Thread: How long does this phase last? Just started great shaves...

I turned the corner a couple of weeks ago and I'm getting great shaves. I can see plenty of things to work on and improve don't get me wrong. Economical motion and getting the same result with the minimum number of strokes would be one thing. Same answer for my chin by itself. But...

It is just right now, I am perhaps a bit slow, but I am getting great shaves with no irritation. It took around 50 shaves to turn the corner. Suddenly I am like wow! I've had a couple weeks worth of great shaves!

I am still just smiling all day about this great shave today. I look forward to trying to do it again tomorrow. So how long does this phase last :-). I have been troubleshooting nearly every shave previously to get here.

Oh, I'm sure I'll backslide somewhere in the future and have to fix something. But I have seen the mountain top! Wow what a shave. The learning curve to get here has been so steep? I just expect there must be something around the corner waiting to smack me in the face. Any of you guys doing this for a long time give me a hint? What's next?

Best,

Ed

Originally Posted by EdHutton

I turned the corner a couple of weeks ago and I'm getting great shaves. I can see plenty of things to work on and improve don't get me wrong. Economical motion and getting the same result with the minimum number of strokes would be one thing. Same answer for my chin by itself. But...

It is just right now, I am perhaps a bit slow, but I am getting great shaves with no irritation. It took around 50 shaves to turn the corner. Suddenly I am like wow! I've had a couple weeks worth of great shaves!

I am still just smiling all day about this great shave today. I look forward to trying to do it again tomorrow. So how long does this phase last :-). I have been troubleshooting nearly every shave previously to get here.

Oh, I'm sure I'll backslide somewhere in the future and have to fix something. But I have seen the mountain top! Wow what a shave. The learning curve to get here has been so steep? I just expect there must be something around the corner waiting to smack me in the face. Any of you guys doing this for a long time give me a hint? What's next?

Best,

Ed

Here's a hint - run, RUN BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

Yeah, it's still kinda cool after 30+ years with a straight edge. I get bored sometimes and try other razors for variety ie. Rolls, old school double edges, Henckels Rapide and Heljestrand single edges, etc. But I always go back to my straight. What's next? Total submission to finance depleting obsession. So run, RUN!

Even after you have been doing it for years and it's all routine a new purchase brings all the excitement back. Maybe an inexpensive soap or a new DE blade or a new razor or brush and it's like starting all over again (minus the pain that is).

Soap. _AD. Your puck

New discoveries bring new levels of enjoyment. Once I got bored with the Norton 8k, I discovered the Nani 12, then the Gokumyo 20k, better strops and technique on said strops, a new custom brush-all add to the quality and enjoyment of the shave. I just recently started making homemade aftershaves, and am excited about the possibilities there. Once you are getting killer edges and have learned how to optimize all the other variables, it just keeps getting better. Four years into this, I still feel like I'm just starting and still look forward to every shave!

Thanks for the look ahead! To celebrate I just purchased a new soap "Aged Spice" from mama bear soaps LLC. Absolutely tremendous, I'll be looking to new hand made soaps. Probably start a thread there somewhere else. I'm thinking about another brush. Nice to know it just keeps improving... And to think this used to be chore I didn't enjoy.

I'm so pleased with the shaves I don't know how to act. The Fusion only worked this good if I pressure washed it during the shave and only used the blade less than five times. I've been using this blade since May and it keeps getting better .

I'm about three and a half years in, and I still enjoy the shaves and anticipate each one as I prepare for it. It is still great fun to tinker with different hones, stropping regimens and, recently, trying diamond spray and various CBN grits and formulations. The process of gaining some competence took me two or three months, and even now that I feel that I know what I'm doing there are always new techniques and approaches to try. After experimenting with all the various preparations, I have realized that, at least for me and my shaves, all I need is a splash of water, a bit of lather done quickly and concentration on what I'm doing. For me, each shave still gets more enjoyable, and I look forward to each and every one. Once the shaver becomes competent, as it seems you have done, the "working at it" stops and the fun really begins.

I'm getting good shaves now, but it stills seems a bit unreal. It was only a few weeks ago I was getting bitten, razor burn, missing stubble, drawing beard maps, experimenting, and doing nothing but troubleshooting problems.

So I don't know if I feel comfortable with the title competent yet, but I sure like the shaves! The difference between the start and now is night and day! I think I will keep improving for sometime to come, but recently I just made a huge leap forward.

I'm looking forward to more shaves, learning, and experiments. I just can't believe how the whole experience just turned a corner seemingly over night!

One shave just completely came together. The one before was 'okay' but could be better. Then suddenly boom! Oh wow, how did I do this? Then another good shave, and another... There were some dark days when I wasn't sure I would figure it out. I just kept reading articles here and trying to figure out what to improve or fix. It incrementally improved and then just suddenly came together. I'm still finding it hard to believe, but I sure like the shaves.

Best,

Ed

Originally Posted by EdHutton

I'm getting good shaves now, but it stills seems a bit unreal. It was only a few weeks ago I was getting bitten, razor burn, missing stubble, drawing beard maps, experimenting, and doing nothing but troubleshooting problems.

So I don't know if I feel comfortable with the title competent yet, but I sure like the shaves! The difference between the start and now is night and day! I think I will keep improving for sometime to come, but recently I just made a huge leap forward.

I'm looking forward to more shaves, learning, and experiments. I just can't believe how the whole experience just turned a corner seemingly over night!

One shave just completely came together. The one before was 'okay' but could be better. Then suddenly boom! Oh wow, how did I do this? Then another good shave, and another... There were some dark days when I wasn't sure I would figure it out. I just kept reading articles here and trying to figure out what to improve or fix. It incrementally improved and then just suddenly came together. I'm still finding it hard to believe, but I sure like the shaves.

Best,

Ed

Just remember that "pride comes before the fall" thing, and maybe, at least, your ego wont be as hurt as your face, when you inevitably get a little too confident, and slice the heck outa' yourself. Don't worry, it's happened to us all. At least once... or twice.

"Pride comes before the fall" and then a heck of a slice... Well thank you! That is good advice. Really good advice!

I've read a few safety tips:

1- Keep the blade sharp
2- Don't use too steep an angle (30 degrees or less), use a lower angle ATG.
3- Don't press the edge into the skin
4- Don't move the blade sideways
5- Advanced strokes (scything, guillotine, etc.) are more likely to cut.
6- Don't shave without a wet lubricant on the skin.

Anyone have any others please? I can easily see getting too confident and cutting yourself. So I have participated in other dangerous or at least potentially dangerous endeavors: SCUBA, weapons, rappelling, motorcycles, flying small planes, using machine tools, welding, and working in high voltage environments (150 KVA).

All of these activities have a safety check list. A set of habits you need to acquire to be safe. I went looking for safety tips on SRP. I found a great set for people restoring blades (really good information). Is there a set of safety tips for a user? Shaver safety.

I have earned some minor cuts early on. Nothing that needed a stitch, and the worst were handled by a styptic pencil. So maybe I need to start reading cut of the day to remind myself what can happen?