If you can must the pain tolerance and tenacity that TC has then you’ll be fine. You just have to work that rehab physio with no knowledge of the word quit, amd grit your teeth and walk off that sore knee. TC is quite the guy.
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Something told me not to shave yesterday...
I had my straight razor shave just the day before. This was still just my 20th or so shave with a straight and I didn't want to make it a drudgery. I wanted it to be special. I didn't want to resent all the prep. time. It would have been better to use my safety razor yesterday, then wait a few days and look forward to my straight razor shave.
Shower, hot water soak brush in scuttle, wash face, pre shave, dip brush in Taylor of Old Bond St. Sandalwood, transfer to scuttle and create lather, apply brush/lather to face, grab my Ralf Aust 5/8 round point, right side by ear with downward strokes, rinse blade under faucet, more strokes on right side and neck, rinse blade again under faucet and....
BAM!
Suddenly there is a rush of blood on the back of my right hand!!!
My eyes bug out in disbelief as I reach for my styptic pencil to stop the bleeding. It doesn't help. I find a white towel and wrap it around the hand with pressure, trying to stop or minimize the bleeding
What about my career as a performing classical guitarist? Will I be able to play? Are my tendons and ligaments damaged so that my fine motor movements are compromised?
I find a t shirt and navigate my right arm, with towel covering the hand, into the sleeve. The rest is easy.
The Fire Station is very close. I'll drive myself there. Those heroic guys are also paramedics.
I knock on the entry door with my left hand. The Fireman hears my story and wants to treat me inside the ambulance and not the fire station because of Covid-19. A minute later I'm in an ambulance with five fireman around me. Blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, and questions.
What happened?
I'm visualizing the shaving event in slow motion.
I must have lost concentration for a moment. I think I dinged the blade on the faucet. I probably held it loosely. It was open in the shaving position at about ninety degrees. With the force of my movement the blade hit the faucet and flipped over and a bit sideways. It then penetrated the back of my hand. Blood spewed forthwith.
The fireman put a base layer of bandage over the wound. Then he wrapped black gauze tape around the bandaid. That restricted my mobility.
Do you want to take the ambulance?
Could I drive myself or have a friend drive?
It's your choice
Let me drive home and eat. Then I'll call with a decision.
After lunch I decided to drive myself to the emergency room.
When I saw the Dr. she called it a laceration and put glue tape around it and a bandage over the tape. (See photo)
She said it may take ten days to heal...
What is my future with straight razor shaving? Do I quit now and go back to my Merkur 38c Barber Pole DE safety razor? Should I never rinse the blade under a faucet? (correct, don't rinse under a faucet) I read somewhere to use a damp sponge instead to remove the foam. Then rinse the sponge, not the blade.
Gentlemen, thanks for reading my story. Please share any ideas on how to shave more safely.
Best,
July10newbie
Well, I’ve cut my hand quite badly while doing other activities. I just try to learn and be safer. I say let it heal, and do what you think is right for you. Personally I never let a little blood and stitches keep me from doing things that I enjoy. It was a good reminder to always focus with any sharp tool.
Yea, it's a lesson in not letting your concentration slip while shaving with a straight razor. Take your time, let the cut heal and then get back on the horse that threw you.
Bob
My wife cut her ankle very badly when our screen door slammed on her as she was carrying some plants into the house. She had her hands full and wasn’t thinking about controlling the door as it closed and it bit her. It’s taken a couple of weeks for it to heal - fortunately no stitches required.
As Rez said, pay attention to what is happening around you. Even things that don’t seem sharp or dangerous can get you if you aren’t careful. Shave ready razors are VERY SHARP!
Your a classical guitarist so I know you didn't give up on it when it got tough.
Give your hand a few days to settle down then get that straight out and have a real mans shave.
You will be glad that you didn't give up and I seriously doubt you will make that one mistake again, probably a few different ones but if it were too easy everyone would have a straight.
I always rinse my blade under running water but I do it slowly and deliberately.
Actually when I first started with a straight with about 9 shaves under my belt I made a YouTube vid of me shaving to show the guys here and get some advice.
I was cleaning off my razor with a face cloth and was advised to run it under the tap carefully instead.
I must admit that on the rare occasion that I have used a washcloth I've cut it.
Your forgiven Roy, and I guess it is a cut of the day. 11 days later and it already looks much better, I have a ice machine thingy, I ice at least 10 times a day after any P T. Swelling has been quite manageable and I quit taking the pain meds on Saturday. Been a little over 7 weeks since the first and 11 days with this one, I can walk around my block a couple times a day, the first would keep going so I’m looking forward to next week or 2. Last follow up doc appointment this Thursday, looking to impress him. He don’t understand the joke but I tell him every time,”I got to show up Shaun”
And I encourage you!
