Since I'm losing it anyway (my hair that is), I'm seriously thinking about just taking a blade to it and going for the Lex Luthor look. What would be the most important advice you can give a firtst-time head shaver?
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Since I'm losing it anyway (my hair that is), I'm seriously thinking about just taking a blade to it and going for the Lex Luthor look. What would be the most important advice you can give a firtst-time head shaver?
I'm not a head shaver..... But if I was going to do it..... I would do a ton of reading on the forums and watch as many videos as possible to get an idea of what I needed to do. There are many guys on here who do head shaving.... I hope they chime in.
Good luck!
Be ready to hone your razor frequently.
And welcome to the club
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll post a photo once I look like a cue ball.
I use a DE on my head. Same as your face except on the back of your dome use both hands, one for feeling where the stubble remains and the other to cut it.
you have no idea just how happy you are about to be, no more looking for hair to comb, no more bad hair days, you will look about 10 years younger, YES it's going to take time, YES the little rolls on the back of the head are not easy to get too and yes there will be times when it does not "feel" as smooth as you want it BUT it will "look" pretty decent, some areas stay "gritty" while still looking shaved, so don't worry much and welcome to the club
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/d...rdaMugShot.jpg
The first time i did mine i got back from the pub after 4 or 5 pints and just went for it. It took ages. Now i either use a gem s/e or a bic twin blade disposable. Manouvering round the back of my ears was just a bit too scary
Once you start and get used to a smooth head, you'll hate it when you miss a few days and get the hair back. I know I do. I use an open comb DE with feather blades. Aggressive, but I get a great shave. I can only manage the top of my head with SRs. The most important thing to remember is... if you still have both your ears at the end of the shave, you've done a good job!
Take your time, don't rush, and if you're getting a freshly shaven head and the sun is out (doesn't happen too often here in Wales) get some sun cream on!!
Been shaving my head for almost 20 years. I use DE's sometimes but mostly I use the Original Headblade S1 (all stainless steel one), it's very quick and two passes gives me a BBS smooth head, with blade buffing on the second pass. The cartridges last about 4-6 months so its not even that expensive on carts.
Just take your time, if the hair is long get something like a Panasonic GB40 trimmer to take it right down first. I use the Headblade Matte Headlube on it, after some aftershave. Use sunscreen in the summer. I found after the first shave my head felt like it was frozen and it was the middle of the summer.
The other good thing is it makes most guys look younger as opposed to the balding look or the come over.
I'm thinking of doing the same too. Guess I'm just a bit scared to do it for the first time. Anyone got any words of encouragement?
+1 for the Head Blade, I use the sport 3 blade in the shower and it takes me all of about 2 minutes. Do pay attention to the direction the blade is facing vs the path, I have fileted a bit before in too much of a hurry. I also use their headslick "cream" as it is convenient to use and works quite well also.
So, Leadduck, did you do it, or not? I saw my hair thinning in my late twenties, and before it got bad, I shaved it off. I have wet shaved it once, and with a Nerelco. But I prefer using electric barber clippers to get as close as they can get. I like having some stubble up there instead of a super shinny pate. But you do you. IMHO, there is not much more troubling a thing to see than a Man who has clearly lost, but still fights. I saw myself going there, and took matters in to my own hands right away.
You might find this video helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MCEA-94Gdc
+1. Mirror is useless to me when I am doing my head, it's 100% by feel. Then again I'm lucky to not have any hollows or a very complex growth pattern. And as said before, take your hair down with a zero guard before trying to shave unless you're going all in with a straight. I go back and forth between hair and shaving and every time I go back to shaving I forget that a buzzcut comes first.
That is cool. I still have some hair and just too lazy to go that far. My youngest just uses a barber clipper and goes to it. Does nothing to smooth it out. Says he doesn't want it smooth. Hm-m-m-m. to each his own I guess. I have attempted to get him to use an electric to finish off, but no. Hm-m-m. Well I guess he dosen''t want the chrome effect.
Hello all... I used to shave the old grape with a shavette for years! Always a leaker... glad I got away from that. Now days, take the hair down with the clippers no guard and hit it with the Wahl 4000 (electric). If I stay on top of it daily the Wahl 4000 does a fine fast job of maintaining the grape.
Hey, sorry im late to post in this one, been a head shaver for around ten years. I had to wear a hat in work at an old job and hated the state of my hair after work, that and as has been said, it was gonna happen anyway. I started similar with electric shears on the smallest guard, then changed to no guard, then razor, really nothing to regret about it. My haircut looks perfect everyday and i dont need to go see a barber or hairdresser to get it that way.
I tryed using a straight for a while and it was great, but when i slipped, i slipped bad, took a really nice chunk out of the back of my noggin and went back to my old safety razor.
