Thread: Need some reassurance

Originally Posted by sbframp

I'm new to this site and I'm excited to take my place in the community. I'm starting this thread because I haven't been able to find anything that relates to it. Basically, I just had my second shave with a straight razor. I know that my technique isn't great, obviously; however I really cut my face up this time....

My hairdresser - the man whom I got my first tips from - told me, that he had to learn on a balloon before he was allowed to try real faces. Can't remember if I followed his tip, but it is not a bad idea. If You have more confidence in holding the razor and are able to shave balloons without killing them, You might be better in trying on Your face.

Originally Posted by sbframp

Neosporin is god's gift to earth, lol. Good advice.

I bought the razor from Vintage Razor Place. They seem to be a good company. The razor that I bought is a DOVO 5/8" Hollow Ground. I understand now that buying a hollow ground may have been a little arbitrary, since the blade may flex from being so thin. Regardless, I've actually really been wondering how to determine how sharp my edge is. Obviously, nearly everything is marketed as "shave ready;" however, I'm not so sure. How would you recommend I test this? Hanging hair test, maybe? Or would having the edge honed just be a good idea in general?

Thanks for the stropping recommendation. I'll try to hunt that article down. Also, I can't thank you enough for the honing offer. I may take you up on that sooner, rather than later.

Thank you so, so much for your informative post, pinklather. It means a lot!

If you mean Vintage Blades LLC; instead of Vintage Razor Place, then Lynn does thier sharpening for them (unless something changed since last year) so your razor would have been shave ready when you recieved it. It is possible you have rolled the edge while stropping since then.

To test the edge now you could try giving it a good stropping (maybe 30 linen and then 60 leather) going slow and making sure you are touching the leather with both spine and edge without applying pressure and then doing a test shave on a your arm or leg. With as smooth as those 2 areas are getting the right angle will be easy; if it still pulls ad drags then your edge is probably suspect.

Sounds like maybe you are trying too much too fast.

When I first started, I used a Dovo shavette with a Feather blade. Did my whole face. I cut myself up so badly I swore I would never do it again. 2 years later, I decided to try it again and it went well enough that I wanted to try a "real" straight razor.

When I started, I followed the advice I read about which said something like "just use the straight on the right cheek with the grain and do the rest with your regular razor". After I grew more confident, I tried the right cheek and moustache area. Then I added the chin. Finally the neck. Then I added the left side (using my left hand).

Now I literally didn't progress that slowly. But I did gradually add pieces. Honestly, it probably took me two weeks to get to where I did my while face (one pass only). Then I would work on other passes.

Anyway, my point is that this isn't a race so take your time. It's a fun pasttime but very easy to jump too fast and get discouraged.

I am in total agreement with EggSuckingLeach(what..what!). I have been str8 razor shavin for 2 months now and still have not shaved my whole face. I have not revisited my mouth area after a cut there. I only did my sideburns to jawline the first 2 weeks. I added new face as I learned the stroke and my own growth direction of the hairs. No shame in finishing up with the cartridge razor until your skills are built up.

Originally Posted by sbframp

Hey, everyone.

I'm new to this site and I'm excited to take my place in the community. I'm starting this thread because I haven't been able to find anything that relates to it. Basically, I just had my second shave with a straight razor. I know that my technique isn't great, obviously; however I really cut my face up this time. I guess what I'm wondering is did a lot of people have an experience like this when they were starting out, too? I have about 4 pretty distinct cuts on my face just from the second session. It's a little discouraging, obviously. I'm hoping to get a couple of personal experiences from the members of the community.

Welcome to SRP Seth.
Cuts will happen due to inexperience but also due to a non shave ready razor which can cause you to force the shave.
You will develop a light touch that will mitigate any wrong moves. And yes my first shave was rough.

Originally Posted by pinklather

Hey Seth,

A few things bear mentioning - perhaps first - you don't want to keep shaving over the cuts. They'll never heal if you do and will scar. After lathering, take your finer and remove the lather from the nick area so you keep a visual on where not to stroke. Also, Lynn once suggested a dab of neosporin after the shave, and it seems to take about a day off the healing process.

