Thread: not enjoying learning curve

Originally Posted by goodoldboy

Im using a theirs issard hollow ground razor razor claimed to be shave ready like you said. So didn't strop it just actually picked it up today from the shop that does the honing for a friend of mine that's been SR shaving for years. And picked up a nice Illinois 3inch leather strop from him also for 30 how can u go wrong has a linen side and leather not a sexy strop but good to b i eat the crap out of lol. And with everything im sure im pushing to hard. My wifes always braking my chops and calling me thunder cause she says when I touch her it hurts lol

The first year I started straight shaving (2010) I used to joke that if I couldn't stop the blood bath, I could pick up some extra money renting my face out to Halloween parties.

Your demeanor seems to be that of one who can roll with the punches, and for that reason I think you're going to make it. I really didn't become a competent straight shaver until I had been doing it six months. The key is to enjoy the ride and celebrate the incremental victories. I can just now say I have mastered it and I started in March 2010.

You're wise in getting a 3" strop so you won't have to learn to criss-cross.

The biggest help to me was watching shaving videos and heeding advice posted on the forum. JimmyHad, hibudgl, and others stressed the blade angle and not applying too much pressure and finally after about 6 months my brain successfully communicated to my hand not to press the doggone thing so hard. Those pieces of advice got me to the "competent" level. Chimenesch's video was the final breakthrough and I know I must have watched it 200 times or more. Periodically I'd pick up a little more that I didn't notice on previous viewings. I couldn't get to some of the places the way he shaved at first, but eventually I could and out of that evolved even better ways to get those places on my own face. Perhaps the last thing I discovered was the lather. Why I didn't notice it the first couple hundred times I saw it is probably because I didn't know what to look for and was trying to absorb too much, but eventually, I noticed that my lather was fluffy while his was more slippery (watery). The blade was hopping off my skin and going in for a crash landing, which was why I cut myself so much. Now it glides and there is far less irritation.

Think it as an art form, a hobby, a luxury, and you will have the staying power to stick with it while enjoying the ride. For me it's still challenging. Now I'm trying to figure out how to get the same quality shave out of every razor. Maybe I can, maybe I can't, but there's always something I want to accomplish with the straight, especially now that I can really do it.

Yep, like was said, don't do too much too soon. It is exciting to hold that cleaver and run it across your face, but step back, and slow down.... There is a lot of muscle memory to learn as well as proper stropping. it just takes time.

I also have the illinois stop, mine is the russian one, great strop and built like a tank.