Thread: I've taken to cheating..... I think.... Help please.

Where I live, my lather would dry out if I took time to strop during the shave. As others have said, it shouldn't really be necessary. But if you live in, say, Seattle and really like to strop, sure, take the time.

I've been straight-shaving exclusively for a couple of years now, and am still refining the directions in which I stretch my skin and the directions of my shave passes. BBS isn't a concern, especially during the hot hot summertime. Be sure you don't try to achieve it by using more pressure on your blade; that'll just irritate your skin.

If you're really concerned with a close shave, drop back to your cartridge razor for the difficult spots. I did hybrid shaves like that for about 5 months before switching over completely.

Good luck and best wishes.

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

I'm in agreement with Glen, especially the part about slowing down. I enjoy stropping. I enjoy it so much so that I will strop before an exam to center myself and calm down.

I'm sick...I love my strop.

It really is a very meditative process isn't it? That and the whole shaving process, i.e. deliberately holding one's attention on a subject, object or process...I find it so, anyway...

OK guys, I'm back.
1) "quick pass" poor choice of words. To illustrate how impossible that would have been all I have to tell you is that I was using a spike point. One that when I used it the first time I did try to rush and I ended up gashing my face three times. I mean will not stop bleeding kinds of gashes. So yes, my strokes were short with no pressure. I'm learning quickly.
2) this shave really was VERY Close to BBS. It was smooth everywhere, in both directions, except for trouble spots where hair grows stupidly. You know....sides of under chin places like that.
3) faceturbated, really??? LOL haven't heard that one.
4) if you are SRS and you don't love your strop and love stropping..... You probably need to be punched in the face. Loving your strop and to strop is pretty paramount.
E) thank you guys for being honest. I see now that perhaps me expecting a piece of archaic device out performing a laser precision, machine made, piece of literally "space age" equipment..... Was simply just silly. But you know what? All you've done is make me love it more. Maybe it's irrational, but we're humans and that's just how we are. Irrational? More like challenge that needs to be met! HAVE AT YOU, BEAST!

Originally Posted by grant9908

E) thank you guys for being honest. I see now that perhaps me expecting a piece of archaic device out performing a laser precision, machine made, piece of literally "space age" equipment..... Was simply just silly. But you know what? All you've done is make me love it more. Maybe it's irrational, but we're humans and that's just how we are. Irrational? More like challenge that needs to be met! HAVE AT YOU, BEAST!

Actually there's nothing at all "space age" about modern cartridge razors except the price. It's just subtle variations on thousand year old technology. The only real difference is that adding a couple of gaurds around the blades requires less skill and less involvement from the operator. A properly honed and stropped straight in the right hands can deliver a shave that no cartridge on Earth can match.

Originally Posted by MickRussell

Actually there's nothing at all "space age" about modern cartridge razors except the price. It's just subtle variations on thousand year old technology.

Ummm..... No. Any time a mashine uses LASER BEAMS and a computer to precision scult things into an entire product, I'm going to consider it space age.

A spinning stone wheel doesn't count as a "laser beam" no matter how insistent the salesman is.

You may also notice that it is an inclined plane that's cutting your hair, THE simplest machine known to man, not a beam of coherent light.

Lasors cut the tiny blades now. It's not 1990 anymore.

and they still can't improve on the edge achived by rubbing a blade on a piece of rock.

Shaving with a straight.....is a journey, your journey. Don't expect to much at first just go with the flow. In the middle of a shave if I will feel that the blade is a little lacking it gets a couple of laps on a felt strop with compound on it. You will find that in the manual dexterity department alone that you are just at the beginning, you have much to learn. If you stick with it you will be rewarded!

Take Care,
Richard

Originally Posted by riooso

Shaving with a straight.....is a journey, your journey. Don't expect to much at first just go with the flow. In the middle of a shave if I will feel that the blade is a little lacking it gets a couple of laps on a felt strop with compound on it. You will find that in the manual dexterity department alone that you are just at the beginning, you have much to learn. If you stick with it you will be rewarded!

Take Care,
Richard

That is good, and relevant, advice. Thank you.