I don't remember seeing anything about how you bought the razor - who did the edge? New guys need better edges than experienced guys. They're also *alot* harder on edges w/ both their developing skills in stropping and in the actual shave stroke itself. Pls. let us know how your razor got its edge.

When I started, I was amazed how many guys spoke of taking the first 6 mo. to learn how to shave. You're learning an incredibly more detailed level of both your facial topography and of all the crazy twists and turns the lay of your beard takes. You're learning all the strange stretches and stroke required to really clean each part of your face/neck. This used to be knowledge passed from father to son in every house. King Gillete made it so we never had to learn any of this - and would be giving him money every week or month. So alot of the art is recovering this knowledge.

On keeping your edge - look up Glen's (gssixgun) 2/11 beginner's tips on stropping. Its really helpful. When starting, laying the strop on a flat, hard surface can reduce the variables that go into a good stropping - which is the only thing as critical as the shaving skills. Stropping didn't come easily to me. That's being kind - I destroyed 5 strops. My stropping DULLED my edges. Its not uncommon.

Should you need your edge touched-up, PM me. I'll do for just the postage & envelope cost to get it back to you. If you bought from SRD or someplace that includes honing, it might be an idea. If not now - when the time comes.

It doesn't come overnight, but it does come, and soon you'll be getting the best shaves of you life. A shave will no longer be an annoying chore. Hang in there, Seth.

My very good friend pinklather has given you Excellent Counsel!!

It doesn't come overnight, but it does come!!

If you decide to take him up on his generous offer of free honing with just shipping costs you will find his edge Excellent!! We often exchange razors to compare our edges and I've Never Been Disapointed with what he's done!

Originally Posted by DDTech

My hairdresser - the man whom I got my first tips from - told me, that he had to learn on a balloon before he was allowed to try real faces. Can't remember if I followed his tip, but it is not a bad idea. If You have more confidence in holding the razor and are able to shave balloons without killing them, You might be better in trying on Your face.

That's a good idea. I forgot that I saw people doing that in a lot of my research on YouTube. Maybe I'll give that a shot. The only problem with that would be that it would be a little different transferring the technique from someone else's face (the balloon) to my face, wouldn't it?

Originally Posted by Trox

If you mean Vintage Blades LLC; instead of Vintage Razor Place, then Lynn does thier sharpening for them (unless something changed since last year) so your razor would have been shave ready when you recieved it. It is possible you have rolled the edge while stropping since then.

To test the edge now you could try giving it a good stropping (maybe 30 linen and then 60 leather) going slow and making sure you are touching the leather with both spine and edge without applying pressure and then doing a test shave on a your arm or leg. With as smooth as those 2 areas are getting the right angle will be easy; if it still pulls ad drags then your edge is probably suspect.

I've suspected that my technique is probably the culprit here; however, some recommend that honing an edge is a good idea so that you know everything that's been done to the blade under your own ownership. I don't know why I said Vintage Razor Place. The place from which I bought the razor is actually called Vintage Straight Razor (VSR). Now that I know that Lynn works with VB LLC, I'll probably buy my next one from them.

Good call on the hair test. I hadn't really thought about using the straight razor anywhere other than my face. I'll try that.

Originally Posted by sbframp

That's a good idea. I forgot that I saw people doing that in a lot of my research on YouTube. Maybe I'll give that a shot. The only problem with that would be that it would be a little different transferring the technique from someone else's face (the balloon) to my face, wouldn't it?

Yes sure. But the main problem lays inside the head. When I hand the razor to someone not used to it. That person normally treats it, as if it would explode the next millisecond - even when closed. However noone has problems holding a pen.
I'm sure, You are more familiar holding the razor now and probably do not tremble a bit as long as You just hold it in Your hand (open or closed) - The stress starts when You're about to do something with it on Your face. Training with the balloon can give You more confidence in handling the razor so that, when You then go to Your face, You will be "cooler".

When your razor is as sharp as it should be, you can shave with no more pressure than it takes to scrape away the wet lather. Any more pressure than that invites razor burn, cuts, etc. A dull blade will make you work harder and enjoy the results less. I too have shaved with a Pinklather edge, and agree that you should take him up on his honing offer.

Best wishes and happy shaving