Razor: Parker SR1 shavette (Personna RP)
Shave: 1
The goal is to learn using straight razors. The Parker shavette SR1 will be used until I can get decent shaves then I'll move to straights. If necessary I'll use a DE on the final pass in order to get an acceptable shave.
The Parker shavette uses half of DE blades. It arrived with five Shark SS blades. I judge all new DE razors using the Personna RP blade so I snapped one in half while it was still in the wrapper and loaded it in the shavette.
Fist Pass (WTG): I used my right hand to shave the right side and the left hand to shave the left side of my face. I felt very awkward holding the shavette. The scales blocked my view while shaving above the jawline. I was surprised at how careless I was with a blade and a couple of times I moved the blade in a horizontal direction while in transition cutting the skin. Luckily the cuts weren't deep. I focused on short strokes, locking the elbow/wrist in order to maintain the correct angle. Easy said than done.
Second Pass (XTG/ATG): It felt impossible to get a traditional XTG pass using the razor. I was all over the place. When I couldn't get the correct angle, I became frustrated and began to shave ATG which was easy to find the correct angle but was a mistake because the blade wouldn't cut easily due to not reducing the whiskers. I found myself using too much pressure. Somehow I made it through the awkward pass without a cut.
Third pass: was a XTG with a DE (Muhle R41), resulting in a DFS. Goal is to become comfortable holding the razor and I must learn to do a XTG pass in order to reduce the beard for the the third ATG pass.
Shave: 1
The goal is to learn using straight razors. The Parker shavette SR1 will be used until I can get decent shaves then I'll move to straights. If necessary I'll use a DE on the final pass in order to get an acceptable shave.
The Parker shavette uses half of DE blades. It arrived with five Shark SS blades. I judge all new DE razors using the Personna RP blade so I snapped one in half while it was still in the wrapper and loaded it in the shavette.
Fist Pass (WTG): I used my right hand to shave the right side and the left hand to shave the left side of my face. I felt very awkward holding the shavette. The scales blocked my view while shaving above the jawline. I was surprised at how careless I was with a blade and a couple of times I moved the blade in a horizontal direction while in transition cutting the skin. Luckily the cuts weren't deep. I focused on short strokes, locking the elbow/wrist in order to maintain the correct angle. Easy said than done.
Second Pass (XTG/ATG): It felt impossible to get a traditional XTG pass using the razor. I was all over the place. When I couldn't get the correct angle, I became frustrated and began to shave ATG which was easy to find the correct angle but was a mistake because the blade wouldn't cut easily due to not reducing the whiskers. I found myself using too much pressure. Somehow I made it through the awkward pass without a cut.
Third pass: was a XTG with a DE (Muhle R41), resulting in a DFS. Goal is to become comfortable holding the razor and I must learn to do a XTG pass in order to reduce the beard for the the third ATG pass.