First 3 shaves...Finally!

Well gents, I made the plunge! Having used a DE given to me by RT for a few weeks (maybe just a couple weeks, actually. :o ). I decided I couldn't wait anymore, even though I haven't ordered my strop yet from Tony (rude of him to go on vacation, don't you think?). I stropped with a leather belt a Genco Red Cross that Ed honed up and sent to me (all hail ForestryProf!! :D ), took it into the bathroom.... I won't bore you with the details, but will try and make some general statements (and invite general advice).

1.) In his video, Lynn makes this look MUCH easier than it is. Thanks a lot, Lynn! Just kidding. For you newbies out there, Lynn does make it look effortless, but the video is indispensable.
2.) The first shave, I had trouble getting the razor to move. It didn't cut me, but I would place it somewhere with the intention of downward motion, and it would just stick there like my face was magnetized. I was afraid to force it, but when it did move it shaved pretty well. In retrospect, I thought I was using a too-steep angle even though it didn't look like it. I'm sure my newbie perception was way off and I was actually at 45deg vice 30. This proved right on the 2nd shave; I brought the spine closer than I thought I should and it worked like a charm.
- I think it's a tribute to ForestryProf's honing skills that I should have felt scraping, but the razor shaved instead. Further proof is that on the second shave, I did manage to cut myself just below the left sideburn, just by placing the blade on my face. I didn't even get a chance to move the blade, but I must have pushed on it.
3.) When I open the razor to 270deg and try to get the sideburn area (like Lynn does in his video), I have trouble seeing where the edge actually is, like the scales are in the way. Does anyone else have this problem, and a solution?

All in all, it was good. I didn't win any baby-butt smooth awards, and had some irritation, but I'm anxious to keep going and learn to use this as well as I've learned to use a DE.

Rick,

Congratulations. It will only get better. This time next month
you will be giving advise to newbies. :)


Terry

Congratulations Rick and welcome to the club! Glad the razor is working out for you. Now that I've got a 14 day rotation of razors, I guess I can afford to send out a loaner occasionally ;) . I guess I should have included a disclaimer of liability along with the blade; sorry you sliced yourself...I can only promise that it won't be your last :eek: .

Advice on seeing the blade when shaving your sideburns--try turning your head so that your ear is facing the mirror and looking out of the corner of your eye. Remember to take it slow and rest assured it does get easier with every passing shave.
Ed

Congrats Rick,
I only wish I would have discovered real shaving while I was in the Navy, although shaving on my small boy while doing 30 degree rolls would have made for a pretty nasty looky face!
-Fred

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Originally Posted by USNA92

3.) When I open the razor to 270deg and try to get the sideburn area (like Lynn does in his video), I have trouble seeing where the edge actually is, like the scales are in the way. Does anyone else have this problem, and a solution?

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I think that at some angles you end up shaving "blind" for a fraction of a second.

Also I would advise you not to start the movement with the edge on your skin. What I do is position the edge at the sideburn to make sure I am in the right spot. Then the movement starts with the edge ever so slightly off of the face, so when the edge makes contact it is in motion. This seems to prevent the blade from digging in.

Now if anyone out there knows this is wrong please correct me! I a relatively new to this also. But I do believe I did see this mentioned somewhere on this site.

Emil

One thing you can do is lay the razor on your face, spine first and adjust your position. Then place the edge on your face, elevate the spine without moving the edge and begin the shave. Raising the spine approximately two spine widths off the face results in the 30 degree angle you're after. Sometimes more or less angle is desireable.

ForestryProf is right on the money -- adjust your facial angle to the mirror and look our the corner of your eye. I haven't found anything that works better.

It's a great thing and so exciting to enter into that place of the first few shaves when you're encountering such neew challenges and puzzling out how it can go better next time, or where it's going well and you're not quite sure why and don't even care half the time, you just end up enjoying it so much. Keep at it and you'll get the latter more than the prior.

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Originally Posted by mmm_shavingcream

Also I would advise you not to start the movement with the edge on your skin. What I do is position the edge at the sideburn to make sure I am in the right spot. Then the movement starts with the edge ever so slightly off of the face, so when the edge makes contact it is in motion. This seems to prevent the blade from digging in.

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This is exactly what I find myself doing. Holding the blade still against my skin makes me squirm.

