Thread: My first real good shave!!!

I started straight razor shaving about NOV 20 and have about 25 shaves under my belt! Today I had my first really successful shave. Now it wasn't bbs but I never could even get that with a Cartridge razor! No cuts, No razor burn(Yet lol) and a real smooth comfortable 20 minute shave! In the last month I've really tried to perfect the small things, the things other then the shaving its self and it's really helped tie it all together!

The first thing I started doing was really pay attention to my stropping. I think I'm pretty good at the actually art(or method) of stropping but what I found I was doing was just running the razor back and forth 30 times and calling it good! What I do now is hit it 30 times then take a look at the blade, see if there's anywhere that doesn't look great, see if it looks even, sometimes I have to hit the tip a couple extra times , sometimes I have to hit the whole blade 50 times!

The second thing I did was keep my shave lather warm. As you can see my shave mug hasn't arrived in the mail yet and as much as my trusty double double looks cool and vintage, it doesn't hold heat worth a damn! I've started doing my WTG and XTG strokes, then dumping about half my lather, cleaning my brush, and starting all over with hot water/cream for my ATG strokes!

The third thing I did was get a sponge to clean my razor between strokes, Instead of running it under water or sloshing it around in the bottom of the sink risking an accidental strike I simply wipe it off!

Last but not least I switched bathrooms to shave in. My normal bathroom I S, S and S in as much as it's the nicer bathroom, the lighting leaves a little to be desired. I move to a bathroom with better light so I can see every stroke and the results the produce!

Now if only i could get the control with my left hand I have with my right hand . . . lol right side really smooth, left side kinda smooth ha ha

its really does feel so great when you get it the way you love it. congrats!!!

What kind of blade is that? Really like the scales.

i think its a Graco hollow 3/8s i got it sight unseen from whipped dog! great little razor for about 20 bucks.

Congrats I had that recently it's a great feeling! Keep it up.

Congats on your progress. It gets even better as time goes by. For the first year you will learn from every shave (some good some bad). Enjoy the ride.

Congrats ! Ain't it nice when it all starts to come together ?