I've put this post here because it feels like it fits.
I've just shaved, and very nice it was too although I'm still shaking a bit.
I was happily shaving away, like you do when I dropped my razor!
I was wearing shorts but had bare feet. I leapt back and grabbed for it before it broke on the floor or cut a toe off.
I cannot believe my luck, I caught my razor by the scales, what are the odds eh?
I'm going to have to retrain my instincts I reckon, next time I drop it I might catch it by the sharp end!
I really don't want to sound like a tool, but PAT ATTENTION,!
It's a razor, I personally have used a double if my mind is fuzzy, or my hand is a little shaky (I'm 66 and have those days once in awhile). But for your own safety assess yourself before picking up the straight. We've all had those days where a safety razor is the better part of valor...hope you heal quickly.
Nasty gash, but it looks clean. Hope the healing goes well.
Personally, and I’m not sure if I’m in a small club, but I always put the drain plug in and fill the sink with hot, hot water before every shave and leave it full for the duration.
Great for presoaking the face, wetting the brush a bit on the fly, or dunking the blade for lather removal.
If you leave the water slow running, the whiskers and lather go down the overflow and the water stays lovely clear. Yes it’s a full sink of water, but I kinda always figured, they were built for this purpose.
No I don’t dunk to my fingers are wet, just put three quarters of the blade in, edge up, swish back and forth a bit and lathers off, resume wet shaving.
:tu
Don't put it away.! We've all paid our dues one time or another.
On another note....I'll finally get to put my safety razors away, and have a straight shave, tomorrow.
Its been several weeks since I mangled my thumb between the starter and flywheel of an outboard motor.
Its healed to the point I can hold the razor safely for shaving, but its still too tender to strop proficiently. Good thing I have hundreds of razors that are shave ready. I'll just strop them up later, when things get better with my didget.
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Then
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Now
Sure will be nice to get my lines evened up on my goat, again. :tu
Good to hear Mike. I feel your pain. And when I say I feel your pain I mean it.
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Not so bad after almost a year
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I got lucky, not much pain. All the nerves got smooshed, so mostly numb, but tingly like pins needles. Nerved are coming to life again
Glad to hear the thumb is healing, Mike. Enjoy your shave!
Nerves regrow about 1/32” per year from what they told me back when I cut some stuff deep.
So measure the length of any scar in 36th’s and that’s how many years till you regain anything close to “normal” sensitivity across its span.
Putting it in perspective gents.
Happy healing.
:chapeau
I really didn't have much pain either but my nerves weren't severed. Who the hell knows how. Bones were shattered into "a million pieces," in the surgeon's words but the nerves somehow made it. I took Advil for a couple of days and then I didn't need anything.
I hadn't shaved for about 4 days so I decided that today was shave day.
I sat on a stool which put me quite a lot further from the mirror that I am used to and had at it.
Not impressive enough to show but I cut myself twice, this sitting down to shave is going to take some practice but i learned to shave standing so I will not give up and learn to do it well sitting and further from the mirror.
MAN DOWN!!! MAN DOWN!!!
I was messing around with this W Parramore today..Off the grinder to the 1k so it was very sharp. It bit me..I am applying pressure in the photo to quench the flow of dark red blood .
Luckily i have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher in the workshop, the fire extinguisher was of no use.
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I think you'll need numerous stitches and a sling to immobilize that arm Joseph. Very serious indeed. :rofl2:
Whew! At least the blade didn't get a chip in it! Flesh heals, steel doesn't.
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Oh wow, this is tantamount to bullying.... :shrug:
Well...that there is a tragedy.! Bet your awake, now.
Could have been much worse.!
Did this day before yesterday. Not exactly shaving related unless you consider shave prevention.
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It was sort of a comedy of errors. Standing on a ladder drilling a hole through a post. Ladder shifted which caused me to shift which caused the drill to bite and me to lunge forward over it. Battery pack end kicked up and hit me in the chin and make me bite holes in my tongue. Fortunately I didn't bite it off or even fall off the ladder but I did give myself a nice little whooppin'.
That'll teach me to mess with me.
No shaving for a day or two. Hopefully I can shave around it an at least make it look presentable for church Sunday.
I wouldn't worry too much about how presentable you are for church on Sunday Paul.
If he didn't fancy a laugh he wouldn't have let you do it.
Course, first you dropped your truck on your finger, now you got smacked with the heavy end of your drill and almost bit your tongue off.
If it were me I would be after a job in a mattress warehouse :roflmao