X

Congratulations for deciding to go with the best shaving instrument ever invented. I crack up when I see these ads for 3, 4, and even 5 blade razors. One is still the best, if it is honed and used properly. For sideburns, this is my procedure and I will warn you it can be very risky if you don't have a steady hand and a feel for your razor. I stand facing the mirror with my razor opened to 270 degrees (scales between 3rd and 4th fingers). Then I hold the razor at a 90 degree angle to my face and VERY GENTLY lay the blade at the base of the sideburn. Because you have the razor at a right angle to your face, you can sight down the edge to see where to begin the stroke. Then again, VERY GENTLY with zero pressure, lower to blade to the correct cutting angle and make your stroke. It's also easier to use this procedure if you shave with both hands instead of one (right hand on right side of face, left hand on left).

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Originally Posted by cudahogs

Congrats Rick,
I only wish I would have discovered real shaving while I was in the Navy, although shaving on my small boy while doing 30 degree rolls would have made for a pretty nasty looky face!
-Fred

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Yeah, but even the Boatswain's Mates would think you were tough, Fred! :cool: What were you in the Navy?

Ed,
don't worry; I don't hold you liable. :rolleyes: It was the weirdest feeling though, because I didn't actually slice. I put it there and it felt like I was trying to do the thumb test with my sideburn. I even wiped some shave cream away to see the damage, but didn't see blood until after I shaved that spot. No pain, just a nice, thin, red line and no evidence the next day.

Thanks to everyone else for the advice on the sideburn area. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.

After awhile you'll find those blind spots are so automatic that you don't have to see what your doing.

When I do my sideburn on my left side and can't actually see the razor I put my fingernail right at the bottom of my sideburn and the razor at my fingernail as a guide. Works every time. Just make sure the fingernail is where the blade is and not just bare skin on your finger or your earlobe.

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Yeah, but even the Boatswain's Mates would think you were tough, Fred! :cool: What were you in the Navy?

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I don't know about the BM's thinking I was tough, their berthing area was one place I didn't like walking through by myself. If it weren't for those guys, there probably wouldn't have been any fights on the ship.
I was a nuke EM. I was in from '91 to '97 and I left with the title of EM1(SW). Was a great experience, but wasn't anything I was going to make a career of.
Are you still in?
-Fred

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Originally Posted by USNA92

I put it there and it felt like I was trying to do the thumb test with my sideburn. I even wiped some shave cream away to see the damage, but didn't see blood until after I shaved that spot. No pain, just a nice, thin, red line and no evidence the next day.

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I had these stripes on the left side of my jaw line for weeks. Seemed like every shave I added a new one. Since I've stopped going against with my left hand I've been clear of them. It's a technique issue and you'll get it perfect in time.

X

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Originally Posted by cudahogs

I don't know about the BM's thinking I was tough, their berthing area was one place I didn't like walking through by myself. If it weren't for those guys, there probably wouldn't have been any fights on the ship.
I was a nuke EM. I was in from '91 to '97 and I left with the title of EM1(SW). Was a great experience, but wasn't anything I was going to make a career of.
Are you still in?
-Fred

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Fred,
I actually started on the nuke enlisted path. Went to boot camp a week after high school, to MM "A" school, then nuke power school (all in Orlando, no less! :) ), but by then I had applied to the Academy and got accepted to Naval Academy Prep School. I eventually ended up on a Spru-can as...you guessed it...1st LT. Despite the BM's antics and reputation, I loved being 1st LT. They may be crass, but they sure are entertaining! Later I became electrical officer.
Nonetheless, I did 5 years, got my SWO pin and left active duty. After a 3-year break, I did 4 years active reserve and now I'm inactive reserve trying to get my correspondence courses done. It blows my mind that I have been affiliated with the Navy in some form or another since mid-1986; almost 20 years! Only 13 count towards retirement so far, but I might as well finish it off.

All,
Excellent advice on the no-sight-zone! :D I've even considered opening the razor to only 100deg (let the scales point down) just for the sideburn areas. I'll have to see which of your ideas works for me. I think I may end up using a combination.

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Only 13 count towards retirement so far, but I might as well finish it off.

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I agree. I think if I were over half way and not a nuke, I may have stayed in. I was on the Bainbridge (the 2nd one in the US Navy) for 3.5 years and on the Eisenhower (CVN-69 and, ironically, the first combatant with women) for about 9 months before I was discharged.
-Fred