DE to Straight

[T-Box215]

I took up DE wet shaving a couple of months ago and was instantly hooked. I originally went for DE fearing the straight would be a bit too far from the multi-blade cartridges for my comfort. After just a few shaves with the DE I found myself looking into straights. I started out DE on a modest budget so if I didn't like it I wouldn't be out much. I instantly wished I had gone bigger. I now own 4 DE razors, and just ordered my first straight. I picked up a Hart Steel 6/8 square point with rosewood scales. The wife said I was allowed one straight, so I went bigger that normal and I'm sure I won't be disappointed. I can't wait for my first straight shave. Any tips specific to the Hart Steel are welcome.

[Doc226]

Very nice first razor. I assume you also got a strop. Just go to youtube and look up geofatboy-he does some nice videos.

[T-Box215]

I assume you also got a strop.

I did indeed, great deal on classicshaving.com includes strop, and 6 month supply of dressing too I believe.

[Easttexasman]

If you bought a nice(expensive) strop, I suggest going to www.whippeddog.com and getting a cheap strop to get you started because you will destroy your first strop.
Learning to strop correctly is not as easy as it looks in the videos.

Also congrats on taking the first step and you just jumped right in with the purchase of a very nice straight.

[Tkocloser]

Good luck sir, and congratulations! May I suggest keeping and posting a shave journal? The shave journal really helps in terms of reflecting on your shave technique, cataloging key learnings, and perhaps best of all, harvesting knowledge from the B&Ber's in the Shave Clinic. The brotherhood and the knowledge is really strong here.

One more thing: A lot of folks say that it takes about 100 straight shaves to become fully proficient. Based on my limited experience (36 shaves in) this is about right. Good luck with your journey!

[T-Box215]

The Hart has arrived! Here are some pics, I'll post first shave results shortly. I have to contact my vendor, should have come with strop conditioner also if I'm not mistaken.

[T-Box215]

Had my first shave, the nerves yielded a pretty good shave, and only 2 small nicks. (one thanks to the square point and my free hand going in for a stretch and bumping the scales) Lesson learned stretch skin then bring razor to face, duh... Did a 3 pass shave maybe should have done less, but I had a fair amount of growth to mow down.
Routine:
Hot shower, facial cleansing
Proraso preshave cream
Proraso sandalwood and shea butter whipped up by shavemac 944
Cold water rinse followed by alum block
Rinse followed by Proraso AS, witch hazel mix
Finish with wife's facial moisturizer, (mine is in the mail still)
All things considered a pretty good first go at it.

[Doc226]

[T-Box215]

Thanks Doc, glad I was able to finish the shave w/o reverting back to the DE. It just seems wrong to go back to the DE during the learning process. I'm mostly impressed by the lack of irritation to my skin, the two nicks not included of course.

[Dutch101st]

I too have recently taken up the straight after doing DE for almost a year (3 shaves into it). Have a Dovo Best Quality, Bismarck arrives Monday. The Prorasso Red is also the bomb...good stuff!

Congrats on your start!! I will have to look into Hart as I do want the "7 day" shave kit...

[T-Box215]

I will have to look into Hart as I do want the "7 day" shave kit...

If you're in to minimalist design they are the razor to have. Very contemporary, clean, utilitarian basically everything you need and nothing you don't. IMHO they are beautiful in their simplicity and craftsmanship. Made by the working man, for the working man...

[hokahay]

I'll toss in a few comments and look to the group for some critique.

First is in reference to the strop conditioner. Tony Miller, for one suggests that beginning straight shavers have a tendency to overdo oiling due to an overzealous compulsion to maintain the equipment. Hand rubbing the strop before use is often enough. whipped dog has 30 mL (two tablespoons) of neatsfoot oil for a dollar. At 20 drops/mL that's a five year supply! I bought a little tub of strop dressing and I use it on everything.. My wallet, my iPhone holster, my manicure kit. But I haven't put any on my strop.

Second thing is after your shave I think a hot water rinse ( keeping pores open ) then alum. Rinse your brush then with the hot water and then with cold. The brush hair likes a hot followed by cold rinse. Then rinse your face with cold water to close the pores. This is probably nit picking, but I am throwing it out there for your consideration.

[Slash McCoy]

The Hart is a fine razor. I would have suggested starting out with a cheap vintage razor and a cheap strop, for the simple reason that you are likely to damage both during the learning process. But you have some good equipment there, and that's a fact.

To keep your razor sharp, I suggest buying a 3" wide, 12" or longer, 3/4" thick or thicker, block of balsa wood. Get it from a hobby supply or online. It won't cost much. Get some 1u and .25u diamond paste. Apply a couple of bb's worth of each paste on separate sides of the balsa. Be careful not to contaminate the .25u side with even a trace of the 1u paste. After each shave, strop your razor on the balsa. A half dozen laps on the 1u followed by a dozen or so on the .25u. I get mine from www.tedpella.com but there are plenty of other sources. Refresh it about once a month with about half that amount. It lasts a long time You still must strop on your hanging leather strop before each shave. With good technique, this will keep your razor sharp for a very long time so you don't have to send it out to be honed.

