Thread: One of the most frustrating things about the learning curve...

That's a good tip, although I'm not sure if we get triple antibiotic cream in the UK. I certainly haven't come across it.

I use pure vitamin E oil. Does the same thing and helps reduce scars.

I am new to SR shaving and get nicks quite a bit. I use an Osma alum block after shaving. It stops the bleeding very well and I can shave every day.

Just stop cutting yourselves and you won't have any more issues!

Brilliant. Thanks. Why didn't I think of that!?

I was glad to see this thread! I have been reading other posts about others who have great success with their first shave and feeling like this may not be for me!

I've been working on converting to straight from safety over the past two weeks. Starting with just the side burn lines - a week in, I had four cuts across my cheeks and was dragging the blade in new areas with no hair coming off! I had the blade sharpened by Lynn, but I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with it!

Today I finally had a breakthrough - I was able to shave most of my face with the straight, and realize a faster paced shave helps with the dragging - all but under the nose...that will come.

I know that I have learned a lot, but it seems that a lot of it is just about letting the body figure out how to do it.

Today was going great, I got overly confident...and ended up with my biggest gash so far! So, I guess I learned today that I need to be patient!

For me - I bought an old JA Henkle 401 with a sharp corner edge from the classifieds, and all of my cuts have come from the sharp corner at the foot of the blade - as I am exiting the stroke and I drag the point across my face.

I'm thinking of selling it and getting a rounded blade.

One things for sure - working with the straight this past two weeks had really improved my safety razor technique!

Ritchy,

Be patient I will work out. I have only been shaving since Christmas it is sometimes frustrating. I have an old Henckels 17 and love it.

I'm about 7 shaves in to straight razor shaving. It's slowly improving, although I'm still cutting myself more than I'd like. My last shave was nice and close. I'm just hoping that, with practice, there'll be less bleeding and less skin irritation. Am considering going to a barber this week and getting him to talk me through it as he shaves me.

Originally Posted by Ritchy

I was glad to see this thread! I have been reading other posts about others who have great success with their first shave and feeling like this may not be for me!

I've been working on converting to straight from safety over the past two weeks. Starting with just the side burn lines - a week in, I had four cuts across my cheeks and was dragging the blade in new areas with no hair coming off! I had the blade sharpened by Lynn, but I was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with it!

Today I finally had a breakthrough - I was able to shave most of my face with the straight, and realize a faster paced shave helps with the dragging - all but under the nose...that will come.

I know that I have learned a lot, but it seems that a lot of it is just about letting the body figure out how to do it.

Today was going great, I got overly confident...and ended up with my biggest gash so far! So, I guess I learned today that I need to be patient!

For me - I bought an old JA Henkle 401 with a sharp corner edge from the classifieds, and all of my cuts have come from the sharp corner at the foot of the blade - as I am exiting the stroke and I drag the point across my face.

I'm thinking of selling it and getting a rounded blade.

One things for sure - working with the straight this past two weeks had really improved my safety razor technique!

Before selling and replacing why not just round off the point?

Now there's an idea - I should be thinking like this! Just work it of on a sharpening stone? Not exactly sure how to work with the metal for that much of a change.