First Str8 shave....not good

[JPDyson]

First is worst

If you've never used anything like a straight before (I mean, Dovo Shavette, Feather AC, KAI Captain, etc) you're learning a whole new mechanic for shaving. The motion, the pressure (lack thereof, actually), the speed, etc - it's all a little different. Not to mention, in my humble opinion, full hollow razors are a bit harder to learn on. I still have trouble w/full hollow blades but can get really encouraging results with stiff grinds (I have a faux frameback and a wedge that help me a lot). I think those stiff grinds are a bit of a crutch, but it's one I'm willing to use.

Stick with it - when it starts coming together, it's a really great feeling - like you've accomplished something most men wouldn't dare attempt.

 

[CTH]

Hi,

Don't want to hijack your thread with my first ever post!

I also had a go at straight shaving for the first time today, and it was bad!

Razor burn galore. Few nicks. Not a close shave. Alum block stung like hell.

Spent £230 on my blade, brush etc so suppose I should keep at it.

Thinking LESS pressure and LESS angle for next time...

Craig.

P.S - Quality forum this!

 

[JPDyson]

Spent £230 on my blade, brush etc so suppose I should keep at it.

I think the best advice I got was NOT to spend nearly that much on my first straight... that being said, yes - I would say you have incentive to continue.

 

[VT_Hokie]

I guess I was furtunate in the sense that I didn't cut or burn myself up, the razor just wouldnt cut the hair

 

[LarryAndro]

Echoing AlabamaLawyer...

I strongly favor doing the first WTG pass with the blade flat on my skin. It won't razor burn, because the blade will ride up on the whiskers in all likelihood, and probably won't even contact the skin. The next pass (after relathering) will be quite shallow still; maybe 15 degrees. Then, I relather and shave WTG a final time at about 30 degrees.

As an aside, there are many areas on my face that I start at 30 degrees, and don't go thru all the steps above. But, for a hard spot or two, I do.

Do the WTG passes right! The rest of the shave will be tons easier. And, if 10 passes are required to get a BBS feel after WTG when rubbing your hand across your face in the WTG direction, do it!

 

[Gustav]

Hi,

Don't want to hijack your thread with my first ever post!

I also had a go at straight shaving for the first time today, and it was bad!

Razor burn galore. Few nicks. Not a close shave. Alum block stung like hell.

Spent £230 on my blade, brush etc so suppose I should keep at it.

Thinking LESS pressure and LESS angle for next time...

Craig.

P.S - Quality forum this!

Welcome to B&B!

Never push yourself too hard. It is better to start with safe areas like the cheek in order to develop confidence and then you can go on to other areas when you feel comfortable. there is no shame in finishing off such shaves with whatever you were using before you started straight shaving.

It might be a good idea to start a thread of your own like this one and others on the forum. In it you can tell us what gear you are using, ask questions and keep us posted on your progress.

The first few shaves will suck, big time, before you get the hang of it and that is completely normal. So do not be discouraged, just take it easy and you should be fine.

 

[Aaron W.]

I'm a month into my straight shaving adventure and I can tell you today was a dfs. The first shave was so bad I sent my razor to be honed by someone else thinking that was the problem,it wasn't. I get good shaves now soon it will be what I can do with my de. Hang in there man it hurts like hell at first but baby steps and you'll be fine. If you can go with stubble at work then by all means do it till you can get all the hair off.Remember take a little more hair off each pass not all at once. You'll know it's a good shave when you put on the proraso and you dont pee down your leg from the alcohol burn!!!! Hope this helps good luck!

 

[LarryAndro]

Early in my use of straight razors, I found some straight razor shaving videos. Wow! The blade just lasered off the whiskers! But, my razor was "dull", yada, yada. I think some of these videos do as much harm as good.

After I got two razors honed by two of the top honemeisters, I started to figure things out.

... Start first WTG pass with razor almost flat ...
... Reduce the whisker length ...
... Repeat the WTG pass if needed ...
... There will be some pulling during the beard reduction pass ...
... etc, etc ...

and the final one...

... Don't watch videos of straight razor shaving! ...

(Not serious. Overstating to make a point.)

 

[VT_Hokie]

The first shave was so bad I sent my razor to be honed by someone else thinking that was the problem,it wasn't.

