Thread: Uncomfortable first shave

My routine is
1) shower
2) shaving soap applied with brush
3) shave
4) alcoholfree after shave balm

My absolutely first shave was directly after I got the razor. I found it uncomfortable and had been reading that most new razors aren't really shave ready, therefore I sent it for honing to know what sharp is. Now when I got i back, I can't say there's much difference.

I've ordered a strop, but the honemeister also stropped it so it should have been shave ready this time. It wasn't done by anyone from the forum. I sent to a barber shop here in Sweden.

Anyway, thanks for all the answers. I'll most definitely continue trying until I get it right. It's pretty fun even if it's uncomfortable.

I know its a pain but if you are seeing no difference then i'd consider sending it to someone from the forum. Your face is a better judge of sharpness than any test the barber will do. If I had the skill in honing i'd offer to do it for you. Bottom line- if it doesnt feel sharp,it isnt sharp.

You can REALLY tell when a razor is as sharp as it should be!

EDIT: Oh and BTW in my opinion that is an excellent pre-shave routine.

Originally Posted by Tobias

My routine is
1) shower
2) shaving soap applied with brush
3) shave
4) alcohol free after shave balm

My absolutely first shave was directly after I got the razor. I found it uncomfortable and had been reading that most new razors aren't really shave ready, therefore I sent it for honing to know what sharp is. Now when I got i back, I can't say there's much difference.

I've ordered a strop, but the honemeister also stropped it so it should have been shave ready this time. It wasn't done by anyone from the forum. I sent to a barber shop here in Sweden.

Anyway, thanks for all the answers. I'll most definitely continue trying until I get it right. It's pretty fun even if it's uncomfortable.

Tobias... i would never recommend shaving without first stropping at least 20 laps on leather. I know that there are some folks who say it is OK to skip stropping when you first get a razor from a honemeister but i would still strop

also do you know anything about how (what sort of stones ) were used to hone your razor, or perhaps how often the shop actually gets the opportunity to really hone a razor.

stropping and a low blade angle are your best friends.

Have you tried to test shave a (small) portion of your forearm (be careful), to see how sharp it is?
- Then wait until you get your strop.....

Originally Posted by syslight

Tobias... i would never recommend shaving without first stropping at least 20 laps on leather. I know that there are some folks who say it is OK to skip stropping when you first get a razor from a honemeister but i would still strop

But the honemeister said he had stropped it, so it should have been stropped. Don't know for how many laps, though.

I'll try and see if I can get a better shave after stropping as soon as my strop arrives.


Otto: I just tried and, sure, the hairs are falling off like if they were cut already. But my beard is much tougher, so it doesn't really say anything. Especially when I don't have any other razor to compare it to.

It seems like the very most important things for a comfortable straight shave for me are:

1. Sharp blade (of course)

2. Proper prep

3. Correct blade angle

4. Very little pressure

5. And last, yet most important... how much the skin is stretched. The more the better. Whenever I get a spot that's not working out well, it seems like the solution is to stretch it a bit more. More stretch = closer shave, less irritation. Xman's one-handed video shows some great skin stretching techniques. Just make sure your wife doesn't come in while you're watching them.... she'll laugh herself unconscious when she sees you making shaving faces.

Tobias,

A sharp straight razor will slide with the grain and remove the stubble easily. It's no different to using a throwaway razor. Sharp is the same cutting feel as a throwaway razor. That's a benchmark for you. It will cut with no soap or water. However with good preparation, it will slide through the stubble with ease, even better than a throwaway.

Against the grain, "the technique thing" becomes more critical. There is a point when you hit the hair were you instinctively know if the blade is sharp enough and if you push a bit, all will be alright. The thing with a straight, is if the angle isn't less than 30 degrees, the blade will cut you. With the throwaway, the angle has to be correct or the blade just misses your stubble altogether. For this reason, people shave with more confidence with a throwaway.

But from what you said, the blade you had was not sharp enough. It should not skip over stubble if you were running the blade on your skin.

If you ran your finger across the blade or did anything to check the sharpness, maybe you are to blame. It is so easy to take the sharpness off the edge of a straight razor that until you understand the process, it's hard to believe.

If all you did was prepare, open the razor and shave then the razor was not sharp.

Only you can answer the question, but I know from when I started, I often would blame anybody but myself for playing with a blade that is anything but a toy and has to treated so carefully that learning to do this is in itself an art.

Once you understand all this edge stuff, it's easy because you know what to do if the blade needs a quick strop or touch up hone. Both exceptionally gentle techniques to put right a razor that has usually been treated roughly.

Whatever, stick at it, it's worth it in the long run. Honest.

Hey, I actually did run my thumb across the blade to see how sharp it was! So maybe I ruined it. Would stropping sharpen it back to shape or would I need even a new honing?

There's only one way to know for sure. Strop it well and carefully and give it the shave test. if it fails, it's back to the hone, but only lightly.

X

Originally Posted by Tobias

My routine is
1) shower
2) shaving soap applied with brush
3) shave
4) alcoholfree after shave balm

My absolutely first shave was directly after I got the razor. I found it uncomfortable and had been reading that most new razors aren't really shave ready, therefore I sent it for honing to know what sharp is. Now when I got i back, I can't say there's much difference.

I've ordered a strop, but the honemeister also stropped it so it should have been shave ready this time. It wasn't done by anyone from the forum. I sent to a barber shop here in Sweden.

Anyway, thanks for all the answers. I'll most definitely continue trying until I get it right. It's pretty fun even if it's uncomfortable.

You cannot usually shave without stropping the razor even if it has been honed well by a honemeister. Stropping does take a bit of technique but nothing that you cannot accomplish. You need to keep the strop taunt and only use the weight of the razor while stropping. Any more pressure and you may roll the edge of the razor and ruin the edge. OK, it is not really ruined, it just needs to be rehoned to re-establish the bevel.
So, bottom line, get a strop and strop at least 60 passes before each shave.