Thread: Disappointed First Timer

Last week I anxiously received my freshly "Lynn honed" razor. The following day I received my order of Proraso pre/after shave cream, Proraso shaving cream and Trumper's skin food. After a busy week and a lot of convincing, this morning I was ready for my first ever straight razor shave. I started by taking a hot shower, being careful not to dry my face. I then applied the Proraso pre/after shave cream and let sit while I watched Lynn's video for the tenth time or so. After completing the video I rinsed off the pre shave cream (i'm not sure if I was supposed to or not if someone could let me know). I then whipped the Proraso shaving cream into a nice lather and applied it using a new silvertip badger hair brush. I let that set while I carefully and slowly stropped my razor, linen side first then leather side. After stropping, I added a little more lather just for kicks and was ready to give it a shot. I started on my right side using my right hand was not very impressed with the results. I adjusted the angle of the razor several times throughout the shave and it never really got super close and continued to pull the hairs rather than easily slicing through them. After finishing my first pass, I decided to relather and go with the grain again experimenting with different angles. This time it got a little closer, but not what I was expecting. I don't doubt that the razor is extremely sharp and would rather not prove it by slicing my face to shreds. I just hope that with a little bit of help and advice from all the seasoned veterans here that my shaves with get better with time and practice. I am using a 5/8" DOVO hollow ground "singing" razor from Classicshaving.com.

My questions:

1). What is a good angle to use and how do you know when you've got it.
2). Will better stropping eliminate the pulling of the hair?
3). Is there any particular type of rag that should be used to dry the razor or will a regular towel do?
4). Is the Proraso pre shave cream supposed to be rinsed off before applying the shaving cream?

How did you do the first time you drove a car, rode a bike, tied your shoes or any number of other things that we learn in life?

I'm not at the point where I'm satisfied with my results, but I'm working forward toward the goal. I don't know about anyone else, but I fell off the bike more than once before I got the knack and shaving with a straight razor is the same. You have to learn a lttle at a time and keep moving ahead.

You'll have plenty of people to give you advice, just wait a bit

Don in Ohio

Don't let the pre/post shave cream "sit", don't apply to heavy a coat and don't wash it off, lather over it. Don't let the lather "set", it tends to dry out which is not good, strop your razor before you lather. The point of wet shaving is to keep your wiskers and lather as moist as possible with out it running down your cheek. Dry lather is sticky. Also, you don't need to use the linen side on a newly honed blade, you can damage the edge. This is an "art" and it take practise, but you will improve as you gain confidence. Just take your time.

You have started to perform a lost art requiring great skill. Do you think perfection comes quickly and easily? If you had written saying you got a great shave now that would be something. Just keep at it with practice comes facility with manipulating the razor and thats the key. After awhile everything becomes second nature and you don't even think about. During the first month your shaves will be poor but will improve. It has nothing to do with your prep or equipment they seem fine just practice, practice, practice.

Originally Posted by Drago81

My questions:

1). What is a good angle to use and how do you know when you've got it.

Two spine widths away from the face, about 30 degrees

2). Will better stropping eliminate the pulling of the hair?

For the next shave perform 10-20 laps on the linen and 30-50 gentle laps on the leather.

3). Is there any particular type of rag that should be used to dry the razor or will a regular towel do?

I use tissue paper

4). Is the Proraso pre shave cream supposed to be rinsed off before applying the shaving cream?

No, lather over it

A bad stropping job can actually ruin your edge. You want to be very areful and keep as much of the blade on the strop as possible at all times to give stability to the edge. Keep it well perpendicular to the strop too or the stropping won't have the best effect.

As for wiping the blade, I use a small towel to wipe my razor, but it never touches the edge. That gets cleaned by the after shave stropping.

X

I too had a disappointing first shave. Don't get discouraged. They will get better. I am now about a month into it and have done about 1/2 dozen shaves and they are actually getting satisfying. Try going back to the strop as Randy suggested and then shave. You should notice a difference. Keep at it. You won't regret it.

My first shave wasn't too bad, but my second shave today didn't come off as easily as the first. I'm going to stick with the practice mantra that they are preaching here. It makes sense, you have to relearn your face, your whiskers, and angles. It's a lot to take in, so slowly I think and it will all fall into place.

Stick in there with me, and maybe we'll both have a different experience after a month.

It is an ongoing process. Even today I still get some not so great shaves certain days. Sometimes beard prep, sometimes the razor. I can have one that is doing well then one day it just won't shave. other times one that just never quite works well takes one more trip to the hone or the paddle and it shaves like a dream.

It takes time, just stick with it.

Tony

This is one thing that takes practice. It is not a mock3 that any yahoo can pick up and shave with. My first shave (by me that is) was not at all a pleasent experience. That is why I found this site. It has made all the difference for me.