Grip's Journal (and so it has begun....)

[Grips]

Oil the strop?

The large, flat tracks of land are easy to shave. Navigating the trickier areas, particularly those presenting decreasing radius curves, takes a while to master. You'll get there- it's all a matter of feel.

Larry's recommendation was to use the footoil he provided to oil/condition the strop before first use. I almost didn't recognize you with the new avatar.

Thanks for encouragement. I know that area of my neck took time with a DE and is also sensitive to errors. It'll come with time.

[Kentos]

More like Butterfingers maybe Don't feel bad. I snapped my first razor from Larry in half, and dropped my brand new Feather SS off a low shelf into the sink inbetween the first and second passes of my first shave with it-which is why I never put a
razor down anymore if I can help it. No damage to the SS but heartstopper for sure.

[Grips]

Well anymore nights like that and I'll be buying my coti and learning how to hone and repair an edge well before I planned to. Thanks for the encouragement and ribbing gentlemen.

Maybe what I'll get is one of those strings you tie to kid's mitts so they don't lose them when they take them off. Yah a nice wrist tether for me.......Or just stop being an idiot.

[Kentos]

Lol. No doubt. I'll have to change it to Slips. At least when I dropped the razor I didn't geld myself.

Thanks on the journal. Hope some get some info and enjoyment out of it. At the very least I'll have a record of my journey.

That is why straight shavers DON'T do it in the nude.

[Earcutter]

Hey I just thought about this - I think I got it from TSS - not sure though. Anyway, I do it every shavenow without thinking. Before shaving, run your hands over your alum - both hands. If you don't do it already, you'll be shocked. Not only will your grip on your knife be way more sound, but your ability to stretch your skin with your other hand goes up exponentially.

Give it a shot and then Kent might stop calling you Butterfingers LOL!!

[Earcutter]

That is why straight shavers DON'T do it in the nude.

...

[Grips]

Thanks Earcutter I will try that out.

[Aaron W.]

A barber text book I've been reading states that the hht is not a reliable test because a ragged not shave ready edge will still cut a hair.They say to wet the thumb nail and drag the blade acrossed it at a 90 degree angle.If it has a slight dragging but smooth sensation your shave ready.If is moves easily with no resistence or has a ragged feel the razor needs honed.I've done this with two razors one dull and one sharp and I could feel what they described. Good luck in your journey I've restarted mine with a better razor and I'm loving it.

[Grips]

Thanks for the tips fellas, appreciated !

So....Shave #7:

With the goal of living up to my handle and not having to change it to Slips, I ventured into shave 7.

I inspected the blade before I stropped, and there is definitely a small ding near the toe, but the stropping went alright (30 laps on the leather)

Did my regular prep except I went with a cream (e-shave white tea) instead of the soap. No dropping of razor or brush so it started all right. I just did a WTG with a DE on the neck. Started a WTG on the face and it went smoothly.

Neck....Down the middle is going well, a little tricky where it meets the chin, but going well. The jawline is coming along. I am pulling the skin at the jawline up at an angle up towards my cheek and shaving it flat above the jawline. The sides of the neck are still difficult. Improvement was made by using the opposite hand and pointing the chin up and away (this definitely helps flatten things out). I also did what Earcutter suggested and put some alum on my fingertips. This also helped as I find myself switching my grip a lot on my neck to find what will work. Left side is better than right. I think because my dominant hand (right) is shaving the left-side and obviously vise-versa. But i must say doing the right neck with my off-hand is better than doing it with my right.

So overall steady progress being made. I think next will be to continue doing a DE pass on the neck until I get this down with the straight. Then do the face and neck WTG with the straight. Then instead of finishing up with the DE start learning a XTG on the face with the straight. Then finish/touch-up the neck with the DE.

Newbie to newbie advice.....well just be patiently persistent.

To the vets here, any suggestions for the sides of the neck other than what I have tried ?

Thanks for reading this has been Shave 7 !!!

[Kentos]

How does the growth orientate on your neck? Up and down might be XTG, or even ATG. There are scything and guillotine strokes that help a lot, but i would on those for a little bit more as it is in essensce and slicing motion.