Early in my use of straight razors, I found some straight razor shaving videos. Wow! The blade just lasered off the whiskers! But, my razor was "dull", yada, yada.

It's funny that you both say that, because that was a point I'm about to bring up.

Just gave it another go today, some things improved.

I adjusted my grip in both hands which helped. Tremendously so in my off hand. Much better blade control throughout the shave.

However, as a n00b, I would swear to you all up and down that this blade just isn't sharp enough. Even on my arm and leg (Yes I tried both ) it just doesn't wipe the hairs clean off. I get the same result from 2 rusty old straights I found in my parents shed a month ago.

Even with the most extreme blade angle, and even on the second pass, this thing just wants to grab and pull.

So I'm thinking...

-Maybe it's the lather, so I made a less dense but more slick lather, didn't help.
-Maybe my blade angle is so extreme it's sticking to my face, nope.

What am I doing wrong? Is it really not the blade? For those of you who said you too thought the blade was the culprit, what did you find was the real problem?

 

[LarryAndro]

Every honer has an off day. Even though it is not usually the case, it might be the edge. Why don't you PM me your address and I will hone and mail a guaranteed sharp razor for comparison. Keep it a few months, then mail it back.

 

[VT_Hokie]

Every honer has an off day. Even though it is not usually the case, it might be the edge. Why don't you PM me your address and I will hone and mail a guaranteed sharp razor for comparison. Keep it a few months, then mail it back.

That's super generous of you. Much appreciated.

That will put my mind at ease and help me narrow down the problems I'm having. PM Sent.

 

[BRuhling]

Every honer has an off day. Even though it is not usually the case, it might be the edge. Why don't you PM me your address and I will hone and mail a guaranteed sharp razor for comparison. Keep it a few months, then mail it back.

Tremendous generosity, Larry! That's what makes this site worthwhile!

 

[VT_Hokie]

Tremendous generosity, Larry! That's what makes this site worthwhile!

Absolutely! This place never ceases to amaze me with the amount of generosity and compassion shown by all members.

A true bunch of gentlemen.

 

[bradyarz]

Every honer has an off day. Even though it is not usually the case, it might be the edge. Why don't you PM me your address and I will hone and mail a guaranteed sharp razor for comparison. Keep it a few months, then mail it back.

larry is a top notch guy, even if he isn't all up on his 1337 5p34k (leet speak).

 

[Wid]

Nice, Larry comes through again. I keep saying he's good dude to deal with

 

[Klarion]

Yep, Larry's a good guy.


VT, just remember not to give up too early. I found it took a couple dozen shaves to really get a sense of satisfaction, out of my efforts. At first, it definitely was my razor, but then I had two honed up wonderfully. And then it was just because my skills were no good.

If all else fails, I have a Parker SRW, disposable barber straight, for use as a control. Just hit me up.

 

[taffy]

Nice one larry
for the op, stick to it, using a straight and a strop is a skill, having a big sharp blade in your hand, and knowing its going to go all over your face is not the easiest thing to learn, then after the shave, putting some sharp edge on it with a bit of leather, all takes time

 

[LarryAndro]

larry ... isn't all up on his 1337 5p34k (leet speak).

... 1337 5p34k ...

It's all gibberish! Or, at first I thought that to be the case. But, when I turned my monitor upside down, "1337 5p34k" clearly says "Send Money!" That is when I realized that this was simply a variation on the flashing subliminal "Buy Popcorn!" methods tried in the 1950s.

Clever! But, not clever enough to sneek by this big dog!!

 

[WilliamIam]

Oof!

I say strop before every shave. But I'm learning that the more laps you put on when stropping, the faster you wear away your perfect edge.
Once a week or so, strop on the rough side. I believe that stropping on the rough side is more abrasive, so it may wear down your edge faster as well.

I'm of the opposite opinion as far as shaving after days of growth. I think my skin is pretty wimpy. If I wait a few days before shaving, I'm a lot less likely to see any irritation at all. Also, if I stretch my skin, I'm more likely to get ingrown hairs. Just goes to the adage "To each his own".

Hang in there. You'll find what works for you.

 

[Saturn]

Just had my first go with a straight, too. Complete disaster. I look like I just dived face first into a dumpster full of used razor blades.

I might just oil the straight and put it aside and go back to DEs for a while. I need to remember what a good shave feels like.