Thread: A couple of noobie questions.

Hello I have a couple questions/concern about straight razor shaving, I suppose I could have put this stuff in my introduction but truth be known I just now thought of them haha
I have always hated shaving, not once have I ever been like "Aww man it would be real nice to have a shave right now" I would let it grow but its itchy and i usually end up worse off than shaving it if I leave it, also the girlfriend prefers a shaved face or at least minimum stubble. I couldnt take cartridge razors any longer they are expensive and i have to go over my face so many times to get a half decent shave my skin is left in rather harsh condition, the blades dont last long and the indicator strip is always gone after the second swipe haha which is why I invested in a DOVO that should be here in the next 6 to 10 days! I believe I will eventually be able to get a smooth shave that doesnt leave me with razor burn rash and whatever else those cartridges do haha They are kinda like shaving with 5 scoop shovels taped together...

Ok so first a little backround on my type of beard, and no I dont look like some sort of backwoods, lumberjack so keep the jokes to a minimum haha jk jk im just a young guy with an athletic build, my father on the other hand fits the mentioned description, big burly and hairy as a bear... children point at him when he is in the pool in places like banff and tell their parents to take pictures because their is a bear in the pool lol anyway I got cursed with his hair growth and thick, tough, beard I really hope my future children inherit their hair from their mother. Anyway I grow thick wire like hair right from my the bottom of my eye sockets (feel the bone around the socket on your face, thats where mine starts growing, just a little bellow the socket) to my colar on my t-shirt.

Why did I include this information you ask? Well I thought it might be relevant, if not disregard it haha anyway my concern is shaving around my eyes! I have been watching quite a few videos and no one has to shave up that high from what I have seen, but there has to be people out there that do, surely my father and I are not the only ones haha my concern is the skin there is pretty soft and its seems like it would be rather easy to catch the razor on the top of the cheek bone. Does anyone have tips for shaving this area? or am I just being paranoid?

Are there anytips to know for people with thicker hair? actually any tips and help would be appreciated!

Thanks guys!

OK. I have thicker, fast-growing facial hair. My early experience was to go with near wedge grinds to half-hollows. Easy to maintain and strop. I recommend that to start. It was easy and simple to maintain them. Great Shaves! I have been honing a while now, I shave with larger concaves, but when a smaller wedge comes around, Nice! Somehow, they seem to be the purest form!

Hey, Thanks for the advice! I ordered a half-hollow blade so thats a good start!

no one on the eye thing?

Oh also, the razor I bought is being honed by lynn, should I still strop it before my first shave?

Originally Posted by Thunderhorse

beard I really hope my future children inherit their hair from their mother.



Are there anytips to know for people with thicker hair? actually any tips and help would be appreciated!

Thanks guys!

They will, Maternal Grandfather.

Originally Posted by sharptonn

OK. I have thicker, fast-growing facial hair. My early experience was to go with near wedge grinds to half-hollows. Easy to maintain and strop. I recommend that to start. It was easy and simple to maintain them. Great Shaves! I have been honing a while now, I shave with larger concaves, but when a smaller wedge comes around, Nice! Somehow, they seem to be the purest form!

Originally Posted by Thunderhorse

Hey, Thanks for the advice! I ordered a half-hollow blade so thats a good start!

no one on the eye thing?

Oh also, the razor I bought is being honed by lynn, should I still strop it before my first shave?

I agree with the selection of blade. I was also add eventually a bigger blade, 6/8 or 7/8 seems to help me as well.

Biggest tip I can give is that you prep really well. I always shower before and prep my skin and beard. When I shampoo my hair, when rinsing I rub the suds into my beard sinc emy shampoo has conditioner. I use a conditioning shave cream in the shower rubbed into my whiskers and rinse with hot/warm water. After I am done showering I rub pre shave oil into the whiskers and to soften my skin and then lather the shave cream over the oil. Then I shave.

Seems to work for me. Good Luck

ahh lucky kids! lol thanks for the tips! I will definitely keep that in mind when starting! I did order a 6/8 half hollow dovo best quality after reading lots of suggestions about size, also I dont like the look of the smaller ones haha

Thanks for the luck!

When it returns from being honed by Lynn, shave don't strop!

About once a month I have to move in a good way from my sideburns and nick out a few slow growers that grow pretty high on my cheeks. I generally use the tip of the blade (and a round tip at that; I never use a spike for these shaves) and concentrate on those nearer-the-eye hairs pretty much one at a time. I do nothing like an actual shaving stroke up there.

When I was an insecure teen, my mother once stepped outside while I was doing sweaty shirtless summer yardwork. Ever sensitive, she snorted and said "You look just like your father... like a starving bear!" But I'm warm in the winter. At least if my den is well sealed.

Originally Posted by roughkype

About once a month I have to move in a good way from my sideburns and nick out a few slow growers that grow pretty high on my cheeks. I generally use the tip of the blade (and a round tip at that; I never use a spike for these shaves) and concentrate on those nearer-the-eye hairs pretty much one at a time. I do nothing like an actual shaving stroke up there.

When I was an insecure teen, my mother once stepped outside while I was doing sweaty shirtless summer yardwork. Ever sensitive, she snorted and said "You look just like your father... like a starving bear!" But I'm warm in the winter. At least if my den is well sealed.

Ok so just kinda so small patches, very carefully with the tip? I have actually caught my cartridge razor and nicked myself a couple times around where Im talking lol
I did get a rounded blade so that should make things much easier.

Ahh the cold, it is well loved by me, the warm of the summer is something I dread, my mother was the sensitive one, it was my father that made the coments, but it twas ok since he is no better than I haha

Thanks so much! I will be sure to post updates when I start shaving

Yep, small small patches, and as best you can, stretch the skin. That might prevent the nicks you got from your cartridge. Good luck!