[Grips]

My neck growth is N->S down the middle. That slowly & progrssively changes as it moves toward the sides so that the hair on the sides is Running E->W towards the outside. The main spot I have trouble with is in that "valley" between the adam's apple and the neck muscle. Found it tough with the DE when I started. I DE it WTG by going E->W and just adjust the blade angle as I dip down into and out of the "valley". I'm trying to do that with the straight but working at a hold that works and dealing with the longer blade.

Thanks Kentos !

[Grips]

Shave #8:

Another round of steady improvement. Shower, back to the soap and DE on the neck only (WTG first pass). Did the whole face WTG with the straight. Getting the angle needed for that first pass reduction down. Just need to work at the corners of the mouth as I get weepers from time to time.

The troublesome neck is coming along. A combination of opposite hand, chin up and away and some pulling and stretching led to a neck that wasn't super close but had no cuts,nicks or razor-burn. So a definite improvement.
Did a second WTG pass on the face which is now easy compared to the first reduction pass.

Relathered and did a XTG on the face. Well, another learning curve to climb. Found a grip that worked but had too much pressure around the chin which resulted in some harsh burn. Did a XTG with the DE and then wrapped it up. The alum told me the story of the XTG on the face; not smooth. Neck had far less burn from the alum, so it is coming along.

Newbie advice to newbies:

In general what this shave taught me is that every shave, while you're learning, usually has good things and bad things about it. The secret is to learn from both. The other thing is that every spot you shave has a learning curve of its own; it will also change whether you do a WTG,XTG or ATG.

[Grips]

Shave #9:

Started with a normal prep (shower, e-shave lavender soap). Did a WTG first pass on the neck with a DE. Did the first WTG pass with the straight on my face. Definitely getting more comfortable with the reduction pass just with the straight. A few days growth would be something else but one-day growth is going smoothly.

Continued with a combo WTG/XTG pass on the neck. Still opposite hand but trying to strictly follow WTG just didn't seem to be working on all places of the neck without nicks,cuts and some burn. The combo WTG/XTG definitely worked better less problems and better results. The next shave I'll focus on refining this combo and once I'm comfortable with it I'll skip the DE first pass on the neck.

Did a second WTG pass on the face. Relather, XTG on the face which is also getting easier. It's evolved into a combo (again ) of ear-to-mouth on some areas and mouth-to-ear on others. A touch-up with the DE and done. Face feels great and the neck better.

Again another round of progress which is a realistic goal.

[Grips]

Shave #10: (Jan. 25)

Normal Prep. Did a WTG with a DE on the neck. WTG on the face with the straight. Not super close but felt smooth. Only problem is the corner of mouth and chin area are tougher. Relather and do a WTG on the neck. Getting better but still having difficulty with the lower sides of the neck in the valley between adam's apple and neck muscle. The oppposite hand/chin up and away/skin stretching are helping.

Decide to do another WTG on the face b/c I felt the chin area not reduced enough for a XTG. Here is where I semi-intentionally make a break through. I did what I feel is a Guillotine strok on the corner of the mouth to the chin with the heel of the blade closest to my lip (so I don't give myself a permanent smile). What a difference in how the razor went through the whiskers. Never tried a Slant DE but I can see what the users of them rave about. Finish the chin normally while digesting this small epiphany. Decide to end on a high note and finish everything witha DE XTG.

Shave 11:

After taking a couple of days off shaving I go into shave 11 last night wanting to try the Guillotine on the neck. Normal prep. Needed to do a WTG with a DE as my beard is course and grows fast and I`m not skilled enough to reduce it after this long with a straight.

After the DE I relather and do the face WTG. Again I do a Guillotine stroke at the corner of the mouth but also do it on the chin as well. HUGE difference. That area is my coursest whiskers and they were removed quite well. Moved to the neck and added a short Guillotine stroke to my nemesis area. Again HUGE improvement. Its funny because I ended this shave with more cuts than I have EVER had shaving due to trying to get the Guillotine stroke down. Three good cuts on my neck and one on my face. However, other than those cuts, my chin and neck were much smoother otherwise and had no razor burn. I definite improvement. So next shave my goal is to get that Guillotine down and master it. It just might be the answer to my neck difficulties.

