[RacerX]

Well, I am in the middle of my first straight razor shave and it is going so badly, that I am actually interrupting it to post here. I have been using a DE razor for the last couple of days to transition from shaving with an electric. The DE shave was a truly marvelous experience compared to what I'm going through now. I took the time to prep using a steamed towel and prepared a good lather to apply to my face. I'm sure I'm in the ballpark of the proper 30 degree angle, but the razor is doing an extremely poor job getting through my day's growth. Unlike the DE, the straight is making a "ripping" sound as it goes over my face. I bought my new Dovo razor from an advertiser on this forum and paid extra to have the blade "honed to perfection". A sticker affixed to the razor's box even states that the razor does not need to be stropped prior to first use. I got through my cheeks, but I cannot get the razor to cut through my chin hairs no matter what angle or what direction I try. The blade just grabs into the hairs. I am seriously beginning to doubt if the blade was actually honed. As it stands now, I am extremely disappointed and out a substantial amount of money. This is not what I expected.

[JMS]

Nobody ever expects their first straight shave to go bad, but it almost always does!
Tips for a better shave:
Shave with the toe of the blade leading ever so slightly!
30 to 45 degrees on the angle of the blade in relation to the face, and continue to make minute adjustments until you hit the sweet spot!
Lots of stretching to the skin while shaving is a tremendous help!
Go with the grain for starters! Across and against can be done as your skills improve!
Practice, practice, practice!
I won't say anything about prep as it sounds like you are doing ok there!
To shave with a straight requires a completely different mind set than any other method! It requires an open sort of concentration!

Good luck!

[JimmyHAD]

That is a bummer and I understand your frustration. Sounds like one might have slipped through the cracks. I am sure if you contact the vendor he will have you return it and give it special attention to make it right. Whatever you do stick with it because straight razor shaving is really worth the time and effort.

[nun2sharp]

You shouldnt hear a ripping sound, this tells me either not a sharp blade or incorrect angle, my guess is angle. I always strop before a shave, stropping removes any corrosion on the edge and your edge more than likely corroded to some degree in transit, this minute corrosion will make the blade feel dull(pulling whiskers and a ripping sound). Though you may have used the steamed towel routine I would suggest trying your next shave straight out of the shower. Your face will be clean, the pores open and the beard very supple due to steam and plenty of contact with hot water. I understand your frustration, but remember its just the first time and this is just a learning experience. It will get better. God bless and good luck!

[RacerX]

Why can't I get through my chin hairs? The blade grabs every time I try! I can't even finish the shave. I am putting a new blade in my DE to finish the job. Is it possible that I paid for a honing service that wasn't performed? I am extremely frustrated right now, especially because I know that I will not have the option of returning the used razor if this doesn't work out for me.

[JMS]

Originally Posted by RacerX

Why can't I get through my chin hairs? The blade grabs every time I try! I can't even finish the shave. I am putting a new blade in my DE to finish the job. Is it possible that I paid for a honing service that wasn't performed? I am extremely frustrated right now, especially because I know that I will not have the option of returning the used razor if this doesn't work out for me.

The chin hairs are usually the hardest to get through! I suppose you may have bought a blade that was poorly honed, but the skill level required with a straight is much greater than what is required with other methods! I still say practice, but contact the vendor anyways and ask them the same questions!
Could you tell us who the vendor is?

[JMS]

I actually sold a razor to a guy in my area not to long ago! He returned it and said it wasn't sharp enough and gave up on the idea of straight shaving! I took the razor and gave it a go and it went through my coarse beard like it was butter! my point is you don't know until your skill levels can inform you of what is going on!

[sebell]

my point is you don't know until your skill levels can inform of what is going on!

This is exceedingly true. The hardest part about learning to shave with a straight
razor is not knowing what's wrong when the shaves aren't going well. Give this a
try: after your face feels like it has recovered from any irritation, shave after a
nice hot shower. You can do any other prep that you feel like, and go ahead and
strop the razor while the shaving lather is on your face. Hold the strop taut and
keep a very light tough, try 30-40 laps on both the linen and leather. Keep the
razor about 1-2 spine widths away from your face, with nice light short strokes.

If you see an improvement in your shave, even the smallest one, you're on your
way.

Good luck,

- Scott

[RacerX]

My face is so torn up right now, I doubt I will give it another try. I have very sensitive skin. I feel very foolish for spending the amount of money I did when I didn't even know how my skin would react. This may well be a very expensive lesson learned.

