Straight razor shaving

Hello everyone,

Back a few years ago i was using a Gillette razor not bad to be honest but they always left me with spots after use, it was starting to drive me a bit crazy!! so i moved onto the straight razor after many attempts i got the hang of it and it's like a dream now but i am still having the spot problem but not as much....

Is there anyway i can avoid spots from shaving or am i doomed for life ?? This is about a spot problem they are not on my blade??????? lol

Maybe it's the razor?? will i have to buy a new straight razor for sale from the barbers???

Thanks

If you mean missed, less than satisfactorily smooth areas with remaining whiskers then regardless of razor, checking for missed spots with your fingertips, gently stretching the skin and re-lathering and gently shaving in different directions will often result in a completely smooth, close shave.

Hope this helps,
Jeff

PS: Welcome to Straight Razor Place!

Thanks jeff,

This was useful because i never re-lather once i have shaved off the first layer of foam i go dry after that this might actually be the solution to my spot problem??

It's the spots driving me crazy more than the shave, maybe where i am storing the blade??

And what do you think to this razor??

Thanks again Jeff



Attachment 241485

I have a couple of thoughts. You said foam, which makes me think of canned shaving foam. It is not anywhere near as good as a nice soap and a good brush. A nice wet lather, a low blade angle, nice tight skin and a light touch works for me. Pre shave makes a difference for many. There are varying degrees of prep. Some a super simple and just use a cold water splash and a cold water shave, others use a pre shave cream like Proraso or Noxema and there are more, some shower and then lather and then put a hot towel on and then relater and start their shave. The point is you need to figure out what makes your zen shave. I use Noxema but that is about it for me. Also a proper shave ready edge on a decent razor is important too.

Well, I'm confused. When you mentioned spots I thought they were on your face but then you asked about storage of the blade. Are the spots on your razor or on your face?

Regarding that razor in the photo, it is a terrible and expensive joke. You cannot have two razor grinds in one razor if you want it to be able to be honed.

Yes my friend foam, this also might be the cause to my problem! do you know a good brand where i can get the soap and brush together?? I see the local barbers putting hot towels over the customers faces to open the paws, but it is a lot of sitting around i am like a go man get the three S's of my day done quick in the morning and off to my first job. I never stand still haha

Thanks Rez

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Well, I'm confused. When you mentioned spots I thought they were on your face but then you asked about storage of the blade. Are the spots on your razor or on your face?

Regarding that razor in the photo, it is a terrible and expensive joke. You cannot have two razor grinds in one razor if you want it to be able to be honed.

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Obviously Utopian, the spots are on my face but lets say i leave my razor in an unhygienic place which i don't believe i do! could this effect my face or is it the foam???

And for the razor fair enough i din't know that you couldn't shave with a double blade... i am a beginner and only shave myself.

Thanks for the razor advice though

I have no idea where you are. I see what it says but I am geography challenged.
I am going to guess US. Straight Razor Designs is one of many good spots to shop for a brush and soap. Personally I stick with the old European soaps. They are very good and are also inexpensive. To name a few, LEA, Tabac, Volobra, Spec, Proraso, LaToja
As far as a brush goes, there is a wide selection to choose from. Again my personal preference is silver tip badger with a low loft. At this point you can get almost anything and it will improve your experience.
Most of the guys here seem to be more into the taking their time and getting the most comfortable and close shave. Rushing and shaving does not often end well for me. I am a relax and enjoy the moment shaver, as opposed to just getting through a chore.

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Originally Posted by cutthroat2016

Hello everyone,
Is there anyway i can avoid spots from shaving or am i doomed for life ?? This is about a spot problem they are not on my blade??????? lol
Thanks

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Here is a site that makes my life easier by having a map of the different grain directions of my face. Makes stretching and razor directing a lot quicker.
When you open the site, go to "HELP" and that will give good directions for the map set up and use.
http://www.pbjsite.com/shave/whiskarmap/

I've not noticed anyone posting this site for quite a while. Have fun!
~Richard
PS, If you are a perfectionist, It will take a while to get used to using the map site. It is worth the time spent if you can improve your shaving ease.

http://www.pbjsite.com/shave/whiskarmap/
I get there from two different sites. I don't believe i am a member of them.

If they don't work Google ""shave face map""
Sorry the link didn't work for you!

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I have no idea where you are. I see what it says but I am geography challenged.

