Shave 3...awesome

So, I did shave #3 today. Went pretty good until I opened up a gash from shave #1. All in all, it is probably the closest shave I have ever had! I did get some razor burn and from reading through the threads, I am either applying to much pressure or my angle is a little off. It could be both. I am kind of a go getter and did my whole face (neck and all) with both hands (switching to non-dominant hand). So far this is not going so bad at all. The only real issue I have right now is that my lather dries out on me about 3/4 of the way through. I am seriously thinking about getting a new razor from the straight razor design store just to fell what a razor feels like after a professional honing. Any way, thanks to everyone who posts so I have stuff to read on what I am doing right and wrong.

J

Looks like you have good start. It's good that you use 2 hands while shaving!
If your lather dries quickly try to apply lather on one side of the face, shave and than apply on other side, it may help.

You should add a little more water to your lather. What are you shaving with?

I too had the dry lather when I started. For me my water was to hot and I was essentially cooking my lather. That and i moved at a snails pace for those first few weeks.

When you get your lather to where you have been using it, add a few more drops and whip a bit more. Then add more again the next time if it is still dry.

try and find out at what point your soap is to wet

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Originally Posted by Nuntits

You should add a little more water to your lather. What are you shaving with?

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I have a tub of lavender shaving cream I got from "the art of shaving" at the local mall. It is the only store I have found local that carries anything straight razor related. It is a pretty awesome store, just really overpriced.

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Originally Posted by dyimages

I too had the dry lather when I started. For me my water was to hot and I was essentially cooking my lather. That and i moved at a snails pace for those first few weeks.

When you get your lather to where you have been using it, add a few more drops and whip a bit more. Then add more again the next time if it is still dry.

try and find out at what point your soap is to wet

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I have been putting it directly on my face, then lathering it up with my brush. I havent decided yet on a shaving mug or a scuttle.

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Originally Posted by mahaney

I have a tub of lavender shaving cream I got from "the art of shaving" at the local mall. It is the only store I have found local that carries anything straight razor related. It is a pretty awesome store, just really overpriced.

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I went there this last weekend. In the same mall, upstairs is the Plaza Cutlery, with some more straight razor related stuff. Not only that, the guy who works there, really knows his stuff. Dan, was his name, if i'm not mistaken. Although the people at AoS are nice, they just aren't as informed as they could be.

and the prices are better* edit.

Aos prices are nutz..i would never shop there. It seems like ur doing fine with ur shaves..they only get better too :) try some proraso soap!

OK So I'm on shave 5 or 6, I cant keep track. I manged to nick my ear...how the hell did I do that? I didnt feel it until I got to work. Also, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, but do mange to nick myself somewhere (usually in the corner of my mouth on the right side) every shave. Nothing to serious, but it happens. Razor burn is not so bad any more. I think it was to much pressure on the razor to start with. I added a little more water to the later this morning and didnt notice it being dried into concrete, so thanks to everyone for that nugget of truth. Has anyone noticed a huge differance in shaves between a new professionaly honed razor and a fresh from the store and self sharpened razor? I dont want to drop the money, but I keep wandering just how much better it could be....

J

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Originally Posted by mahaney

Has anyone noticed a huge differance in shaves between a new professionaly honed razor and a fresh from the store and self sharpened razor? I dont want to drop the money, but I keep wandering just how much better it could be....

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What do you mean when you say fresh razor from store? If you understand factory honing I guess razor will be not shave ready, I have heard that sometimes Thiers sell shave ready razor, but for example my TI Silverwing Limited edition razor was not shave ready, that's why I don't believe that they sell shave ready serial razors.

Self sharpened razor always good, you can touch up it sometimes when it became dull, but it's not easy and quite expensive for the first time. For my opinion there is reason to by stones if you have more than 2 razors in rotation, otherwise it's cheaper to send them to hone to somebody. I believe that after 5-10 times you will know your razor better than any professional hone-master and will be able to make it really shave ready, but before that you can make any damage to your razor.

Professionally sharpened razor the best option for the new user, but as I had mentioned hone-master hone hundreds razor every months (I think), he do his job well, make razor shave ready, but if you will hone only one (2-3) razors constantly you will know them better (also you know how it's shaves and e.t.c.) and will be able to make such edge which any hone-master can do.

After a year of SR shaving and maybe 6 months of honing I can say that I can hone one of my 5 razors better than local hone-master. But I still can't make sheave ready other 4 razors...

Mahaney, Grats on the improvement. I'd gladly volunteer to do your edges, but when new, with nothing to compare them to - you have no way to know if its really as good as it needs to be. Having a pro hone a blade answers that question. I did that also about 19 mo. back. It gave me a known good edge against which to measure my honing results. 326 honed blades later, I love my edges and most others seem to as well. Give it a try - see if it makes that much difference for you. If you'd like a hand w/ this or future edges, I'll do for just postage costs.

Its true that the new shaver needs really good edges to be able to learn the shave well. For that reason, I would not recommend diving into honing for another 5-6 mo. Most people, including myself, ignored the counsel to learn the shave before learning to hone. I regret that. It held my shaving skills back.

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Originally Posted by pinklather

Mahaney, Grats on the improvement. I'd gladly volunteer to do your edges, but when new, with nothing to compare them to - you have no way to know if its really as good as it needs to be. Having a pro hone a blade answers that question. I did that also about 19 mo. back. It gave me a known good edge against which to measure my honing results. 326 honed blades later, I love my edges and most others seem to as well. Give it a try - see if it makes that much difference for you. If you'd like a hand w/ this or future edges, I'll do for just postage costs.

Its true that the new shaver needs really good edges to be able to learn the shave well. For that reason, I would not recommend diving into honing for another 5-6 mo. Most people, including myself, ignored the counsel to learn the shave before learning to hone. I regret that. It held my shaving skills back.

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Thanks for the offer! I might have to take you up on it. I have already tried honing it, I can tell a pretty good difference in it. I am using a japanese water stone- 2 sided 5k and 10k I believe. I'm not new at sharpening stuff, just never a straight razor before.

J

Looks like you have good start, it still going better every time you shave. somtimes you think holy crap wat a terrible shave but thats are the pointers that you going to fast of lack of concentration

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Originally Posted by mahaney

Thanks for the offer! I might have to take you up on it. I have already tried honing it, I can tell a pretty good difference in it. I am using a japanese water stone- 2 sided 5k and 10k I believe. I'm not new at sharpening stuff, just never a straight razor before.

J

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Welcome!

Please take pinklater (Robert) up on his offer! I was a meat cutter for several years and I 'Sharpened' my own knives/and still do/ on a Norton Tri Stone Oil Stone. Please believe me when I say: 'Sharpening' a Knife or any other tool is completely different from 'honing' a razor! YOU ARE TALKING BLACK VERSUS WHITE!

Please use his offer so that you will have a 'base' to go off of! While he and I live many miles apart, we've exchanged razors for comparisons including honing results! Robert takes a lot of pride in his work! You will not be disappointed!!!

I still need to get around to sending mine in. Anyone know SRD's turnaround time? I'm sending two, and don't wanna wait long lol