So I have gotten into wet shaving, then purchased a straight razor from Whippeddog.com great prodeucts for a first timer. So I finally took the time and began my learning curve of using a straight razor. The results are:
1) Cheek-check to easy a little irritation from well first time user
2) Chin a little nick but nothing bad
3) didn't attempt the neck but hit my head, top and side-check to easy
Love straight razor!! my non-dominant hand (left) felt more comfortable when shaving then my dominant hand (right), kind of funny. I tried to be very careful with my technique as from what I have read most mistakes from us newbies are made with technique. I kept the spine as close to my face as I could and used short wtg strokes, the 2nd pass was not as bad. Still love using a straight razor, I am sure my technique just needs some adjusting. Any advice?? I can be e-mailed at
[email protected] please do not send spam to my e-mail, since I am training a lot I don't always have access to B&B so that is a good method of contact for advise if anyone could.
~~~~Advice?...how about an attaboy?=:-)...you done did good keeping the razor's spine close to your skin. Doing so ensures a low blade angle. Excessive blade angles (DE too) will result in razor burn but, you cvan also get razor burn from using too much pressure, and I'm talking about how much force you use with your hand pressing the razor agaisnt your skin. You want the blade's edge to cut your whiskars, and just like using a DE razor, you accomplish that from using multiple passes using a different approach (each pass)
I think everyone's face is different so how you go to shave may be different from mine or anothers (technique) but the same rules apply...you want to shave WTG at least one pass, and try two, using two WTG passes before going XTG. FWIW, a 2nd WTG pass ensures you cut down the majority of whiskars allowing the subsequent passes shorter length to deal with. Where some go wrong shaving ATG, the whiskar is too long so the hair shaft guides the edge into the skin...if it's (the hair shaft) stubble only, the edge will tend to float on top of your skin, not have long whiskars guide the blade downward abrading/irritating the skin in the process
You mentioned buying a kit from Larry...did you see the link he has to his shaving manual? If not, download it. it's in PDF format and is very useful in answering a lot of questions you will have, covering all sorts of topics
One thing that helped me starting out w/straight razors was to put my safety razors in a drawer and forget about them. The first month or two I began using straights, I still used a safety now and then and IMO, that held me back. this may not apply to everyone that learned how to shave with straights but for me I learned faster using straights only to shave with. Kind of like do or die
here's another tip....shave when it's convienent for you. A lot of guys feel they have to shave before going in to work, to look their best and that's not bad thinking if you have the time to shave properly. nothing worse than rushing your shave so shave when you have the time and you are not rushed. I tend to shave late afternoon early evening as that is when I have time. When i start my day there is no time for a leisurely shave so I wait for the work day to be over, then I take my time and shave
Like a lot of guys that strated wet shaving using safety razors, I used shave cream and a badger brush. When i started shaving daily with straights I noticed reading threads that a lot of straight razor shavers used shave soap and a boar brush and they face lathered. That's my preferred method as well. Variety is the spice of life so try using soaps and creams and see what works best for you but I swear by my $14 Omega #48 boar brush and loading soap onto my brush driectly from the soap tub I use that day...then I build the lather on my face. It's fast and easy and it works
That said, this last shave I used Old Spice shave cream and built the lather in my shave scuttle=:-), but I used my Omega boar brush:001_tt2:
I have badger brushes, but the boar works so well....it gets the most face time in my den
i'd also suggest you pick up an alum bar and rub your damp finger tips on the bar. it's like instant tack. Tack as in tacky...it'll give you better grip on your razor but more importantly it will give you better grip using your free hand to stretch your skin while you shave. skin stretching is imperative when using a straight razor, to make the hairs you are cutting stand up straighter, which in turn allows your edge to get a better whack at cutting em
you'll eventually want/need to learn how to use the scything stroke. you sythe by moving the razor in a diagonal fashion while moving the blade forward simultaneously. it's like when you slice a tomatoe. scything is slicing. it's a more efficient cutting stroke
above all, have fun with this. If you're not having fun, don't do it
Best,
Jake
Reddick Fla.