If in spite of the balsa stropping your razor gets dull, you will need to get it honed. Sending it out is an option. You can also learn to hone it yourself, but the problem is that you might have a bunch of pretty dodgy shaves while you are learning to hone, if that is your only razor. For that reason, I suggest when this happens that you get a whipped dog razor from Larry at www.whippeddog.com to shave with while you are getting your honing down pat. You are looking at $25 for a classic vintage blade that is maybe not so pretty but will have a lot of character and will be in every respect ready to shave with. Most of Larry's razors will be between 50 and 100 years old but will still shave every bit as good as a new blade and will continue to do so for another 50 or 100 years.

Not using your DE as training wheels is a very good practice that will force you to acquire a reasonable level of skill with your straight in a fairly short time. Good on you. And congratulations on your successful first shave. It will only get better. Look for your shaves to improve over the next few months.

For more shaving and honing pointers, keep reading the threads here and post any questions. Happy shaves, and welcome to the board.

[T-Box215]

2nd shave down, and got much closer, did get some razor burn as a result but not too bad. My biggest hurdle in this shave was my squeaky clean skin. It's almost as if the razor edge wants to grab the skin. Maybe my blade is too close to parallel to my face? Not sure, maybe I'll try a tallow based soap next go and see what effect that has. I do have a vintage straight also, but I need to have it honed or buy some more hardware to do it myself. I figure the vintage will be my guinea pig for honing. Honing shouldn't be too big a step. My grandfather taught me a fair amount about honing.

[Slash McCoy]

Honing razors is not rocket science, but it is different from knife honing. Look for a thread started by Blix that is probably about 11 pages long by now, called Lapping Film: Try it! or something like that. You can get started quite decently for $20 or so. Much cheaper than using rocks, and much faster and easier to begin getting amazing results. Also look for Seraphim's threads on lapping film. He is the one who inspired me to try film and I have not looked back. The stone age is over for me.

[smalltank]

You could always get a cheap straight and practic for awhile til you get a better understanding of the maintenance basics..then go to your new straight...though nothing wrong starting on a new straight...just be cautious a bit more..if you stop in between passes and have to walk away from your razor..wipe it with a towel...water and steel don't mix well

[T-Box215]

Had my 5th shave I think... yeah I skipped a day I think. It was pretty darn good, handling the razor is becoming more comfortable and I'm starting to find the right angles to get at some of the tough spots. I got a wicked close shave, but unfortunately also got really bad razor burn. So... kind of torn on this shave. I don't think I've gotten this close a shave... well... EVER. But clearly it was either too close, or too much blade on skin (too many passes). Still haven't really figured out one spot on my neck. The hair grows (root to tip) from my adams apple toward my ear. So the spot where my neck meets the underside of my jaw is really not getting close. I've been able to clean up the ridge of my chin, but also too much blade on skin causing razor burn. Probably have to take a day or two off to heal up from this one. Have to admit I did think about giving the exec. fatboy a shave today, but was able to resist. Progress is being made that's what's important. Trial and error will eventually yield the end goal.

[Leon]

Had my 5th shave I think... yeah I skipped a day I think. It was pretty darn good, handling the razor is becoming more comfortable and I'm starting to find the right angles to get at some of the tough spots. I got a wicked close shave, but unfortunately also got really bad razor burn. So... kind of torn on this shave. I don't think I've gotten this close a shave... well... EVER. But clearly it was either too close, or too much blade on skin (too many passes). Still haven't really figured out one spot on my neck. The hair grows (root to tip) from my adams apple toward my ear. So the spot where my neck meets the underside of my jaw is really not getting close. I've been able to clean up the ridge of my chin, but also too much blade on skin causing razor burn. Probably have to take a day or two off to heal up from this one. Have to admit I did think about giving the exec. fatboy a shave today, but was able to resist. Progress is being made that's what's important. Trial and error will eventually yield the end goal.

Congratulations.

Go easy on the pressure. Don't make too many passes in the same area. As for the jawline, try making a S-N pass and then a N-S pass.

Good luck.

[tomjr]

i would get a strop from some vendor on the lower end because u almost always cut your first strop. save that one 4 about 1-2 years of using the other and get your stropping down pat. that's a nice razor & strop! tom

[Parallax]

I agree. I'm a straight newb and just put a nick in my strop yesterday. So easy to do. On my $13 version, no big deal. But a fancy, expensive strop, if I owned one, would be set aside for a while.