Shavette worries

First shave with Dovo shavette happening this morning.
Am I going to cut my self to ribbons?

They seem to be advertised as an introduction to straight shaving but I'm starting to believe it on the course of been able to use a shavette makes using a straight seem easier? Forgiveness.

Regards
Marty D

Welcome to B&B!

Take your time, make sure you keep the path of the blade perpendicular to the edge, and once you put the steel to face immediately start the pass. Your hand shakes imperceptibly, and leaving the blade stationary in one spot is akin to sawing your face and it can cut. Keep the spine close to the face and aim to just barely skim the lather from your face. As you become more accustomed to shaving you can add a bit of pressure if needed. Good luck!

Don't worry about removing whiskers, just remove lather. And stretch. Good luck!

Cheers guys

Marty D

When learning, I found it helpful to "fake shave" with a shavette - lather up your face and use a shavette without a blade fitted and go through the motions of the shave, using the edge of the shavette as if it had a blade fitted. Like Larry has said, you should be aiming to lightly wipe off the lather with minimal pressure on the surface of your skin.

Try this a few times and you will learn what grip you need to hold the razor with for each of the strokes you will be making and you should feel more confident with the razor in your hand. When you go back to using a blade in your shavette, maybe keep to WTG passes first?

Good luck!

Good advice, all above. You won't go wrong if you follow it. But I will pull my own string and repeat all anyhow

1. Good prep. slick lather is essential. You need the whiskers softened de-oiled hydrated and standing up. You need lubrication for your skin.
2. STRETCH the skin. Loose flappy skin gets cut. Tight, flat skin, not so much.
3. Light pressure. Hardly any, actually. Just touch, don't press.
4. WTG or as close to WTG as practical. If you survive one WTG pass, consider a second WTG pass. Two WTG is a good basic newbie shave.
5. Don't try to shave close. Remove the lather and you will reduce your beard. The second pass reduces it more. You don't even have to think about it. A DE blade in a shavette has plenty of cutting power and works well if you just let it happen. For a closer shave have a third WTG pass. Only after a couple of weeks of successful shaving should you attempt XTG or ATG, for a third pass.
6. Shave angle with a shavette should be tight and close. The spine should be nearly dragging on the face. A high angle WILL cut and irritate.
7. For your first shave, cork the new blade. Draw the edge through a wine cork as if trying to gently slice the cork. One pass is enough. This makes the edge nice and smooth and tones down the cutting power just enough for your first go. You can also try using a blade that has been used once in your DE razor. Next time you install a new blade, skip the corking unless you just like it that way.

For my first, hmm, maybe 5-10 shaves with a straight, I just did WTG on my cheeks. No more. One pass, WTG, and I learned something each time, then finished with a DE.

All good advice - take it slow and don't give up - it's worth it!

Thank you all for your info. I'm looking a bit late for a lot of it ha. Few knicks, hey've calmed right down now.

I've ended up with a few spot/bumps on my face.
While I was in Tesco I asked if they were ingrown hairs or spots.
She said it's most probably the moisturizer and I should buy sensitive skin stuff.
She said it looks like shaving rash reacting with the after cream

Looking forward to shaving again though
And using a proper straight.

Regards
Marty D

As a much newer straight/shavette user I'll echo what the more experienced user above are saying. I will add that the two biggest game changers are when you include stretching and keep a light touch. I found stretching not only made it feel better while shaving (I was fortunate enough o get very few cuts or nicks even when I wasn't stretching well...I must have had an angel on my shoulder...you may not be so lucky) but stretching also made those hard to reach or odd spots easier to get to. Can't reach it? just stretch the skin to a better location. The light touch is easy to say but hard to do. The more you concentrate or the more frustrated you become, the harder you will press that blade into your skin. You may not cut yourself but it wont feel good either, and it makes the blade harder to move so you press even harder.

Using a mirror and all the different angles of attack, that is hard at first. All I can say there is...If you find yourself all twisted in knots and you are going to reposition yourself, either take the blade away from your face or move your face and hand together. repositioning your face or blade with the blade lightly against your skin is probably the most likely way your going to get cut.

Good Luck ... I think you will find the straight razor and the shavette are somewhat different.
I use both from time to time.

I had a Parker shavette for about a month beforehand re giving up on it I just couldn't get a good shave with it. I tried a regular straight razor today and had first shave with it was better than any shave with the shavette.

Thanks for all the info lads

Regards
Marty D

Lots of good advice here.

My number 1:

Light touch. Light touch. Light touch.
It'll forgive many of the sins you may commit.

You'll cut yourself eventually, it won't hurt, it won't be bad and you'll be better for it.

:-D

Thank guys

Regards
Marty D