Thread: Straight Vs Shavette

Hello Everyone!
I've been posting on some different posts about my experiences shaving with a straight, problems, issues and questions and I have to say that I absolutely love the response and camaraderie on the forum.

Lately I've been "taking notes" on my experiences in this new path, which as many of you... I'm quickly falling in love with it. I have different soaps and creams, a boar and a badger brush and the equipment I'm comparing are my actual blades. I have a 5/8 TI Carbon Steel, a 5/8 Dovo EnVouge Stainless Steel and a Dovo shavette with the long blades.

I've been trying to notice every part of my shaves as I started having some issues with my Bay Rum AS splash, it started burning my face way more than when I started using it. So I've been doing stuff slower, with more attention and really focusing on what I'm doing, and here's what I've found so far.

I deffinetly think that all of my issues (Bay rum burning more than usual, one blade giving me more burn than the others) are because of technique more than any other reason. I've been looking to the blades edges with a loupe and I can't see any thing that pops up, no bends, no weird things on the edge or chips or anything.

So, all in all, what I've seen is that the Stainless Steel blade feels sharper, or "harsher" than the carbon one, I start feeling a little burning while on the second pass. Something I don't feel with the Carbon, this blade feels some how softer or more forgiving than the stainless one.

And lastly, the Shavette gives me a way closer shave than any of the other two blades, but it also is the most aggressive one as the AS splash burns much more after using this one than either the Dovo or TI. I can get a BBS with the disposable blades while I'm having a harder time achieving that with the SR.

I also think it's because of technique because I'm getting used to my hair patterns and the way they grow.

I'm wondering if any one else has these type of issues, where a disposable is a closer shaver but harsher or if it's something that with technique could be improved.

I hope this helps some one out there as it is helping me.

Cheers.

E.

What you are experiencing are the growing pains of a new straight razor shaver.

Providing your 2 razors are shave ready the should eventually surpass or be at least just as good as the shavette. Focus on your angles and pressures. Make sure each stroke is deliberate and with purpose. Shorten your strokes and use you 'off hand' to stretch your skin.

Focus on WTG passes for now until you can get a DFS and then chase BBS.

If you have irritation immediately following your first pass its usually too much pressure. Try to ease up and it should get better.

Yes - forget diving into honing and all the other bells and whistles for awhile....read about that stuff fine...but now just focus on reducing the variables and getting the learning curve to go in the right direction.

That means don't do huge change-ups in your shave, establish a pattern and figure out what works.

And yes, just stick to WTG passes for several shaves, then maybe introduce a XTG pass on your cheeks, then move into a basic ATG pass on your neck area. You'll be surprised how quick you'll get better.

In my case, I went from an elaborate preparation for shaving, hot shower, pre-shave, yadda, yadda...and I found what worked best for me was simply a good cold shave. No prep, just splash on some water, lather up and shave.

Was in a rush yesterday, just did one good solid WTG pass and ended up getting an acceptable DFS...

Thanks for the answers...
I should've mentioned that both blades were honed properly and shave ready when I got them; and that I've been shaving with a SR for a couple of months now. I started using my first straight razor (The TI Blade, honed by Max in Las Vegas) in november and I try to alternate between the Dovo and the TI daily.

I have no idea about honing and I don't think I'm ready to sink my teeth in that just yet, but I think I have a solid stropping technique now, it's nice and rhythmic, I don't apply any pressure on the blade and I'm not trying to go fast, I just try to maintain the rhythm and listen to the blades. Which by the way, the SS blade has a very different pitch than the carbon one, it's more scratchy.

I think at some point I started to get over-confident about my technique with the shavette and that's not helping.
That's why now I started to slow down again and focus on the technique so I can achieve the BBS shave with the razor and not only with the Shavette.
One thing that really bugs me is that by the beginning of November when I started using the SR - after a couple of months with the shavette - I had amazing shaves, very smooth and comfortable although not as BBS. The more I use them, the more burn I feel when using the AS Splash, specially Captain's choice Bay Rum, which now it burns to a point where I need to wash it off my face, something that didn't happen at first.
(And I tried putting it in several spots on my arms, inside of my forearms, ect. as well as in the face and neck without shaving to see if I developed an allergy or something and I got nothing, No allergies or irritations unless I shave)

Originally Posted by Eco82

Hello Everyone!
I've been posting on some different posts about my experiences shaving with a straight, problems, issues and questions and I have to say that I absolutely love the response and camaraderie on the forum.

Lately I've been "taking notes" on my experiences in this new path, which as many of you... I'm quickly falling in love with it. I have different soaps and creams, a boar and a badger brush and the equipment I'm comparing are my actual blades. I have a 5/8 TI Carbon Steel, a 5/8 Dovo EnVouge Stainless Steel and a Dovo shavette with the long blades.

