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Thread: A Beginner Hoping for a Reality Check!

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    Default A Beginner Hoping for a Reality Check!

    Hey guys, my name is Don and I am 52 years old. I learned to shave with a cartridge razor and canned cream in high school, but switched to an electric razor about 25 years ago. My college aged son got me back into wet shaving about a month ago, and I'm really enjoying myself.

    I started with a Mach 3 and canned cream, but quickly moved on to a brush and DE razor. After a few misstarts, I now get a close, comfortable shave doing 2 DE passes WTG.

    I bought a straight razor from SRD and gave it a try 2 weekends ago. I've shaved a total of 6 times so far (when I have at least 30 minutes to devote), and it's pretty rough going. I'm taking my time to strop the razor, and I think that my prep is fine (hot wash, hot towel, Geo Trumper Skin Food, followed by Taylor of Old Bond Street cream applied by badger brush). I usually do 2 passes WTG, but today I got home from work early and tried 1 pass WTG. I've yet to do a shave without multiple nicks and cuts.

    So, is this normal when learning? My right (dominant) side is a little better than my left, where I sometimes cut myself just resting the blade against my skin, but I've still got cuts along my right jaw and chin. My wife was joking at dinner that I look like a boxer now with all of my cuts!

    I'm happy to persevere if this is normal, but I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't just stick with the DE and acknowledge that I would have grown a beard in the 19th Century.

    Thanks in advance for any feedback.

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    Senior Member Damo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DCB2 View Post
    just resting the blade against my skin
    Hello Don, I am no expert, just a newbie enjoying myself, so wait for the experts to wade in, but the person talking me through my first few shaves was keen on telling me all about "a moving blade on tight skin"
    It's easy to rest the blade then let it drift sideways a bit giving you a nice linear mark. So perhaps play around with manipulating the skin a little bit to get a nice tight runway for the blade? If it helps, I got a sloppy stroke cut on my chin this morning.
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    Senior Member Chugach68's Avatar
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    What type of razor are you using? Is it a square point? Those are more prone to nicks than round points. Where on your face are you getting cut? Could be many things, from the razor to technique.
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    Thanks for the response. It's a Ralf Aust 5/8 that I bought from SRD. I'm getting cut all over, but mainly the left side of my face, my upper lip, and my chin. I'm sure it's a technique issue, not the razor.

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    Senior Member Chugach68's Avatar
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    are the cuts from the edge or toe of the razor? Angle is critical as well as never moving the blade edge parallel to your face. I got a few nicks starting out, but now I only get cut when I have a momentary lack of attention. One other cut, I was going wtg too fast with too much pressure, and a loose area of skin folded in front of the edge.
    I choose death before dishonor
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    'with that said' cudarunner's Avatar
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    If there is one single thing about this age old art of shaving with a straight razor it would be ‘Patience’!

    It takes time, not so long for some and longer for others.

    Back ‘in the day’ when a boy started to need to shave he had a father an uncle or perhaps a neighbor who would guide him! His beard was soft and sparse, yours is old and tough!

    I started when I was 56, I’m now 60 and every once in awhile I’ll get a nick, but the ‘cuts’ are long gone (knock on wood).

    Take your time and just stick to the cheek area. If your having problems with using your non-dominate hand stick to your dominate hand for both sides/I do and it works well for me! It just takes some imagination to make it happen and happen well!

    Hang in there! IT WILL GET BETTER!!
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    Kim X

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    Senior Member blabbermouth ace's Avatar
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    I would avoid "resting the razor" against your skin. Keep the blade moving as you move it toward your skin. Do that with the spine contacting the skin first and then gradually rotate the edge toward your skin as you begin your stroke. Remember that you are learning at this stage and cut avoidance is primary. Experience will improve your results, but don't expect that experience to come quickly. I think it took me about a month to get comfortable with straight shaving and months after that to become competent at it. That sounds like a lot of effort. Are the results eventually worth it? I think they are, but at this stage, patience is the most important attitude to have. You'll eventually be able to get a good shave within ten minutes with a straight razor, but don't expect that of yourself at this point. Your experience at this point sounds typical. I never "rest the razor" against my skin. Razors don't "rest", they cut.

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    Rock collector robellison01's Avatar
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    I cut myself pretty much every time I shaved for the first two weeks. Skin stretching and pressure were my problem, and once I realized it my shaves improved dramatically. Hang in there, it will get better with practice.
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    It's not normal. 1) Try watching some shaving videos. 2) Try moving a pin off the edge of the razor and see if there any spots where the pin sticks. Make sure there isn't a spot on the blade that's screwed up. 3) only shave the cheeks until you figure out what's wrong

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    I would say that you are trying too much too soon. Go slow. Just do what you can with your dominant hand first, then expand until you master one side without cutting yourself. Then switch hands and begin training your off hand. Yes, it's best to use both hands. Start slow with the off hand and then expand. Once you get the skill and coordination, you should be rarely cutting yourself. I actually cut myself more with a DE than a straight.

    It will be worth the effort because once you get it, it's a lot of fun!
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