Doc says I'll recover.

So I completed my first first shave with a straight razor today. Not too bad; only six cuts and a few dozen nicks. The important part is that I had fun. And since the Hart razor was laser sharp, I felt nothing unpleasant.

My prep was a face wash with warm water and Cetophil cleanser followed by some home-grown preshave oil and a hot, HOT towel. Bigelow cream worked into a wet lather with an antique--read hair falling out--Taylor badger brush.

I felt a little clumsy with the razor and had a hard time finding a good grip--probably some rookie nerves showing up. The Hart is a square tip, and two of the cuts occurred when I literally stabbed myself in the face in awkward moves. I'd like to blame my dog who was barking up a storm at the time and distracted me. I think he was trying to alert the neighbors to come help. But in reality, I suspect it's just a question of really paying attention while playing this sport.

I also suspect that I made two rookie mistakes: 1) too much blade pressure, and 2) too steep an angle. As I played around, I think I found a shallower angle worked better. I also think I became too fixated on the image in the mirror and should have focused more on the feel of the edge cleaning off the lather.

Neck area is a bit red and irritated. Chin took the worst of it--too many tough angles to negotiate. Thank God for styptic pencils.

ER Doc says she's seen worse faces from car wrecks, but not many. Still, she didn't feel sutures were needed. I told her I would try again tomorrow and she said that was fine...apparently she has Sundays off. ;)

It's a little hard to know how much exaggeration is going on with respect to the number of nicks and cuts you received, but if you indeed do have a couple it might be best to leave your next shave for a couple of days to allow them to heal a bit. Reopening nicks and cuts is not pleasant.

But in any event, congratulations on your first straight razor shave! :tu:

James.

Some westerners have been known to tell a tall tale or two, but it is safe to say I didn't walk away unscathed.... I'm most disappointed in the two needless stab wounds. Probably use a DE Monday morning...but I'm now hooked on straights; too much fun. :D

Yes, I have heard, and in certain cases observed, that some people do not take every story they tell completely seriously. I myself do not understand this behaviour, but I do recognise that some people embellish, or even completely make up, anecdotes for a variety of reasons - humour appears to be one of the dominating factors under these circumstances.

Yes, straights are a lot of fun, and well worth the effort and occasional nick along the learning curve. I myself, on my first attempt, managed to completely sever my head from my shoulders. Despite my (slightly disembodied) protestations that it was merely "a harmless flesh wound", I was nevertheless hauled reluctantly to the Accident and Emergency where the good doctors kindly reattached most of the vital elements. Unfortunately, they were not able to reassemble the exaggeration and hyperbole centers of the brain, which is why I do now find it difficult to tell whether people are telling tall tales or not. I myself am certainly incapable of it.

James.

I for one have neeeevvvveeeerrr cut OR nicked myself. I don't understand its not rocket science, its much cooler than that...LOL

Thanks Nix for making my day. Great post. Now I know to include a can of Nair in your Christmas stocking this year, lol. I'ts nice to hear there are still fearless men out there. Congrats on your first SR shave.

That is some cruel irony if Nix is your real name

It can only get better right

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

Yes, I have heard, and in certain cases observed, that some people do not take every story they tell completely seriously. I myself do not understand this behaviour, but I do recognise that some people embellish, or even completely make up, anecdotes for a variety of reasons - humour appears to be one of the dominating factors under these circumstances.

Yes, straights are a lot of fun, and well worth the effort and occasional nick along the learning curve. I myself, on my first attempt, managed to completely sever my head from my shoulders. Despite my (slightly disembodied) protestations that it was merely "a harmless flesh wound", I was nevertheless hauled reluctantly to the Accident and Emergency where the good doctors kindly reattached most of the vital elements. Unfortunately, they were not able to reassemble the exaggeration and hyperbole centers of the brain, which is why I do now find it difficult to tell whether people are telling tall tales or not. I myself am certainly incapable of it.

James.

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:cry: I was once a man until I decided to shave in the shower, and my wife flashed me then in the surprise my 1 1/2 inch machete W&B slipped from my soapy hands straight down and .... :drop jaw: now I'm a eunuch..:cry:

Just kidding.. had to join in the fun.. ;)

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Originally Posted by poppy926

I for one have neeeevvvveeeerrr cut OR nicked myself. I don't understand its not rocket science, its much cooler than that...LOL

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Even rockets occasionally crash. Murphy's Law :p

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

Even rockets occasionally crash. Murphy's Law :p

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LOL. True. And if you believe I have never cut or nicked myself I got some stuff to sell ya...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

Even rockets occasionally crash. Murphy's Law :p

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LOL. True. And if you believe I have never cut or nicked myself I got some stuff to sell ya...

I probably should have taken Jimbo's advice and let some of the cuts heal up. I think it was Oscar Wilde who said the only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on, and so I did.

This straight razor business is quite addictive, and I've got 5 or 6 additional shaves under my belt now. Each shave seems to be going better than the last, but I still manage to find some new way to cut or nick myself. I have fairly sensitive skin and can cut myself with even the safest of quad-blade cartridge razors. I'd probably cut myself with an electric razor if I ever tried one.

Nevertheless, despite the blood loss, I'm really enjoying the straight razors. Yes, I used the plural as I added a Dovo "Black Star" from SRD to the shaving line-up. Wife thinks I'm nuts, but it's still more fun than otherwise, so I'm pressing on....

Thanks for the encouragement guys!

It's only going to keep getting better! Like aging bourbon...