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

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.

How many passes did you do and in which direction?

I say this with caution but off the bat it sounds like your angle might be a bit shallow. The razor will eventually cut through the whiskers with ease - of course it takes practice.

Shave prep, stretching and understanding your facial hair growth patterns are just as important.

I started off by going WTG and got frustrated because it didnt seem to do anything so I jumped right to ATG and that didnt seem to help.

By "a bit shallow" do you mean the blade was to flat against my face? I tried 30 or less and it did seem that maybe I was at about 5. Then again I tried higher to so I dont know. I then practiced on my thigh and took a perfect patch of hair off. Perfectly smooth so I dont know if maybe I was to "soft" on my face.

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Originally Posted by Rugesters

I started off by going WTG and got frustrated because it didnt seem to do anything so I jumped right to ATG and that didnt seem to help.

By "a bit shallow" do you mean the blade was to flat against my face? I tried 30 or less and it did seem that maybe I was at about 5. Then again I tried higher to so I dont know. I then practiced on my thigh and took a perfect patch of hair off. Perfectly smooth so I dont know if maybe I was to "soft" on my face.

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+1 on the previous advice. Your blade angle is too shallow imho.

You also need to keep in mind that shaving with a straight razor is a lot like shaving with a de razor. The goal is not a smooth shave on the very first pass, but beard reduction. That is why straight razor shavers describe WTG, XTG and ATG.

With the proper beard prep and blade angle, you should be able to get a decent shave with one WTG and one XTG. Save the ATG for real problem areas of your face, such as your neck.

No pushing . . . ever.

What did you do to prep your beard? Shower, hot towel, anything like that?

Hello, Rugesters:

Sometimes the harder you push the worse it gets. In such circumstances, I would advice stepping back and thoroughly evaluating what you're doing. The other gentlemen have alluded to this point already.

Skin stretching, razor angle, blade pressure and and beard growth direction are important elements to evaluate. So is the ideal preparation. What's more, most gentlemen shave in three passes. I say most, because some can accomplish the task in one pass and some need even four, plus some touching up.

Eventually you will figure out what works best for you. That takes time, practice, patience and tenacity. In your case, under the circumstances, what is important now is to step back and relax. Then proceed methodically. You'll get there. Give it time.

Regards,
Obie

I actually enjoyed shaving with this one. Wadsworth razors are really decent shavers. Technique is the biggest problem for new guys. Send it back to me if you'd like and I'll shave with it again and then re-hone it for you on me and see if it makes a difference.

Have fun,

Lynn

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

No pushing . . . ever.

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The above is good advice.

If you have to "force" the blade to do anything... you're going to end up cut.

Ask me how I know this.:gaah: I had some trouble removing the hair on the underside of the tip of my chin a couple weeks back... I have some scar tissue there from childhood... always made shaving there fun. I pushed the blade through a "snag" once and removed a bit of the scar tissue along with the hair... learned my lesson about forcing the blade.

I believe it's Jimmy's signature that suggests letting the weight of the blade do the work... I've tried to take this to heart and have gone cut free since. A minor nick or two as I've learned to use my left hand, but nothing I've needed woundcare for.

tl;dr version: Straight razor shaving takes a lot more technique than regular shaving, so don't be too discouraged if your first shave is sub optimal. You will only improve with time.

Tons of great advice here. As was said, if your razor was honed by Lynn, chances are it isn't the problem.

I'd like to quicly share my experience, as I've only recently learned to shave with a straight. I started off with a razor honed by Lynn. Probably one of the smartest (or luckiest) things I did. Then I simply focused on the fundamentals I read about in the wiki.

Good stropping makes a huge difference in the quality of the shave. Read about it, watch the videos, practice with a butter knife, do what ever you can to improve your stropping technique because it makes all the difference in the world.

Over do your beard prep. There are some who don't do any, some who do enough, but as a newb, knowing beard prep is a very important aspect that is often overlooked by beginners, I prepped about double the time I felt was appropriate. Here is my standard prep: In the shower I shampoo my beard growth, then whip up some lather and go at it with a badger brush for 5 minutes or so. Then I apply conditioner and let that sit while I do the rest of my shower. The last thing I do before getting out of the shower is rinse the conditioner out. I then dry off, and build up a new lather and apply it asap so my growth stays as wet as possible.

When actually shaving, I focused on 3 things; Keeping the skin tight, the angle right, and the touch light. In the beginning, I had to constantly remind myself of all 3, and would often let one slip. I progressed with each shave though, finding ways to do each one of those fundamentals better. Taking the attitude that, "I'm probably not doing this the best way," kept my technique improving even after I was achieving good shaves.

After 6 weeks of shaving, I'm still finding ways to improve on those 3. With each improvement of technique comes closer and more comfortable shaves.

