Thread: How was you first shave with a straight?

I cut myself, left patches of barely shaven spots on my neck, and was it was still a very enjoyable memorable shave. I used hot towels for prep ( a first), a brush for lather (a first) and did manage the closest shave I had ever had on my cheeks.

I also knew after one shave that I was not turning back. I was going to learn how do shave and shave well. Within a week I was still cutting myself often but my wife and children noticed how much smoother my shaves were. No stubble in the afternoons.

I can understand "best" shave. They just don't know how much better it is going to get. (And how much more it will cost if struck by the ADs)

Originally Posted by JTmke

I cut myself, left patches of barely shaven spots on my neck, and was it was still a very enjoyable memorable shave. I used hot towels for prep ( a first), a brush for lather (a first) and did manage the closest shave I had ever had on my cheeks.

I also knew after one shave that I was not turning back. I was going to learn how do shave and shave well. Within a week I was still cutting myself often but my wife and children noticed how much smoother my shaves were. No stubble in the afternoons.

I can understand "best" shave. They just don't know how much better it is going to get. (And how much more it will cost if struck by the ADs)

Nice, good luck

As for myself : suprisely easier and safer than I had imagined.
Quite comfortable too.

Still, it was quite the tedious experience, what with not knowing how to handle the thing properly and doing gymnastics and contorsions...

Originally Posted by Aggelos

As for myself : suprisely easier and safer than I had imagined.
Quite comfortable too.

Still, it was quite the tedious experience, what with not knowing how to handle the thing properly and doing gymnastics and contorsions...

after a few shaves it will feel pretty natural. I am right handed and my left is useless so I figured I would be sr shaving completely right handed but I am very good with the left now

This is the reason I like to shave with a straight razor. The tedious process is what I enjoy! Everything is done way to fast these days with usually crappy results. My shave is a chance to relax and collect my thoughts. Being aware and careful help sharpen your mind. Hate the way our society has become and my straight razor shave brings me to a time I never knew when slow was better.

Besides the prep get the first razor pro honed , until then you really won't even know what sharp is. I DE shaved for over 40 years and it was still a learning process , but being a DE shaver does help you understand that you have to stretch your skin and prep helps But the razor being right will help you a lot. Tc

I have been pretty lucky and achieved quite good shaves from day one, except for my chin and under my nose... admittedly a good shave took close to half an hour whereas now its well under 10 mins, excluding prep.

I remember the first dozen times though, doing perhaps 30 passes in all directions for the hollows of my neck, then relaxed after that and didn't chase BBS for the neck, just focussed on angle and pressure instead, 3 passes and left the shave as it was. Single pass for the chin with followup with DE razor.

I also remember how much shave cream I used for the first dozen or so shaves... lots and lots. I hadn't been mixing enough water into the lather so was always drying out and needed to reapply.

I also used to nick myself quite often when starting, but luckily not badly, an easy fix with a styptic pencil and a bit of a sting. Still nick myself sometimes but not often now.

Originally Posted by lincoln65

This is the reason I like to shave with a straight razor. The tedious process is what I enjoy! Everything is done way to fast these days with usually crappy results. My shave is a chance to relax and collect my thoughts. Being aware and careful help sharpen your mind. Hate the way our society has become and my straight razor shave brings me to a time I never knew when slow was better.

I'm in total agreement. Traditional wet shaving... especially with a straight razor... is relaxing and satisfying, not a chore.