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Stapleford is UK I believe, about an hour out of Sheffield actually. Being in that region I would believe a plethora of quality vintage razors would be available, but maybe not. Still good advice RezDog, SRD is a great place to find quality items. You will never see a razor like this one posted for sale there- for good reason.
Attachment 241485

Welcome to SRP! If you're in the market for a straight razor I also highly recommend the classifieds section here. This is a great place with helpful members full of good advice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geezer

Here is a site that makes my life easier by having a map of the different grain directions of my face. Makes stretching and razor directing a lot quicker.
When you open the site, go to "HELP" and that will give good directions for the map set up and use.
http://www.pbjsite.com/shave/whiskarmap/

I've not noticed anyone posting this site for quite a while. Have fun!
~Richard
PS, If you are a perfectionist, It will take a while to get used to using the map site. It is worth the time spent if you can improve your shaving ease.

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Url not working for me :(

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Originally Posted by Rami

Url not working for me :(

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I get there from even clicking on the quote above.
If all else fails, Google ""shave face map""
~Richard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geezer

I get there from even clicking on the quote above.
If all else fails, Google ""shave face map""
~Richard

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Could be cause I am accessing via Mobile

a few observations in my past 2-3 weeks of living with a straight razor

posting it here because these are fairly general observations, and I need to post them somewhere before the finer details escapes me.

1. Honing:

During bevel setting or creating a new edge, it is alright to apply slightly more pressure than normal on a lower grit stone. It is not optional but it is mandatory. Atleast on my carborandum lower grit stone it is, even after applying some oil, there is some amount of pressure to be applied evenly on the blade to get positive results. One can immidiately know if results are positive when even on a #1k hone the edge starts to bite into hair during treetop.

2. Drawbacks of an ultra sharp edge

An ultra sharp edge though highly desirable comes with significant drawbacks. Like when you hone a sharp edge, the edge starts to bite into the stone, similarly a sharp edge may create some downward force and bite again into the face when you lessen pressure on the razor or suffer from loss of concentration.

It's like a small misstep, but occurs frequently when the razor is ultra sharp and one's mind is not fully there. The funny thing about a nick with such a sharp razor is that blood does not ooze out immidiately, a sharp razor severs capillaries so fine that either blood clots before oozing out and the cut is also so fine that blood congeals before one knows that there is a cut. It is not a good situation to be in, because one unaware of the cut until only long after the shave is finished.

3. resting a used razor.

So I was reading a thread on this site, of resting a used razor and if a re-stropped razor too would pass HHT. Today I got the answer. After finishing up with my shave I stropped the razor. And immidiately tried a HHT, and it would not bite into the root end of the hair strand.

I let the razor rest for an hour or two, went about errands and came back and tried HHT, again this time on the root facing outwards and, it was working beautifully. The razor did the HHT without any fuss and without making even a pop. So yes, there seems to be some substance to the argument of resting the razor, but unlike 24 hours, 1 hour seems more than enough. It seems the edge is ever so slightly curved after a shave, since the shave is on the face and the face is basically leather on bone. There is some amount of wear that is caused on the razor due to the hard surface of the bone, and it compensates itself after sitting idle for a while.

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Originally Posted by almond

An ultra sharp edge though highly desirable comes with significant drawbacks. Like when you hone a sharp edge, the edge starts to bite into the stone,

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Geometry says that will not happen.

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Originally Posted by almond

similarly a sharp edge may create some downward force and bite again into the face when you lessen pressure on the razor or suffer from loss of concentration.

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Again, I just don't see it. A sharp edge is not going to suddenly change direction unless the edge has a floppy burr and that should have been removed with stropping. Regarding pressure, reducing it does cause cuts. If anything, reducing pressure lowers their likelihood.

Hot towels are used to soften the beard though I rather think it's done more because it feels good and became part of the barbering experience.

Skin Pores do not change size no matter what you do.

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Originally Posted by Utopian

Again, I just don't see it. A sharp edge is not going to suddenly change direction unless the edge has a floppy burr and that should have been removed with stropping. Regarding pressure, reducing it does cause cuts. If anything, reducing pressure lowers their likelihood.

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No No No !

Not edge changing direction. Edge is going in same direction, my concentration and muscle training flags a bit and when going ATG the sharp razor lifts slightly maybe due to lack of pressure or maybe due to loss of concentration and instead of lifting cleanly catches hold of some surface feature and bites into skin again. More like tripping into skin. Now if the razor is not super sharp, this does not happen and even if razor slightly nicks the skin in such a manner with a lesser sharp razor I can immdiately change the landing angle and minimize skin contact but not so when razor is super sharp. Those just bite into skin to create a micro nick.

Shaving in one direction --> loss of concentration/muscle memory --> misstep --> edge lifts slightly --> falls forward into skin for a micro nick.

If one is not cautious then the fall towards skin can also cause a major nick or scar.