Anyway, that ended up being a lot longer post than I planned. Just remember that you are new to straights, so don't expect too much out of yourself too soon.

Hang in there, it's going to click before too long.

Here's my advice.

1. Take lynn up on his offer... send it back, let him give it a once over.
2. Once you get the razor back, don't do anything to it except for a rinse with water before you try your next shave.
3. Follow the advice for beard prep
4. Take Lynn's advice for beginners and only shave the easy spots for the first few shaves (below the sideburns & cheeks).
5. Use small, confident strokes at a good angle (15-20 degrees should work fine)
6. All the while, you should use no more pressure than it would take you to wipe lather off of your cheek with your index finger

All the best,
Keep us posted....

Dave

If you watch Lynn's DVD his WTG pass is way steep, probably >60 degrees by my guess. So I'm guessing that years of shaving have led him to certain habits that deviate from recommendations. So I tried it, and it does do a better job in my estimation. A few XTG and then a ATG and yer BBS. Still worikng on the neck/jowls, haven't found the right pass/stretch to go all straight. good luck

Joe

All of the above is good advice so I will not add anything there.

I will say that it was your first shave so relax. My first shave (about three months ago) was very similar! I was very discouraged but I kept at it. In fact, I can honestly say that I have only really gotten the hang of shaving within the last few weeks.

My advice is do not get discouraged. Take it slow, read the forum, ask questions and remember that this is a skill that takes time to develop.

Good luck!

Quote:

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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.

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Don't worry...First shaves usually are. You and your skin have to get used to the new razor and technique. Stick with it...If Lynn sharpened it, you can bet that it was shave ready and sharp (no doubt). It's most probably your technique, which WILL improve with time.

Hang in there...give your skin some breaks in between shaves. Follow the great advices above.

Rugesters,

You've already received some fantastic advice. My advice is to relax, be patient, and don't expect perfection at first. I've been straight shaving since May 1st and have found that I learn something almost every time I shave. There are as many variables to a good shave as there are types of facial hair growth. I'm 50 years old and thought I understood the patterns of hair growth on my face, but straight shaving taught me that I didn't know it as well as I originally thought. Slowly you'll begin to learn your face, become more adept with your beard prep and stropping and your shaves will improve. As others have mentioned, angle is crucial.

Remember, at this point in time it's about becoming comfortable with the process, not the end result. That will come in time. I've found that relaxation while shaving is essential. Whenever I become anxious about results, I tend to tighten my grip - trust me, nothing good comes from a tight grip with straight shaving. As Obie taught me, pretend the razor is a bird. Hold it tight enough so it doesn't escape, but loose enough so you don't harm it. As others have said don't EVER push (or hold the blade to the skin until you're ready to make a stroke).

Don't hesitate to ask for advice. There are some fantastic people on SRP who are always willing to help. I don't know what I would have done without the help of Obie, Lynn, and others.

Good Luck!

I don't think we can say that there will never be any pulling sensation with straight razors. I have received straight razors honed by two of the top honemeisters on SRP, and in fact both have responded on this thread. And, for both razors, even using good technique, they pulled to some degree with the initial WTG pass. Using the best technique, with the best edges possible, they don't always "slice like butter." (For most of my face, they did slice like butter. But, the toughest areas... not quite.)

Someone posted a link here several months ago to an old barbers manual that for the first WTG pass, the blade should be laid flat on the skin. I read it twice! While I still don't lay the blade flat on the skin, I do use a very shallow angle with my initial WTG pass, similar to what the barbers manual said. And, with that angle I am slicing thru whiskers at an exaggerated diagonal angle, which means that there might be a little more pulling than otherwise.

After that pass, I repeat the WTG pass at a 30 degree angle. At that point, and thereafter, there is very little pulling, etc, etc.

I'm a noob and I can relate, my first shave was five days ago and it was almost identical to yours. It was not smooth it pulled and it burned, when I was done my buddy looked at me and asked, "so how was it?" I had to lie and tell him it wasn't bad. The next day I went at it again this time I wasn't afraid of being cut, so I relaxed a little more and the shave was a little better it still burned and I missed some hair but it was better. The third day I went at it with even more confidence thus making me even more relaxed and the shave was even better, no pulling, no burning, just missed a little hair. The fourth day I was really looking forward to the shave, it was just as good as the third day but this time I went back and tried different angles to clean up the missed hairs. This leads me to my last shave so far the best, I was so confident in my skills I shaved using both hands, and it was great, not BBS by any means but every shave is getting better.

I cannot give a lot of advice being a noob, but the advice I will give is:
-Try not to get discouraged, it will get better with practice
-Try not to fear the blade, cuts don't hurt and the more you relax the better the shave
-Don't worry about the sandpaper sound, I hear the same thing when I shave and if you listen when Lynn shaves on his video you'll hear the same thing, he's been shaving longer than I've existed so I have to assume if it happens to him it's normal.

