Thread: Sacrificing your face for a close shave

So I was just settling in to have that killer shave tonight. I had the time. Took a shower. I was ready to roll. Well the WTG pass and I nicked myself a couple times. Not too bad. ATG, and I nicked myself a few more times and reopened a cut I got the last shave. Dammit, I am determined to get a close shave like I set out to do. XTG and I nicked myself a bunch more.

Man, I lost alot of blood but the styptic pencil saved me and I did wind up with my close shave. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a few days for the next shave because my face needs to heal.

How common is this vicious cycle of mine and can I break it? I mean I think I knowingly sacrifice my face because I want that close to BBS shave I can get! Sure, I can stop for the next month and do solely WTG shaves and strive for a nick-free shave but I don't know if I have the patience!!

I would really like to hear about similar experiences. I'm not posting in the Beginners section for nuthin

As a fellow beginner (about 2 months now) I was in the same boat - every morning looked like I had been in a knife fight. Here is what I learned. First, I learned to slow down and think about what I was doing. A lot of my early blood letting was because I was in a rush. Shaving with a straight and being in a hurry really don't go well together. Second, I did not start ATG until just recently. I was having full blown razor burn until I let my skin heal. Third, at first I was using way too much pressure. I was gripping the razor like a baseball bat. Once I mastered the light tough and blade angle life (and my face) got a whole lot better. Lastly, a good pre-shave helps a whole lot. I use Proraso cream which is great. Some guys swear by a pre-shave oil. The last thing I would tell you is that it takes time and patience to get this all together. After about a 2 months, I am starting to get good shaves and I rarely use my styptic pencil.

ESL,

Where are you located? If you can find a Mentor in your area they can really help you with all aspects of getting a great shave. If you're close to central Oklahoma I'd be glad to help! Prep, technique and a shave ready razor are essential to a great shave. I suspect you're closer than you think and tweaking a few things may bring everything together. If close, PM me, or, here's the local help list. Local Help - Straight Razor Place Wiki And, I know they'd be happy to help also!!

Howard

Ha ha, i think it is part of the learning curve, nearly 100 shaves in and nicked myself tonight. Awesome shave though, worth the blood.

now it might be me thats kinda anal about this (bear in mind I´m still a noob), but did you go WTG, ATG and then XTG? if thats so it might help a little bit to switch the last 2 so the order would be WTG, XTG and lastly ATG.

and a light touch helps immensely especially and that ATG.. I only use 2 fingers when i go ATG.

Then again who am I to talk...I´m still have to experience a BBS with only straight razor and not finishing up wit DE.

I do try though

when I was learning the technique, I said to myself I will not cut myself even if it sacrifices the shave. I did use de on occasion to clean up a little. I used a shavette for 6 years, then de for 1 now straights 100% since October. you get frustrated but don't give up because tomorrow is your day. you get that bbs every other and then your there. last week or so im doing 1 xtg and 1 atg. for me using a preshave(proraso) seemed to help a lot. and bowl lathering opposed to face lather helped me a lot. or maybe my technique just kicked in. I don't want to eliminate anything as it all goes together for me.

I'm relatively new to straight razor shaving myself, and one piece of advice that I read on this board that I followed and I think every beginner should follow is that when you cut yourself, stop. Switch to a safety razor or a cartridge, or whatever, but stop. Once your technique improves, you will end up stopping less and less, until you make it through a whole shave without a nick or a cut and that is the goal, isn't it ? keep going and good luck!

I do love a close shave. That said, the reason I think most of us started was to be comfortable. I find that when I get weepers it is caused by too much pressure. As I told my brothers when they started with a straight, "You ain't plowin' the field boy, you're shaving your face!"

Very true Joesomebody. For us beginners its difficult to balance pressure, angle, sharpness, and technique, but one should never sacrifice the health of their skin for the sake of a BBS... It will all come with time and practice... At least that's what I keep telling myself!

I think your self diagnosis is spot on, lack of patience. Happens when I try and force anything along at too fast a pace too. I guess a BBS is everybody's ultimate goal but the immediate goal when starting out should be to get an enjoyable comfortable irritation and nick/cut free shave. Maybe just sit back and re-asses the components that make up a shave to try and find out why you are getting nicked up.

Bob