A fool and his blood are soon parted

Every few months I make another abortive and doomed effort to try straight shaving - after using a DE happily for years. My most recent effort - two days ago - had me experimenting with a Dovo Shavette. Well, after managing my right cheek OK (I'm right-handed), I then expertly cut my left cheek in two places while trying to move the razor into my left hand. These cuts were very superficial, though.

Attempts to shave my neck were a total disaster, and had me slicing into my neck on the right side just near my ear. I haven't the faintest idea what I thought I was doing, but it was a clean, deep cut and bled like the dickens. Never was the term "cut-throat razor" more apt.

I'm full of admiration of people who seem to shave straight with a nonchalant air, but I fear I shall never be one of that esteemed group. It may well be that a shave with a straight razor is a very good one (I wonder though, how much of that is actually due to the time and care the straight shaving requires, rather than the razor itself), but every time I try I end up wallowing in blood.

You simply can't teach an old dog new tricks - especially if that old dog is me!

Even so, when my skin is healed and I've got the courage, I'll have a go again, no doubt.

-A.

Hang in there. I shed blood today for the first time in months, Pabst & Kohler needs honing, got the Vulfix Lavender a bit too thick & sticky. Too stubborn to change up after I got started. Should of.

why not try a non-disposable 5/8s with a coticule edge on your next go around?

That's why my silver coloured Sedef Shavette, Stainless Steel 'Shaving Factory' Shavette and Stainless steel extra length shavette are decorations on the mirror hung on self adhesive clear plastic hooks

There is a learning curve, no doubt. But tell us a bit more, please.
- Are you stretching your skin with your off hand? This is very important, because taught skin that is properly prepped does not cut as easily as loose skin (think of a plow going over a smooth road vs a bumpy road).
- Are you using very very light pressure (like near to none)? A properly prepared razor will cut hair with almost no effort/pressure. If you're using DE blades, you shouldn't need to worry that your razor is sharp.
- Is your lather too dry? Straights require a bit more slickeriness than DEs.
- Is you shaving angle to low? The spine of the razor should be very very very close to your skin. If the angle is to great, you're scraping, not shaving.

Your willingness to stick with it is admirable. We'll try to help, if you give us a bit more data.

I hope that said bloody individual hasn't parted with all his money as well, and can attend to the necessary medical needs.

You seem to be a fine thinker. If you want to, you will do just fine.

Since you are an expert with a DE, why don't you force yourself to only do your right side cheek, and do the rest with the DE? Refuse to do anything else with the straight until it is stupid easy. Then do left cheek after right cheek. Refuse to do anything else until that's stupid easy.

Every time you add new ground , go really slow, and abort to defer to your DE without hesitation. This is not a race. Don't treat it as a necessity; just something fun to do.

Keep it up. Just stay conservative with it, and you'll get there.

Many thanks to all of you for your detailed and expert replies. I've not tried to straight-shave since; time constraints have meant hurried scrapes with the trusty DE. I'll give it another go hopefully soon. It also occurred to me that using the same blades in the Shavette as in my DE - Feather - may have been in error. Possibly a better blade for a Shavette would be one a little more forgiving. Anyway, I'll endeavour to keep y'all posted! And thanks again.

Sent from my Lenovo B8080-F using Tapatalk

My advice (having just learned to straight shave in the last six months):

1. practice hand / head / razor positioning with something that won't cut you (a dulled razor, a chopstick, a plastic knife, a tongue depressor -- anything). Then make some strokes as if you were shaving. Do this in the mirror, with both hands and both sides of your face. You can work out how you need to put your hand, face, razor without any risk of cutting anything. Just a couple of minutes for a couple of days will have this part sorted out.

2. shave only the flat parts of your face (cheeks) and only go N-S (WTG) for the first few days or even a week. Clean up / finish the shave with your DE. This lets you build up some muscle memory on the easy sections before tackling the harder areas (chin, jawline, upper lip, neck). Add those harder sections one at a time as you gain confidence. Same goes for E-W (xtg) and S-N (atg) passes. Just stick with N-S until you're truly comfortable, then add in E-W slowly, etc.

3. shave every day if you can, every other or so if that's all that is possible. You want to build up muscle memory. Part of the reason why your previous attempts haven't let you improve is the long gaps in between. Shaving every day will have you making speedy progress.

4. try something more forgiving than a Feather in a shavette.

I've been straight and shavette shaving for over a year and I just had my first really nightmarish straight shave just this evening! While standing at the mirror astonished at the carnage I thought of this thread and thought I would stop by and join the wounded! I'll heal sooner or later, right?

I hope it's not as bad as that sounds. I need to get some good sleep tonight.

lightfoot said:

I've been straight and shavette shaving for over a year and I just had my first really nightmarish straight shave just this evening! While standing at the mirror astonished at the carnage I thought of this thread and thought I would stop by and join the wounded! I'll heal sooner or later, right?

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AussieGuy said:

You simply can't teach an old dog new tricks - especially if that old dog is me!

-A.

Click to expand...

False! Haven't you seen Myth Buster's before? They taught an old dog some new tricks.

Anyway, I believe you will learn to shave with a straight razor as expertly as the next guy. You just have to stick with it and take it easy. This type of shaving is definitely not a sprint, more of a marathon. Find your pace and eventually you'll cross the finish line.

I'm not sure how you cut yourself switching hands but I always bring the razor down in front of me, near the sink to switch hands and then I bring it back up to my face.

Stay focused and motivated, you'll get there.