Thread: New - Introducing Myself

Hi there,

My name is Ryan. I'm 28 years old. I live in Canada.

I just started straight razor shaving this week. I decided to go to straight razor shaving for a few reasons:

1 - I have this vision that I'll get the best closest shave
2 - The cost of gillette cartridges is obscene
3 - It's very Zen
4 - It's manly and old-fashioned... respectable

Anyways, I purchased a beginner's kit. I have a 5/8 Dovo Razor, a 2" strop, best badger brush, a shave cream and a shave soap, styptic pencil, etc., etc.

I spent a lot of money on the kit without trying it out first. I could use a lot of help because at a week in I have to admit my face looks like spaghetti (from cuts). If anyone is looking for someone to mentor, I'd love to have a mentor!!

I've watched dozens of youtube videos and I even read a 40 page PDF book on straight shaving. I'm familiar with fundamentals such as the 30 degree rule and the importance of face prep and aftercare (although I still need to upgrade my aftershave).

So basically, I'm just at a frustration point where I find there are certain parts of the face that aren't very difficult, but there are certain parts that are. I find that the cuts come from either a lack of concentration and I put the razor against the skin at a wrong angle or i will be shaving and the razor bumps along my skin and then digs in.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ryan

Welcome to SRP!
Take your time. start by only doing your cheeks until you are comfortable with the razor. other questions... where did you purchase your starting kit from? do you have pictures?
some of the things only come form experience and others from beard prep and razor sharpness.

as for a mentor... it would help to know where in Canada you are, it is a big country... there are users on here from all over Canada, well most of the cities at least.

enjoy,
jim

Hello, fellow Ryan

First some obligatory questions:
Where did you get your kit? Did your razor come honed by someone or just factory honed?

Best advice I can give is start slow...you shouldn't be trying to shave your whole face right out of the gate. Most of the senior guys around here recommend starting with easy patches...WTG from sideburn to jawline on the dominant side....then the cheek. Then the non-dominant side and so on. Reason being, those areas are pretty easy and you can get used to the feeling of the razor in your hand and different angles without causing too much damage. If the razor ever digs in it will be because 1) your lather isn't up to snuff 2) you are using too much pressure 3) your angle is off

Where are you in Canada, there are lots of folks up there, but considering it's pretty big...i figured i'd ask
Welcome and try not to get frustrated...it's a marathon, not a sprint.

Welcome to SRP. The kit that you bought, did the razor come to you "shave ready", meaning it was honed by hand by someone who knows how to? If you have not done so already, be sure to read Lynn's post, found in the beginners links on the home page, First Straight Shave. Just start by shaving your cheeks for now and finish up with your previous shaving method. Add new portions a little at a time as you gain confidence and muscle memory. There is a learning curve, but if you have the patience, you will learn. Don't worry about making mistakes, that's how we learn. The chin and neck seem to be the most problematic for most new straight shavers. For me, it took a couple of months before I was able shave my entire face with just a straight. I was not BBS by a long shot, but that comes with lots of practice. Hang in there, read and practice. Post questions.

Originally Posted by ReardenSteel

Welcome to SRP. The kit that you bought, did the razor come to you "shave ready", meaning it was honed by hand by someone who knows how to? If you have not done so already, be sure to read Lynn's post, found in the beginners links on the home page, First Straight Shave. Just start by shaving your cheeks for now and finish up with your previous shaving method. Add new portions a little at a time as you gain confidence and muscle memory. There is a learning curve, but if you have the patience, you will learn. Don't worry about making mistakes, that's how we learn. The chin and neck seem to be the most problematic for most new straight shavers. For me, it took a couple of months before I was able shave my entire face with just a straight. I was not BBS by a long shot, but that comes with lots of practice. Hang in there, read and practice. Post questions.

Yes, the razor I bought was honed to 'shave ready' from where I bought it. They ship all their new razors honed to shave ready and offer one free honing when you need it.

Thanks for the tips. Yes, certain areas feel easier to do. I can do my neck surprisingly well.. both WTG and ATG... I am really confused about how to do XTG. My cheeks are usually not a big problem except on one side of my face near the top. Above the lip is getting better but still a lot of cuts in the nose area and the chin is by far the most difficult. Your suggestion to focus on the areas that are easier and use a regular razor on the rest is a good one. Would you say I should use the regular razor on the difficult areas and then do a delicate pass with my straight so that I continue to get a feel for it?

