Thread: First attempt with a straight today!

Well I finally tried it! I got a couple decent looking straights off eBay a couple weeks ago and sent them off to gssixgun for honing. I was going to try one yesterday but didn't have time and certainly didn't want to be rushed. So this morning I was up before the family and gave it a shot.

I have a tough, wiry beard and when I shave with a DE, I need a pretty sharp blade. With good prep and a sharp blade, I do get the feeling that the razor is just wiping the whiskers off my face though. I did not get that feeling with the straight so I'm probably not doing something quite right. I was able to shave both cheeks using very short strokes and my cheeks were nice and smooth with no cuts or irritation when I got done with them but I wasn't quite ready to tackle the rest of my face yet so I finished up with a DE.

I'm going to call my first attempt a win but I obviously still have lots to learn. I'll be reading old threads after Father's Day breakfast.

You did it! Congrats! As soon as mine makes it from the hones I'll be following suit.

There is certainly loads of good stuff here, and if you can't find the info you need don't be afraid to ask.

For me, there are a few things I always keep in mind:
- Never use a cutting motion
- Use just enough pressure to wipe the lather off your face
- Play with the angle until you find the right one. This differs per area (I use a smaller angle around my lips) and direction (smaller angle against the grain)


Good luck!

Originally Posted by feeltheburn

Well I finally tried it! I got a couple decent looking straights off eBay a couple weeks ago and sent them off to gssixgun for honing. I was going to try one yesterday but didn't have time and certainly didn't want to be rushed. So this morning I was up before the family and gave it a shot.

I have a tough, wiry beard and when I shave with a DE, I need a pretty sharp blade. With good prep and a sharp blade, I do get the feeling that the razor is just wiping the whiskers off my face though. I did not get that feeling with the straight so I'm probably not doing something quite right. I was able to shave both cheeks using very short strokes and my cheeks were nice and smooth with no cuts or irritation when I got done with them but I wasn't quite ready to tackle the rest of my face yet so I finished up with a DE.

I'm going to call my first attempt a win but I obviously still have lots to learn. I'll be reading old threads after Father's Day breakfast.

Congratulations! It's normal that the first time with a straight doesn't go as smoothly as with a DE. There's a serious learning curve ahead here but in time it'll come. That being said, I'm not sure that a straight will ever give you the effortless shaving sensation you can get with a good quality DE, especially when going across the grain. There I personally and very subjectively feel that my DE Feather blade has the edge. But a straight can and will give you a closer shave once you're used to it, of that I'm confident.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep at it and I'm sure I'll figure it out before long.

Try using a more shallow angle (the spine should be closer to your face). This helped me a lot.

Congrats dude, going for mine this afternoon. 2 week beard to get rid of. In for a penny and all that

Originally Posted by Lee9876

Congrats dude, going for mine this afternoon. 2 week beard to get rid of. In for a penny and all that

Woah...hell of a way to start... I wouldn't recommend that. All I can say is be very carefull!

Congrats. The first shave is always the hardest. I picked up the straight at least 3 times and put it to my face attempting the first stroke. When it didn't go smoothly, I simply laid it down and picked up my tried and true DE. Finally managed to get the stroke and angle down enough to do passes wtg and xtg. Took forever to get everything right to go atg but it eventually happened. Then I was getting the best shaves I've ever had. Smooth with no to very little irritation. Welcome aboard.