New Comer to the Classic Shave

Hey guys,
I'm about 3 weeks into my transformation to a straight razor. It's been a roller coaster of a learning experience. There are days I have a remarkable smooth and clean shave and then there are days like today where it's a struggle. I look forward to the process everyday (regardless of the outcome). It's caused me to change my priorities and slow my morning down. I take a little more me-time in the morning to start the day off right instead of being shot out of a cannon everyday.

So I do have some questions to the general forum if anyone can offer some advice.
I bought my entire set up from SRD: Dovo 5/8 razor, 3" wide black leather strop, apothecary mug, synthetic brush and HTGAM- Cavendish and Muhle- Sandalwood soaps. Seems to be a good start. But I'm struggling with a couple of things.

1. My strop seems to be developing small rough spots. Am I doing something wrong? Should I be treating it with something? It's only been 3 weeks...
2. Could my razor need a "refreshing" or honing after 3 weeks? My 1st pass (WTG) is smooth but there is a ton of growth left after the shave. I tend to butcher my face during the 2nd pass (XTG or ATG). Could it just be my inexperience? Could I be stropping too hard?
3. I read on-line to pick up a candle warmer to keep the lather warm. It seems to dry out the soap after my 1st pass. Any recommendations on how to keep a hot lather?
4. I'm struggling with a pre shave solution. I started with The Art of Shavings pre shave oil (lavender) and not very impressed. I ordered HTGAM's (my favorite soap company so far) pre shave soap and look forward to trying it but am not positive I'm on the right coarse. Any good suggestions for a semi sensitive skin & medium to heavy weight bearded man?
5. Aftershave/ balm? Have a Proraso sample I've been using but find I'm a little to greasy after it. I also ordered HTGAM's Cavendish aftershave tonic so I look forward to that. Nivea was my go to before I found the world of better shaving productS. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
6. I am trying to get to Merv's Apothecary shop in Chicago so I can try the various soap scents. I'm searching for soap samples to find a good lather with a scent that I love but without a brick and mortar store this has been a real challenge. I just ordered some samples from Barrister & Mann but this will become real expensive to "shop around". Also very few soap shops offer samples. Is there an easier way to narrow my search?
7. Bowl lathering- should I lather completely on top of the soap puck or transfer it to the bowl?

Well I think that's enough for one night. I truly excited to be a part of this community. I taught myself to shave the cheapest and easiest way possible. It's nice to have a group of people to ask questions and get guidance through what could be a complex & hazardous hobby.

Thanks in advance,
JDM

1. I can't tell, I am not a strop pro but none of the strop guys will be able to tell much from a light description and no pictures
2. You would not even be close to being the first guy to mess up his edge with poor stropping in the first month. That is extremely common.
3. It is only kept warm for pleasure, it doesn't change how well it works. There are scuttles for that, and poor man scuttles that people have put together with a simple double bowl and a little hot water.
4. There are many to choose from at many price levels. Some guys use hair conditioner for a cheap solution. You will need to work through some products and find the one that works best. Proraso is the one I use.
5. That is another there are a ton of different one out there. I have a L'Occtaine one that is the one I am currently using that is really nice.
6. Scents are one of those things that each brand is going to be a little different. Some are more or less the same, like lime.
7. I have always loaded the brush and then built a lather in a serrate bowl if I am bowl lathering. I find myself face lathering more and more, but in the beginning when you are still trying to figure out what good lather looks and feels like it is good to bow lather. It allows you to add water to the mix without making more and more dry lather from drawing more from the puck.
Your old pre and post shave can still work with your new system. Skin stretching is super important and so is blade angle. My geography is really bad, if you can find someone close by to do some one on one with it is priceless.

1) Have you splashed water on your strop? Try rubbing it with your palm for a few strokes before using each day. There are conditioners that would help keep the strop conditioned as well.
2) Yes. It is common for new guys to dull an edge quickly. It is also common for new guys to think an edge is not sharp enough because of poor technique or bad angles while shaving. Have you tried any of the sharpness tests? Results can vary but should get you into dull or sharp categories so you know if it is your technique or the edge.
3) Scuttles. Georgetown pottery, Dirtybird, Moss Scuttle, Etsy. They do a marvelous job. Make sure they hold enough water to keep you going throughout the shave and have ridges or bumps in the bowl if you are bowl lathering.
4) I do not use a “solution” for pre-shave. Hot towel, then lather and apply another hot towel, then lather and shave.
5) Below, Maggards has samples as well. I like ToB aftershaves, Captains choice aftershaves, Aveeno for men aftershave. Proraso is awesome stuff.
6) Truefitt and Hill: Razors, Brushes, Stands, Mugs, Shaving Gift Sets, Grafton, Luxury Shaving Soap, Barber Shop London, Truefitt and Hill UK has samples on their website. SRD has soap samples. Mama Bears Soaps and Gift Shop , Mama Bears Shaving Soaps and Bath Products for the Discerning Gentleman and Lady has samples. Maggard Razors - Straight Razor Restoration, Custom Scales and Wet Shaving Products | Custom Razor Restorations and Custom Scales has samples
7) You can lather on top of a puck but your puck will not last as long. Bowl lathering and face lathering work well and you do not use as much soap or cream. You are adding air and water with the brush to create the lather.
Don’t forget to go slow. (with _Ads too.)

