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Thread: Straight razor shave not as close as DE

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobH View Post
    At least I am not the only one who can still get a better shave with my old short comb Gillette GE and Astra blades than with straights. It is a close race though with the chin being the losing spot for the SR for lack of being able to go ATG there with much success. Still enjoy using a straight more despite that.

    Bob
    you can shave atg with a straight, its just a bit tricky

  2. #22
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    Like most everyone who posted I had to be at it for months, maybe a year before I started consistently equaling my DE shaves. Usually with a Merkur slant or vintage Gillette. For sure I prefer straight razor shaving to DE even when, early on, it wasn't as good consistently. There is something about the simplicity of a naked blade mowing down the whiskers instead of a mechanical contraption , no matter how much I may like that contraption. Of course I must say that for me many straight razors are an object of art.

    If you think about all of the skills involved in shaving with a straight it is not surprising that it takes time to get really proficient. Stropping, skin stretching, mapping the face to know which direction the strokes will be most effective. Angle of attack, and maintaining blade angle relative to the skin, that angle changing from one place to another as we go under the jawline, around the knob of the chin. Learning advanced strokes like the guillotine and coupe de maitre.

    Then there is the razor and how it was honed and maintained. Honing like shaving is an art and craft that takes time and practice to acquire the skill set to become proficient. If the individual has the time and the inclination to devote to it, that annoying burden of shaving becomes a labor of love IME.

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  4. #23
    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    Hang in there.. I had the same quest as you, using a DE shave as a barometer.

    You'll get there.

    Took me about 100 shaves to figure out how to replicate my DE shaves closeness. Now I get a killer BBS and far less irritation.

    Most important points I've learned are angle of the blade differs whether you're going WTG, XTG or ATG. Be mindful. Take short strategic strokes rather than long sweepers. And most important is stretching. Used in tandem with the short strokes makes a huge improvement.. So stretch and stroke, move a little, stretch and stroke. And, if a spot is proving hard to get to, stretch to a different place on face and shave it there. For instance, I have one spot on my neck, just below my jawline and in front of my ear. Impossible to get that spot cleared. Plus the whiskers grow scatter-shot. I learned to stretch that spot up onto my cheek/jaw and BAM! it's perfect every time!!

    Haven't touched one of my many DE's in ages.
    ---------------------------------------------------
    Love new things that look old, and old things, made to look new again!

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  6. #24
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Quote Originally Posted by shanky887614 View Post
    you can shave atg with a straight, its just a bit tricky
    You misunderstood, I do shave ATG with a straight and have for over a year. The only part of my SR shave that is possibly sub par at times to my DE is going ATG on the chin knob and today was not one of them. The rest of the face is good to go. After over 40 years of shaving with mostly DEs I did not come to SR shaving looking for an improved shave just a challenge and change of pace. Found both and as a bonus enjoy using an SR more.

    Bob
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  7. #25
    At this point in time... gssixgun's Avatar
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    Stropping comes in two stages


    1. Do no harm

    2. Improve the edge

    It takes quite a bit of use/practice to move from stage one into stage two,,

    As you are learning everything is going against you getting a smooth shave, there comes a point in the process where you start to turn the corner and everything starts going in favor of you getting a smooth shave...


    Personally I feel many newbs put to much effort into "close" rather than "comfortable" just my observation
    Last edited by gssixgun; 06-29-2013 at 02:28 PM.
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  8. #26
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Yea, by trying for close right off the bat you surely do get a face full of razor burn.

    Bob
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    Life is a terminal illness in the end

  9. #27
    Senior Member kwlfca's Avatar
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    +1 on don't worry about closeness and worry about comfort. No point in having a close shave if your face feels like crap and can't let a lady touch it. It's easy to get addicted to smooth, but I'd say settle for directional smooth first and master with the grain and across when it comes to the chin.
    My neck hair grows towards the right and I'm still trying to master how to tackle it...I can get a good shave on the left side but the right, not so much. I need to go up and to the left on my right side and down and to the left on my left side to get an equal shave on my neck suffice it to say this is much easier with a safety razor lol

  10. #28
      Lynn's Avatar
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    I find this helpful for not only first time shavers, but those who are having some difficulty learning. It normally is not the razor guys.

    http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...icipation.html

    Have fun
    JeffR likes this.

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