Why Did You Start SR Shaving?
- Thread starter RRGGMM
- Start date
Tony Miller's Heirloom strops are better than Jim Miller's, any day. #1 JM on Wikipedia is a mixed martial artist, but if Anthony had been named James, it appears his most likely carreer would have been football.
You are making great choices in your kit. Treat those razors gently and they will reward you greatly.
@Mr Bedlington has amazing razors and posts amazing photos. The daily SR log is a great place to exercise your salivary glands, but also a great place to share your progress.
I always preferred wet shaving, but DE shaving left me continually frustrated with blade angle and closeness. Straights give me the best, quickest and enjoyable shaves. I started in '07 or '08.
I'm pretty much a single pass shaver now which gets me very smooth, and closer than a 2 pass and sometimes 3 pass DE shave. I tried dabbling with shavettes/disposables but again, they frustrate with blade angle. If I'm in a hurry, I can get a good/serviceable shave in about 5 minutes.
As for cuts and such, I got them mostly from DE shaves. It took a bit of practice to get comfortable, but it was part of the fun.
The last thing that drew me to SR shaving was edge quality. I prefer smoother over sharper. So many DE/shavette blades left my skin really raw. I hone my own and used to hone for an online and a B&M place over a decade ago. I'm pretty basic, norton water stones, belgian coticule and sometimes chromox pasted balsa. Mostly just coticule finished. A nice edge is very doable.
I'm pretty much a single pass shaver now which gets me very smooth, and closer than a 2 pass and sometimes 3 pass DE shave. I tried dabbling with shavettes/disposables but again, they frustrate with blade angle. If I'm in a hurry, I can get a good/serviceable shave in about 5 minutes.
As for cuts and such, I got them mostly from DE shaves. It took a bit of practice to get comfortable, but it was part of the fun.
The last thing that drew me to SR shaving was edge quality. I prefer smoother over sharper. So many DE/shavette blades left my skin really raw. I hone my own and used to hone for an online and a B&M place over a decade ago. I'm pretty basic, norton water stones, belgian coticule and sometimes chromox pasted balsa. Mostly just coticule finished. A nice edge is very doable.
- Thread starter
- #24
I'll post some pictures once everything has arrived, but I have already amassed more gear than I should have. I will have three razors, honed by three reputable honers in my arsenal. That should push back the need to feel pressure to hone myself for a while and give me time to learn stropping. I also picked up the vanilla version of Tony Miller's steer hide strop with cotton, so I have something a bit more affordable to start with. Maggard's, Griggith, and Bob's Razor are the three honers, so I am confident I will have three shave ready razors to start. Since I will likely not be SR shaving every shave for now, even if I mess up a blade I will have another to fill in.
I plan to shave, strop, shave, strop, repeat, and learn what I can. I watched the video of Gamma shaving; his quickness and efficiency were incredible. I feel considerably more knowledgeable today than I did last week. Now, I am less concerned with the shave and more intimidated by blade maintenance. I know with time I will better understand what I don't know, and what I need to learn and improve on. Thanks for all the guidance! SR shaving makes DE shaving look like child's play.
I plan to shave, strop, shave, strop, repeat, and learn what I can. I watched the video of Gamma shaving; his quickness and efficiency were incredible. I feel considerably more knowledgeable today than I did last week. Now, I am less concerned with the shave and more intimidated by blade maintenance. I know with time I will better understand what I don't know, and what I need to learn and improve on. Thanks for all the guidance! SR shaving makes DE shaving look like child's play.
For me it was the search for a better shave along with the inherent coolness of using a straight razor.
I took up DE’s a few years ago looking to solve my nonstop razor burn and ingrown hairs. They helped but I still had razor burn and ingrowns on my neck.
One day I started ogling the “what straight did you use today” thread and just knew I wanted to own some of those beautiful razors. Fast forward almost 2 years and I’ve got a bunch of razors, some stones and strops, and the best shaves of my life. Sure there’s a bit of a learning curve but the improvements happen fast at the beginning. My shaves and edges are still slowly and surely getting better.
@RRGGMM looks like you’ve got the right gear and there’s no better place for advice than right here. That first shave is intimidating, but soon you’re comfortable with the blade. A little too comfortable probably, which is when you get your first bad cut. After that you know exactly where the edge is and it’s smooth sailing.
I took up DE’s a few years ago looking to solve my nonstop razor burn and ingrown hairs. They helped but I still had razor burn and ingrowns on my neck.
One day I started ogling the “what straight did you use today” thread and just knew I wanted to own some of those beautiful razors. Fast forward almost 2 years and I’ve got a bunch of razors, some stones and strops, and the best shaves of my life. Sure there’s a bit of a learning curve but the improvements happen fast at the beginning. My shaves and edges are still slowly and surely getting better.
@RRGGMM looks like you’ve got the right gear and there’s no better place for advice than right here. That first shave is intimidating, but soon you’re comfortable with the blade. A little too comfortable probably, which is when you get your first bad cut. After that you know exactly where the edge is and it’s smooth sailing.
1. the satisfaction found in slow mastery of a difficult skill
2. mindfulness and remaining in extended flow-state as an important aspect of long-term emotional well-being
3. chasing a highly aesthetic vibe with beautiful smells, sights, and sounds
4. a jawline that would still appear clean shaven ... no kidding, here ... 14 hours after steel-to-cheek
5. a workbench hobby where a small object was slowly transformed the more time and attention I gave it.
Those were the reasons I chased it, and I'm pleased to share that I found each one in abundance.
