First shave with a straight (well ish....)

Hi there, I am new but wanted to write about how I am trying out shaving with a straight razor without a big investment or commitment...

I've been exploring the forums for a while now, reading up on all the different razors, techniques, tools etc. Of course had a known dilemma of not knowing where to start. I really like the look of Hart Steel razors but committing $300 to something that I don't even know if it's for me seems like a silly idea. So I went ahead and bought a Parker SR1 straight edge razor so I don't have to futz with honing etc at first.

Once it arrived I noticed that it is indeed a fairly low end razor, however it felt to be decent enough to get the job on introducing me to this kind of shaving well enough.

I decided to not buy a brush or shaving soap just yet and just used my regular shaving gel from Gillete that I use with disposals and to my surprise it wasn't all the terrible...

I started shaving easy parts of my face, cheeks and neck and for the first 5 minutes all I was thinking was - oh man, this is really not for me. Takes too long, finding the right angle is weird etc... But as I kept going I got a better hang of it. I moved on to more difficult areas around my mouth and the jaw line.
I should mention that at that point I had about 5-6mm long beard so it was quite a difficult shave especially at first. However I was done with my whole face in about 15-20 minutes except for the places around my birthmarks. I did those with a disposable.

In the end I had 2 small nicks that bled for a few seconds and even though the shave wasn't the closest I've ever had even after doing two passes (up and down) I still think this gave me a pretty good idea of what it's like to shave with a straight per US dollar spent. I did not have a razor burn, but I rarely do.

I just went ahead and ordered a Shave Set from Van Der Haagen to expand my experience of shaving to a proper soap and a brush.

Will keep ya posted folks...

It takes time and patience to learn, but once you are proficient it won't take as long to complete a shave. My first shaves took me up to a half hour to complete. It takes me about 10 minutes now.

I need to get one of those shavettes just to try it, but from what I have read, they don't shave like a real straight.

Good luck, learning to shave is part of the journey.

Welcome to the club, sir! I, too, started with the Sr1 and quickly progressed to a 6/8 dovo best quality from srd. I also started with the VDH set. Not a bad way to begin! Take your time, and ask lots of questions!

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Originally Posted by robellison01

It takes time and patience to learn, but once you are proficient it won't take as long to complete a shave. My first shaves took me up to a half hour to complete. It takes me about 10 minutes now.

I need to get one of those shavettes just to try it, but from what I have read, they don't shave like a real straight.

Good luck, learning to shave is part of the journey.

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If you want I still have mine that rarely gets to see the light of day anymore..not to highjacka thread.

Great to hear that you were not turned off by it..Great to see that is was not to bad for you..Keep up the good work.!

Hey there, and welcome to wet shaving!

I understand completely the hesitation to invest high dollar into something you are unsure of. I myself took a slow start and tried to inch my way into wet shaving. Nicks and cuts are normal at a first attempt. Try stretching the skin in order to allow a smoother shave. As far as time goes, that just takes practice. It took me 45min for my first shave. Over time you find confidence and the hesitation goes away. When you are ready to move up, I would recommend a razor from our classifieds. The guys on here won't sell you a bad razor, and the prices allow you to start without breaking the bank.

Happy shaving!

JackofDiamonds

Wanted to write a little follow-up on my second shave now with the Van Der Haagen Shave set.

First about the set:
Once I opened the set I was actually seriously surprised at how well it's packaged and how it felt. Really good quality stuff - brush has a plastic handle but got some heft to it and no visible seams. Badger hair seems to be just right in terms of rigidity, though it smells a little funny (is that normal? :) ) I lost a few hairs while lathering it for a first time.

Soap lathers easily it didn't start drying on my skin while I was taking my time shaving. I can't same the same thing about Gillette shaving gel. Soap doesn't really have any smell at the beginning but has now absorbed some of the funny brush smell, it's not bad, just a bit off.

Mug feels very solid, decent size and has a very good quality feel to it. I'll probably just keep using it until it breaks or something.

I was even surprised by the stand. Before I read that some people hated that it was made from clear plastic and is really cheap. While that may be true, the plastic is pretty thick, doesn't leave water stains and would hold both your brush and a razor yet doesn't occupy a lot of real estate on the counter.

My second shave was a little bit more rough than I expected. Now being a pro (jk) I slid a new blade into my Parker SR1 and started shaving my cheeks rather confidently. I was a little surprised by the amount of drag I felt. I don't think it was the soap vs gillette cream, is it possible that the blade was bad or something?

Anyway, I was probably done in 15 or so minutes again avoiding the moles which I shaved with a regular razor. This time though I have a few very minor nicks and one that I applied a styptic pencil on. I probably lost a drop of blood total so no big deal. Because of the increased drag I also had a bit of a razor burn...

Next steps: sampling out Queen Charlotte shaving creams and soaps, Osage Rub on order as I love everything mint and still reading and learning about straight razors...

Thanks guys for this forum and all the info you provide on it!