Thread: New straight vs New Safety

Ok so yesterday I shaved with my new Dovo 6/8 round tip, carbon steel, half hollow straight. I made three successful passes and I thought that that shave was BBS.
That was until this morning. Today I shaved with my new Parker 94r Safety DE Razor and although I nicked myself a few times, my face is like glass. Now I know what BBS really means! I do hope that one day I can get this close of a shave with my straight! I am sure that I am to early down the tunnel to see the light but I just don't see how my straight will get me this close of a shave.

Oh well I will keep practicing.

I don't think your experience is too unusual. I was the same at the beginning learning to use a straight and now after close to a year I can match the shaves I get from my Gillette Fat Boy DE. Patience and practice will get you there. Enjoy the ride.

Bob

Hey bob what advice regarding technique would you give the earlier version of you just starting out?

Wow, that is a tough one so many things I did wrong but if I had to say it would be to learn the right angle for using the blade and short light strokes. Someone on here suggested it was easier to visualize the angle as about 1 spine width gap between face and the razors spine and go from there. Turns out I was using too much of a gap. Takes awhile to learn how to stretch your face too and everyone uses different techniques there as everyone's face is different. Then there was learning how to raise a good lather and how to strop without dulling the razor. It all takes time and patience to start to work it out. Never push it, if it feels not right stop doing it and try something else. Never be in a hurry. There lots.

Bob

Plenty of practise will eventually give you the results you get from DE.
I have found using the straights, 6/8" Kropp or EDM in my case, are not an everyday thing for me more of a luxury web I have more time and can enjoy my shave as opposed to just having a shave to look presentable.
I use DE for approx half the week and straight for the other, both equally good shaves and I wouldn't do with either at this stage.

You know, just because you have BBS with the DE and not with the straight doesn't mean you got a closer shave with the DE.

I can shave with an electric razor and have a totally BBS result but 4 hours later I have stubble.

I'll leave it at that.