Thread: my shaving journey

this is the story of my 5th shave, happen just last night because I can't sleep during assignment and in the middle of depression, strangely enough, then I decide to do my 5th shave, it's a 2-3 days beard and mustache, a hard brush like hair.

I wrap my face with hot towel for some minute to see the effect with this beard (before I tried hot shower and 30 sec hot towel prep), strop my razor 20-30 lap(I'm still learning, I learn my mistakes by trying to strop it fast like they always shows in youtube lol, I nick several places in my strop, now I strop quite slow, and pay attention to my x pattern)

whip my cassel-massey sandalwood soap (I read negative stuff about them but it's the only soap I got and it's a give) then started to use the brush to deliver the lather to my face.

first pass I do the area with most hair first which is my mustache and chin (I cut myself there frequently, each in my previous straight shave, countless with mach3 and vector, numerous time even with electric shaver), I did WTG 2 pass there, it's a bit hard to maneuver, maybe my technique, but I find my razor is to long for my tiny face, the blade size 5/8 is perfect, I'm glade I choose her from the classified. What I learn in straight shaving at this time is confidence...at this time I didn't even have any cut, not at all, I still have the mark here 3 cut in the chin 1 in the cheek just because I doubt about the angle when I first started, now I don't really think about the angle and adjust them each time I shave different area in my face...back to the shave, I continue to have 2 pass WTG in sideburn and cheek, when the number of hair has significantly reduce, I then start to lather again, because the soap is now a bit dry (you know, it waits too long hahaha)

3rd pass, I tried to do XTG and ATG, depends on the contour of my face (it's tiny and some funny angle), when I finish I didn't satisfied, I lather again and does the 4th pass, now I didn't just wipe any area with the soap with my razor, infact what I did is to do surgical work with the tip of my razor (spike point really help), I use the tip of the razor to clean the mustache area, I no longer hold the scale but the shoulder of the blade, I close my distant with the mirror and start to work, when I satisfied (which is faster than I think, less than one minute and I have a very smooth feeling in that area), now the chin...it's hard, WTG is ok, ATG is difficult, wrinkles in the chin area, I need to stretch here and there, but again, the blade is too big and I'm not that good my hand, then I started to do small stroke again with the tip of my blade, stretch and small stroke with the tip, really help, there's blood but not a cut, it didn't hurt, it's quite common in my case, I have a funny skin, the follicle in that area, chin and jaws, is just like mountains, un noticeable but you just know it when shaving, this is the reason my I always have problem even using safety razor or electric shaver (yeah! electric shaver still bleed me, it's not a fancy braun or so, just a NOS panasonic, don't ask, I tried my uncles braun and it still cut).

now the biggest problem of all, some area in my neck actually near the adam apple, the problem is that the grain is differ each other, now I really got a cut, not a big one, most likely because it's quite shallow area (it's the throat anyway) I can't use the whole blade to work there, again the tip, and I really need to work with mirror here, I have problem with such angle and a mirror, the hand position is just funny, I cut 2 places there, blood here and there...and there is something I forgot, the lather is not there anymore, I just shave with cold water, because with lather I can't see if I've cut them or not...I love shaving gel, but they're just too expensive, so yeah, it's just a cold water but I have no worry, the skin is still moist from previous lather, after some minute I finished with 2 cut, 3 spot of bleeding and a very smooth shave, takes time and effort but definitely in this 5th shave I learn a lot, hope I can improve the technique with my hand in the future.

5th shave - use tip of the blade, don't rush.

update. this morning (it's morning in sydney) I check the shave, it's still smooth, I like the feeling, but the area where I cut myself isn't as clean as I thought there are several hair around 0.5mm I dunno if I miss them, but they just visible if I rub my palm in my nect XTG, I don't want to spend time with lathering, I use cold water and some massage (a bit painful because I have 2 cut there), the hair is hardened and now is visible, quickly I use the tip of my razor and cut them ATG with no effort. so now I guess :

5th shave - use the tip of the blade, confident, don't rush, don't hate cold water, and yeah I want a razor with shorter blade

When you say shorter blade, do you mean the length (heel to toe) or width (spine to edge)? If length then there are a few smaller razors out there like the Dubl Duck Dwarf. If width then definitely look for a 3/8" or 4/8" blade.

Regarding the small cuts you're getting, have you tried just doing WTG passes? If you're getting any cuts, weepers or irritation then try holding off on the XTG and ATG passes until you get comfortable with the angles and navigating your grain.

