Well the straight learning continues as 2 WTG passes with the JR108 boar whipping up the Stirling Orange Chill into a nice lather. I'm getting comfortable enough with the angles, grip and blade movement on the WTG passes that I decided to try an XTG pass, but the angles seemed too weird, so I went with an ATG pass instead. It ended up fine, but having to figure out new angles and the lack of muscle memory was almost like starting over again. I think I'm gonna pull out the shavette @RyX sent me for MAYhem and start figuring out angles and strokes for XTG and ATG sans blade. Tips and suggestions from those more leaned than me in the dark ways are always welcome.
At some point in the straight razor journey, you start to realize that you will make mistakes, and these mistakes will result in cuts and small slices on your face. You also realize that your body has the capacity to heal these easily and without fanfare, that bleeding from a cut is not that big a deal, and that prior to the last 50 or 100 years men were made of much sterner stuff. It makes me wonder a bit if progress is making us regress.
'scuse me while I dredge up this oldie, but I've only just had a chance to regroup a bit since taking a "new" job at a start-up that's quite literally sucked most of my time away and any additional time I've had I've been so warn out that I just wanted to do absolutely nothing and especially stay away from anything related to technology. I've shaved several times with straight razors during that time and they've been good shaves. No damage and only an occasional bit of burn. The September following the last post in this thread my wife gave me a nice Dovo SR that I've used a number of times. It shaves really nice and is easy to hold. I've been finding that I like to add a lot more water to my lather when using my straights than the DEs. I'll wet the brush after the initial application and get the lather on my face to the point of almost dripping and it seems to really make the razor glide. The DEs don't seem to care as much.
well said ,i have one point ,as a mechanic, cuts and scrapes are par for the course..as a shop owner,service manager type nowadays beating my chest and sporting scares from a morning shave isn t that appealling.though i am sure with experience a sliced up face doesn t happen often..
What do you enjoy most about the whole SR process? What's your biggest challenge so far in your learning process? What do you hope to accomplish in the coming year? (BBS shaves? Learn to hone? Learn to strop? Buy a zillion razors?) Are you a single-handed or double handed SR shaver? Answers 1. Acquiring a new skill and gaining self sufficiency as far as not depending upon resupply of blades. 2. Angle of attack and just overall technique or muscle memory. 3. I hope to be able to shave with confidence and get decent results, Learn to hone and general maintenance of an SR without spending too much. 4. So far dominant hand for the majority of my shave but I'm trying to correct this as I go. I also plan to pick up a vintage razor at some point after I learn how to properly hone and strop a straight and perhaps restore one or two if I can get them cheap enough.
I also add more water to my lather when shaving with a straight. That’s a beauty, your wife made and excellent choice.
Another preference for additional water to the lather. That is a nice straight, especially for starting out.