Thanks for responding!

Ryan

Originally Posted by ryryrecords

Yes, the razor I bought was honed to 'shave ready' from where I bought it. They ship all their new razors honed to shave ready and offer one free honing when you need it.

Thanks for the tips. Yes, certain areas feel easier to do. I can do my neck surprisingly well.. both WTG and ATG... I am really confused about how to do XTG. My cheeks are usually not a big problem except on one side of my face near the top. Above the lip is getting better but still a lot of cuts in the nose area and the chin is by far the most difficult. Your suggestion to focus on the areas that are easier and use a regular razor on the rest is a good one. Would you say I should use the regular razor on the difficult areas and then do a delicate pass with my straight so that I continue to get a feel for it?

Thanks for responding!

Ryan

once you have the cheeks and neck going comfortably, i would start by doing the delicate pass with the straight first, then cleaning up/finishing off with the regular razor. if you use the regular razor first, you won't really know if you are doing anything with your delicate pass or not.

I bought my kit from The Classic Edge The Classic Edge Shaving Store

Thank you for the suggestion of just doing the easier parts to get used to the razor and angles. The direction of shaving and keeping the 30 degree angle is difficult and will take some time.

I live in Northern Ontario, in Kirkland Lake. I doubt there'd be anyone around here as it's a town of maybe 8000 people ha ha.

I put in the small picture from the website of my kit... if you go to the store link below, you can read about my entire kit:

http://www.classicedge.ca/NewStraigh...product_id=400

Thanks!

Ryan

one other thought ... the 30degree shaving angle is only and approximation, not a law. some time a smaller angle works better and with some razors a larger one works. experiment with lowering your blade angle first to see if it helps.
the kit looks nice... although it is a styptic pencil not septic and the seller has it listed... there is a huge difference between the two.

Originally Posted by syslight

although it is a styptic pencil not septic and the seller has it listed... there is a huge difference between the two.

roflmao.

couple pennies, US even if they arent worth much up there.

.01 I really think its helpful to get the lather down good, I see no mention of how you feel about your lather. It takes some patience and attempts but have faith, when it feels & looks about like warm coolwhip you are at least in the ball park (probably still a bit dry). If it looks like re-constituted dry milk, its too thin. A bit of a waste, but you can just lather in the bowl, scrape it out and half way clean stuff and play with it again. It will make the bathroom smell really good and get you some practice

.01 Be very mindful of moving your face at all or the blade laterally (similar direction to the line made by the cutting edge)

What all the others have said, topped of with a little you might be trying TOO hard to do it perfect. To much concentration does not a zen mind make.

The angle portion, I find I need to use a couple angles per pass. If I start with a shallower angle and move to a higher one, I hear more hairs going bye bye. Same happens for the reverse.

Regarding the angle - Thank you for affirming this for me. I find that closing up the angle helps on certain areas, such as the neck. Also it helps to close up the angle on the areas where my technique doesn't feel strong (closed angle equals safer), I sometimes just need to do more passes.

I did my morning shave today with both my straight and a regular gillette razor. It went well. I did a WTG pass on my cheeks and neck and didn't incur any new cuts. Then I did the rest with my gillette and did ATG with the gillette too. Using the gillette helped because I have some almost gash like cuts from the straight, and going over them with the straight wasn't allowing them to heal and I was just adding new ones.

About my lather and prep. I prefer to do it after a shower but if not I spend 4 minutes of putting hot water on my face and rubbing it in. I soak my shaving brush for 2 minutes in really hot water. With the lather, I prefer the glycerine soap (Colonel Conk Bay Rum) over the Derby shave cream. I find it to be more hydrating. I typically will relather many times during a straight shave because I find the lather will dry up on the unshaved areas. It is very uncomfortable for me to shave when my skin isn't hydrated and the lather is drying. So I typically will relather 4 or 5 times because I'm going so slowly.

I do feel comfortable going ATG on the neck only... on the cheeks and other areas I do cut myself. Tomorrow I will bring that back into my shave and finish the rest with the gillette. Once my cuts are healed more then I can try a pass under the nose and on the chin.

These suggestions are great. You are all very appreciated for your comments!

Ryan