[Photoguy67]

I don't claim to be an expert, but I had VERY simular problems with my first shave. I bought a prehoned razor and didn't think it was sharpened much and finally found out the problem was a combination of not stropping the razor, not getting my beard moist enough before the shave ( they say it takes 4 minutes of soaking to soften the beard) and using too steep of an angle. I corrected all I could on subsequent shaves and it felt like a whole different razor the difference was astounding!! So don't give up just yet, relax for a few days, let your face heal some, then try it again. I think you will enjoy it once you work it out.
Best wishes and cheers,
Photoguy67

[Doc]

Do we have anyone in the Chicago Area that can give this young man some pointers?

[Ben325e]

RacerX, take a cue from Guns N Roses - All we need is just a little patience! I bought a razor from a member here on SRP. It was a Dovo, 1/2 hollow 11/16, and it had originally been prehoned by Lynn. The guy who sold it to me had used it a few times, and then I was the next owner.

My first shave was painful. I actually did well on my cheeks and the upper part of my neck, but my jawline, chin and upper neck were horrible. I felt the same way because every time I started on my chin, the razor just grabbed a bunch of hair and stuck. It hurt, and I felt like I needed too much pressure to get through it all.

You've already gotten some great advice, but I'll tell you what worked for me.

First, don't try to lather up your entire face. Your prep sounds good, but right now you're too slow of a shaver to do the whole thing without the lather starting to dry on you. it might seem like it is still good, but dry lather is bad for new shavers. For my first few shaves, I broke everything up into five regions: left cheek, right cheek, left neck, right neck, goatee area (I don't have a goatee, but it comprises the upperlip and chin area). Lather, shave. lather, shave. Lather, shave, etc.... if you think the lather is getting a bit too dry, or aren't even sure if it is or not, put about a teaspoon of water in the palm of your hand and splash it on your brush and give it a couple of swipes and swirlies on your face.

I read up on some different soaps and found that glycerin as well as some types of clay help the blade "slide" more when shaving. I don't have any great soap, so I went to the drugstore and bought a bar of neutrogena glycerin soap. It's the kind that is clear when you look at it, and about the color of honey. I wet my face, then rub the glycerin bar on my face - just one or two wipes does it. You don't want to put too much on. Then I lather up a section of my face and shave. It really does work much better.

Leading just ever so slightly with the "toe" or the tip of the razor does help alot. It doesn't have to be much, but some. You'll get it right and then be amazed how much better it is.

I think that technique is the most important part of shaving. I'm still using a boar hair brush and Van Der Hagen soap from walmart (which works great for me...), and I am getting fantastic shaves. Just before I started using a straight (just a couple of weeks ago or so) I was using either a Mach 3 or the new Fusion. I like the Mach 3 better than the fusion, actually. With a straight razor, I am getting much more proficient with it's use, and I get a much closer shave than I ever did with a Mach 3, with irritation several orders of magnitude less. It's so much better, and you'll have to pay me tons of money to even think about switching back.

Stropping properly is extremely important. It'll bring a razor that just barely passes the hanging hair test to having hairs just go ahead and eviscerate themselves in fear of that dreadful edge. If you do it right.

Shaving chins and jawlines - I find it better when I start on a flatter part of my face and, in one stroke, transition to the curve. If I just start on my chin, the blade has a tendency to stick if I don't have a "confident" stroke. For my jaw, I start on either the flat of my cheek or neck and go into the jaw. For my chin starting on the lower lip area and transitioning to the chin is better. Actually, it feels best for my chin when I go XTG first. I go from the outside corner of my chin to the middle, and then do the same for the other side of my chin. These are just tricks that work for MY face, and you'll learn tricks for your face as you go. Shaving with a straight razor is basically just having one epiphany right after the other. Each shave you'll leave with a smoother face AND a new little nugget of information. "Oh! If I just stretch my skin this way on this spot, it's much better!" or "If I hold the razor at this angle here, and that angle there...." That kind of thing. Just take it really slow. Many people reccommend you just do flat areas first. Sideburns and cheeks for several shaves until you are doing well there. Do your chin and mustache with a Mach 3 for now. Baby steps..... Once you are doing well on your cheeks, try your neck. Then your jaw. Then the mustache, and finally the chin.

First shaves run the gamut of awesome to horrible. Third shaves go from awesome to not quite as bad, and 15th shaves go from awesome to "Sweet! The Gods of Shaving must be smiling down on me today! I've finally got a good shave, and my face isn't burning like hell!"

