Thread: First Straight Razor shave was ok...

Got my razor back from the honemeister today (CF Wolfertz blade). So naturally I went for my first shave with it (and a straight razor in general). I did ok, I guess, but there were some issues. Hopefully some kind soul can advise...

1. I stropped about 40 times. I obviously didn't do it right. I was pretty timid about it, and once I picked the razor off the strop in the wrong direction. I'm worried that I rolled the edge. If I did roll the edge, how can I correct this? More stropping? I few strokes on the barber's hone? I stropped again once I finished the shave and applied a little more pressure. When I did that it felt better on the strop.

2. The razor pulled a lot. I'm assuming this is from the improper stropping? I did my cheeks ok, and my chin was pretty good, surprisingly, but when I did my lip and neck, it felt like I was dragging it through pipe cleaners. I still have stubble in both places, though it's much better. Could it be....

3. A lather issue? I used cream (Real Shaving Co), and it went on great, but when I went to reapply some lather, any lather in the bowl was just gone. Does that mean it wasn't wet enough?

4. What about pressure? At first I was using hardly any pressure, and it wasn't going so well. So I added some pressure and it did better, but it also pulled more...should I feel at least a little pulling or none at all?

Overall, I'm pretty happy about it, but I look like a 12 year old learning how to shave for the first time. I just hope I didn't do anything bad to my razor.

If you received your blade back from the honemeister, it shouldn't have required stropping. The stropping you did (nothing personal here) may have dulled it slightly. If it was your first shave, your technique also is likely in need of improvement. I'd send it back for a proper edge, to remove that variable, and shave with it before stropping when it comes back to you.

I am a noob as well, so my answer is based strictly on my very limited experience and what I've read here.
1. I believe you should have tried the razor without stropping since it was done by the honemeister.
2. The pulling could have been based on the angle you were holding the razor at. I believe standard starting place is two spine widths or 30 degrees.
3. The lather is not a "one size fits all" One of the posts I read recommended lathering in your hand until you get a feel for how much water, soap/ cream to use and how to work your brush to best effect for you. This helped me tremendously, I learned more in 15 minutes of hand lathering than several weeks of trying to do it to best effect in a bowl.
4. Most of the posts I have read recommend light pressure. A good rule ( again that I read here ) if it is uncomfortable, stop and assess what you're doing.

Congratulations on taking the plunge and starting the delightful hobby.
Cheers

I really don't want to send it back. It took over a week and I don't want to drop $30 on new cartridges that are going to rip my face to shreds. I did stop midway through and stropped, and it felt a lot better. But after a few strokes it was pulling again. I stropped it because I read in an article that even when it comes from being honed it's a good idea to strop it a little, so I did.

As for the lather, I thought it was fine on my face. I was just surprised at how quickly it disappeared in the bowl. And I feel like I had light pressure...originally I was using almost no pressure.

I think it's really ironic that my chin, which I can NEVER get smooth with any razor I've ever tried, feels like a baby's bottom right now. I wonder if that area forced me to use a proper angle that I didn't use elsewhere?

So anyway, putting the "send it back for honing" idea aside, should I strop it? hone on the barber's hone? I plan on trying again tomorrow, considering I have no irritation and I'll be able to try again.

FWIW --

1. If you have both fabric and leather strops, and you can strop _without_ rolling the edge, give it _lots_ of stropping -- 50 fabric / 100 leather. That may correct any edge damage you gave it during the first stropping.

2. I suggest this rule for "correct angle":

. . . Start with the razor flat; lift the spine until it begins to cut hair.

3. Using a barber hone on a freshly-honed razor will, essentially, destroy the work that the honemeister did. Strop yes, hone no.

4. My lather doesn't disappear. You may be using too much water, or something else may be wrong. My rule is to start with too little water, and add more if I need it.

These are all typical startup woes. Keep at it, you'll find out what works. And it may be different for you, than for me.

Charles

All good advice,

I would add just shaving small easy areas each day to start with, rather than going for a full shave.

You really can't do that much damage with the leather strop... Dull your razor? Yes. You can't hurt it though, it's nothing that can't be fixed.

Read carefully: If you send your razor off to be honed to shave-ready, you will not need to strop before your first shave. I repeat, do not strop before the first shave. Any self-respecting honer always strops to shave-ready before they ship it back to you. Thus they have already done the required stropping for your first shave.

It's possible you dulled your razor slightly with poor stropping. More than likely the pulling you experienced was a combination of a slightly dulled razor and poor technique (very common).

If you have a barber's hone and you feel confident enough to do a few (2-5) strokes on it, go for it. Personally I don't think you did that much damage to the edge, so I would try a pasted strop of some type prior to going to the stone right away.

Pressure should be thought of as only the amount needed to maintain control of the razor. Just pretend you are shaving off only the lather. Any extra pressure will only lead to razor burn, hate, and discontent.

Good luck and welcome aboard.

Thanks much guys. Before I shuffled off to bed last night I spent some time stropping. I realized It was not holding the strop straight and on the back stroke of the strop, I wasn't putting the edge into any contact with the leather. In my overcautiousness to not put too much pressure on the edge and roll it, I was only stropping one side of the edge. In addition to the fact that I lifted the blade the wrong way once or twice (rather than roll on the spine) probably had a lot to do with my issue. So I stropped it about 50 times, focusing on even contact and a good X pattern. I think I did better, so in order to give it a sort of test and turned the blade on a discreet area of my forearm. I gave a light scratch or two and it took the hair off my arm down to (mostly) smooth skin. Tonight I'll give it another 50 strokes and shave again. I think my angle during the shaving wasn't great, as I may have had the spine too close to my face. I'm glad I'm making these mistakes now because if I didn't I'd never learn what I was supposed to do. I'll update this evening.

One thing that really affected my first shaves was my lather. At the time I only used soap. Got a decent looking lather, so I thought it was good, but I frequently experienced pulling and nicks. One day I went and bought a $3 tube of Nivea shave cream and put some on my face before working in the soap off of my brush - total difference! The razor literally glided across my skin. So in addition to the suggestions you've already received, you may want to try this approach as well (making a lather with soap and cream).

I tried that when I was still using the mach3 razors...it didn't seem to do anything. it felt nice though. so i'll give it a try with the straight and see what happens. trial and error seems to be the way to go here.