Will I Ever Get Any Better?
- Thread starter dickt
- Start date
It takes time, practice and patience! But it's a skill like anything else worth learning! If you mastered the DE then you have the patience to master a straight!
10 times isn't many shaves, but 40 cuts is alot..which kinda tells me something major is up somewhere....
so get right back to basics and start afresh.
did you jump straight to straight edge, or choose a shavette? Shavettes can be a bit more forgiven whilst still teaching good technique....might be worth a look.
dont get bogged down on technique right and wrongs you've read on the Internet....they are mostly correct but not always "right" for you.
for instance the mystical 30 degrees doesn't always work well for some...instead lay the blade flat against your skin and then angle it gently more as you start your stroke, eventually you will feel it start to cut....effective shaving uses that process; not instantly aiming to shave but angling your blade to do so during the stroke.
try just shaving your side burns and cheeks with the SE til your comfortable.....don't go XTG but maybe just a single pass for now.
ensure your prep is there; hot shower or towel, pre shave oil, decent lather etc
and remember its not a race or a challenge, but should be a pleasure! If something doesn't work try a different method, read up some more or adjust your process!
You will crack it eventually....I started a couple of months ago and I can now pretty much shave without cuts....I'm now mastering getting BBS shaves!
But even so, a nick here or there is gonna happen.
10 times isn't many shaves, but 40 cuts is alot..which kinda tells me something major is up somewhere....
so get right back to basics and start afresh.
did you jump straight to straight edge, or choose a shavette? Shavettes can be a bit more forgiven whilst still teaching good technique....might be worth a look.
dont get bogged down on technique right and wrongs you've read on the Internet....they are mostly correct but not always "right" for you.
for instance the mystical 30 degrees doesn't always work well for some...instead lay the blade flat against your skin and then angle it gently more as you start your stroke, eventually you will feel it start to cut....effective shaving uses that process; not instantly aiming to shave but angling your blade to do so during the stroke.
try just shaving your side burns and cheeks with the SE til your comfortable.....don't go XTG but maybe just a single pass for now.
ensure your prep is there; hot shower or towel, pre shave oil, decent lather etc
and remember its not a race or a challenge, but should be a pleasure! If something doesn't work try a different method, read up some more or adjust your process!
You will crack it eventually....I started a couple of months ago and I can now pretty much shave without cuts....I'm now mastering getting BBS shaves!
But even so, a nick here or there is gonna happen.
in the immortal words of Allen Iverson....
Practice. We talking bout practice.
Keep it vanilla to start like the post above. Master the easy bits to get the angle, pressure, prep etc down and the rest will follow.
after a couple months off I'm almost starting from scratch again.
After 10 shaves also ask yourself this - is the blade still shave ready?
Practice. We talking bout practice.
Keep it vanilla to start like the post above. Master the easy bits to get the angle, pressure, prep etc down and the rest will follow.
after a couple months off I'm almost starting from scratch again.
After 10 shaves also ask yourself this - is the blade still shave ready?
What kind of cuts. And 4 cuts average over ten is a bit high but not unthinkable if your edge is not there. On what type of passes are the majority from.
It took me about 4 months of bad shaves to get it right.
- Thread starter
- #6
The cuts are almost exclusively on ATG passes on my jaw line. I got two cuts yesterday on my first use of a shave ready Dovo Best from Superior Shave. The grain on my iron-like jaw line whiskers grow from ear to mouth, so I guess that my east-west shaving along the jaw line is ATG. The preponderance of my cuts are below the ear, on the jaw line. The second pass on my neck is a southwest-northeast XTG, with very little problem. I haven't been doing XTG on the rest of my face; ATG works with no problem.
You will get better, all it takes is patience and the ability to hang in there. When I first started with straights I felt I'd never get the hang of it. But over time I did, and now I can do a complete shave without any nicks or cuts. Just be sure to lay off of any pressure.
Sure you can be too much of a klutz now. BUT with enough practice, and enough advice from us you surely can master the art of straight shaving.
What kind of cuts do you get? Weepers? Long thin cuts? Deep flaps of skin flayed away?
There are specific causes for all of them, and steps can be taken to minimize them.
We are here for you brother!
What kind of cuts do you get? Weepers? Long thin cuts? Deep flaps of skin flayed away?
There are specific causes for all of them, and steps can be taken to minimize them.
We are here for you brother!
- Thread starter
- #9
IMO 
The long thin cuts are from the razor slightly moving toe to shoulder without any movement perpendicular to the blade. I found that usually happens when the blade is left for too long on the skin prior to starting your pass, or when too much wrist is used.
Too much angle also encourages the blade to dig in, so a shallow angle might help too.
I used to lock my arm at the wrist and elbow and envision moving it all as one unit to minimize any slicing motions. As I got better I relaxed that and added in slicing motions intentionally.
The long thin cuts are from the razor slightly moving toe to shoulder without any movement perpendicular to the blade. I found that usually happens when the blade is left for too long on the skin prior to starting your pass, or when too much wrist is used.
Too much angle also encourages the blade to dig in, so a shallow angle might help too.
I used to lock my arm at the wrist and elbow and envision moving it all as one unit to minimize any slicing motions. As I got better I relaxed that and added in slicing motions intentionally.
Also if your struggling along your jawline I find that pulling upwards to bring your stubble up onto the side plane of your jaw helps a hell of alot. In fact I now pull upward to shave the entire sideburn, and lower jaw area. Pull above hairline to shave upper side burn, then move down as I shave downwards..all the time stretching upward back towards the hairline. If you do that with your jawline also you will find you can probably shave a good coupe of cm's of your jawline stubble with relative ease on he flatter plane of the side of your jaw; then just shave your lower neck as per usual.
The answer is yes. I recommend buying lapping film or a coticule or even a barber's hone. It usually takes about 100 shaves to become proficient.
- Thread starter
- #13
I have received some wonderful advice from the responders! When I used the straight yesterday (an ancient Gold Star German razor that I used for the third time after professional honing), I paid a lot more attention to prep and skin stretching. I did the hot towel prep, with an initial application of Stephen's brushless, followed up by Proraso Pre-Shave. I also spent a lot more time making lather, making sure that it was amply hydrated. I read elsewhere on the Board that the lather is too dry if it sticks on the razor and does not come off easily under the faucet. Sure enough, I had been hydrating the soap insufficiently! In any event, the shave was good, with only a nick on one jaw.
I will keep at it. I never felt that I was fortunate to have some acne scarring from my youth. The dueling scars and nicks from the straights sort of blend in with them.
I will keep at it. I never felt that I was fortunate to have some acne scarring from my youth. The dueling scars and nicks from the straights sort of blend in with them.
OP,
fyi, it was two months of daily straight shaving before I even attempted agt. With a straight, one can get a des with only wtg and xtg. Only in the last few weeks have I been regularly trying agt strokes.
take it a little slower with chasing the BBS. Focus on right prep and right technique and the BBS will come to you. (Cue theme from Karate Kid)
fyi, it was two months of daily straight shaving before I even attempted agt. With a straight, one can get a des with only wtg and xtg. Only in the last few weeks have I been regularly trying agt strokes.
take it a little slower with chasing the BBS. Focus on right prep and right technique and the BBS will come to you. (Cue theme from Karate Kid)
