Thread: Hi and Thank You

Hello everyone. I have been lurking the forums off and on for a little over a year now. I never had anything useful to post but wanted to thank everyone for all the helpful information and videos.

I purchased my first and so far only SR about 2 years ago from Whipped Dog's sight unseen deal. I use a DE most of the time and when the SR frustrates me to no end, that has been quite often. For the time I have owned the SR I have used it a few times then would stop for at least a month, but I would always try to go back to it. Reading through the forums and watching the videos would motivate and help me try to pick it up again.

In the very beginning I would always use too much pressure and too high of an angle. I finally have the angle where I am comfortable but I still find myself using too much pressure from time to time, I sometimes use too much pressure with the DE to. I just try to be more conscience of it.
After getting more comfortable with the angle and pressure my problem turned into patience. I would start off with a great shave then think I could do the rest of my face and that was almost always a big mistake. Cuts and razor burn would usually follow. In the forums I would read people saying to do just a little then stop until you are comfortable shaving more, I was too stubborn for that . I started going back to the videos and one I recently watched was Lynn suggesting the same thing, do just a little and STOP.
I have been using this method for about two weeks along with using both hands, being a righty using my left hand is extremely awkward but I am getting used to it. So far things are progressing very nicely. I only shave a maximum of 3x per week so I will force myself to do this for at least another month before going forward. I am not sure how I will go forward yet I guess I will have to see how comfortable I am and try not to do too much.

Anyhow a big thanks to everyone for keeping me educated and motivated.

It does take a long time to get the hang of it. Keep using the straight at least in part for every shave, your progress is incremental and every little bit helps, at least it does for me. It took me almost four months to realize the key to shaving the concave area under my jaw bone was to hold the razor open 180 degrees (scales in line with blade) instead of scales perpendicular. I still find my self pressing too hard but it's getting better.

Hi, and welcome. Hang in there, because there is a large learning curve, example, pressure, angle, sharpness of the razor, lather, etc... Just keep trying because it will all come around!!!

Hi and welcome. Keep going. Even if you only add a small area once a week eventually you will be doing full shaves. Good luck

Thanks everyone

Originally Posted by Hart

It does take a long time to get the hang of it. Keep using the straight at least in part for every shave, your progress is incremental and every little bit helps, at least it does for me. It took me almost four months to realize the key to shaving the concave area under my jaw bone was to hold the razor open 180 degrees (scales in line with blade) instead of scales perpendicular. I still find my self pressing too hard but it's getting better.

Hart when you say hold the razor open 180 would another way to look at that be blade flat against the skin? Exaggerating the flat but its the best way I can picture it. That is also a trouble area for me especially ATG. Now that I think about it everywhere but the cheek is a trouble area lol

Originally Posted by NotSure

Thanks everyone




Hart when you say hold the razor open 180 would another way to look at that be blade flat against the skin? Exaggerating the flat but its the best way I can picture it. That is also a trouble area for me especially ATG. Now that I think about it everywhere but the cheek is a trouble area lol

Sorry if I wasn't clear, it has nothing to do with the angle of the blade on the skin. I meant the scale position relative to the blade. A normal sort of grip is usually with three fingers with the scales pointed 90 degrees to the blade and between your index finger and second finger. For me I have to put the scales in line with the blade to be able to follow the curve under my jaw. My point was that the skill comes gradually, not suggesting a different sort of grip you should try.

Originally Posted by Hart

Sorry if I wasn't clear, it has nothing to do with the angle of the blade on the skin. I meant the scale position relative to the blade. A normal sort of grip is usually with three fingers with the scales pointed 90 degrees to the blade and between your index finger and second finger. For me I have to put the scales in line with the blade to be able to follow the curve under my jaw. My point was that the skill comes gradually, not suggesting a different sort of grip you should try.

Ahhh gotcha that makes sense thanks for the clarification. Actually rereading your original post I should have gotten that the first time.