Thread: Anatomy of a "Perfect" Shave - a Newbie point of view

I am posting this (probably long) in the hopes of getting feedback from some of the experts and hopefully, convey to some of my newbie colleagues some of what I have learned (or learning) in my str8 razor shaving journey (going on 2 weeks or so).

Here it goes.
As a newbie to str8 shaving, I researched this topic quite extensively for some time (a few months), trying to learn the theory behind all aspects of str8 shaving. From my POV, even though achieving a BBS shave with a str8 is the goal, there are several key players that are behind the screen, which can make the shaving experience Nirvana or pure hell. These (whether adopted early on in our shaving life or later) include, but are not limited to:

1. Technique
2. Honing
3. Stropping
4. Beard prep (cremes, brush, etc...)
5. Others that I can't think of right now

As newbies, we are often excited to embark on a new adventure, any new adventure...I know I was. I never thought of wet shaving until I was ready to buy a can of goo to put on my face to glide a 5 blade Gillette FUSION over and get a razor burn. Something in me said that there must be a better, more enjoyable way to shave...that's a whole other story for another post.

As newbies, we get so excited that we want to buy everything and anything along the way (at least there is a very strong urge...those who have it now or have had it at some point, you know who you are ). That is fine. if you got the $$, go for it and satisfy your urge. But, before doing anything, don't do anything.

For me, after having satisfied these urges (reasonably so without breaking the bank), I knew there was a steep learning curve and made a true assessment of what it is that I can realistically achieve and started charting a course and strategy on how to best master the learning (minimize the slope if possible) in the minimal amount of time. Just like designing a scientific experiment, I needed to do the following to be able to monitor my improvement in technique:

1. Establish a baseline control by which I can judge my progress
2. Minimize my variables of shave and
3. Stick to some basics

POINT #1:
Establish a base line control - For str8 shaving (or any wet shaving) to be a success, the primary ingredient you need is a "SHAVE READY" str8 razor...doesn't matter whether it's green, blue, big, small...it just needs to be "SHAVE READY". This is the key operating word. It doesn't mean that you buy a blade and take it to the hone or for that matter, to your face, right away. Shave Ready means that someone (preferably a HoneMeister) has given it his blessing (think of it as a religious passage...you are not entitled to determine this, only the high priest. YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED, yet).

POINT #2:
Minimize the # of variables - Let's face it, after we have purchased all the razors that our tax $$ can buy, the first thing we want to do is try every single one in rotation on various days. Keep in mind that every blade requires its own level of mastery (all you gotta do is search this forum and you will get the point from mentors, senior members and others who have been around the block a few more times than us)...Each will require its own specific handling technique to be effective.

DON'T BE TOO BOLD. I know it'll be hard (it was for me), but pick one razor and stick with it for the duration of the experiment (a few months, at least). Once blade will let you master the technique faster that rotating numerous blades at random.

Same principle applies to your creme, brush, and even pre- and post-shave preparation and techniques. Keep all these constant for a few months (if you can). This is important because you need to be able to score your improvement over time and if you have too many variables in the experiment and your shave suffers (or improves for that matter), you will not know if it's due to technique or material.


POINT #3:
Stick to the basics - Trust the masters...they have been around the block more than we have. Don't take that str8 to the hone without having some understanding of what it is that you are doing...Get an eBay razor to practice on. This is what I am doing to see what the heck a bevel looks like, what is the effect of taping the spine, what about stone grits etc...


The ultimate, elusive BBS shave will only come when we have mastered all these techniques (some sooner than others), like Lynn, Don and many others on this forum. We (the newbies), who are about to shave, salute you.

Happy shaving,
-Robert