S1
I thought it would be a good idea to keep track of things...maybe help me remember to repeat the good and avoid repeating the bad things...first entry I basically have just cut and pasted from my "first shave" post in the General Straight forum
So yesterday I went and saw Heespharm to pick up my grandfathers Henkel's Twin Works razor that he had honed and lightly restored for me. Well, let's just say that Hees is an awesome guy and I could talk to him about razors for hours....not only did he have the razor looking fantastic but he also PIF'd me some other goodies including another razor, a case, a couple of sleeves, some pastes and a 3" strop! I was truly stunned by his generosity and this straight newb feels like he hit the jackpot!
Yesterday around 2:00 I had a quick shower before my son's soccer game and I couldn't wait to try the Henkels...I should have waited...I didn't have time, and even though I got in a north/south cheek pass I managed to nick myself on the left cheek using my left hand...and finished off with my Red Tip...and stropped the razor with my Whipped Dog poor man leather strop.
Well this morning I was determined to do it right...I got everything and everyone in the house set and then got ready...I got the 3" from Heespharm put on a doorknob and started with 10 nice slow passes on the cloth side...then I warmed up the leather with my palm and went for about 25 passes on the leather...I showered, washed my face well and took to the sink...a warm slick batch of Tabac using my WD synthetic brush, some Noxema as a preshave and I was ready...and sweating.
I stretched and was able to do a north/south right side pass with my right hand and a the same on the other side with my left...then I went to the jawline and neck and while the angle and approach was a bit harder to figure out I was able to do the same, right side with right hand and left with left hand....I did my chin area with my right hand and then with carefully went for the upper lip...touchy, a bit scary but got it done....and my whole face had been shave with a straight razor!!
I took a breath and then did the same thing again...north/south whole face....I was really surprised how close the shave was and to get BBS I did a quick ATG pass with my Red Tip. I stropped 20 passes on the leather, cleaned up and was one happy camper....this is a really great way to shave....I am a bit irritated and I managed to draw a few weepers on the horizontal crease of my chin below the lip getting to cocky, but other than that...really happy.
Observations:
*Stropping on a 3" is much easier than on a smaller one as it covers the whole blade...I would suggest that a newb like me get themselves one.
*The second pass is much easier than the first for me as my whiskers have been greatly reduced....I'm really glad I went for the second pass because it was a lot smoother
*I'm glad that I'm using both hands from the get go...it's not as hard as I thought it would be and it does make it easier for me to not have to get funky angles and grips using just my right hand...but I know many use one hand and that's cool too.
Last night I sat around with my Sam Seong shavette with no blade and just practiced with my left hand (thanks for the tip Hees!) and I think it helped a lot.
I thought it would be a good idea to keep track of things...maybe help me remember to repeat the good and avoid repeating the bad things...first entry I basically have just cut and pasted from my "first shave" post in the General Straight forum
So yesterday I went and saw Heespharm to pick up my grandfathers Henkel's Twin Works razor that he had honed and lightly restored for me. Well, let's just say that Hees is an awesome guy and I could talk to him about razors for hours....not only did he have the razor looking fantastic but he also PIF'd me some other goodies including another razor, a case, a couple of sleeves, some pastes and a 3" strop! I was truly stunned by his generosity and this straight newb feels like he hit the jackpot!
Yesterday around 2:00 I had a quick shower before my son's soccer game and I couldn't wait to try the Henkels...I should have waited...I didn't have time, and even though I got in a north/south cheek pass I managed to nick myself on the left cheek using my left hand...and finished off with my Red Tip...and stropped the razor with my Whipped Dog poor man leather strop.
Well this morning I was determined to do it right...I got everything and everyone in the house set and then got ready...I got the 3" from Heespharm put on a doorknob and started with 10 nice slow passes on the cloth side...then I warmed up the leather with my palm and went for about 25 passes on the leather...I showered, washed my face well and took to the sink...a warm slick batch of Tabac using my WD synthetic brush, some Noxema as a preshave and I was ready...and sweating.
I stretched and was able to do a north/south right side pass with my right hand and a the same on the other side with my left...then I went to the jawline and neck and while the angle and approach was a bit harder to figure out I was able to do the same, right side with right hand and left with left hand....I did my chin area with my right hand and then with carefully went for the upper lip...touchy, a bit scary but got it done....and my whole face had been shave with a straight razor!!
I took a breath and then did the same thing again...north/south whole face....I was really surprised how close the shave was and to get BBS I did a quick ATG pass with my Red Tip. I stropped 20 passes on the leather, cleaned up and was one happy camper....this is a really great way to shave....I am a bit irritated and I managed to draw a few weepers on the horizontal crease of my chin below the lip getting to cocky, but other than that...really happy.
Observations:
*Stropping on a 3" is much easier than on a smaller one as it covers the whole blade...I would suggest that a newb like me get themselves one.
*The second pass is much easier than the first for me as my whiskers have been greatly reduced....I'm really glad I went for the second pass because it was a lot smoother
*I'm glad that I'm using both hands from the get go...it's not as hard as I thought it would be and it does make it easier for me to not have to get funky angles and grips using just my right hand...but I know many use one hand and that's cool too.
Last night I sat around with my Sam Seong shavette with no blade and just practiced with my left hand (thanks for the tip Hees!) and I think it helped a lot.
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