Newbie advice to Newbies:

Keep trying new things. However, only add one variable at a time (like a good scientist) that way you know what change made things better or worse. Plus, if you go in with one thing to work on, you can focus in and make improvements on that skill. I do a lot of coaching and I know that if you give a player 3-4 things to work on in a drill he usually does worse. But if you give him one thing to focus on (even though he needs improvement in 10 areas) during a drill, the player usually makes progress. So treat your first shaves like a practice drill. Focus on the one area and get your improvement; don`t try ten different changes and take a step back.

[Grips]

Shave #12:

Another shave with two-days growth. Let the DE have the first pass. Went with another WTG with the straight. Shaving the face is starting to really come together. Did more short Guillotine strokes around the mouth and chin (thanks again for the suggeston Kentos). It is incredible how that small change makes a huge difference in how easily the razor goes through the stubble.

The neck was a combo of WTG/XTG. I focused in on how to best shave the area and not worry so much how it was compared to the grain. More Guillotine and tried some scything strokes. Gave myself a cut with the last technique; but overall a closer, smoother and easier shave of the neck.

Did a XTG on the face and another combo pass on the neck. Touch-up was with the straight not the DE.

Alum confirmed that other than the cut it was a smoother shave.

Again, progress

Newbie advice to Newbies:

Don't be hesitant to try new things but expect two hurdles.
1) You may have to pay a bit of a blood price (but it could very well be worth it)
2) Don't expect to get them down in one or two shaves. I'm just starting to get a handle on them. Take your time and be aware the way you do them will change a bit based on what part of the face you are doing.

Well one dozen shaves in and I'm enjoying it more and more. Especially as I showed my son how to strop (or my version of it) and the difference it made before and after with a HHT. He was duly impressed and asked when he could shave (he's eight). I think there will be quite a fight over my shaving stash, between him and his brother, when I'm worm-food.

[Grips]

Shave 13:

Well, old shave 13 was unlucky. It started out all right but a combination of busyness, kids and work preperation conspired to make it a write-off. It started OK but it wasn't in the cards to finish well. I cut it short, finished with the DE. Had a shave with the DE this morning and probably tomorrow morniing as well. I'll have a few days off and will be able to pick up where I left off after tomorrow.

I know if I push it under busy circumstances I'm just looking for razor-burn and cuts. I can whip through a two-pass DE shave now but my straight skills won't allow me to do the same.

[Grips]

Shave #14:

Well much better. Had a DE shave in the moring so did not need to even consider whether to do a first pass without the straight.

Again cheeks WTG are no problem. Chin and moustache are tough to get close but no cuts or serious burn anymore.

Neck is still a learning curve to get to a place that's close with no cuts or burn. Getting there with guillotine strokes and different holds; but work is still need here.

Did another WTG on face, touched-up the neck with the DE and then a DE XTG on the face due to time constraints.

If anyone has anymore suggestions for the neck I would love to hear them and try them. It is definitely a work in progress. Looking forward to Shave#15 tonight.

[noahpictures]

One newbie to another: I usually nick myself when I try too many angles during one shave. For me it is best to plan how I shave certain areas prior to shaving. If during the shave the plan doesn't work, I move on.

Shaving the neck area is challenging. At best I can only get a DFS. My suggestion is to think about the direction of your beard growth and how you shave your neck using a DE then determine a way to hold the straight razor in order to attain a similar angle of attack to slay those whiskers.

[Grips]

Thanks noahpictures. I'm enjoying reading your journal and I appreciate the advice. I have a good handle on how my hair-growth patterns are and how I shave them with a DE. I struggle to duplicate the process with the longer blade. It'll come; I am, for the most part, a patient man.

[Grips]

Shave #15

A much better shave.

Did a first WTG reduction pass with the straight. Tough to get through the chin/moustache whiskers. Short guillotine strokes along with lots of stretching helped. The neck was better but still a work in progress. Really focused on stretching the hard spots onto an area where the topography was easier to shave.

Did a second WTG. Cheeks were no problem. Chin and moustache were more work but I think I have them figured out just need to refine the technique. Neck was better. Took noahpictures advice about just doing the best on an area and then moving on.

Did a XTG on the face with the straight. A XTG on the neck with a DE. Then a touch-up on the chin with the DE.

Again more improvement but neck is still slow in coming. I will get it; just a matter of hitting upon the right combo and then refining it.

Thanks to all you gentlemen for your tips and encouragement !