Thread: Sacrificing your face for a close shave

I'm a little over 2 years into it & it has never been about the BBS; it has been about enjoying the act of shaving, something I never enjoyed before SRP.
I get nice, comfortable shaves with my straights & DE razors.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I'm a little over 2 years into it & it has never been about the BBS; it has been about enjoying the act of shaving, something I never enjoyed before SRP.
I get nice, comfortable shaves with my straights & DE razors.

Very good advice, something noobs like me should try to remember always... I DO enjoy all of my shaves, but still strive towards the BBS. I should relax even more

I never though I would wake up & ask myself is it time to shave, yet?
I think that getting yourself a little present now & then (shave creams, aftershaves, sometimes a new brush) makes the journey a pleasant one.

Waayyyy ahead of you... i havent waited for "now and then" .... I opted for "here and NOW" instead (not that I´m done).... plus guest toilet now arranged as my permanent shaving area (for wife and daughters great enjoyment) plus 2 cabinets added with shaving "goodies"

I should have mentioned a couple things. First, I wrote down my passes wrong. I do WTG, XTG and then ATG. Thanks for pointing that out, Gargoyle.

Second, I've been at this for 6 months so I'm not TOTALLY new to this. Many of you senior members have given me awesome advice in the past and I am certainly no pro. I actually was getting one of my razors down quite well but this other one is giving me fits and starts for some reason. I'm trying to be humble since I do know it's a long journey and I'm in not race. I guess I wasn't really asking for advice on how to not nick myself. I've been reading these forums pretty much every day for 6 mo. I'm also not saying that I'm without guilt of applying too much pressure, rushing, etc. but I have read it all before

What I was really looking for was if there were others out there that had a similar experience where they almost willingly allow bloodshed in order to get that close shave or maybe I'm a little strange and I'm the only one

sorry about the misunderstanding there....but yes... i dont get cuts but do still get the a nick or 2 when shaving plus razor burn (but it gets better for each shave).

but as I admitted before, I am a little OCD when it comes to feeling ANY stubble after the shave. then its back to the sink.

After Hirlaus advice though I will try to relax more....

ps I probably should mention here that even though razorburn and a nick here and there. I feel no discomfort... and after rubbing my face with alum block theres no burn or nick to be seen after 20 minutes

Short answer no. Cutting myself is not in my top 10 of enjoyable experiences. If I continually get an unpleasant experience doing something, I either stop doing it or figure out where I am going wrong.

Bob

Hang in there, you will, or should, reach a point where you are no longer cutting yourself or getting weepers. I shave daily for work and my wife, and I use straights only. I have had my share of weepers and cuts. As my skills improved, the cuts and weepers went away. I am able to get daily close shaves with my face left smooth and BBS, and my stuble is like barbed wire. Over time, your skills will improve, including pressure and technique. Shave often, and know your limitations as you go.

If I can get good blood free shaves, anybody can.

For what it's worth, I stopped shaving ATG and found it to be MUCH more enjoyable... Now I can shave everyday, have no irritation, no nicks or cuts, and still get an extremely close shave, all with just two WTG passes (with some XTG strokes in certain areas).

And this is only about 10 shaves in with my straights. Before I was shaving for years using an electric Norelco.

Don't get me wrong, do ATG if that's what you want to do. Due to my sensitive skin, it is better for me if I do not. I may not get BBS shaves, but that's not really important to me. Comfort and no irritation/nicks is what I strive for. Now that I have found what works for me, I am sticking to it.

Everybody is different. All I can say is that if I ever recommend straight razor shaving to someone, I will advise them to NOT go ATG, at least starting out. It's important to focus on proper technique and getting a close shave with no nicks first, IMO. Once you have that down, then branch out and see what else works. And have fun while doing it, of course. That's why we're all doing this, right?

A lot of factors go into getting a close shave. Sacrificing your face doesn't have to be one. Keep in mind that each time you pass the razor across your skin you are removing a bit of skin (mostly dead cells) along with beard. Thus greater risk of razor burn and small nicks or weepers. Obviously it is possible to get a close, and comfortable, shave with a straight. Otherwise we wouldn't shave this way. Just keep studying the basics, try new methods, and keep practicing.