I think almost everyone here has the wild neck stubble that grows every direction, so don't sweat it.

Cheers, and happy shaving!

What I mean by shorter is the length not the width, I'm pretty convenient with 5/8 like I said earlier

well, I did 2x WTG, my problem mainly is the ATG and XTG, I hope I can work with this.

thanks for the suggestion, I'll certainly look at dubl duck dwarf, I've seen several travel straight razor, vintage one, offer a shorter in length, however not really in my budget for now, most of them around $120 unrestored condition on ebay, maybe wrong seller, but...shorter blade length, definitely my preference

Originally Posted by jankrix

What I mean by shorter is the length not the width, I'm pretty convenient with 5/8 like I said earlier

well, I did 2x WTG, my problem mainly is the ATG and XTG, I hope I can work with this.

thanks for the suggestion, I'll certainly look at dubl duck dwarf, I've seen several travel straight razor, vintage one, offer a shorter in length, however not really in my budget for now, most of them around $120 unrestored condition on ebay, maybe wrong seller, but...shorter blade length, definitely my preference

Since Dubl Ducks seem to fetch hefty prices, you also might want to look at getting a lesser-known brand and seeing if someone would shorten it and rescale it for you. If you can find one with chips or chunks taken out of the toe already then you should get it cheap and not have to worry about ruining a good razor.

You're doing fine. Relax and enjoy the ride!

I've read a few posts where some members reported that their first BBS shave came five or six months after they started using a Str8 razor. We all learn at our own pace. Be patient with yourself. With time, your technique will only improve.
Namaste,
Morty -_-

You are doing well. It will take a few more trial and error shaves to get the best shave in the neck region. Its part of the learning curve and technique usually plays into it.

Wiki SRP also provides excellent insight to shaving including the neck area.

Pabster

thanks guys, at this point, mach 3 and straight razor still on par, I mean they still cut me hahaha, however with the same amount of cut I get better shave with str8, just need to improve more and more, today the my skin is very dry, I believe I cut lot of thin layer, another warning for my hand, not too much pressure, while I believe the key is my technique with razor, I'm still curious with my lathering and prep, something is definitely wrong...now I can't wait 2 days more until I have enough beard and mustache and recovered skin hahaha

I hope this helps you a bit from my own personal experience.

Better Soaps and Creams help out alot along with good face preparation. Multiple passes 2-3 will serve you well to avoid cuts from too aggressive shaving passes.

If your razor isn't shaving through WTG with some ease, then sharpen up the straight more with stropping or a pasted strop if you have one.

Good Luck,

Pabster

Originally Posted by Pabster

I hope this helps you a bit from my own personal experience.

Better Soaps and Creams help out alot along with good face preparation. Multiple passes 2-3 will serve you well to avoid cuts from too aggressive shaving passes.

If your razor isn't shaving through WTG with some ease, then sharpen up the straight more with stropping or a pasted strop if you have one.

Good Luck,

Pabster

thanks pabster WTG only cause me problem in the chin where all the hair gather, not mentioning there's angles to work there, you're right about the sharpness, I just test my blade again because I'm curious, the first time I receive the blade, it's really sharp, but at today's test, HHT, it's not even passed, so I strop again with the rough side of my filly about 30 laps and 20 on the smooth side, now it's very sharp, HHT no problem, I guess it's also the problem with my hand consistency when stropping...after that I tried to make a little test on my sideburn and several area in my under cheek, it's undamaged and the hair have grown even it's less than a mm, it really shape well.

@commiecat, I run on a "mab" blade, auctioned on ebay by bob keyes/altima55, 5.5cm short 4/8 blade, really looking forward to get this I really enjoy doing detailed work on my neck hahaha

UPDATE:

Just receive my MAB today, and finished shaving several minutes ago...as I thought shorter blade really works funny angle at neck area? no problem, all done, and the razor that I purchase from Bob Keyes is simply sharp, I really shave with light pressure, not really cut all the hair like butter but indeed it almost no effort. That oblique point is simply beat spike for me, still offer same capability on detail work but less aggressive (I compare my firstblade, genco master cutler spike point with Old MAB oblique point), I don't have any nicks, some red dot because previous razor burn (yesterday I use my Mach 3 to shave, just to look all the motion where I can easily shave the neck area, and when it gives me a good observation, it also gives me irritation and razor burn as I just want to have quick shave and just use water w/o bread prep, my bad not Mach3 fault ), and also really clean shave, now I believe I'm moving forward