Thread: First Time Experience

Gents —


My SR arrived in the mail yesterday and while the Mrs & the toddler were not home from work/school yet I seized the opportunity of a quiet house for my first shaving experience. I set a relaxing mood and poured myself a lowball of bourbon, put on some music and jumped right in to the task that lay before me. While I realize bourbon may not be a part of my morning shaving routing, I wanted something monumental for this first time. This is a culmination of a year’s worth of reading and researching ever since I had my first SR shave from a barber a year ago this past summer. That forever changed my life going forward.


All went well I took it slow and started along the jawline on both sides of my face. That was as far as I was originally planning to go before switching back over to my cartridge razor to complete the shave. I decided to go a bit further though. I attempted under the nose and realized that it was more tricky and so I backed off. I didn’t even attempt the chin or under the mouth, but I did tackle the neckline and omitted the patch of windpipe area. Not because I thought I’d injure myself but even with the cartridge I often times get nicks in that area so I figured best to go with what I know.


My first thoughts are this: how you hold the SR is very paramount. I was surprised that it felt more comfortable in my non-dominant hand but even the angle that you hold it to your face to find the path was challenging for me. I’m not talking about the 20º angle to make a pass with to actually shave, but to find the best way to pull the skin taunt and the angle of your hand holding the SR to prepare to make the pass, that was what seemed to be most awkward for me. I’m used to honing my knives so the 20º angle of a shaving pass felt normal to me.


Lastly, I would like to thank SRP and the many fine gentleman on this site who have openly shared their wealth of knowledge and advice for all of us Noobs here, not just only for myself. I have enjoyed reading all the content in the library and the beginning reads. It has all been so super helpful. Thank you again. That said I’m sure i’ve got a plethora of more questions as I delve into this shaving process.


I love how SR shaving forces me to slow down and be in the present while taking, what was once, a mundane and boring task and now it has become an event that I look forward to.


Cheers
Lowball

Congrats on your first shave, Lowball. 
Looks like you have done your homework. Hope to see you in the SOTD section.

Sounds like a great start! The year of study will pay off. As I mentioned elsewhere, I pick up a new nuance almost every shave. I started (this time) more than 18 months ago and am still trying new grips and angles. Keep at it!

I say a High Five to Lowball! Just love it when a thoughtful, curious person takes the slow road and investigates the side paths on their journey. So many are speedsters on a highway speeding past interesting sights.

Be sure to query us as you get further down the road with info you many not as yet found.

Congratulations on your first shave.

Congrats on your first sr shave! Sounds like you made quite the ceremony out of it.

Way to Go on enjoying the first shave and welcome to the best forum on the internet!

Congratulations on your first shave! You've definately got the right attitude and are going at the right pace. It only gets better from here.

Pete <:-}

This will become an enjoyable ritual, I promise, where you take the razor in your hand and magically the shaving just happens. Right now you're trying to remember everything to do and you kind of distract yourself. But this will pass. That's when you will really love it.

Originally Posted by Lowball

This is a culmination of a year’s worth of reading and researching ever since I had my first SR shave from a barber a year ago this past summer. That forever changed my life going forward.

WOW!

You certainly are patient. Congrats on a great start.