Me hearties
So Ive made progress.
Yesterday I had my second straight razor shave (after they sewed my ear back on
). I followed Glens advice to go slowly, and Lynns suggestion to newbies to start shaving only the cheek from sideburn to jawline. http://www.straightrazorplace.com/f...37-first-straight-razor-shave-read-first.html
No nicks, no razor burn
. Finished with M3 (right cheek, neck and chin).
The main thing I started to learn about was blade angle and using the different parts of the blade. Oh, and keeping my face very wet and lathered.
This morning I progressed to both left and right cheeks (which sounds suspect however you say it). Again no nicks and no burn. Im only doing one pass with the razor, and Im certainly not going for BBS with it. My face is just getting used to the blade, and Im getting used to handling it.
Which brings me to stropping
You may recall on my other post that Glen suggested I strop on newspaper (or jeans). Well, I went with newspaper. Bizarrely soothing experience. It took me thirty or so laps actually to lower the edge onto the paper while stropping, as I was so worried about pressing the blade. I then realised there is a specific sound the edge makes when its in contact with the stropping surface. Did about seventy laps in an X pattern. The edge did not quite pass the HHT (should it? Do I need to keep stropping?), but still shaved pretty well. Pinched a bit when I slapped on the Musgo
So Im learning all kinds of stuff and my strop hasnt even arrived yet.
What I really appreciate now is that act of stropping helps me to shave. Sitting there at our kitchen table, I had to watch, feel and listen to the razor as it went back and forth (on an article about what's happened in China in the twenty years since Tiananmen Square, which was weird).
Very much a "wipe on, wipe off" moment (for the 1980s film fans among you).
Will continue to take it slowly and get used to blade angle and technique before I move onto my neck.
BTW - I have a canvas belt. Can I use that as a strop for use prior to the newspaper?
So Ive made progress.
Yesterday I had my second straight razor shave (after they sewed my ear back on
). I followed Glens advice to go slowly, and Lynns suggestion to newbies to start shaving only the cheek from sideburn to jawline. http://www.straightrazorplace.com/f...37-first-straight-razor-shave-read-first.htmlNo nicks, no razor burn
. Finished with M3 (right cheek, neck and chin).The main thing I started to learn about was blade angle and using the different parts of the blade. Oh, and keeping my face very wet and lathered.
This morning I progressed to both left and right cheeks (which sounds suspect however you say it). Again no nicks and no burn. Im only doing one pass with the razor, and Im certainly not going for BBS with it. My face is just getting used to the blade, and Im getting used to handling it.
Which brings me to stropping
You may recall on my other post that Glen suggested I strop on newspaper (or jeans). Well, I went with newspaper. Bizarrely soothing experience. It took me thirty or so laps actually to lower the edge onto the paper while stropping, as I was so worried about pressing the blade. I then realised there is a specific sound the edge makes when its in contact with the stropping surface. Did about seventy laps in an X pattern. The edge did not quite pass the HHT (should it? Do I need to keep stropping?), but still shaved pretty well. Pinched a bit when I slapped on the Musgo
So Im learning all kinds of stuff and my strop hasnt even arrived yet.
What I really appreciate now is that act of stropping helps me to shave. Sitting there at our kitchen table, I had to watch, feel and listen to the razor as it went back and forth (on an article about what's happened in China in the twenty years since Tiananmen Square, which was weird).
Very much a "wipe on, wipe off" moment (for the 1980s film fans among you).
Will continue to take it slowly and get used to blade angle and technique before I move onto my neck.
BTW - I have a canvas belt. Can I use that as a strop for use prior to the newspaper?
