Thread: first str8 shave

i just completed what i guess u could call my first straight shave. i work at hooters so when i got home i was pretty greasy as u can imagine. i hoped in the shower, cleaned up and dried off. when i got to standing in front of my mirror about to shave i have to say i was a little intimidated. i started but stropping my dovo 5/8 special 20 times on the linen side and 40 times on my illinois strop. this was pretty much my first time stropping so im sure i was FAR from a perfect job. i used my brush to get some lather going. im using a colonel conk bar (amber scent) i can get decent lather going i just can never seem to get A) tons of lather i get enough but after a certain point i cant get any more and B) a very thick lather. ive seen videos of ppl making lather and it seems like theirs almost has a whipped cream texute. i am only using a boars hair brush but im not sure how much of a difference that makes (any suggestions on how to get that great lather would be greatly appreciated). so i re-wet my face and start applying my mediocre lather which isnt very thick it seems to be the watery although i dnt know how becuz i removed the excess water from the brush and all i did was swirl my brush over my soap and began building lather in a mug and never added any water but watever-onward. so i start actually shaving. my hands dont feel entirely comfortable no matter how i position them but i press on. my cheeks were def. the easiest part. i started with the cheeks with no problem then moved to the mustache. this wasnt as easy. i couldnt get it BBS like i did with my cheeks and the area directly under my nose was impossiblt but by far the hardest part was my chin and under my chin. by this time im looking in the mirror and notice 4 or 5 red spots of blood. ni major cuts the tinyest little nicks. the razor (honed by lynn) was so sharp i guess i didnt even realize i nicked myself. but back to the chin. im sure i just need to practice but my chin under chin and jaw line going around to my side burns wasnt very smooth. im sry to say i had to pull out the Mach 3 to get everything looking even. all i rly had to do was my under chin jawline and i little but of my chin. all in all i call it a success? i def. c y ppl call str8 shaving an art. i cnt wait to give it another go and c wat kind of results i get. any comments or tips about lather, technique, stroping, prep. etc. would be very much appreciated. everyone on this site has been so helpful and i look forward to getting to know u all better. thanks everyone

Sounds like you did OK for the first shave. No shame in resorting to your old method of shaving for the tricky areas, in fact it's highly recommended until you develop the skills.

One of these links should help with the lather.

How to make great lather from a soap ~ Tutorial - Badger & Blade

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...tml#post180570

very good

try lynn's advice and expand the area you're shaving slowly as you get more comfortable with the razor. i believe lynn strops the razors before he mails them so that part was good, next shave will be your stropping on the edge.
as far as the lather goes i think soaking the brush for few minutes helps with boar brushes. other than that do some practice - make some lather, then clean the brush and make it again, you can vary the soap, the water and the time you swirl and you'll find out what works best.

Welcome to SRP and congrats on your first str8 shave. Good advice from Rajagra and Gugi. Just do your cheeks until you get used to the str8. Finish with your old razor. As your technique improves, expand your shave area. Take your time, move slowly, and use no pressure. Boar brushes take longer to build a lather than badger, but they work fine.

Congratulations on your first shave with a straight. Just remember that even though the first shave is a lot less than perfect, it gets a little better with every shave.

Kropy90, welcome to the neighborhood. And congrats on your first str8 shave attempt. It does take some courage to do the first shave. Go really slow and don't shave more of your face than you feel comfortable with. It takes time to figure out how to hold the razor for the diiferent parts of the face. No worries, if you keep doing it it will come. There is no rush, you probably have many years of shaving ahead of you. ENJOY the journey into str8 shaving. REAL MEN USE STR8s!!!!!!

WOW. sounds great. When I work up lather I start wipping the soap with a moist brush. After some time the lather dries up, the I apply a couple of drops of water. I continue this way until the lather is this and glossy. When the lather runs of your face like thick water, means for me that you proboly started off with a little to much water.







Sorry about the English spelling.