VR
Adam

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Originally Posted by EODBombBoy

I'm a noob and I can relate, my first shave was five days ago and it was almost identical to yours. It was not smooth it pulled and it burned, when I was done my buddy looked at me and asked, "so how was it?" I had to lie and tell him it wasn't bad. The next day I went at it again this time I wasn't afraid of being cut, so I relaxed a little more and the shave was a little better it still burned and I missed some hair but it was better. The third day I went at it with even more confidence thus making me even more relaxed and the shave was even better, no pulling, no burning, just missed a little hair. The fourth day I was really looking forward to the shave, it was just as good as the third day but this time I went back and tried different angles to clean up the missed hairs. This leads me to my last shave so far the best, I was so confident in my skills I shaved using both hands, and it was great, not BBS by any means but every shave is getting better.

I cannot give a lot of advice being a noob, but the advice I will give is:
-Try not to get discouraged, it will get better with practice
-Try not to fear the blade, cuts don't hurt and the more you relax the better the shave
-Don't worry about the sandpaper sound, I hear the same thing when I shave and if you listen when Lynn shaves on his video you'll hear the same thing, he's been shaving longer than I've existed so I have to assume if it happens to him it's normal.

VR
Adam

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That's the way to approach it...step by step. Each day, it gets easier with more confidence. it literally is like riding a bike. The first time, it's scary and you fall...by end of week, you are in the "le tour de France":)

Thanks for sharing Adam :rock:

Cheers,
Robert

++1 on Robert's advice and encouragement. Rome wasn't built in a day and the same is true when it comes to achieving a close, comfortable shave with a straight razor. It requires patience as well as confidence and some skills that you are acquiring as you continue your journey into the world of straight razor shaving.

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Originally Posted by LarryAndro

I don't think we can say that there will never be any pulling sensation with straight razors. I have received straight razors honed by two of the top honemeisters on SRP, and in fact both have responded on this thread. And, for both razors, even using good technique, they pulled to some degree with the initial WTG pass. Using the best technique, with the best edges possible, they don't always "slice like butter." (For most of my face, they did slice like butter. But, the toughest areas... not quite.)

Someone posted a link here several months ago to an old barbers manual that for the first WTG pass, the blade should be laid flat on the skin. I read it twice! While I still don't lay the blade flat on the skin, I do use a very shallow angle with my initial WTG pass, similar to what the barbers manual said. And, with that angle I am slicing thru whiskers at an exaggerated diagonal angle, which means that there might be a little more pulling than otherwise.

After that pass, I repeat the WTG pass at a 30 degree angle. At that point, and thereafter, there is very little pulling, etc, etc.

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Agreed. Unless you're a lightly bearded gentleman there will be some form of resistance while shaving. This even happens with DE's (depending on the blade of course).

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, :tu

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 ! :)

Quote:

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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.

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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 !!:nj

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.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AFDavis11

No pushing . . . ever.

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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.

Length does not matter in my opinion. In fact I recently shaved off my half length beard and found the straight to easily and cleanly go through it all with no problem.Much more efficient than any clipper .;) Chalk one more point up for straight razors !!

Let us know the disposition of your second shave once you get it done. Pressure, or lack thereof, is a big factor. I was told once to imagine that the razor is a feather and you're trying to tickle your face with it...that's the amount of pressure you should use. When I started, I did the same thing and my face was on fire for hours!

Alright... I have shaved a second and a third time.
I can't express to you guys how much of a better shave the 2nd and 3rd times were than the first.
I wish I knew exactly what the difference was unless it was just plain ol experience.
Although the first time I shaved I didnt do much for beard prep. The next time I took a hot shower and put conditioner on my beard for a couple minutes and then a hot towel.
That might have been the difference because my hair just melted off my face when I put the razor to it.
Thank you guys so much for the help. I look forward to my next shaves where I can already see that each shave I get better. Next thing for me is to learn how to strop!

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Originally Posted by Rugesters

Alright... I have shaved a second and a third time.
I can't express to you guys how much of a better shave the 2nd and 3rd times were than the first.
I wish I knew exactly what the difference was unless it was just plain ol experience.
Although the first time I shaved I didnt do much for beard prep. The next time I took a hot shower and put conditioner on my beard for a couple minutes and then a hot towel.
That might have been the difference because my hair just melted off my face when I put the razor to it.
Thank you guys so much for the help. I look forward to my next shaves where I can already see that each shave I get better. Next thing for me is to learn how to strop!

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Congrats on your successful shaves! :)
With experience comes improved technique, and better, more comfortable shaves. Its not something you can get by reading the wiki (although that does help).