Thread: Shaving Cuts

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

I'm pretty sure I had a relevant post in this thread a short time ago, so I'm assuming that it was either deleted accidentally, or by someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

I followed this thread and never saw your post - maybe it was never actually posted or was deleted very quickly

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I followed this thread and never saw your post - maybe it was never actually posted or was deleted very quickly

I guess it's... possible.

(should I do it again? muahahaha)

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

I'm pretty sure I had a relevant post in this thread a short time ago, so I'm assuming that it was either deleted accidentally, or by someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

There have been no posts in this thread deleted by anyone. As a moderator, I can manage and view posts that have been deleted by either the original poster or by another moderator. In this thread, neither happened, therefore I submit that a third thing maybe true: you thought of something to say, you might even have typed it out, but then you forgot to submit it.

Any issues or problems, please PM or email me (or if I'm online, find me in one of the chat facilities.)

Dab some vitamin E on the cuts and they will heal quickly and reduce scarring.

I have a 2" scar on my forearm just beneath the elbow. It happened when my blade slipped of the belt I was stropping on. It bled quite a bit. I got a 1"scratch near my temple. They both should heal within a week or two.

I've been using a straight razor for about a month and haven't cut myself since the first couple times, until yesterday.

The razor had been getting dull even with stropping. My honing kit arrived from classic shaving.com and so I had a newly sharpened razor and got a little inattentive and sliced my chin nicely.

Also, for the last week I've been doing something that I don't see mentioned here. When I shave the way Lynn does in the video I don't get a very close shave, in fact its pretty bad. Scraping the razor over my face just leaves too much stubble, even after two passes from different directions. Since knives cut best by slicing, not scraping, I''ve added a slight diagonal motion to my strokes. Now with fewer longer strokes I get a much smoother shave and the second against the grain pass goes very easily. The razor seems to stay sharper and the shave is much smoother. Of course I have to be more careful not to cut myself.

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

I'm pretty sure I had a relevant post in this thread a short time ago, so I'm assuming that it was either deleted accidentally, or by someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

Someone might have typed a response, and hit the submit button. Then the internet possibly screwed up the submission of that post, and the same someone might have forgot to check if his reply was effectively submitted. That happens. I know it does.

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

I said something to the effect that shaving against the grain really isn't that big a deal. It's just another bit of muscle memory to train your hands on. I also said that a lot of people talk of shaving against the grain like it's some sort of sorcery and that it's not to be attempted, since you can get a close shave by going with and across the grain. You basically have to go against the grain to attain the smoothest possible shave with a straight razor, though. Going across the grain gets it close, absolutely; but going against the grain gets it closer.

My beard agrees. I don't even bother with across for that reason.

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

We first pick up the straight razor in the hopes that we will one day become experts at manipulating it.

Very true, and in my opinion, the reason that straight razor shaving is so much more rewarding than safety razor shaving. We often talk about how straight razors diminish razor burn and other post-shave facial skin issues. That is certainly true in my case, but I'm pretty sure that has less to do with the straight razor itself, than the fact that the straight compels me to prep and lather a zillion times better than I ever did in my DE-era (or knew, for that matter) AND the fact that it forces me to shave meticulously and with utmost attention. I am quite sure that if I were to pick up my old DE and buy new blades for it, and apply all the knowledge I gained about shaving ever since, that I would shave with a DE just as irritation free and close as I shaved with my straight this very morning. Nevertheless, the chance that my face will ever meet a DE again is practically zero. About the same as the chance I'll ever put a steak in a teflon-coated frying pan, or cut a tomato with a serrated knife, or buy shoes with velcro, or have my teeth bleached (I 'm fully aware that, although not intended, I'm probably offending certain people with these examples)

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

If you're new to shaving and you can't quite finish your straight shaves too well, there's no sense in going to work with furry patches on your face. You clean 'em up with the DE.

Quite frankly, I disagree. If you want to shave with a straight, then shave with a straight. It's easy enough to appear presentable with just one WTG pass. It might look like a 5 o'clock shadow in the beginning, but so what. Do you honestly think that all those slick, yet razor-burned M3-guys look that much better? Wear your learning nicks with pride.

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

But if months or years later you're still using it as a crutch, my point is that you're not really progressing.

Although they call it training wheels, a child can't really learn how to ride a bike with those things attached. If one wants to learn to shave without risk, then one needs to learn how to shave with a safety razor. There's nothing wrong with that. One does not become "more" manly from shaving with a straight. It does not enlarge anything. For that, one needs to buy a bigger car, preferably one with manual transmission.

Bold opinions, but they're honest,

Bart.

Today was shave #2 since I first started this thread.

Yeah, I know ... lots of time in between straight shaves.

I followed most of the advice on this thread for todays shave. I still havent been able to whip up lather, so that portion I put on the back burner. I used olive oil as a replacement for the lather. Actually, I like to see what is going on at the blade. I think it helps me shave better. So, guess what? No cuts. Todays shave took me a while ... almost an hour. Shaved up the chin and all. I actually got a respectable shave out of it. Still not as good as the disposable, but a large improvement from the last two shaves. I did get some irritation though. I think I might invest in a high grit hone to use right before shaving. I know I really dont need it, but I have been storing the blades post shave without oil. I think the edge is suffering from this type of storage. Live and learn, I guess. I stropped on newspaper for about an hour before the shave, but it still was kinda rough. It's a learning process for sure.

I just got the news that my wapi's came in from Poland.
Woot !

It's hone time for sure. I'll probably need a real strop as well.

Just wanted to say thanks again for the input. It really did help.

Hi There!

I started to use a str8, for about 2 weeks ago, so this was my 5th, or 6th shave, last night. I have a nice Heljestrand, but it was dull at the heel, so I just honed it Yesterday. It wasn't that sharp at all before. (Iknow it now, but it's to late. )

So, as I was making the first pass, I just screwed up the angle, and there You go!

Now there is a nice cut on the right side of my face, about 2cm long, and 1/2 cm wide.
I think i learned the lesson!