Much sound advice and well-founded encouragement has been passed along in this thread already, but I didn't see one good piece of advice (articulated frequently elsewhere in this forum - you may well already know it) that proved very important for me: The first 30 shaves are just going to be very tough going. The learning curve on this art form is just really a challenging one (see point #1, above). Do those 30 shaves in 30 days, if you can. Somewhere around the 25-40-shave mark, things will start to get pleasant. After about 100 shaves (for me and for many) that's when things started to get really lovely. And, to quote a much older B&B post, after that, things just get wonderfuler and wonderfuler.
Oh, and "the method" mentioned earlier - the regular use of diamond-pasted balsa strops - was a game-changer for me. Turns sabers into lightsabers, or at least it did so in my case.
Welcome. I hope it goes smoothly - smooth as carved marble, polished steel, and your jawline in a few months.
2. mindfulness and remaining in extended flow-state as an important aspect of long-term emotional well-being
3. chasing a highly aesthetic vibe with beautiful smells, sights, and sounds
4. a jawline that would still appear clean shaven ... no kidding, here ... 14 hours after steel-to-cheek
5. a workbench hobby where a small object was slowly transformed the more time and attention I gave it.
Those were the reasons I chased it, and I'm pleased to share that I found each one in abundance.
Much sound advice and well-founded encouragement has been passed along in this thread already, but I didn't see one good piece of advice (articulated frequently elsewhere in this forum - you may well already know it) that proved very important for me: The first 30 shaves are just going to be very tough going. The learning curve on this art form is just really a challenging one (see point #1, above). Do those 30 shaves in 30 days, if you can. Somewhere around the 25-40-shave mark, things will start to get pleasant. After about 100 shaves (for me and for many) that's when things started to get really lovely. And, to quote a much older B&B post, after that, things just get wonderfuler and wonderfuler.
Oh, and "the method" mentioned earlier - the regular use of diamond-pasted balsa strops - was a game-changer for me. Turns sabers into lightsabers, or at least it did so in my case.
Welcome. I hope it goes smoothly - smooth as carved marble, polished steel, and your jawline in a few months.
@silverlifter absolutely brilliant!!!!!
Nice stuff here and a great addition... and I'll add a reminder that progress isn't linear, expect peaks and valleys. Keeps things interesting.
@kargi42 we all read from the same script.
What you’ve said is very true but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun and you only live once so you might as well go for it!
I’ve always liked sharp edges and getting those sharp edges myself. I’m a big Japanese kitchen knife guy.
I’ve never really shaved before, I had a big beard, I was known as the beard guy.
My partner always preferred a clean shaved face and the type of business I do doesn’t require a clean face but strongly recommends it.
I thought to myself if I’m going to shave I’m going to do it in a way that interest me, cartridge razors and double edged razors didn’t fit with me. Cartridge razors because they were expensive and double sided safety razors felt boring.
I saw a video from Dr Matt sharpening his kitchen knife with a green brick and started looking into his other videos. I said holy crap this straight razor thing sounds really cool and I already own most of the stones that he uses.
I thought to myself, I’ll save a lot of money and I’ll be shaving in the coolest manner possible. It’s a win win!
Well I fell in love with straight razor shaving but I didn’t really save any money, I spent so much money on stones and razors… I still do.
I’ve never really shaved before, I had a big beard, I was known as the beard guy.
My partner always preferred a clean shaved face and the type of business I do doesn’t require a clean face but strongly recommends it.
I thought to myself if I’m going to shave I’m going to do it in a way that interest me, cartridge razors and double edged razors didn’t fit with me. Cartridge razors because they were expensive and double sided safety razors felt boring.
I saw a video from Dr Matt sharpening his kitchen knife with a green brick and started looking into his other videos. I said holy crap this straight razor thing sounds really cool and I already own most of the stones that he uses.
I thought to myself, I’ll save a lot of money and I’ll be shaving in the coolest manner possible. It’s a win win!
Well I fell in love with straight razor shaving but I didn’t really save any money, I spent so much money on stones and razors… I still do.
- Thread starter
- #32
I started DE shaving to save money and get a better shave, and I accomplished that for more than a decade using one razor, one soap, and one brush. Buying replacement blades and a fresh puck of soap was dirt cheap. Then, I decided I wanted to experience more of the fine products available, and savings went out the window. There is no doubt saving money wet shaving with a safety razor, or SR is possible; it is just not probable.
- Thread starter
- #33
My first SR shave this evening and I can sum it up in one word. Awkward! I know it will get better since it couldn't have gotten worse. No cuts or knicks to speak of, and I did a second pass with a DE razor. Four or five days of growth was probably not an ideal way to start. At least now I have the intitial fear out of the way.
It gets better. My first shave was a disaster. Irritation, razor burn. Small steps, don't rush it.
Yep awkward sounds about right! It takes a few shaves to figure out how to hold the razor. It gets easier and better every shave.
There was a rumour going around that it was the best shave you could get. I wanted to see if it was true.
100% agree with @Zerro . Particularly #2 and #5 in his post. I need to be in the moment and paying close attention. At first it was exhilarating, but now I find it calming.
I bought some Naniwa hones and the same Ralf Aust razor from Maggards. I got the black plastic though, not the horn. I liked the idea of honing my own razor to shave with. That expanded to the workbench hobby, as zerro put it, which is rewarding and fun as well.
After only a few years I’m still a novice at these skills. I hope this is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come.
I bought some Naniwa hones and the same Ralf Aust razor from Maggards. I got the black plastic though, not the horn. I liked the idea of honing my own razor to shave with. That expanded to the workbench hobby, as zerro put it, which is rewarding and fun as well.
After only a few years I’m still a novice at these skills. I hope this is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come.
It must have been better than mine, because you didn't mention blood. I hit my first blood-free shave around shave #11.
Now I'm up to maybe #500, and it's all smooth sailing and great shaves and me wondering why I didn't start doing this 20 years ago. No one told me shaving could be so much fun.
The blood came later when I became too confident and sloppy. The toe got me.
Similar threads
