Thread: Fate brought me back

Hello every body, I joined this site in 2009, I read the what do's and not to do's got my razors and all the paraphernalia associated with them and started trying. After weeks of very little progress I gave up.

And today, doing a google search for something completely unrelated to shaving, let alone straight razor shaving I end up here again! So I found my razors and had another go.

I managed to shave with no irritation but it almost looks like if I hadn't shaved or hardly any way. And I shaved the customary three times, I haven't forgotten the technique. I guess the fact that few weeks ago started using a safety razor helped.

But today just as when I first started a few years ago, I see that after finish shaving with my SR I'll have to shave again since I perhaps shaved 40%, may be even 50% of the beard only.

Is this a common thing that beginners of SR find?

It looks like I have to shave with my SR and then again with something else.

And if that is the case what do people do? Shave at night with SR and in the morning with your other method?

May be that's what I'm going to do to begin with! The answer came with the question! I'm glad I ask.

In any case I would very much appreciate your comments!

All the best

Carlos

Good to see you give it another shot

It just takes time and practice to get closer and closer shaves. Make sure you are using a good quality of soap or cream and that your razor is properly honed and stropped up good and lightly stretch the skin during the shave and then keep at it, it will improve. Slowly but surely...

We knew you'd be back......

If you're only removing a little amount of stubble it is likely due to a few factors. First is beginner technique; you're probably rusty (not sure if you really mastered it the first time 'round) so your angles might have been off etc. Second, how sharp is your razor? Was it previously shave ready, or could it have dulled while not in use? Third, how's your stropping technique? If it's not up to par the blade can shave rough or not at all if the edge is rolled.

Sorry I can't be more specific, but there's so many variables that go into a great shave. After 3 passes you should be feeling no stubble whatsoever, requiring no further shaving for at least a day, so something is obviously wrong. Keep at it and see how it goes.

Ryan thank you for your comments. I think is me. My lack of technique. I know that the razor is in great shape because I actually managed to shave better that when I decided to give it all up for poor results. So after all, looking back last night effort was a pretty good one because although it was a poor result in terms of the actual shave I managed get a small improvement which is very encouraging.

I just need patience and perseverance.

The reason why I gave up last time is that when I took shaving with a safety razor I managed to make progress a lot quicker but it seems to for me at least the learning curve with a SR is a lot longer.

All the best

Carlos

I'm thinking your razors may need a honing to bring them back to shave readiness. It may not simply be poor technique.

I've been shaving exclusively with a straight since I got mine 6-8 weeks ago. It was slow going at first, but I haven't had the need to touch up with another razor. Follow the suggestions here: make sure your razor is properly honed and stropped, use good soap, and then just practice to improve your technique.


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Thank you very much for having read my question and I especially thank you for your generosity of spirit and having taking the time to advise me and share your knowledge with me.

You suggested I revised my pre shave and shaving cream preparation, but since I have been successfully shaving with a safety razor for a while I knew the problem couldn't be there (in fact let me tell you that my shaving cream looks so good every time that I often think of doing a youtube video on how to prepare the perfect shaving cream!).

Then you mention my stropping skills and to make sure that my razors were properly sharpen. So I looked for videos on stropping and pay more attention on what I could be doing wrong and sure enough I was over doing it probably making them less sharp every time so I already contacted Lynn to get his address to send him my SR's and get him to sharp them properly.

Mean while I logged on to ClassicShaving.com and got a new ready to shave SR which I got today.

I stropped it carefully and I shaved with it right away.

I am happy to inform you that although it was far form being a perfect closed shave it was by far the best shave I have done with a SR. I not even needed to finish it up with my safety razor. This is the first time I have a complete shave using only a SR and that is thanks to you all.

This has giving me a lot of confidence to carry on shaving with SR because for the fist time I can see the light a the end of the tunnel and now it can only get better.

Now, thanks to you, I know that I'm on the right track and that is only a matter of days before I manage the technique enough to start having the great results that shaving with SR's is all about.

I wanted to share this with you so that you know that your comments and desire to help were put to a good use.

Thank you very much

Carlos

So glad to hear that we were to help you through that. Good luck with the technique!

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and yet again we see that persistence pays off

I'm glad to see that in the back of your mind you really didn't give up str8t shaving and you had success the next time around. Good luck and continued success!