Nice revelations. I particularly like the one where you have moved from not trying to cut yourself to simply removing stubble. Since November of 2016 and my weekend only SR shaves started I did pick up the shavette for occasional weekday shaves. I am still working on shaving the neck to an acceptable/DFS. I am mostly satisfied where I am at with the SR, especially since my chin is no longer and issue since a cut caused me to grow this out It speeds up the process, but I am not sure how much longer this will be a part of me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just shave with straights on Saturday since I love all forms of razors. I am getting better and better. I have not cut myself in a long time now.
The fastest way to master a Straight Razor is not to dabble. Just jump right in, 100%. As for the chin, just take your time and attack it from several angles. Don't hesitate to slap some more soap on. I also use small strokes, and watch my blade angles.
I found having a goatee negates any challenges with the chin. Like Jim, I love using all razors...except carts, but I have some carts in case I want to remember why I jumped into this rabbit hole Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As a relative newb with straights, I've got 3 different razors. One was sent to me "Shave ready" from another member who I trust and that's what I'm currently using. The other two are Dovos. One I purchased off a board from a guy who got it new and gave up after 3 shaves. Another one is my Dad's who bought it, used it a few times and gave up. It has been stored dry in the case for an undetermined amount of time. My predicament is this - I'm not sure either of the Dovos need to be honed or not. If not, I hate to send them somewhere and pay almost what the razor cost me to hone them. How can I tell? Also, would it be better to wait since I'm new to stropping? (I don't know if I'm likely to dull the sharp edge learning to strop correctly anyway.) Should I learn to hone myself or is this a big project? Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?
Just learn to strop and shave. Stropping is harder than shaving. Re-evaluate your need for hones in six months. It takes around 100 shaves to become truly competent. Have your edges professionally honed, period. You need to know what a good edge feels like, this is very important for new guys.
Get them professionally honed. Once this is done and done correctly, you now have a standard for what a properly-honed edge should feel like, your only real concern needs to be edge maintenance (stropping). Sending razors out to be honed is not a daily or monthly occurrence. A properly-honed and carefully maintained razor will shave for years.
If the razor you have been using is shave ready; try shaving with the other two and see how they measure up. Like @HolyRollah eluded too, if they are properly honed and maintained; it'll be a long time before they need to be honed. With that said; if you're like most of us, you'll end up buying a bunch to learn and practice honing on.
Good advice from Bama and Holy. I tend not to listen to the wise and need to learn from my own mistakes or triumphs. So I jumped all in...strops, hones from 800-12K, jewelers loupe and a few other things for the process. I am not sure I recommend this for everyone but I know I am going to enjoy straights more than I do now and I had the cash at the time. I considered this an investment that would pay off over time. I am still a novice in the straights realm so take this knowing that others are far more qualified. If you aren't sure if a razor is sharp enough to shave try cutting some hair off your arm. If it pops off at the touch of the blade to the hair...chances are it's shave ready. Don't think of honing as the cost of a professional hone. It's protecting and tuning up your investment, like taking care of a car or home. I have a local vintage grooming place here and found out they have hone service and used them once. I came away very satisfied, I will likely use them again as they charge the same price as I could find sending them away...and I didn't have to pay shipping Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My biggest temptation when I first began the SR journey wasn't buying hones; it was buying MORE straight razors! The only real issue with that particular strategy—aside from the potential financial hit—is I wasn't savvy enough early on to recognize exactly what to look for in razors to buy and what pitfalls to avoid. There are a substantial number of abused and flawed used straight razors found on both eBay and in antique stores/estate sales that it is easy to fall prey to temptation. One may find it easy to avoid Pakistani or other makes of inferior quality, but I've seen folks fork over big money for vintage Wade & Butchers or other 'known names' only to find out these razors had serious problems that required more money to even make them potentially usable for shaving. I've purchased my share of these razor-like objects.... A Good Rule of Thumb: if you have questions about a particular razor that you've been eyeing, don't hesitate to get a second opinion from someone here who may be more experienced with SRs. Early on in my journey, I finally began to ask some of the SR elders their thoughts on a potential purchase. I saved myself considerable grief and money taking this route.
I agree! Kevin was one of the "elders" that I bothered and he helped me a bunch. I learned to take a pass on razors with lots of hone wear and learned what cell rot is. Kevin saved me from making some expensive mistakes. Find your Yoda
Well I'm gaining enough confidence with the straight, to do a couple of passes on workdays without fear of coming into work looking like an unsuccessful lion tamer. There is definitely whisker reduction from two WTG passes, and I am starting to get more comfortable with angles and keeping the blade moving (resultant of a better job retaining the blade angles around curves, chin, etc.) Improvement is definitely happening, although being only about 7 or so shaves in, I'm a long way from achieving a DFS without doing an ATG pass with an aggressive DE. Either way, I'm now way ahead of where I started and improving every shave. I've also found the added bonus that my wife freaks out when she walks into the bathroom and I'm shaving with a straight, so it's kind of a twofer - "shave and a show". Today the combination of my sinus infection, and @Yehuda D's raving about the Stirling Glacials compelled me to pick the Glacial Lemon Chill. I gotta admit, now that I'm prepared for what's coming it is less painful and more cooling than I found it before. I'm not there yet, but I can see this becoming an acquired taste. Maybe I'll put another glacial sample in my next order.
It's fun to watch your progress. My wife doesn't even flinch anymore. In fact the first thing she said to me this morning when I left for work was, "How did that new razor shave?"I think she is over the fear that I'm going to bleed out some morning. She still won't let me shave her legs with a straight
