Thread: straight shaved for 1st time and I want to cry- help!

Just to relate with what the others have already said. I just got a Dovo Special from SRD. My first shave with it was fantastic.But....at the end of the shave I was closing the blade and my fingers fumbled and (gasp of embarassment) I dropped it.It was closed but when it made contact it opened a little. I inspected it and saw no damage.Two days later I shaved with it and hacked my face to shredded wheat. I thought For sure I had messed that blade up and was depressed. So today I did all my stropping lathering etc. and took my time..lo and behold,the blade was fine and the shave went great. Thank god and at the same time realising my technique mistakes. I was told by one of the other more experienced members here that there will be ups and downs and they were right. I also remembered one of the other members having a qoute on their post which was somthing about a barber's advice on holding the blade to avoid nicks. Sorry guys ,I got bad memory sometimes on names. But the point I'm trying to make is this......Once I settled down on my grip and let the blade do it's work,I was fine. Don't get frustrated stick with it and have fun ,get to know your face and dont be afraid to experiment with different strokes.Every face is different I have learned,what's good for one may not be for the other...there will be ups and downs,that's okay. That's what makes shaving with straight steel so cool. It's an art that builds pride as opposed to the one night stand satisfaction of shaving with those modern implements of facial mowing. We all go through it as I have learned and it only gets better as I have been told and read so many times. Have a good shave m8te ! Hope my two cents was of worth,

Hello, Nightblade:

You will have good days and bad days. Stay with it. The straight razor is sassy, with a mind of its own, so never take your eyes off of it.

Regards,
Obie

Indeed...you are so right sir. The steel is a sassy mistress...but oh so alluring !

Originally Posted by Rugesters

I was sooo excited... bought a razor, had Lynn sharpen it, bought a good shave soap, a good brush, read up on how to do it and it was horrible. I had zero blood but my face is a spotty with hair. I felt like the razor wasnt sharp enough. It sounded like sand paper and it was dragging so hard on my whiskers. My impression was that it would glide right through my hair like it wasnt even there. I tried every angle possible. I pushed harder and then hardly pushed at all but every pass left the hair standing on my face. Does anyone have some advice? Maybe I just was being to careful and not working through that "drag" on my whiskers, I dont know.

-This is my razor before it was polished and before it was honed.

I have been straight shaving since Easter weekend and what I noticed is that as time went by I began to notice things I never noticed before and made adjustments. At first I had too many things on my mind to get a good shave. Things work out over time. What you are struggling with can't be taught. It has to be learned.

I also think it takes more experience than I have to evaluate a honing job. It sounds like from the tone of Lynn's post he's been down this road many times with beginners wondering what's wrong and wants to be supportive in any way he can.

Folks like you are the ones that have the desire to master straight shaving and prevail.

Everytime I shave now,it gets better and better. I'm starting to get the feel of the grip.Firm but letting the blade take control. I don't try to force the blade to do my bidding anymore. It really works. Funny thing is even where I have some stubble,it feels different than if I would have used a cartridge blade. I shaved last night and this morning I got some morning growth.But It still feels smooth if that makes sense and I can go the rest of the day and still look good. A straight shave definantly has better staying power than modern shaves from modern gear. I'm hooked for life. Now I gotta start learning some honing skills. Good luck cause it really does get better and better !!

I had a terrible first shave. My strop has not come yet but everyone here says 'don't do anything but rinse it for a while' Well, I guess that perhaps a stropping wouldn't hurt. LOTS of pulling on the whiskers.

Reading all the above has given me encouragement though. I mean, after all, I'll heal right?

Ok guys, If you have been following my story I am letting you know I got my razor back from Lynn and I am ready to try my 2nd shave ever. Feeling alot better about it this time. Quick question, does it matter how long your whiskers are when you use the straight razor? I have about 2 weeks of growth and I want to use the straight on it. Do I need to trim it down with my beard trimmer first or can I do it with decent scruff? Thanks!

When my whiskers are on the long side, I reduce the length of the beard close to skin level before starting to what would be more accurately be termed shaving. I do this by laying the blade flat, or almost flat on my skin while shaving the area. The blade is cutting the whiskers at an exaggerated diagonal angle. So, no matter how sharp the edge, there will be some resistance while you push the blade thru the whiskers.

After reducing the length of the whiskers like this, I relather and shave in a more conventional way and angle.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

No pushing . . . ever.

When you really understand the above advice your shaves will improve by leaps and by bounds.

Given the fact that you are only into your second shave, I would use your electric beard trimmer to reduce your beard before shaving the remainder of your beard with your freshly honed straight razor.

As your technique improves, you will want to skip the beard trimmer and follow LarryAndro's advice.

Just my 2 cents of advice.