Thread: Almost Senior-Citizen's First Straight-Razor Shave

After-Action Report: I cannot remember a more terrifying -- initially and ongoing -- experience, as my first straight-razor shave, which I finished, scant minutes ago.

A Red Imp #133 (Solingen, for Morrison Mfg, somewhere between 5/8-6/8), recently honed by someone referred-to on the pages of the SRP Forums (don't ask) -- the edge passed the thumb/nail tests, but what little hair remains on my head is #2-clipper short, and there's no Missus in my life (three were enough -- don't ask).

I showered, I prepped, I lathered... and I was scared. I don't know which sucks more -- mirrors, or not being ambidextrous. So many different angles and face paths!

After the first tentative downward strokes on my right side, I let myself make longer ones. Buttah! But then the left side, and how to contort my body? Should the tip face my left ear, or the heel? "Fear Factor"? Let 'em eat worms.

Shaving down my neck was, surprisingly easy; shaving down my chin was... interesting. Shaving my upper lip, which I wanted to keep, became an exercise in turning my right hand backwards, and also going from left-to-right.

Only one little nick, on Phase I.

Re-prepped my face, lathered a second time (yeah, I'd been cleaning off the razor... gave me time to get my nerve back). Shaving up, against the grain (mostly). Much easier! But I wasn't going to mess with my chin or upper lip.

Only two little nicks, on Phase 2.

Re-prepped my face, lathered a third time. Shaving across the grain, along my jawline and chin. I just couldn't get the angle right, and I heard it. Enough.

No nicks on Phase 3.

Rinsed the razor's blade and set it aside, on top of a folded-up hand-towel.

Re-prepped my face, lathered a fourth time. Finished with my used Winn-Dixie two-blade disposable.

Two nicks on Phase 4, but it was the fifth time I'd used the disposable (yeah, I just disposed of it).

Hot rinse, cold rinse, styptic pencil. Rinsed-and-dried the razor, wrapped it in a paper towel, then back into the small-cell bubble-wrap pouch. Cleaned-up the counter top, rinsed-out and hung-up the brush, drained the soap-bowl.

Conclusions: I hadn't shaved since Tuesday evening (I work-out at the gym between 1600-1800, so I shave after I return and shower). Perhaps the almost-four-day wait was too long? Maybe the water from the bathroom tap just isn't hot enough, and I need to adjust the temperature to a higher setting? I might need to re-evaluate how I prep/re-prep my face -- I ordered some shaving towels from ClassicShaving, and with hotter water and more time with the hot-towel, things might improve. I use Emily's "Outdoor" glycerin-based shaving soap, with a very nice badger shaving brush from the ShavingShop (Shameless Plug: only two of the Andreas Silvertip's left). The lather was thick-and-rich (like Ragu spaghetti sauce), but not hot-hot. Again, the water temperature. Should I have stropped the blade before using it, this first time?

OK, story-time's over. I'll appreciate feedback, and "Yes, I've read lots of the postings on the site's many forums," so I won't be offended it folks post links to past threads, rather than repeating them here.

In terms of "sphincter-tightening" and just plain "rush", this was on a par with doing a free rappel off the skids of a UH-1D, from 200 feet above the Polar Ice Cap (but that was 33 years ago, so this was, maybe, even cooler).

I'm pretty new to straight shaving myself, so I hate giving advice (however, I don't mind teaching my elders a thing or two ), but I read here that you shouldn't do the thumbnail test on a blade that is shave ready (you should instead do a thumb pad test).

Here's a tip that I found really useful - put some hair conditioner on your beard before you shave. I do this before I strop my blade and I find that it softens my beard very, very well.

Originally Posted by JBHoren

In terms of "sphincter-tightening" and just plain "rush", this was on a par with doing a free rappel off the skids of a UH-1D, from 200 feet above the Polar Ice Cap (but that was 33 years ago, so this was, maybe, even cooler).

I have to do something cool like this one day.

Beginning is everything.
Once you get used to the feel of the blade, it can be amazing how forgiving a straight can be.

One thing that you can experiment with is the blade angle. a small heel leading or toe leading angle can really change the ease with which the blade cuts the hairs.
And slightly rotating the blade during shaving (like a propellor) also makes a difference.
And I like to use small movements instead of large ones, as I find it cuts better.

