Thread: Best Tips

Hollow-grounds are overrated.

Originally Posted by Mijbil

Hollow-grounds are overrated.

I agree.

I could think of many tips I've picked up from reading the forums, and learning first hand, but I'll limit them to just three.

When learning how to strop, master rolling the razor in your fingers as discribed in the wiki, and the barbers manual. I didn't think it would make much or a difference, but it certainly did.

Be careful of the sink and faucet. I dinged two of my razors on the faucet when I first started.

Have no fear. Mistakes will be made, strops cut, cheeks nicked, crappy razors bought on ebay, botched honing. Some mistakes can be avoided, but much like the rest of life, we make mistakes to learn from them. As long as you learn something from your mistake, it wasn't a total loss, and you can move on with your newly aquired knowledge.

Furthermore, fear makes your second guess yourself. When I was scared of getting cut, I hesitated and cut myself. When I didn't want to cut the strop, guess what I did.

oh, and as mentioned, have fun. Leave the chore of shaving to the disposable razors.

When I started, the best thing I did was purchase Lynn's DVD and watch it. Again...and again, and again. Then go practice for a bit...then a few days later, watch the DVD again.

It helped really smooth out the learning curve, and even now, some 3 years later, I still return to the DVD on occasion, and every time I pick on some subtlety that I had missed previously.

Mark

When you start out honing master the first hone you start out with and extract everything you can before buying another. Too many people keep buying ever more expensive and often finer hones thinking it will make attaining a good edge easier. It becomes a crutch after a while and in the end you never really master anything (but you have a nice collection).

My number one tip to newbs....

Never, Ever, Never, Test (TNT TPT HHT ART) a razors edge "Before" you test shave, the test shave is the spot from your sideburn to your jaw line, the easiest, flatest, part of your face...
If it doesn't cut hair, stop, check your angle, and your prep, and try again, if it still doesn't cut just Stop !!!! do not force the issue, the blade always wins...

Then ask

Definitely the pyramid honing method I found on the mighty wiki here along with all the detailed instructions on how to manage the angles on the WTG, XTG and ATG passes, the grip, lathering.... all I found was in this place, undoubtely the best information source on the web on the straight razor world.

Greetings!!!

Still being a New-B, I learned this the hard way. A non-shave ready razor will scrape off hair at an angle greater than 30 degrees and a sharp razor will give you a nice slice at the same angle. I bought a straight from Art of Shaving and it was supposed to be shave ready (though it wasn't, but it landed me on this forum). I since ordered a shave ready razor from SRD, and WOW that thing is crazy sharp (1 neat slice and I have learned all I need to know about angle). Thanks everyone for all the excellent advice!

If you have a hard time finding the sometimes elusive bbs, take a look at your skin stretching technique, you might not be doing enough, or in the wrong direction. Learn your face and the direction (or like some of us cursed shavers, directionS) your whiskers grow and stretch your skin accordingly.

Hotter isn't always necessarily better - on sensative skin water that is too hot can increase the likelihood and sensation of irritation/razor burn rather than help reduce it.

make sure your applying even pressure when stropping

ask some of the older members for advice through PMs to help steer you right