Thread: first post, first straight, first shave

Hello everyone,

I have been reading the forums for about a year now. I started using a DE around the same time. Ever since then I've been wanting a straight.

As soon as I found the SRP razor I put my name on the list. I knew that had to be my first straight razor. Well, I couldn't wait that long to get a straight so in the mean time I purchased a Dovo best from SRD. They shipped it super fast and were even faster to reply to any emails.

I received my razor yesterday and couldn't wait to try it out. My first attempt was about 20 minutes ago. I got pretty good with my DE but this shave was completely different. I had read there is no need to strop this new razor since it comes from the honemeister himself.

Since this was my first straight I just took it slow and focused on the angle. I noticed my lather was not the best cause it seemed like the razor wanted to stick to my skin. I guess my lather needs some more work.

I was kind of surprised at how little hair was actually being removed. The razor just seemed to leave most of the hair behind. I'm sure my angle is to blame.

I did not follow the rules of the first shave and tried to shave my whole face. Using my left hand was actually easier than I thought it would be and was easier than reaching across my face.

Well I'm glad to announce that I survived my first shave with a straight and did not end up with any pictures for the COTD thread, just a little razor burn.

I'll be sticking with the straight but I have a to learn that reading just can't teach me.

Thanks for taking the time to read my story if you made it all the way through. I look forward to spending more time posting instead of just reading.

Welcome, and congrats on surviving shave #1 without a COTD submission!

Since you mentioned the razor wanting to stick to your face, I wonder if your angle was too low? Aim for somewhere in the ballpark of 30 degrees, and you should be about right. Start there and play around with it until you find the angle that works best for you.

My angle might have definitely been too low and that might be why it wasn't cutting as much hair as I was expecting. On the next shave I'll try a little more angle away from the skin.

Thanks for the welcome and advice.

Dont forget to strech the skin.

Originally Posted by lamppa

Dont forget to strech the skin.

+1 About stretching

The better stretch you get the easier for the SR to cut.

OC

I'm a week in with shaving with a straight. It gets easier, so keep at it.

Couple things that have helped me is making sure spine is at least one to two widths from my skin depending on where im shaving and leaving as much water in my brush as possible when creating lather. I used cartridges before with same shaving cream and consistency wasn't important but with straight real slick and fluffy lather does wonders.

And of course as the reply's above proper stretching of skin helps a ton

Hi
I am also new to straight shaving, but was shaving about four years with Merkur DE's with feather blades (I'm in Japan, so they're easy to find). Have now been using my Dovo straight from SRD since Christmas and getting some decent shaves.

I've also found the key to a comfortable shave is lather consistency and reapplication. I need much more water in the lather than with a DE shave. I also leave the blade dripping after a rinse under the tap between passes. This seems to mitigate against any 'stickiness' on the face. I'm also constantly reapplying the (very) wet lather to keep any areas from drying out, especially the chin and top lip. That helps a lot.

Ultimately, I don't think the blade approaches the sharpness of a new Feather in a DE, but it's not bad, and not as harsh on the skin as a result. I also tend to do multiple passes, because it won't leave me with a burning sensation.

Anyway, that's my experience so far. No major cuts yet, touch wood.

Cheers.