Thread: Bad shave

If you haven't done this already, I'd suggest starting a thread requesting help in the Newbie forum. Give us as much info as you can on what you've already done and tried. I will check it regularly, and we'll see if we can't coach you through some of your difficulties. (I've seen your posts in a lot of different forums, and I wouldn't want to miss any.) That way we can concentrate on answering all of your questions in one place. If you already have a thread going, post a link and I'll see what I can recommend.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=11434

If your having trouble with the straight as far as stubble I would submit to you that its a technique problem. I don't care what kind of beard you have or what kind of skin you have, with the proper prep and the right technique and a properly honed and stropped razor you should be getting proper shaves.

It does take awhile to master this thing. It took me a month of everyday shaving before I started getting reasonable shaves and 6 months to really get great shaves. You just have to keep at it. Remember at one time this was the only ticket in town so everyone had to do it and they all were able to get good shaves so you can too.

Imagine someone in 1880 saying I just can't get this thing right. I get crummy shaves and irritated skin, I think I'll switch to an electric. Eh?

It takes a little time to get that BBS Shave. Not always is it the equipment. Your beard grows many different ways on your face. Through practice, your giong to come up with the direction of the stroke of the blade on the face and the different angles on the face.

With me, I have a spot on the right jaw line that drove me nuts, until one day I said I'm just going to find out how to shave that spot. after ten lathers, I got it.

Now it's just 1 pass. It takes time.

Hi--

I'm in the first couple of months at this and I have to say it is a challenging but fun learning process. I have been a wet-system shaver all my life and switched back to a brush/soap and a double edge around Christmas. Loved it. Figured I'd go all the way to SR shaving and the rest is history.

There is a lot to this. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Lynn in his DVD talks about doing first the cheeks and doing the rest with a DE or cartridge razor. Then expanding a little bit, on to the neck, the chin, etc. and keep cleaning up with the non-Straight. That's what I've been doing and it was a great approach for me. Each time I shave (every day I try!), I expand a bit or try a different angle or direction in an area that didn't turn out well. I do rotate between 3 razors now and also have to factor in stropping, etc. If a razor worked on my cheeks well once and then stopped, it's probably stropping technique or prep.

I'd stay away from the oils. (I have some and do.) The last thing you want is a razor slipping out of your hand and cutting off something vital!

Keep it up!
--Paul

Matt it take some time to learn how to shave with a straight. I would first go through a checklist of basic prep make sure you soften the beard (shwr or hot towel).
I have not used a boar brush, and I have a badger brush that works just fine on my thick beard.

Also I found that the Proraso Cream worked BEST for me with straight razors, it still is the best cream to shave with when it comes to a str8.

You will have to be patient and you will notice that as your technique gets better so will your shaves.

I had advantage of being a DE shaver before moving to straight so all the prep and basic setup was taken care off.

Your learning curve may be steeper if you are jumping to str8 from an electric or Mach3 blade