Thread: Few questions after first shave

I had my first straight razor shave today. My face feels fantastic. I just have a few questions. I tried to hold the razor the way that every straight razor website says too, i found myself putting my index finger along the spine and holding the tang(i think its called) with my thumb and middle finger, should i stray away from this for any reason? Also, when i fist started to shave, scared to death, i started my right hand on my left side of the face without thinking, it actually came out smoother than my right side, is there any reason i dont know about not to reach across the face? am i destined to slice my nose off? I also dont quite get the soap, are you supposed to lather it in the mug on top of the soap, are you supposed to rinse off the soap once your finished?

I agree. I much prefer using my left hand to shave the right side of my face.
Now if only I trusted my right hand to shave the left side of my face, all would be well.

I find that it's easier to cross; right hand to left side, left hand to right side. Your non-dominant (left) hand will catch up and be just as good as the right dominant.

I guess any way that works is fine. I use my right hand for the right side of my face and my left hand for the left side of my face.

It didn't take long for that to become comfortable.

I wet and then squeeze the brush and then brush it on the soap and then apply to my face. It's thin initially. I go back, without adding water, and lather the soap with the brush for 30 seconds and apply that to my face.

This will be much thicker.

Originally Posted by barrow72000

I also dont quite get the soap, are you supposed to lather it in the mug on top of the soap, are you supposed to rinse off the soap once your finished?

I put a little water (about a teaspoon full) on top of my soap before I shower and let my brush soak in hot water while I'm showering. Once I'm done showering, I pour the water that was on top of the soap into my bowl, squeeze my brush and then start working it over the soap until it's loaded. I then put the soap aside and start building the lather in my bowl.

After I'm done shaving I run a little water over the soap, turn the container it's in upside down to drain the water and put the cover on. Done.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by barrow72000

I had my first straight razor shave today. My face feels fantastic. I just have a few questions. I tried to hold the razor the way that every straight razor website says too, i found myself putting my index finger along the spine and holding the tang(i think its called) with my thumb and middle finger, should i stray away from this for any reason? Also, when i fist started to shave, scared to death, i started my right hand on my left side of the face without thinking, it actually came out smoother than my right side, is there any reason i dont know about not to reach across the face? am i destined to slice my nose off? I also dont quite get the soap, are you supposed to lather it in the mug on top of the soap, are you supposed to rinse off the soap once your finished?

Welcome to SRP!

One of the great things about this whole straight shaving business is that there aren't any 'rules' and you don't have to do things the same way as others do. So feel free to whatever works for you. However, that having been said, the things that are recommended here tend to work well for *most* people, so I'm definitely not suggesting everyone run out and reject all the advice here. That would lead to chaos, anarchy on the streets, etc... But figure out what works for you and go with it. After all, it is your face.

The extra smoothness may be due to the direction that you are shaving on the opposite side of your face. For example you may be shaving with the grain on the right side, and across or against the grain on the left. That can have an effect on closeness. Some people shave with both hands (which in hindsight would probably have been a useful thing to teach myself) while others, myself included, use one hand for everything. Again, whatever works for you is what works for you. Your nose is probably safe unless you are particularly overzealous and inattentive.

There are *loads* of approaches to lathering: in a mug, bowl, or scuttle, in your palm, on your face. Again they all work, but will work differently for different people depending on factors such as brush, water, soap, and personal preference. As for rinsing the mug/soap, I'd imagine that's a decision between keeping your mug relatively pristine and wasting a bit of soap each time, or living with some accumulated soap inside the mug and not rinsing away your soap. BTW, leaving the soap a bit wet in the mug is, in my opinion, an advantage as it will expand the soap, making it fit better. I used to use a mug and I did rinse it out after use, but I honestly don't know *why* I did that. I mean, it's just soap - the same stuff that's at the bottom of the mug, so I can't see how leaving it would have caused any real problem. But still I rinsed it.

Whatever works for you. Check youtube, especially Mantic59 for videos on building lather.

Check this link in our Library on lather building: http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwi...ic_soap_lather

thank you all for the helpful info

I build a lather on top of the soap in the mug. To each there own. You will find what works best for you. I also bound back and forth between cream and soap, it all depends on what I feel like that morning. continue practice and the muscle memory will come and you won't worry so much or that is at least what everyone has said.

Eric