Thread: How close should my shave be?

I've been shaving with a straight for a few weeks now. I can tell that it is starting to feel a lot more natural. I still have a few problem areas, none so much as my chin, but overall I'm doing pretty well. I have been doing one pass WTG, which is usually pretty easy and sometimes a second pass XTG.

I have to say that I am a little disappointed in the closeness I'm getting. When I use my DE (an Edwin Jagger DE89), I get a real close shave on my first pass WTG. I finish up with an XTG pass and it is very close and comfortable. So far, with the straight, I have to finish up with my DE to get close enough. Is this what I should expect from a straight razor shave? Does razor sharpness come into play here? Will I ever get a REALLY close shave with just one or two passes with my straight?

Info: I have a vintage JA Henckels 4/8, 1/4 hollow recently honed by one of the greats.

If your blade is perfect,If your stropping is perfect,If your prep is perfect,You have a 6 month learning curve,Carry on

Yep, what Pixelfixed said. I spent about four months transitioning completely to the SR shave. There's no shame in using your previous method along with the straight as you learn it. The chin is tough for everyone--as you get more comfortable that too will improve. On mine, as on most I think, the whiskers are thicker and tougher, and I've found I have to steepen the blade angle a little bit to get it to bite into the hair bases the same way it does with a "normal" shave angle on, say, the cheeks.

Patience, and practice, and prep. I've never used a DE, but they sound like they can be pretty squirrely. So if you mastered that, you'll master the straight. Keep your pressure light, as I bet you already know, no more pressure than it takes to scrape away the lather.

Best wishes and happy shaving.

Oh, to answer your actual question, your shave from the straight should be as close as your shave from any other method you've mastered, and as comfortable. It just won't be that way out of the gate, as you've found.

Yep, just as the two previous gentlemen have said, it will take a bit of learning to master the straight razor.
Exactly how long is very individual of course, but rest assured, the straight will do as well or better than any other system out there. Eventually
To most of us anyway..
Personally I felt like I had reached very good shaves after about 3 months.
3 months after that I knew that that was a very wrong assumption!

Well, don't worry too much at least you have company. Still can't believe I have to use a DE or SE to finish and get a proper shave too. That is coming from over 40 years wet shaving with the other razors. I'm thinking the technique is just harder to get sorted so I just keep at her. Sooner or later the coin will drop.

Bob

Well, I feel much better now. I've been wanting to shave with a straight for a while now and I was a bit sad at the outcome so far. I guess I just have to be patient (not one of my strong points) and just keep at it. I'm still a little scared every time I shave and maybe with my technique will build with my confidence. Thanks for all your replies!

That fear was one of the reasons I took a while to completely give up my previous, familiar technology. Yep, the confidence will grow--and will also spread out into the rest of your life. 'Cause what you're doing is DAMN COOL!

If that's the blade I'm thinking it is, it's actually pretty close to a 3/8 and you need to be very careful with your angle when using it. It's a good shaver and it may take just a little practice. It is a pretty small and light and I think once you get the feel for it, you will like it.

Have fun.

Originally Posted by danxaz

Well, I feel much better now. I've been wanting to shave with a straight for a while now and I was a bit sad at the outcome so far. I guess I just have to be patient (not one of my strong points) and just keep at it. I'm still a little scared every time I shave and maybe with my technique will build with my confidence. Thanks for all your replies!

When one thinks about what has to be learned,It can be a daunting process,blade angles, prep,stropping,not only the basics, but you have eye/hand coordintion to master,you have finesse that only comes with much repitition over perhaps 100s of shaves,you have alot to learn about your facial features,beard growth patterns.
One of I feel is most important is learning facial muscle memory,you may not realize it but in certain areas of your face you actually flex muscle to move skin into the cutting edge,esp. the chin area where all newbs struggle.
You WILL master this,the time will come when you do not even think about anything other than what a great shave you are getting,after that we move on to honing) at that point you return to really bad shaves again and a couple more years of frustrations.
Actually forget about honing,let the pros do that crap,carry on

Just to put things in perspective, say about 120 years ago boys started an apprenticeship to learn the shaving skills taught by their fathers and they had months and months to learn all they needed to learn. These days we don't have someone at hand to teach, its either on your own or via a site like this and folks these days have no patience. They want it now.

Eventually everyone learned because it was the only way. These days we have choices and if you choose to use a straight the learning curve has not changed since the early days.