But these things vary from person to person, and I am still new to true straights (having used shavettes before) so my advice may not necessarily be the best to follow.

As long as you survive your first shave without major injuries, it's a good shave. As for the rest, the long whiskers don't bother a straight at all since there's nothing to clog up; some members prefer shaving that way. The usual progression of passes is with the grain, across the grain, then (if needed) against the grain. It's usually best to put off going against the grain until you've got a few dozen shaves under your belt, because it's really easy to nick yourself unless your prep, lather, technique, and razor aren't perfect.

The rest is technique, which will gradually improve with experience, and your shaves should improve dramatically over the next dozen shaves or so.

Originally Posted by mparker762

The usual progression of passes is with the grain, across the grain, then (if needed) against the grain. It's usually best to put off going against the grain until you've got a few dozen shaves under your belt, because it's really easy to nick yourself unless your prep, lather, technique, and razor aren't perfect.

The rest is technique, which will gradually improve with experience, and your shaves should improve dramatically over the next dozen shaves or so.

Thanks for the advice. I've also got an A.E. Berg 1.5cm (19/32) square point, which (besides needing to be rescaled, but definitely usable) needs sharpening. And I'm looking at either of two other similar razors. Perhaps the less-deep blades will be easier to control. In any case, I'm not a quitter and, like I wrote, there's no Missus to complain if my chin is a mite rough or I've got a few nicks...

(other than work, I've never had a "hobby", so one which serves two purposes is doubly enjoyable)

Originally Posted by Bruno

Beginning is everything.

You forgot to end this sentence with "Grasshopper" (there was a classic TV show during the 1970s, "Kung Fu", starring David Carradine as "Kwai Chang Caine", in which his teacher, "Master Po", played by Keye Luke, used to refer to him as "Grasshopper", as he taught the young Caine the many skills necessary to become a Shaolin monk).

Truly, "Beginning is everything". Might this be what the Bible means, with the first word בראשית (generally translated as "In the beginning")? There's an old saying in Hebrew -- כל התחלות קשות -- "All beginnings are difficult". And grasshoppers are kosher (betcha didn't know that).

Originally Posted by JBHoren

There's an old saying in Hebrew -- כל התחלות קשות -- "All beginnings are difficult". And grasshoppers are kosher (betcha didn't know that).

This is the kind of information I don't get every day. How do you say that? But they're still meat right?

X

Originally Posted by xman

This is the kind of informatio I don't get every day. How do you say that? But they're still meat right?

Transliterated, you would say: "Kol hatkhalot kashot" (the "kh" is a lightly-stressed voiced palatal fricative, as in the German "Ich" [first-person singular pronoun] -- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_palatal_fricative for more information).

Nope; grasshoppers are insects, which is a fourth classification of foods (the other three being animals, birds, and fish -- see http://www.aish.com/literacy/mitzvah..._of_Kosher.asp for more information).

And people wonder what we do with the rest of our time, after we're done shaving...

Hi JB, Well I'm 5 years older than you and I just started straight razor shaving about 3 weeks ago, it is a rush, but I find it somehow very relaxing. I don't need to shave for work so I shave at night a couple of hours before I go to bed and strangely I'm really getting better nights sleep. I don't know if its from all the hot water or all the blood loss [just kidding about the blood, although I'm still nicking myself, especially my chin]. Anyway I love it and have no plans to shave any other way. Good to see a neighbor joining the forum. Good luck.

Originally Posted by JBHoren

You forgot to end this sentence with "Grasshopper" (there was a classic TV show during the 1970s, "Kung Fu", starring David Carradine as "Kwai Chang Caine", in which his teacher, "Master Po", played by Keye Luke, used to refer to him as "Grasshopper", as he taught the young Caine the many skills necessary to become a Shaolin monk).

Truly, "Beginning is everything". Might this be what the Bible means, with the first word בראשית (generally translated as "In the beginning")? There's an old saying in Hebrew -- כל התחלות קשות -- "All beginnings are difficult". And grasshoppers are kosher (betcha didn't know that).

Didn't know that. Kung fu is from before my time. I was born in '76.
Btw: if you also use left for shaving, I can advise you to start brushing your teeth with your left hand.
that will rapidly increase the amount of control you have over left hand motion.