Thread: Strange first time question...

So I'll probably be getting a straight with a kit and all in around a week, I was wondering how much beard should I haver for my first shave? a little stubble or a week's growth? Which would make for an easier experience?

You need to be more concerned about it being "shave ready", meaning properly honed and stropped.
I'll let a senior member take over the mentoring from here!

Congrats on joining the straight razor community!

For your first shave, probably a little stubble would be best. As your technique improves, the amount of growth will make little difference. But read this first.

Beginner's guide to straight razor shaving - Straight Razor Place Wiki

It's not gonna make a whole lot of difference as to how much growth you have. The most important thing to keep in mind is to take your time with prep etc. and to use little to no pressure.

Welcome to SRP. When you go to the beginner's guide easyace linked to check out Lynn Abrams tutorial on 'the first straight razor shave.' Follow his suggestions and it should be a pleasant experience. As kwifca pointed out, a shave ready razor is necessary for best results.

No one seems to be jumping in here...lol the length of beard doesn't matter for a straight, from what I understand at least, like it would a disposable (mach3 or whatever). If anything, it is easier to shave longer hair as it won't clog the blades in the same manner as a disposable, but there shouldn't be a difference. This is just from what I've learned from research and from what people have said on here, I'm just starting to learn the art myself.


editf course after I post this the mentors jump in lol
everyone here has really great advice, welcome to the party and chocks away!

Thanks for your quick replies, I will be buying a new dovo from vintage blades llc so it will be honed by the master himself. I couldn't convince my parents that there was nothing unsanitary about buying a used razor hahaha

Originally Posted by rober1217

Thanks for your quick replies, I will be buying a new dovo from vintage blades llc so it will be honed by the master himself. I couldn't convince my parents that there was nothing unsanitary about buying a used razor hahaha

Tell them that when a razor is honed, steel is physically removed from the blade (think of a sword on a grindstone in skyrim or something)...sounds pretty clean to me lol
DOVOs are arguably one of the top two most respected razor manufacturers so...congrats! Eventually I'd like to own a DOVO and a thiers-issard and compare them!

What size blade is it? Mine is a 3/8", which I later found out is NOT good to learn on. 5/8" is what the knowledgeable chaps here recommend, especially for learning to strop.

Above all, research, learn, and absorb as much as you can about straight razor shaving. I don't know how much you've already done, but, being here is definitely a good sign/start. Some folks seem to think that you can just get a straight and wing it...not the case good sir! Here's to enjoying the learning curve!

It's a 5/8" I was between that one and a 6/8" but I decided for this one just in case the other one won't fit beneath my nose as comfortably.

A 5/8 is a nice size, esp a full hollow. It's worth thinking about the recommendation that you only remove a small amount of hair at first. Of course, many ignore that advice, (I did) but really, just shaving the cheeks, or even one cheek the first shave is enough. God willing there will be many more days for you to move up to shaving off a full beard :-)