A Year of Living Dangerously

I started shaving with straights December 2010 after beginning DE shaving 6 months previously. For most of this time I have used a 6 razor rotation,
shaving daily and have gradually moved from freshening edges on CrO balsam to coticules now. I have a Tony Miller and an Ambroise strop and just put a bad nick in one the other day just when I thought that would never happen again. 30 linen 60 leather.

My shaves feel as close or closer than a DE shave and, as many have said, they seem to last longer. I still find myself tinkering with my shaving technique and cannot say I feel totally comfortable with this yet even one year in. I will vary an angle or stroke direction when I see a weeper site too regularly. I use both hands and a 1 pass WTG followed by ATG touchups mainly in the chin and under the nose areas. Recently I will finish up with ATG going from under to over my chin angle and towards my nose on the upper lip. I would not have even attempted this 6 mos. ago. I still get weepers once or twice a week and a nick will happen just when I think I have moved past that. These may require a spot DE treatment to keep from re-aggravating the area.

I find myself still having to really concentrate on shaving and stretching, and times when I am hurried or really tired are asking for trouble. Make no mistake, I am a true convert and look forward to choosing my razor, selecting a brush, then picking out a shaving cream and can't see beginning my day any other way. I am curious to revisit this 2 years in to see if it ever becomes "second nature."

That was a great post - thanks for sharing.

I started a year ago too and I still enjoy it more with every shave. I rarely ever get weepers any more and I have found that if I use a cream or soap with glycerin I get zero weepers.Also if I do too many laps on Crox I will get weepers.

Like anything you do everyday, straight shaving does eventually become second nature. I've been doing it for so long I really don't even think about what's going on anymore...it just happens. I couldn't tell you how long I was shaving with straights before it got that way, but at some point it does.

In fact, now when I switch things up and use one of my DE's, I find myself being more careful with them than I am with a straight.

After a year your "learning curve" should be pretty much flattening out...so don't sweat the small things like occasionally rolling an edge or laying down a nick on a strop...it's just part of the process. Heck, I still do it once in a while...even after 30 years.

I have been in for about a year too, and still get the occassional "face of a thousand weepers", and the occassional "face of burning wrath". But that's what makes it interesting. The perfect boring shaves i got from DEs are what finally made me take the first step.

Kentos said:

The perfect boring shaves i got from DEs are what finally made me take the first step.

Click to expand...

/Snicker/

Classic.
Let's repost to the General Clinic to really "build some DE morale."

tonight i made my first pass with one of my straights....

i finished it up with a DE.......

sheesh i am boring sometimes....