Thread: How long 'til you got a good shave?

For me I got an excellent shave after about the third time, disposibles never shaved my neck well because the hair on my entire neck grows west to east, so getting a clean shave always meant severe razor burn, that is untill I switched. I guess because my wiskers are soft they shave really easy with a straight, on the weekend I slept in and used a disposible to quickly shave and had awful razor burn, never again.

It probably took a month for the first really good shave and probably six-nine months for consistently good shaves (75%) and 1 year for 95% great every time. At first I would use a DE to finish it off.

My beard has swirls on the neck area and it was pretty tricky for awhile plus it's very stiff and wiry. Practice makes perfect!

It was right away for me. It only took 5 shaves with a straight to get a BBS shave, and no nicks or cuts. I also started out with full face shaves, right from the get go. I also strarted with a pre-honed shave ready razor that Lynn himself honed. A Dovo Bergischer Lowe 5/8 with a spanish point. I think that helped alot. I was already used to wet shaving with DE and cartridge razors. I also had a very good badger brush, and was using pre-shave oil, and shave soaps and creams. Stropping just came quick for me. Straight razor shaving has been a great experience, for me personally.

The second shave.
My first shave the razor was pulling a bit, so it went to the CrO strop.
I think I just have a bit of knack for the straight shave. I have no problem using both hands never had to really learn ambidextrous shaving.
My first razor a Dovo was the only one I have ever nicked myself with. I switched to better blades, and I have not had nicks since.

That is a very difficult question. If you asked me after one week I would say I got great shaves straight away more or less. After one month I would say it took me three weeks. Now I would say it took longer.

I think I was probably right, and I did get good shaves almost right away. However, as I've got better, I've got more consistant and am probably getting much better shaves than I was then.

I would say you can get really good shaves pretty quickly, but to get great shaves takes longer, fortunately, unless you slice your self to pieces the improvements are more subtle than the first 4 or 5 shaves, and you go a long the whole time thinking how great your shaves are.

It probably took me about a month until I was getting consistantly good shaves.

I had a comfortable shave on my third shave, a good shave after around 10 shaves and superlative shaves after around 20 shaves which is when I started using both hands.

I suppose I should reveal my reasons for asking. I've been at it for about 6 weeks, and my shaves are still less than wonderful. It doesn't help that my beard is extremely thick and curly, and grows in many different directions. I am usually an extremely quick study, so I find it slightly disconcerting that I still can't get a great shave. Practice, I guess. 10000 hours later maybe I'll get a great shave.

The problem is that as you progress your standards go up accordingly. The shaves that I got a month out were really great, compared to an electric or a cartridge razor but crap compared to what I am obtaining now. After almost 2 years of shaving with a straight the shaves that I am getting are almost perfect every time, kinda nice!


Take Care,
Richard

Gentlemen,

I have shaved with a straight razor for quite sometime and am still looking for the rainbow. I still cannot claim the perfect shave. I like it that way. In a way, I prefer to prolong my search as long as it is possible, because part of the joy of straight razor shaving is the daily discovery of new things.

Say you listen to the Fourth Symphony by Johannes Brahms 50 times. Just when you think you know the symphony relatively well, on the 51st hearing you'll hear something in it you haven't heard before.

And so it goes with straight razor shaving. What fun to learn something new about the razor, the shave angle, the patch of stubborn hair, the daily play of the blade against the beard on the 50th shave, the 100ds, and so on.

Regards,
Obie