First complete shave with a straight razor. I have been shaving my cheeks with a straight for a couple of weeks and finishing off, including clean up of the cheeks with a Gillette New DE. I have been having pretty good success on the cheeks. Relatively flat surface with a bit of give to flatten it all out to the blade, plus fairly easy to stretch that skin. Last night I decided I would try to go for doing everything. I am using an old Wade and Butcher that I just got from someone on this site and used the Norton 4K/8K stones and Chromium oxide and Ferric oxide abrasives on a balsa strop and then the leather strop. Not too bad a shave but did have a little razor burn. I am sure I do need practice to not push too hard and to get all of the angles when working on the neck and chin. I am sure by watching videos and continuing to practice it will come to me.
First complete shave with a straight razor
- Thread starter 51 Rolls
- Start date
Congratulations on your first shave. I found that I progressed quickly after the first few times.
Well done!
And don't forget to show us your gear. We like photos!
And don't forget to show us your gear. We like photos!
Congrats! Videos do help, but above all, practice makes prefect. And, I agree with mio_cuggino, we do like gear pictures.
Congrats!
Congrats. It gets even more addictive from there.
Congrats and good job!!
You may want to start a journal...many of us have....they make great reading and are a good place to record what's working and what's not.
Journals and Diaries on B&B
You may want to start a journal...many of us have....they make great reading and are a good place to record what's working and what's not.
Journals and Diaries on B&B
First of all congratulations on your efforts to learn straight shaving! In time, you will be rewarded with very skin friendly, comfortable and close shaves.
I would recommend a higher grit stone between your 8 and the pastes. Some (myself included) often find these pastes give a less than ideal edge. More harsh than comfortable. If you are sticking to synthetic stones I would recommend a 12K stone to be used after your 8.
However, I say this all the time (as do others who have already gone through this.) Trying to learn to hone AND shave at the same time is EXTREMELY difficult and not advised. You would do far better in getting the edge of your razor honed by a professional here on the site and concentrating on getting your shaves down pat. Afterwards you will have plenty of time to venture down the rabbit hole of honing, which is a whole different world. Purchase another razor that you can alternate and use while the other is out for a honing/touch up if required.
Good luck and keep us posted.
I would recommend a higher grit stone between your 8 and the pastes. Some (myself included) often find these pastes give a less than ideal edge. More harsh than comfortable. If you are sticking to synthetic stones I would recommend a 12K stone to be used after your 8.
However, I say this all the time (as do others who have already gone through this.) Trying to learn to hone AND shave at the same time is EXTREMELY difficult and not advised. You would do far better in getting the edge of your razor honed by a professional here on the site and concentrating on getting your shaves down pat. Afterwards you will have plenty of time to venture down the rabbit hole of honing, which is a whole different world. Purchase another razor that you can alternate and use while the other is out for a honing/touch up if required.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Congratulations! I will be joining the ranks of the straight shavers as soon as the year long restraint is over.
i will keep an eye on your progress and learn from you.
marty
i will keep an eye on your progress and learn from you.
marty
Welcome to the dark side. Congratulations.
Attila has some very good advise for you right here, if you want to become very good at honing learning to shave first will save you ALLOT of sub-par shaves.
Congrats on this milestone and welcome to the fold.
My first straight razor was a factory edge Dovo (ouch), and I learned shaving and honing at the same time. I will second what others have stated, don't do it unless your resolve to succeed at both is rock solid. I had the added benefit of having several razors honed by professionals to compare my honing results with, but I learned that my ability to judge a blade by shave testing with it really was not there until I was approaching 100 or so shaves.
Congratulations and welcome to the fun side of shaving!
Bang-on advice if you ask me. [emoji108]
Welcome to the world of straight shaving and best of luck!
Fantastic!
Congrats! Keep at it.
- Thread starter
- #18
Thank you all for the advice. I purchased a newer AOS T-I razor with SS scales from one of the members that should arrive this weekend. I think that I will send it out for honing once I get it. I will also add photos. I have been a little busy with my daughters dance competitions lately. I am not sure that the old Wade and Butcher is worth sending out. It does have a little bit of a smile. As I said, I will try to add the photos next week. And again, thanks for all of the encouragement and advice.
Congrats - great post - thank you for sharing!
