Thread: Anybody with perfect shave and honing for the first time?

My first razor had issues and I still have never gotten anywhere with it. It is warped and overhoned so it is just used to break in hones. My second razor needed a lot of restoration, but it honed up very easy and was a very good shave. Some razors that look like they have never been honed have given me more trouble than that first success.

Glen

Originally Posted by kellykungfu

Hi Everyone,

Just curious, how many of you had a super successful shave with a straight razor the very first time? I mean, successful, as way better than like a Mach cartridge? Also on the side note, how many of you had a true successful HHT when honing for the first time?

Have a great day and God bless.


-kelly

Kelly,

My face looked like I had stuck it in a fan blade. It was not good at all. Also forget a HHT for a while it takes much practice..

My first shave was perfect and I honed the razor myself! The two years of practice to get ready doesn't count right?

I guess it's all a function of how you define my first shave. Surprisingly, by the time I first put a straight to my face I'd honed it pretty darned well--it took almost two weeks to bring an e-bay special to shaving sharp on my Arkansas stones, but the resulting edge was very nice. However, I eased into a full straight shave a little bit at a time. After two weeks, when I first did a straight only shave, I guess I'd call it successful as I drew no blood, it was more comfortable than any of my shaves with an electric razor, and nearly as close.

Of course, then I started buying a bunch of stuff and with a Norton, I had to learn to hone all over again. Got cocky and spilled some blood now and again, etc...

YMMV,
Ed

I never will forget my first shave. I wanted to shave straight so much I really did not know what had to happen first. If you are going to be stupid you have GOT to be tuff.

The first shave I thought a straight razor did not cut hair. I thought it must just pull it out and cut the skin. I ran through the house with toilet paper flying off my face like a small snowstorm. And that was on the way to the drug store so I could find out how much styptic burned, I thought Phillip you never cease to prove your intelligence.

The above statements really made my honing skills very good very fast, but no HHT for a couple of months.

Honing took me a few days to figure out but after getting on the forums and talking to randydance062449, FiReSTaRT, mparker762, azjoe, and Lynn I think I got it down and I won't forget Tilly whom I bought my hones from very nice lady to talk to and very informative.
As for my first shave it was not that good or plesent. The blade was skiping on my face which caused a few nicks, I quit right away untill I had purchased all the nessary supplies, then after honing stroping the hair test the thumb nail test and Honmister Advice I was ready to try again and sucess. Won't use anything but a straight now. I can do better detail around my moustache and gotee. LOVE IT. "smothe"

My first straight shave was with a Master stainless razor that had never been honed or stropped. (Ebay $9.99) I didn't know what a strop was my first shave and I used my canned gel with no beard prep. In fact, I didn't know @#$% Well, it was the most awful shave of my life. Once, when I was in the Army, I dry shaved with a dull single blade disposable I pulled out of the trash and it was better than my first straight razor shave. Any normal person would have grown a beard long enough to make Santa Claus jealous. But, not me.

Afterwards, I did tons of research online and I learned everything I did wrong. Which, was everything. On my 2nd and 3rd shaves, I used a Thiers Issard razor, somewhat stropped, Taylor's shaving cream, and a badger hair brush. I truly began to understand the potential of a straight razor shave. They weren't great, but they were good and getting better. I stuck it out and now, I can't get as good a shave with anything else and will never look back. Except, of course, to laugh at myself!