Thread: First attempt at SR shave

I read all the guides I could and watched several videos. Some guides like the one on here says to start with a portion and others say whole face. Larry's instructions state not to strop before first shave but I did afterwards. I think that I may have had inadequate moisture on my face. I certainly felt comfortable with my cheek areas but just need practice with the others. I will watch some more videos and attempt a wtg shave tomorrow.

I decided for shave #2 today. It went fairly well I'd have to say. Once again I took my time did a lot of prep, shower with washing my face well. I put on some udderly smooth in leiu of the AoS preshave I have been using at the suggestion of a forum member on here. It seemed pretty sound as I had a jar already and it does moisturize quite well. I lathered up my bowl (which I need to get a new one that is narrower. The one I have is too wide and all of the lather builds mostly on the edges). I used a mixture of a Shave butter that I picked up at target that seems resistant to lather but more heavily used the AoS shave cream. Lathered my face well and then stropped my blade. I find stropping to be easier than I anticipated. Reminds me of the old days as a boy scout honing pocket knives.

After around 30 laps it was time to shave! I am still getting used to angles and it takes some time. My cheeks are amazingly smooth yet once again I still have lots of stubble on my neck below the jawline. I started WTG and did a second pass XTG on my face and WTG on my neck. There are two small spots of irratation but no blood this time!

I was decently happy with this shave and look forward to the next. I finished up with another lather on my face while I cleaned up and did 20 more laps on the strop. Rinsed that off with cold water and finally AoS lavender aftershave.

Well done on your shaves. As has been said, in hindsight, we all say take it slow, just do a bit, wait a couple of days before the next shave, etc, but in all probability many of us did the opposite when we started, simply because it's such an exciting thing to be doing!

I WOULD just do WTG for a couple of months (assuming shaving each day) before you tried ATG. I think you can more easily cut yourself doing ATG; as the razor may try to dig in under the hair. However, most cuts I have had are simply due to inattention.

Check what you mean by WTG, XTG and ATG. Many of us assume that to be N to S, W to E and S to N even when we know about face mapping. Your hair on the neck problems are likely to be caused by not REALLY doing a ATG on the neck hairs; often they grow at all sorts of odd angles. It's quite difficult to get a SR to go perfectly ATG on some neck hairs, in my experience, and the hollows can cause issues too. The cheeks are the easiest to shave; you've got lots of room, normally the hair grows only one way, you can see what you're doing...

You'll only get better from here...

Sounds good, glad you're enjoying yourself. As others have said, it gets a lot better!

Quick note, I'd boost up the amount of laps on your strop. 30 is kind of pushing the low end. Most do 40-60 laps. Of course, this is assuming good stropping strokes. Remember, you don't need to go fast at first! Steady and consistent is key.

I'm aware my neck hair grow at a diagonal. Without knowledge of it I used to do a wtg and xtg/atg passes with my cart razors. I I'd try a very small patch of atg on my neck just to try to get a small feel for it with the realization that I am not ready for it.

I bought some real shaving co cream last night that I will try to with a makeshift scuttle to see if I can keep my lather a bit warmer. Just for comforts sake if nothing else. I will certainly do more laps on the strop today before my shave.

I strop at night before the next day's shave. I rarely strop fewer than 100 laps.

Today I did a 65 lap strop. Today's shave did not go as smoothly. I tried out real shaving co cream. And as it was decent I don't think it was as good as AoS cream I have been using. I did bleed more today than I have yet. I gave myself a little nick on my neck during the first pass and during my second pass put a little slice in my left cheek. I figured that was my cue I needed to take a break and slow down. So I did a little cheek cleanup and touched up my neck with my cart. That made me feel a little dirty inside...

I don't know if I will shave at all tomorrow. I am going to review my stripping techniques and my blade angles. I think I may be using too short of strokes. I also need to review how to better shave my jawline. I still feel like my angles are a bit awkward while shaving my neck. Thankfully I haven't been experiencing razor burn. It still is a struggle finding a good angle to shave around my goatee but my upper lip is much easier.
Does anyone use their right hand to shave the left side of their neck or vice versa? I feel like it might be easier but more prone to cuts.

It depends on the pass for me. I shave my right side of my face (and neck) with my right hand, and left with my left on the WTG pass. Once I get into XTG and ATG though I tend do use my right hand for the left side of my face and neck, and left hand for right.

...I think I have that right (or left?)

Patience. I have been at it like 5-6 months and still struggle with the jawline. I pick my fights with it in spurts. I will conquer it for BBS at least once in my life. Jump up and Down while lip synching "We Are The Cahmpions" by Queen into my Dovo Imaginary Microphone. Quit while I am ahead lol. I use my hands somewhat randomly these days, at first my left liked to get shaky here and there, specially if it was a new angle or area. Now I just kind of go with the flow, though my right does do most of the work, I will more than happily try out a new angle on the jawline with my left hand on the right side of my jaw. WARNING you know your face better than mine, dont try that if you are not comfortable with what the results can be. Since you dont seem to be subject to razor burn, you might try rubbing the lather with wet fingers, and kinda clean an area of cream, and as close as safely possible to the mirror give it a shave while you can see the whiskers coming off. that helped me determine that area under the chin loves an XTG scrape more than anything, and the thick spot just outside the main lip chin area, has hair that comes out in many angles. So for a good ATG I have to pass over it a few directions. WARNING

Originally Posted by Cavere

Today I did a 65 lap strop. Today's shave did not go as smoothly. I tried out real shaving co cream. And as it was decent I don't think it was as good as AoS cream I have been using. I did bleed more today than I have yet. I gave myself a little nick on my neck during the first pass and during my second pass put a little slice in my left cheek. I figured that was my cue I needed to take a break and slow down. So I did a little cheek cleanup and touched up my neck with my cart. That made me feel a little dirty inside...

I don't know if I will shave at all tomorrow. I am going to review my stripping techniques and my blade angles. I think I may be using too short of strokes. I also need to review how to better shave my jawline. I still feel like my angles are a bit awkward while shaving my neck. Thankfully I haven't been experiencing razor burn. It still is a struggle finding a good angle to shave around my goatee but my upper lip is much easier.
Does anyone use their right hand to shave the left side of their neck or vice versa? I feel like it might be easier but more prone to cuts.