You'll get it, just keep at it. If there is a certain spot that hurts to shave with a straight right now, then do it with your old razor. I bet if I look at you from 10 feet away, I wouldn't even know the difference.

Oh yeah, that Dovo that I bought from another member (Which I thought initially must have been dull too.) ? It shaves beautifully. It's still very sharp, does great. I really doubt that your razor was shipped un-honed. I bet we could get all the razors that all the members of Straight razor place collectively own, pick out the sharpest one, and it would still not give you a good shave. YOU have to be the one who gives yourself a good shave. Technique is vital, and it will come with practice.

Good luck and persevere!


Ben

[Aquanin]

Great Post Ben. RacerX, you are describing what most people go through for their first shave. I was there too not too long ago. If it was easy everyone would do it. Most good things take time to learn and using a straight is no exception. I am thinking your razor is sharp, but you just need practice to figure it out. Keep using it, go slow, be confident, and only do 1 pass at first. Touch up with your DE if you have to until you figure out each part of your face. This is a skill that has a very steep learning curve and it's very easy to get frustrated. Don't let it get to you and you will be rewarded.

[wescap34]

Great advice from a new guy to a new guy Ben. Believe what he says Racer and don't give up. In time you will find that the best shave for your sensitive skin will be with properly used straight razor.

[netsurfr]

Originally Posted by RacerX

My face is so torn up right now, I doubt I will give it another try. I have very sensitive skin. I feel very foolish for spending the amount of money I did when I didn't even know how my skin would react. This may well be a very expensive lesson learned.

Your lesson should not be that straight shaving is not for you but that you are not going to master it in one shave or even a month of shaves. It takes time and any number of individual lessons that you must learn that are specific to your face and your own preferences.

Keep at it and keep asking questions. We will be there for you!

[JMS]

Originally Posted by netsurfr

Your lesson should not be that straight shaving is not for you but that you are not going to master it in one shave or even a month of shaves. It takes time and any number of individual lessons that you must learn that are specific to your face and your own preferences.

Keep at it and keep asking questions. We will be there for you!

Best post yet!

[Swink]

My first few shaves were like yours. I wondered if the razor had indeed been pre-honed, etc.

For me it took weeks, even months before I was proficient. There's a lot to learn--prep, lather, stropping, and the biggie, technique, but it'll all come together with some concerted effort.

Best of luck.

[RacerX]

I did some forum reading and saw some posts about testing the razor on arm hairs. I tried it and found that it is even grabbing/pulling on my arm hairs. I have withheld the vendor's name, but I will post it here now. I purchased from Vintage Blades and paid the additional $20 to have the razor prepped by Lynn Abrams. There is even a label on the box that states that the razor does not need to be stropped prrior to first use. I have sent an email to Jim at VB and I'm awaiting his response. This was not the best time to start experimenting with a new shaving technique. I just started a new job and it was actually the reason I looked into straight razor shaving in the first place. I wanted to get a close shave that lasted throughout the day. In the mean time, I don't even know if I can use the DE. My face is not having the best reaction to blade shaving - period. Neal

[JMS]

Jim and Lynn are both top rate!! I am certain they will take care of you!

[driver/examiner]

Congratulations to Ben 325E for sitting down and trying to calm you down. CHILL! Four months ago I was in the very same place that you are in now. You actually have to think and LOOK at the way your hair grows
on your face. Then you have to think about the correct angle to cut the hair at hand. If you rub your face with no lather, Just dry, you will see that your beard grows in many different directions on your face. A 2 or3 or 4 blade razors just rip it off and they don't care.Hince RAZOR BURN! Ben has given you some excellent advice.(The first time I took a blade to my face, I looked like I went to a Hatchet Fight and forgot my Hatchet) Have Patience.........Don't beat your self up because in the beginning,you can't get that "baby butt shave that we all talk about. Your technique will come to you with practice and concentration. WHEN YOU STRAIGHT SHAVE YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN THE BEGINNING. then things will start to make sense and your closer shaves will come with practice. There are tons of guys here that can really help- you out and the best thing you did was ask for help.THESE GUYS ARE GOOD> All you have to do is ask, follow the SRP Website and things will start to happen and YOU WILL PROGRESS. Just get you a steady read of these guys and I Promise, things will turn around. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was that first shave with a straight BBS........PERSEVERE. Holler at me if I can get you over the hump on something, I'll try............Stay with it .......It's worth it and one of these days soon you'll be laughing about this.........If you don"t quit...Nothing ventured nothing Gained.....................PATIENCE.