My Straight Razor Journey

So I've had two recent shaves with the straight, Saturday after about 3 days worth of growth. Went fairly well, even was able to do a half pass ATG. Shaved again Monday after two days growth, results were so so.

I picked up a Shumate off eBay, going to send it to Lynn for honing. Then might switch to that. I'd like to get a feel again for a shave ready razor.

Tonight was all Schick, didn't feel like I had enough growth for the straight.

 

Oh no.. I "have" to buy a shavette now! I don't mind but my wallet might mind.

 

Wow, hasn't been as long as I thought since I've used a straight. Time is just weird.

So tomorrow I'm dropping in the mail a Shapleigh and a Shumate razors to go to SRD for honing. Once I get them back, I got myself a nice little loupe to hopefully see what a honed edge looks like, and then will give it a go. Until then, back to the SE.

 

Some advice - bite the bullet and get a shave at your local barbers. Take note what he does... it helps put theory into perspective.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

After hearing some of the stories around here I'm not sure that would be worthwhile. Seems like shaving with a straight is a dying art even among barbers.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

Well maybe in your neck of the woods... I am lucky here almost every mans barbers does it. Some really expensive ones and some as cheap as 10 bucks for a haircut and a shave.

Still worth searching though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I can think of only one barber in my area... and I hear tell most of them use shavettes.

 

The next time I go to HK I will ask for a recommendation. Do you know of anywhere to get a good shave in Macau? I will go to Macau for some fun Sunday.

 

Sorry no info on Macau but advise you look for a Shanghai barbershop - look for one with old fellers cutting. Almost all will do a shave.

 

Thanks

 

When you get them back feel the edge with your thumb to get a sense for what a good edge feels like.

 

Run your thumb length wise down the edge with minimal pressure. If the slice is over 3/8" deep; the edge is deemed to be "shave ready "

 

yes, that's the first test... which way to run your thumb. If you fail that test you might want to shave with something else.

 

If you fail the test,; you're banned to the "other" forum

 

Banished to the 'other site'

 

I had a dream about shaving with a straight last night...

I had sent the two off to be honed, but still had a third that was supposed to be shave ready, so I decided to pick it up and see if it was, and so i did WTG passes on my face and got an amazing shave. missed a few spots, but considering I wasn't expecting much I was pleasantly surprised.

 

Good job. It just gets better

 

Well you just have to go a little south of saint louis and there's plenty of barbers that do shaves and also use regular straights. Glad to see that your straight razor journey is going good for you. And using the off hand goes slowly at first and it catches up and becomes like second nature. Glad to see that there are more people in and around saint louis using straights. I used to live up there in south county, but moved about 30 miles out now, more peace and quiet. Good luck on reaching all your shaving goals.

 

Got my razors back. And I know what it feels like. Now if the damn thing will stop bleeding.