Shawn,
Thanks for the response! It's a little overwhelming and exciting to go from shave in a can and a Mach 3 that I've used for 20 years to the world of a wet shave. I'm up for the challenge and truly appreciate the help! The site is amazingly packed with helpful tips and information. I'm positive this will be a success.
Thanks again, JDM

JTmke,
1. The strop hangs on the vanity so it is possible that water has dropped on it. By you suggestion, am I trying to use the natural oil on my hand to "treat" the leather?
2. I've done the hanging hair test and it'll shave my dry arm clean if I kept at it. I think it shave ready still. I must need to work on the angle.
3. Thanks for the recommendation.
4.-7. Thanks for the sites. I'm becoming a shave soap/cream addict. Both my HTGAM and Barrister & Mann deliveries showed up this morning so I'm looking forward to tomorrow's shave.

Thanks again!!
JDM

Just a couple of points to add to the conversation.

Disregard most of what is written about soaking a shave brush before using it. That is for users of boar, horse hair and badger brushes. With a synthetic brush it will do little good as they hold next to no water compared to the others. Just simply dip the tips of a synthetic brush in the water and sprinkle what water it does pick up on to of the soap. Then load your brush with soap. You can repeat the dipping and load some more soap. You then build your lather in a bowl or on your face adding a bit of water as you go to get the lather the way you want it.

Don't get too carried away with buying all kinds of paraphernalia when you are starting your wet shaving journey. Try and use one shave soap and learn how to get a good lather from it as each different soap will likely require a slightly different technique to get the best lather from it. Learn how to strop well. Concentrate on getting the angle on the blade right and the use of next to no pressure on the blade. Keep it simple and concentrate on the basics while avoiding any additional variables. Once you are getting close and comfortable shaves add items to your routine. Good luck.

Bob

Ok I'll give sone lather and razor advise, there are quite a few lather videos out there watch a few of them ,, it really doesn't matter which soap/cream you use, although the cheap stuff is not going to as easy to use , ( ok Arko users don't pile on me , just trying to help ) to re phrase , use what you have and practice when you have time, soap goes a long way so use some learning how to build the lather to the right consistency , face or bowl, using warm lather is a preference, I use it it cause my steel pot cold shave days are way behind me, as for your razor if it came from SRD it was shave ready, your just not doing the prep, stretching and pressure and angle correctly yet, this takes time, you didn't learn to walk at 3 weeks either. Watch videos ask questions, and ,map your beard and figure out the skin stretching part. Then very light pressure at the correct angle. This is something you will develop a feel for, as for the nicks maybe your rushing a bit, did you get the video with your order? Slow down and master one section of your face at a time ,, then put it all together ,, I and everyone can go on forever but , just heed the advise and soon enough it will come together , then you will be giving advise too. As for your razor now, hard to say if you dulled it stropping, chances are good you did , hince 2 razors ,one to shave with and one at the honers. Good luck. Tc

Hi and welcome. I will just echo the above. Keep it simple as the more you change the longer this will take ad you will constantly be learning something new. Good luck

Hi JDM,
you have been given stellar advice so far, so there is probably little value in me adding much, except for - nivea balm is perfectly good, if you have it use it. also i found vitamin e cream beneficial early on when my face was getting scraped up a bit, the vit e is supposed to help with healing.
I would also recommend spending some time reading through the beginners and razor forums, you will find a lot of posts similar to yours. so you should find lots of good answers too.
oh and try cold water shaving maybe, solves the drying out lather issues, but as has been said 2 cheap bowls (noodle and soup) with similar size rims make a good poor mans scuttle, put hot water in the noodle bowl and then put the soup bowl in it, the noodle bowl with the extra depth will hold the water and keep the lather in the shallower soup bowl warm. it cost me about $5 to make one.

With all your other questions answered well, let me add one soap/cream to your obsession..Proraso. They make a red cream (Sandalwood) for tough beards (supposedly) and Blue (Aloe & Vitamin E) which I love as well as White (Oat & ????) for sensitive skin. I find them all to work extremely well. I stay away from the green, because I don't like to be overly "mentholated" but others love it. Try their creams...I think Maggards sells a sampler.

Wow, guys! Thanks for the good pointers! I think I'm done buying soap for a bit. I might have enough to last til 2016 as it is. Plus I'm kind of hooked on HTGAM scents and latherability.

I shaved WTG this morning and touched up with a little XTG and it was pretty close. I just assumed it would be be a much closer shave. When I've really slowed down and made a patient attempt at an ATG pass I had a really smooth and happy shave. If I speed it up any it doesn't really turn out well. I guess I'll have to leave the ATG stuff to the weekends.

Thanks again guys!
Happy shaving,
JDM

By September of next year they'll all be so smooth you wonder what it was like before you started. Happy journey. Tc