I've been trying to notice every part of my shaves as I started having some issues with my Bay Rum AS splash, it started burning my face way more than when I started using it. So I've been doing stuff slower, with more attention and really focusing on what I'm doing, and here's what I've found so far.

I deffinetly think that all of my issues (Bay rum burning more than usual, one blade giving me more burn than the others) are because of technique more than any other reason. I've been looking to the blades edges with a loupe and I can't see any thing that pops up, no bends, no weird things on the edge or chips or anything.

So, all in all, what I've seen is that the Stainless Steel blade feels sharper, or "harsher" than the carbon one, I start feeling a little burning while on the second pass. Something I don't feel with the Carbon, this blade feels some how softer or more forgiving than the stainless one.

And lastly, the Shavette gives me a way closer shave than any of the other two blades, but it also is the most aggressive one as the AS splash burns much more after using this one than either the Dovo or TI. I can get a BBS with the disposable blades while I'm having a harder time achieving that with the SR.

I also think it's because of technique because I'm getting used to my hair patterns and the way they grow.

I'm wondering if any one else has these type of issues, where a disposable is a closer shaver but harsher or if it's something that with technique could be improved.

I hope this helps some one out there as it is helping me.

Cheers.

E.

It took me two years to master the straight razor. In my third year, I was much better than in my second.

It doesn't take most people that long to learn but it makes a point of what you're experiencing. You may be going through the motions correctly, but the repetition is necessary.

The best advice I can give you is what I did, which is keep on shaving. Whether you settle on a shavette or a true straight, it's a matter of practice. You are going to get it and when you do, you will realize that you could only be taught to a certain point. The rest is learned.

This video helped me the most. I watched it literally hundreds of times, and found little things every once in a while I hadn't seen before. It also motivated me to keep going and reap my reward. It meant that much to me to get this thing mastered.

Here's the video:

You'll get it! The journey is what has made it so special for me!

I don't think that blade is sharp!!
He make it look so easy and natural... even both Coupe De Maitre and the Fool's pass... Which I could never do because I have a small mole in the way.

It's truly an amazing video, thank you for sharing it!

Try sticking with 1 blade for a couple of weeks and ease up on the pressure. If you have less than perfect stropping skills you may be trying to make up for it with added pressure. If you carry this over to the shavette then yes your AS is going to burn like rocket fuel. Keep it simple and when it feels good then try to venture away from what works in small increments. Otherwise you'll take forever trying to figure out what went wrong.

While I'm also still working on mastering the straight razor shave, I did find it helpful to stick with 1 razor and try to keep my routine very consistent. I also ran into a down point for a bit where my shaves seemed to have fallen back some. I'd recommend you just refocus, keep your pressure light and keep a close eye on your angles. I have sensitive skin and have switched to 2 passes 1 WTG and 1 ATG (and some minor touch-ups I may have missed) and it has helped cut down on irritation. You could always try recording yourself shaving and watching it afterwards. Maybe a video will either make you more mindful of your technique throughout the shave, or you could review it afterwards to see what you could do better.

Eco,

Kinda been following your experience. I think angle on the blade is much of what you're experiencing in the irritation department. A dull blade or a sharp blade will cause abrasion of the skin if applied too steep or with too much pressure. If the blade reaches an angle where it basically doesn't slide across the skin on the cushion of the lather and slices the whisker, it scrapes across the skin and pulls at the whiskers until it cuts or abrades the whisker and skin. Dull or sharp, the razor can cause irritation if the angle and pressure are too great.

Take your shavette, you know it's sharp. Start at an almost, or, a flat angle to the skin. Make a stoke and if the razor doesn't shave whiskers, increase the angle slightly (and re-lather as necessary) until it does shave. Try that angle on the cheeks where I assume you'll start. If it's not acute enough on other areas like the lower neck, chin, etc. experiment, carefully, on those areas to find the lowest angle that works.

For sharpness you know the shavette is at the high end. That, by experience, will adjust pressure. Too much and it will register a reminder. Carry that light pressure over to your traditional straights and along with the new found angle from the shavette you'll be able to assess the sharpness of your traditional razors. Even if your traditional razor isn't near the sharpness of the shavette, you'll be able to compensate some with technique, through experience, with scything, guillotine, etc. strokes and get an acceptable shave, without the irritation.

Hope this makes sense, and hope it helps!!

Regards,

Howard

I know the best advice I got was keep with one razor, watch many videos of people shaving. Great prep work. Not sure if you use oil, but try not using it, and heavy lather, work it in well. Go strop, wet face and relather. If you have facetime, it is possible to chat with some of the people on SRP and they would watch you strop and shave and give you tidbits.