I have finally tried SR shaving. First try: It scared me a lot. The first time I felt a very sharp razor on my face. I think that I made a very bad lather that day. The razor was stuck. It couldn't glide. So I wet the brush again and made the lather more watery. Finish the shaving with a lot of stubble left. I grabbed my DE and clean them off. Second try: Lather was watery. Give enough lubrication but still felt the cold sharp edge. I had more guts now. I tried to clean every single stubble. Ended up with razor burn. I still had to reach my DE for finishing touch. Super razor burn now. I will try using SR again. I only have facial hair on my upper lip area and chin area. Super hard to maneuver the straight. Any of you guys have a good video on how to do those areas?
I'm sure others will reply with specific videos but they are out there. With your free hand grab your nose and move it out of the way and then stench your lip over your teeth to flatten the skin. To get directly under my nose I also use a very large angle with a very very light touch. As I move away from my nose I flatten the angle. I also used a DE to finish my shaves while I was learning. I also used a shavette without a blade to practice and build muscle memory. Some angles will be easier if you switch hands, it will feel awkward at first but after a while it will feel natural. For your first shaves you are doing good, the learning curve is very steep for a straight, don't give up. Are you sure your razor is 'shave ready'? Having a good edge is critical, you can't get a good shave unless your edge is truly shave ready.
I bought my straight from a professional honer, James Keegan. He lives in Taiwan. I was introduced to him by @gssixgun So I believe that it is truly shave ready. Feels a bit "harsh" though.
Then it's likely the angle or pressure. My first straight shaves were worse than yours. Stick with and you will master it.
Congratulations on taking the plunge into SR shaving. It take practice, practice and more practice to get good at SR shaving. Watch the angle and keep it low. Use a wet lather to make sure it's slick. Don't use any pressure and take your time. Don't try to shave the hard to reach places, like under the nose, until you get proficient at the easier areas. It's not hard to do, but does take practice. Once you're proficient at it, SR shaving is quite enjoyable.
James can hone, no doubt about the razor being shave ready This video is about testing for shave ready BUT I also give a ton of pointers about the first shaves in there Yes SR shaving needs a slightly wetter lather you figured that out on your own Congrats you are already learning http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/video-what-is-the-shave-test.32920/
Nothing I can add except to cheer you on. :rah::rah: (Edit; Pics or it didn't happen. Show us your razor, Sir )
Thank you. Not brave. It was an impulse buy from James. He made a proposal I couldn't refuse. I just couldn't let that beautiful razor be a show object only. I have to use it. I was so scared to try it. Postponing it for almost two months since I got it.
Easiest way for me to visualize this, was to keep the razor two spine widths from my face. this includes constant adjustment along the jaw, neck, and chin to try and maintain that angle. The other thing that helped me a lot was skin stretching. Pull the skin away from the direction the razor is moving in. If you have an alum block, rub your wet fingers on it to get a really good grip on your skin.
My best advice is to start with closely examining your direction of hair growth. I'll use mine for example. My moustache area grows outward from center. To shave this, my first stroke is to shave the outside corner of my mouth with the blade held vertically and shaving outward. I just shave an area about an inch or so to create a bare spot on my cheek near my lip. Then I use the hand that is on that side to stretch the skin by pulling that bare spot toward my ear. Having stretched the skin, I shave the rest of that side starting from center and shaving outward until I reach the previously shaved area. Repeat for the other side. Then re-lather. Next pass, I shave straight down toward my lip which is across the grain for me. I don't have any trouble with even my larger blades getting under my nose- I just adjust the angle as I get room. I start somewhat perpendicular, but being careful you can still get the pass started without too much trouble. Re-lather. For the last pass, if I'm doing three, I reverse the direction of the first pass. Again, shave out a small area on the cheek to give a clear spot to pull toward your ear to stretch the skin. Having done the first two passes, this pass is usually a cinch and picks up any little whiskers that have been laying down to avoid the first tow passes. I get those right on the corner of my mouth a lot. I have only attempted the straight up direction a couple times and I just don't find it necessary as the other three directions give me a BBS shave and don't cause the razor burn the upstroke does.
I still have difficulties after several shaves. But I think it is expected. Some parts are easy to handle. Other areas are difficult to handle. Especially I have small facial hair area. This is a bit frustrating. But I do enjoy straight razor shaving so far.
Its all been said Above..The Learning is in the Practice..It will become a Natural Habit through Time & You will Reap the Rewards.. Ye Canny Whack it.. Billy..
It took me almost 30 shaves before I started to feel comfortable and al last 100 for me to feel confident I would get a great a shave almost every shave. The leaning curve for a straight is much longer than for a Dae or SE. Hang in there it will get better.
Right on man! It just takes practice, after a while you start to adjust your stroke naturally to fit your face and beard. The lather was what really started to make a difference for me. There is a sweet spot for lather; not too thin not too thick...the "Goldilocks" lather I call it, when the blade really glides.
The area you shave is your upper lip, chin, and neck? Not so much on the cheeks? Cheeks are the easy part. If I'm guessing your thicker beard areas correctly you have to learn the hardest parts. Samples of 6 weeks of facial hair growth for different racial groups. I'm of mixed Caucasian heritage. Mostly northern European; Welsh, Dutch, German, French, with a little American Indian. Curly thick full face beards are just a matter of not shaving. For me to begin learning a straight was the standard answer," start on the cheeks". I still have to go slow around my chin. And I like my mustache, it stays.
