Thread: First straightrazor shave

Congrats! The first step is often the hardest.

I was apprehensive too when I first used a straight.

Once you feel more confident, my advice is to not use the DE at all. Your shaves will start off being quite bad, but they'll improve quickly to the point where they're at least presentable. If you continue to use a DE, it may take quite a bit more time to nail your straight technique.

thank you for the tip

Originally Posted by straightrazor

Hi guys i did my first straightrazor shave today. I must edmit i was a bit nervous and shaky on the hand. But i still went all right, i just shaved my right cheek with the straightrazor and then the rest with a safteyrazor. Both cheeks goot the same smotheness, that fell kind of good considering its the first shave. How was your first shaves?
/AR

After two months of cutthroat razor shaving following two years of shaving with a feather razor (don't go there), my advice is to concentrate on the mirror, not your face.

Look at your hands. Play the expert videos of the experienced guys shaving, then go into your bathroom, stare at your hand gripped on your razor via your mirror, and copy the videos. It's awkward at first, but it pays off. Learn to wrap your hands around the razor. Notice how the razor is unfolded 280 degrees, not 90 degrees (took me a while to notice this critical face).

Keep the palm of your shaving hand facing your face. This will make it much easier to keep the razor at the required 30 degree (odd) angle to achieve cutting and comfort.

One more wacky thing I haven't heard others mention. If you are right handed and are shaving the left side of your face, achieve proper hand posture by lifting your elbow very high, like a salute across the face.

When your flip the razor to shave backhand on the right of your face, push your elbow very far down, like planting a flag. Remember to keep the palm facing inward--to your face. Balance the razor carefully.

Keep your eyes on the mirror and take practice, non-contact strokes.

You can do it!

I remember my first attempt at a straight razor shave, it actually wasnt more than about 2 months ago. Boy oh boy! it looked like i was a war casualty, there was blood everywhere. I had started with a disposable blade straight razor. Needless to say, they are unforgiving! If you can shave with that you can shave with anything. Since acquiring a new razor from the classified, I was able to focus on technique, stropping lathering, and all the other finer aspects. Since then, i have had minor "weepers" and my face is slowly getting used to a blade being dragged across on a regular basis. I've achieved the BBS with WTG and XTG passes. I havent attempted ATG because i havent found much of a need. All i can pass for advice is choice words someone told me, "if you shave sounds like you're buttering toast then you have the right pressure. when stropping hold tight and strop light. I know this may not help much but it was an epiphony to me. Hope it helps.

thank you for more tips and more stories

My first shave was pretty good. My second shave was not bad. My third shave, I had razor burn so bad I couldn't wear a collared shirt or touch my jawline for three days. It was embarrassing to be in public. I looked like I had a horrible rash.

Shave five or six was when I first gouged my cheek. After that, things improved rapidly. Then the next scary situation was when I began teaching myself to shave with my non-dominant hand so I didn't have to lift and place my dominant one at awkward angles. That was just scary, but incredibly worth it. Being "shav-dextrous" has huge advantages.

Good luck, and here's to progress, however small.

Maxi

I am a comitted SR shaver. Two years ago I, with great trepidation, started, and nearly ended. Yes, blood. Is it worth it? I doubt you'd be here if you werent someone who will answer "yes" and perhaps for many reasons that you will undoubtedly find expressed very well on this forum. If nothing else, you will take a mundane chore and make it an act of deliberation. Welcome and best to you.

J

Congrats on your first shave, good stuff. Hopefully it just keeps getting better for ya as im sure it will.

I actually did my entire face on my first shave. Was it fast? No, not by a long shot. I simply started, and thought of my face as regions, trying to shave each before going on to the next. I've had some pretty good cuts and nicks, but time is your best teacher. If you skip a couple of days, study and take note of the direction of your beard growth, and use that information to get a closer shave.

Men before the introduction of multi-blade "wonder razors" weren't any smarter than we are, they had teachers who passed their experience along.

Thanks for your tale. I remember I had intended to do just one cheek like was recommended, but it went by so fast I wanted to do more. So I did the other cheek, then my lips, chin, neck, and all of as sudden I had completed my whole face and was hooked.