Quitters never win! (So I guess I lost my first straight shave)

Today had such great promise! It was my first full day in my new apartment with carpet, and when I came home a bag of goodies was waiting for me!




I bought the universal shavette off of doc from here on B&B and he was kind enough to send me a Geneva straight to try before I buy. I loaded up the universal with a fresh blade and set up for my first shave. After shakily making it down both cheeks (to much caffeine and not enough food) moved to my upper lip and cut myself right away. I paused for moment and as the blood started to come to the surface I threw in the towel and grabbed my new lc to finish a sub par shave.

So for now I'm taking the blade out and practicing bladeless for a while until I feel comfortable enough for round two. Any other suggestions? Would I be better suited actually trying the Geneva first because it is less "sharp?"

The feel off a straight is very different than a shavette. Not knocking either BTW. IMO a straight is more forgiving and much smoother. Either of them are equally capable of giving you cuts and irritation. If you know the blade is shave ready and you have a strop, that have at it. Try the easy passes first if it feels good continue, if not finish with the de. It takes time to get used to holding it and moving it around. So take your time, it wont happen in a week or a month but more like a little everyday.

If your straight razor is from Doc, it is more than shave ready. Just make sure not to strop before the first use, so that you can tell what shave ready really feels like. Keep your angles very shallow (no more than 1 or max 2 spine widths from face) and don't push down at all. Stretch the skin always in the opposite direction you are doing the stroke. A shavette is usually much less forgiving than a straight razor, but indeed both can cut or cause irritation.

Try the straight. remember to keep the angle tight. Lay the blade flat against your face and rotate the spine out from your face so there is one spine width between spine and skin. That is your basic shave angle. A bigger angle shave more aggressively but if you go much bigger your shavig stroke becomes a scraping stroke. A shallower angle shaves more gently but you may lose cutting power somewhat at extremely shalloe angles. STRETCH THE SKIN! Taut skin resists cuts. Loose, flappy skin invites them. Only shave WTG the first few weeks. I recommend two passes so you dont have to try to get it all on just one pass. The first pass reduces the beard and the second pass cleans it up.

Thanks for the input. Probably going to try again tonight after a shower. Until I get used to it I think it will be straight wtg and de finishing up the last two passes

imleftyoureright said:

Thanks for the input. Probably going to try again tonight after a shower. Until I get used to it I think it will be straight wtg and de finishing up the last two passes

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That's the ticket! Just remember to go slow, stretch the skin and keep the angle shallow.

Tried round two today. My prep was a lot better. I tried the Geneva and doc's edge felt much more comfortable. Got down both checks and started shaking on the upper lip and chin and got a couple nicks before throwing in the towel.

The checks gave me hope and I think I'll end up enjoying the straights. If anything hopefully the combination of my stubbornness of not wanting to not be able to shave with a straight my vanity making me not want walk around with a cut up face will lead me to take better care of myself in other aspects of life.

Great job!!! Keep it up!!!

Awesome, take your time and have fun.

Try number three got me through a full wtg pass. Used Stirling Soap's new bergamot lavender soap and it may be the best smelling soap I've tried. Slick stuff as always from him.

Had a lot of trouble with the neck because I'm a really skinny guy and when I stretch the skin it can be hard to use the full width of a DE blade let alone a straight. Any other skinny guys have advice?

keep up the good start!
as for stretching your neck area...try stretching upwards from your jawline whilst leaning your head to one side and slightly back. this gives a flatter neck stretch than stretching downwards from the base of the neck.
it also allows you to pull some of the neck area stubble up onto the jawline/cheek which will give a flatter surface to shave along. if you stretch good like this you can probably get a good inch or so of stubble area shaved along your jawline instead of your neck.

Newbie here. I just finished shave 6 with a straight.
I wish I had you ability to quit while you're ahead. I'm too stubborn and I keep going until it looks right to me and by then I have like 2 bleeders and my face is all red for at least a day.

I think I'll take a page out of your book and not be so ambitious at this early phase in my shaving journey.

My wife's afraid I'll cut my nose off or something, but I kind of like the little scars. Face was probly too purty anyhow.

you're doing great....it really does get easier....I'm on shave 45 and still having good days and not so good days...but the shaves have become less stressful and actually kind of relaxing.

ColdDeadHand said:

I kind of like the little scars. Face was probly too purty anyhow.

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love that line! and now I'm going to have to agree!!