Then i started using that headblade thing, i like it but tbh after years of use i would say it has no huge benefit over a regular safety razor, i just use it because it lives in a little cage in my shower so i can just jump in the shower, get washed and shave my head in the morning with minimal planning.
I also agree that using a mirror is pretty useless, you learn pretty fast that its loads easier to do it by feel.
For many years I just used electric clippers, but around this past Thanksgiving 2016 I started using a SR on the noggin. I keep a rim of hair around the sides and across the back. My best advice, go slow and keep the blade at a low angle, or even flat where possible. I usually shave the head every other night. Here's the results.
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Not even going to fool around with the pictures. :banghead:
If I was going to shave my head I would need to get my mole removed or I would end up doing it myself....
O.K., O.K. Why do I sense that the membership holds ugliness towards safety, electric or chemical hair removal. I honestly do not believe anyone here carries that level of rigidity. Yeah. Maybe some of us have a real relationship with the straight razor and I can deeply appreciate that kind of relationship. I myself have probably a 90% strong attachment to SR's, but there are occasions when I will, for convenience use a safety....My comment here is rather skewed from this post but I just felt a strong need to say this. I have used a SR for roughly 40 years and most of those years it was a hit and miss learning, especially sharpening the danged thing (that has taken the longest to get a modest handle on and still have not mastered it.)
Glock27, respectfully, I get the opposite feeling. Several members have mentioned they use clippers or DEs or even carts. I totally agree with you on the point of safety or convenience, the idea of a SR on the back of my pate worries me. My DE though? I might just have to try going bare this summer.
If I was ever going to shave my head, the last thing I'd use would be a straight....and I love my straights, but no way would I use one in areas where I can't see, and there is no joy in that risk from my point of view. If I was to use anything, it would be a beard trimmer first to take off what hair is there, then a nice safe cart.
Whatever floats your boat....
Well, this is a site dedicated to all things straight razor, with a unique forum for head shaving with a straight razor. Personally, I don't care how one removes their noggin fuzz. But I'm not surprised when folks write on the joy of using straight razors on a straight razor website. :shrug:
Surprisingly it's not that bad and quite easy. I started shaving my head with a cartridge but soon went to a feather artist club shavette, and sometimes my straight. I actually find it easier than with a safety or a cartridge, and when it comes to going in the back where I can't see it puts me in remembrance of using a comb when I would comb my hair long ago. After using a straight for a short time I felt going back to cartridge or a safety felt quite awkward so I stuck to the straight. Have I cut myself? Of course everyone does even when shaving the face for the first time, but now I find it easier to shave my whole head with three passes (mostly 2) with no problem. And if I'm afraid I missed a spot I use a second mirror.
If you want something you can hone yourself you could use a lathercatcher, some of them have a handle that can be screwed off. Makes it very convenient to use on your scalp.
I shave the top of my squash.....and cut the rest with the clippers....lather your head and put the blade to it....it's all about feel...most of us could shave blind folded after 5 years.
Did it last summer with a straight, it is just like combing. Nearly ...
Best advice:
Get ready to have more dates. Seriously, I definitely got more dates once I began shaving my head. I only wish I had begun shaving it 10 years sooner!
If you bump your head you will know it. Cabinet corners = cuts. I guess hair is a "cushion" of sorts.
Summer and no hat = sunburn. Unless you like cold showers and the increased risk of skin cancer, get used to wearing a hat.
Winter = cold head. Get used to wearing a hat whenever it's the least bit chilly.
I haven't used a straight razor on my head yet.....
i wouldn't go that far, seems that Brad Pitt and all the hairy guys do well too. and my wife says she likes hair Tc
Ask your wife if she's attracted to these men: Yule Brenner, Telly Savalas, Bruce Willis, Vinn Diesel, and Jason Statham.
Bald men have always held a certain allure for most women. Shaved heads wouldn't be so popular now if they didn't.
If a man is losing his hair, by all means he should shave it off. Nothing looks more pathetic than a comb-over....well that's not true. More pathetic would be hair powder or a hair transplant. SHAVE THE HEAD.
If you have hair, more power to you. Do not do the comb over, I have shaved mine for a few years now. I also use a straight razor on the dome.
I shave my whole head. In my wilder moments, I have shaved with a straight but I usually use either a DE or a Mach 3. Shaving with a straight is a bit nerve wracking until you do it once or twice. I used to go against the grain but was suffering too many nicks on the back. I settled on with the grain and using a nice sharp razor. I'm normally in too much of a hurry to go the straight route but it is no worse than the face. Lately, when traveling, I haven't been able to bring either a straight or a DE since I shun checked luggage. However, I sometimes drop down to Mexico and you can get a blade there very cheap... but it is also kinda cheap so you have to be prepared to work it over.
I think your choice could make you feel better but you may want to consider the help of an expert barber. Choose high-quality shaving products and materials if you plan to do it on your own.