First Full Straight Razor Shave

Discussion in 'Straight Razors' started by m0j0j0eman, Jul 16, 2011.

  1. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    Welll...I did it.

    I bought my DOVO BEST QUALITY BLACK 5/8" STRAIGHT RAZOR SET with a red leather strop, T&H pre-shave oil, T&H Spanish leather AS, and Vanilla Bourbon soap from straight razor designs. Got it in the other day. So, after reading mounds of reviews and do's/don'ts I decided to go slow and easy on my first go. So, without further ado, I will share my experience.

    I stropped the razor an hour before I shaved. I started out with a hot shower to get my whiskers soft. I utilized the T&H pre shave oil after the shower which I let sit on the face for a little while then rinsed. I then got my vanilla bourbon out, and utilized my super fine badger brush so as to get a great lather. The lather was full and slick, did not have any problems getting the lather going. I utilized my Dovo going slow down the sides of my face. Once I got the sides done, I went on to my neck...and then I got rushed. I said I wasn't going to do it! I was not going to rush, and then I did. Then? The nicks came. 3 total after the shave was done. I have to say, it was a really close shave. I really enjoyed it, I just have to continue going slow. Crawling before walking, walking before running,etc. Once the shave was done, I used my T&H Spanish Leather AS. I got some really good feedback from the fiance, so that is a good thing:happy108. Overall, a good first experience with my straight razor shave. I look forward to many more to come.

    If I could tell anyone after me who does SR shaving for the first time, it is to go slow. I was going slow with the face, but my neck...I got in a hurry and started screwing things up.
     

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  2. Xezmer

    Xezmer Active Member

    You've got one hell of a kit, it looks like! Enjoy it long and well!
     
  3. Lavachild

    Lavachild Active Member

    So what did you think of the Truefit and hill Pre- lotion? My girl got me that same bottle and I don't know if it really helps or I just think it does. The placibo effect is hard to tell.
     
    petrakounas likes this.
  4. ehehat

    ehehat Active Member

    That's a great kit there and it sounds like you had a very successful first shave. Just continue to go slow, NO pressure, and enjoy the process! :happy096
     
  5. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    I thought the T&H Pre-Shave did a decent job of softening up the whiskers. I think that is why I had such a successful first shave with the straight, because of the pre shave oil. Made my skin smooth, and my whiskers softer, so it helped all around.
     
    Lavachild likes this.
  6. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    :happy096 Way to go with the first shave.

    Very nice kit, too :happy088:happy088
     
  7. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    Very nice, thanks for sharing! The shaves will get better as time goes on.

    I took a few weeks off from SR shaving and am having to start all over again.

    IMO, a large part of a successful SR shave is self confidence. I was hesitant on my first shave, then they got better and better and then perfect. I took a few weeks off and found that I had to start all over again.

    Keep it up Mang!
     
  8. Lavachild

    Lavachild Active Member

    I mis-read this at first and thought you meant you stropped for an hour.

    I was about to accuse you of being excessive. ;)
     
    true01 likes this.
  9. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member


    Haha! That would be crazy.
     
    Lavachild likes this.
  10. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    Shave #2

    Same kit as before. I don't understand why I hurry through my shave, but it got me in big trouble today. I was doing great. Got my pre-shave ritual done, my lather nice and thick/slick, started going down the right side of my face. Decided, well, might as well do the part of my neck. Kept going, right? No problem...then my chin came. Yeah, I took a big slice out of it :angry032:angry032. All because I got in a hurry. One thing I learned near the end of my shave, was to go slow, and do tiny strokes along the tricky parts of the face. My neck and chin are definitely tricky portions as I have learned. Other than the big slice, I got a really close shave and feel great. The next time (Shave #3), I will go slow, take short and slow strokes, AND NOT HURRY!!!
     
  11. Dslazar9

    Dslazar9 Took the Menthol-cratic Oath

    Yep, a bit of blood is tuition to learn str8's. Hang in there, you've got some great equipment and great attitude, I think you're off to a fine start. After a year I still have issues ATG in some spots. Some days it just flows perfectly, others.....not so perfect.
     
  12. Lavachild

    Lavachild Active Member

    My first shave was bloodless, but it also was not as close as I thought I should have been. My second was nice and smooth. So smooth I thought I would really try to squeeze out the last bit of the shave as possible. OPPS! That is where I went wrong. Too early in my experience to pretend like I am some shave master. What I have learned, is as I have been doing this for a number of months now; my stropping has gotten better. My better stropped blade now is noticeably sharper and oddly enough, smoother and glides along my skin much easier. For some reason, the sharper the blade, the less blood I get.
     
  13. I got through my fist straight edge shave without a cut at all. The only straight I have now is a hart steel 6/8. I'm waiting for a dovo as well. I eventually would like four or five all together.
     
  14. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    Yeah, I must say the first shave was really good. I didn't have any nicks at all. After 3 more shaves, I have definitely experienced cuts and nicks. I suppose it is the price a noob has to pay to get into straights.
     
  15. mandoman

    mandoman Member

    congrats ;)
     
  16. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    Had a great shave last night. I stropped the blade right before I shaved, and I built up a ton of lather to go on. Really smooth shave. Best one I've had in a while. I did WTG, then XTG, and lastly ATG. ATG actually went really well. I watched Geo's movie on all of these passes (it can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsTnSfaB0Ss). Geo does a really good job to show how to properly hold the blade and do all the passes correctly. The only area, that I have a real problem actually shaving, is where my jaw meets my neck. It is difficult to hold the blade properly, and go ATG on this portion. Does anyone else have this problem?
     
    Asd likes this.
  17. ehehat

    ehehat Active Member

    I've been SR shaving for about two months now and am finally getting pretty competent. I started with WTG XTG XTG and had to add ATG to get BBS. I'm now able to just do WTG XTG ATG (like you) and get BBS every time with very little irritation. I also had issues going ATG while using Geo's blade holding technique but my issue was more related to the fact that the hair on the right side of my neck grows from chin to ear and it was very difficult to hold the razor in my left hand and shave from ear to chin on my neck. After a lot of playing, I found it was easier for me to hold the razor in my right hand and shave up from W to E. This really took my BBS to the next level. I gues the only rule of thumb is keep practicing until you find what works for you.
     
  18. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    Yeah, I am definitely having to take it easy. I am going on shaving with a straight for about a month now. The irritation is decreasing, and the comfortableness of the shave is increasing. Stropping right before my shave seemed to help decrease the number of cuts, because the blade is sharper then (so it seems). Confidence is another issue in the shave. If you have confidence in your passes, it seems that you will have fewer nicks. Fewer being the key word.
     
  19. MileMarker60

    MileMarker60 Member

    A month in an you haven't quit! You got it made now.
    It does take time to to get the hang of everything.
    The only tip I would offer is to stick with just a WTG & XTG until you can get through the shave without any cuts ( at least very, very rare)
    For the most part I'm a 2 pass shaver, half the time just one
     
  20. m0j0j0eman

    m0j0j0eman Active Member

    Yeah, I am really getting into it. My WTG & XTG passes are the best. I don't get as many cuts with either of those passes. But I am going for the BBS shave...so...for me that requires ATG. And man, that is the most difficult pass. On my face? No problem. On my neck? Not too hard, but still gotta take my time. The jaw area? Biggest problem area. That is my cuts and nicks area. But, hopefully I'll get the hang of it by my wedding day.
     

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