Thread: Success!!!

I should subtitle this post "The Importance of Proper Stropping" because I learned that lesson today in a big way.

After almost a month of grousing and complaining and feeling not a little bit anxious about how my straight shaving was going, I actually had a good shave that I would call an actual "shave" and not just stubble reduction. It was amazing to look down into my sink and see large clumps of stubble running down the drain. After my first pass, it really looked like I shaved. I was ecstatic. I did about 3 or 4 tiny strokes with my Gillette Superspeed, but it was just to get the stray hairs in the corners of my mouth and a small area under the chin. But otherwise, I'm really, really smooth.

And the reason for this, IMO, is that I stropped. Really, really stropped. I realize now that my "stropping" prior to today was just me awkwardly rubbing a razor on a piece of leather. I stropped quickly with firm mostly-even strokes. It was smooth and easy and it showed. I ended up with a smooth shave that was not only better than my old Mach3s but with significantly less razor burn (I had a touch on the lip and chin) and only 2 nicks so small they barely bled.

Fantastic.

Congratulations, it's great when something just clicks and all the pieces fall into place. Keep at and your shaves and stropping will get even better.

Ahhhhh that's a fantastic feeling, that moment when you realize that you're actually stropping correctly. It's tactile...you can feel it in the strop and razor. And then when the razor is touching your face. And it becomes visual when you watch the stubble drop into the sink and your face doesn't hurt from any scraping!

Congrats! Although there are many variables to this sport they can and will come together!

well done, Yes stropping makes a big difference in my opinion. when I started stropping well, my razors felt noticeably sharper

So far, I've been used to taking two steps forward and then a step back. The good news is, with tonight's shave I didn't take a step backward...it was more like half a step. It was still one of the closer shaves I've ever had, but not as good as Sunday night's. But that's ok, I carried over many of the good things I did last time, so I'm really happy. I'll conquer the chin and upper lip one day!

The only bad thing was I used a new (to me) GEM SE razor to touch up and really cut up the skin on my neck. Really bad. Worse than I ever had with a Mach3. I had previously used a Gillette Superspeed which is just amazing, but I wanted to try my new toy. Bad idea. I might not able to shave for 3 days or more.

NOTE TO SELF: If your razor is having trouble getting through a tough patch (or patches) of hair, it doesn't mean you should bear down and plow through it. Lesson learned!!! My face burns.