do it after a few shaves, others
take a year, just relax it will come, just try a little at a time using your left had for the left
side of your face, don't worry you have the rest of your life to learn this art, then you
will have a feeling of accomplishment
, it will save you from having to trek up Mt, Everest.

Well - you are getting some great advice from the previous posts.

I'd like to add this. While you are reviewing prep, lather building, stropping, shave angles, pressure etc., try and set sone realistic goals for yourself. Three shaves into this is mighty young - thirty shaves is still young. I think everybody would be surprised if you had a safe comfortable BBS shave after three shaves. And, IMHO I think going into 3 passes out the shoot is too much for your skin to handle at this point - especially since you are still trying to get your angles and pressure correct. A straight razor takes off a lot of derma and your skin needs to break in to accomodate this.

The advice that is given here is to start slow concentrating on safe and comfortable and then start going into quality. Finish with a DE (or other) razor while you are getting the experience and improving. This will take time and to put it in perspective, 6 months is a very realistic timeframe.

Good luck and keep at it.

Originally Posted by Alembic

Well - you are getting some great advice from the previous posts.

I'd like to add this. While you are reviewing prep, lather building, stropping, shave angles, pressure etc., try and set sone realistic goals for yourself. Three shaves into this is mighty young - thirty shaves is still young. I think everybody would be surprised if you had a safe comfortable BBS shave after three shaves. And, IMHO I think going into 3 passes out the shoot is too much for your skin to handle at this point - especially since you are still trying to get your angles and pressure correct. A straight razor takes off a lot of derma and your skin needs to break in to accomodate this.

The advice that is given here is to start slow concentrating on safe and comfortable and then start going into quality. Finish with a DE (or other) razor while you are getting the experience and improving. This will take time and to put it in perspective, 6 months is a very realistic timeframe.

Good luck and keep at it.

Great advice. I've been at it now for almost 2 months and I'm just now getting to the point I can get a consistently good shave using only the straight razor. About 60 or so shaves down. The biggest thing, I know when to back off to prevent getting bad razor burn. I'm willing to sacrifice BBS for a comfortable shave.

Pushing your way through a rough shave may be the macho thing to do, but a wiser one is to have a backup plan. Personally I've had good and bad straight razor shaves, depending on many easily and not so easily defined factors. When it's not going well I try to suck up my pride and go to the DE as my escape plan. My face is much happier for it and ready for a shave the next day, rather than needing several days to heal.

Good luck (to both of us I suppose)

This may sound ridiculous but I straight razor shave for over an hour or more, time flies when you are learning and trying to shave all the whiskers down to skin level but I still can’t manage to do this and still getting rather frustrated to say the least with all the remaining stubble, but hanging in there.

I too finish off the shave with my DE but rather gently as my skin as had quite enough at this point over an hour later.

Then I rub the Alum block over my face and wince in torment and once my pain levels drop smoother my face with witch hazel, this process usually heels my face by morning.

Then I have to wash up the soap dish, lather bowl, DE razor, shaving brush, alum block and last but certainly not least the straight razor. Certainly I need to time mange for all this as it can be 2 hours of the shaving process, course this includes the shave preparation time that have not mention above.

7 days a week that’s 14 hours, what on earth???!!

I think you are trying to do too much at once.
Just try one side of your face, or just one side
of your jaw.

As it stands now, with the pain, and time, it would
be easy for you to start dreading trying to shave
with a straight razor.

If you injure your face, then you will have to wait until
your skin recovers.

You will make more progress with four 10 minute shaves
than one two hour shave in a weeks time.

Of course one's enjoyment is also vary important for shaving,
and everything else

Originally Posted by planetocean

This may sound ridiculous but I straight razor shave for over an hour or more, time flies when you are learning and trying to shave all the whiskers down to skin level but I still can’t manage to do this and still getting rather frustrated to say the least with all the remaining stubble, but hanging in there.

I too finish off the shave with my DE but rather gently as my skin as had quite enough at this point over an hour later.

Then I rub the Alum block over my face and wince in torment and once my pain levels drop smoother my face with witch hazel, this process usually heels my face by morning.

Then I have to wash up the soap dish, lather bowl, DE razor, shaving brush, alum block and last but certainly not least the straight razor. Certainly I need to time mange for all this as it can be 2 hours of the shaving process, course this includes the shave preparation time that have not mention above.

7 days a week that’s 14 hours, what on earth???!!

Originally Posted by tboyer

I think you are trying to do too much at once.
Just try one side of your face, or just one side
of your jaw.

As it stands now, with the pain, and time, it would
be easy for you to start dreading trying to shave
with a straight razor.

If you injure your face, then you will have to wait until
your skin recovers.

You will make more progress with four 10 minute shaves
than one two hour shave in a weeks time.

Of course one's enjoyment is also vary important for shaving,
and everything else

When I first took up straight razor shaving, I followed the forum's wiki page. Oh man was it tempting to try to do everything all at once, but I persevered. Now I do a WTG then a ATG shave Sunday through Friday mornings and I am usually finished in 35-40 minutes. Sunday mornings are a tad long because I usually do not shave on Saturdays unless there is a reason to. Usually Saturdays are my "no shave" days to give my face a little break.
Straight razor shaving is all about patience, patience, patience, and more patience. Take your time, enjoy it "planetocean". We're here for you.

Originally Posted by planetocean

Then I rub the Alum block over my face and wince in torment and once my pain levels drop smoother my face with witch hazel, this process usually heels my face by morning.

You,re doing a cold water rinse on your face to remove the leftover shave cream right? I find that it almost eliminates the need for alum. And really kills the razor burn.

I'm a novice but., I think you are over doing it with an hour for a shave. I started out like you, dedicating lots of time to it, with a razor that, I have just learned, is on the "ones to avoid list". The result was 5 yrs more of conventional shaving. 5 yrs lost in my opinion. Read the advice on here for newcomers and follow it. I didn't and paid the price. I have maybe done 50 shaves now and it doesn't take more than half an hour. If I put the cigs and the beer away I could probably be done in 20 mins!! Bottom line is, baby steps. That's the way with this. To rush it is to ruin it. Do one side of your face with your straight and the other side the old way, I guarantee you that you will spend the day feeling the side that you did with the straight. This will motivate you to learn how to do the other side. Good luck and. keep going with the straight!!

Pete