Is it a requirement to receive a huge slice at some point?

I've been using straights since 2009 and I have had a handful of real cuts. One left a very minor scar, but I'm pretty sure only I can notice it. All of my "more than weepers" cuts have come when I've been careless or rushed, and most at the very end of my shave. I guess it's the ADHD.

I hope not

I came very close yesterday to having a couple of slices. One where I touched the skin and slid, and the skin folded, but luckily no blood. Phew! Finally got my first nick from straight razor shaving though. Its interesting, but I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to have the type of shave with this that I have with a DE. I'm going to keep trucking but this is one tough tough method of shaving I tell ya. Careful is the word, and lots of skin stretching.

SCshaver said:

I came very close yesterday to having a couple of slices. One where I touched the skin and slid, and the skin folded, but luckily no blood. Phew! Finally got my first nick from straight razor shaving though. Its interesting, but I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to have the type of shave with this that I have with a DE. I'm going to keep trucking but this is one tough tough method of shaving I tell ya. Careful is the word, and lots of skin stretching.

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I've had shaves with my straights that were like my DE shaves.............then I improved and all irritation has gone and the closeness went from DFS to BBS! Stick with it - it will click and come together, just don't force it

I would almost say that I can achieve a closer shave with my SE than with my straight, although that is technically true, it is by no means the fault of the blade.

It has to do with the direction of growth of my hair. I get the closest shave when I do a ATG pass. Unfortunately, because of the growth direction on some parts of the throat and jaw, I can't get a good ATG pass with my straight where I can get a good ATG pass with the SE.

I'm trying to improve, but to get the blade under the right angle ATG, seems -in some places- impossible with a Straight, but relatively easy with an SE.

Everywhere else I can achieve the same BBS result with both the Straight and the SE

Never needed stitches.

Though I have cut myself a couple times that required a dab of TP to stem the flow. The worst was on the upper lip as I approached without caution and, effectively, scooped out a section of my skin. That was a good one but didn't leave a mark.

The lesser scratches I've gotten, mostly from poor landings with a shavette, on my cheeks are the only ones really visible. They weren't that bad of a cut but I guess it's just a more visible spot.

I got a pretty decent cut under my ear lobe the other day but still no slice thankfully. I'm blown away at the amount of passes it takes just for me to get a CCS shave with a straight. I put mine down this last week while I traveled and enjoyed some great bbs shaves with a DE and am going to go back to the straights.

Just finding myself lacking the patience at the moment.

I've been shaving with a shavette for about a year now. I just moved to a full on straight razor two days ago. The straight went fine (although my honing skill could use a little polish). I recall about three nice cuts learning on the shavette. The worst one was produced on my lower right jaw with a Weck Sextoblace. About an inch long but no stitches required. I found that once I learned to relax and not make every stroke with fear and trembling, the cutting stopped. I haven't cut myself in months. I can now move right along and enjoy the experience. But as many gents have stated you can't be daydreaming! I think none of us had better get overly confident... that's when the cuts come.

Yes especially if your wife walks through the bathroom in appealing attire.
Inch long scar about 1 mm deep and 2-3 mm wide.

I had 1 nasty one that was a little over an inch long idk how deep but it scared me enough I put my blade down for a year
I picked it up a few days ago just to find I now need to have it fixed up

otto76 said:

I got my worst slices after I had been using straights for a while and got a little careless. In the beginning I treated them like a lethal weapon and was pretty careful and mindful of what I was doing. After a while when it's second nature maybe you start daydreaming a little or planning your day and slice!
Had some pretty good bleeders but never stitches

So no, you never have to cut yourself but if you take it for granted that you won't then you probably will.

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The trick is to never take using a straight razor for granted, and think you can whip out a shave as fast as using a safety razor, you start thinking that way and you could die, being careless, the straight razor blades are a lethal weapons. I just got 10 X 100 gram alum blocks from India, just for the little nicks that'll happen from time to time, nothing like being prepared.

It seems the consensus is to get an inexpensive strop because you will nick it up. So it goes with your face. Practice on a balloon. If you pop the balloon you cut yourself.

I took a nasty attempt to take a slice out of my chin the other day.
That was really stupid. I thought I'd nicked myself and I took the blade away, in a very very stupid fashion!
I wasn't in a hurry.
But I assume I just wasn't focussed enough :-(

And yes, get a cheap strop (not cheap-***), or get an adjustable loom-strop when you are a beginner.
I also heard this advice: place the strop on a flat surface (elevated or at an edge), so you can strop without having to keep tension on the strop.

I maimed my strop because -again: focus!focus!focus!- I did't keep tension on the hanging strop.

Huge slice, definitely yes. But, it usually comes with a badass story to prove your manhood to your coworkers and friends. As long as you embellish it some, definitely don't tell them it happened because your dog farted and startled you while shaving.

Not sure if it is a requirement, but if so I satisfied that requirement last night after trying to give myself a second smile about 4mm below the left side of my lower lip. Not stitch worthy, but dang near. LMAO Time to pay closer attention even when things are going smoother then they ever have before for me.

Yesterday I took out the 8/8" Koraat and nothing noteworthy happened, even the Alum didn't sting.
The large "slice" I "took" out of my chin, still has the looks of a nasty scar. That was nearly 3 weeks ago!
Then I used a 3/8" Rugra, so it can happen at any unsuspected moment. As Yoda stats: "Size matters not!"

Again:
1. Respect the straight razor,
2. Keep your focus,
3. Don't rush!

No slices after three years, but occasionally I'll have a tiny weeper if I get careless about getting a good stretch. A slice means you're doing something grossly bad, like lateral movement of the edge, pushing the razor against the skin too much, or forcing a dull(er) blade if it hangs or sticks.

if you're beginning, use short, light strokes with a careful stretch, and remember a straight has no safety bar so it has to lightly glide across your skin, you can't push on it to flatten the natural curves of your face.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks for asking this. I'm two shaves in and I was wondering the same thing.

Only shaved twice with the straight, and got a DFS with one pass each time, but I did get a nice line sliced into my cheek near the corner of my mouth when I stuck my tongue in there to stretch it out like I do with my DE.

I'm currently transitioning from cartridge, to shavette, to straight. Only serious cut has been with the shavette. That occurrence was early on, during the "can't figure out how to hold this thing with my off hand" phase.

Razor up, and poke cheek with tip.
Rinse blade, fresh lather, go again?
Razor up, and stick tip right back in same gouge i just made.

I almost went back to the cartridge. Now only weeks later, I have my Sight Unseen Straight from Larry at Whipped Dog. Yesterday i had my first Real Shave. Ended up cleaning up with the shavette. Today the second shave with my M.L.Brandt 100; while not perfect, was as good as earlier efforts with the shavette. I have hope. And an order of tallow based soap samples from Strop Shoppe in the mail.