As a newbie, I wanted to submit a post on my experiences with straight razor shaving. A lot of people like me are hesitant to pick up a straight razor, bring it to your face and move the blade. Long-time Straight Razor Place Forum member Roger Hensley helped me start and it's a lot of fun. How Roger helped me was selling me a truely 'shave ready straight razor for a fair price'. Prior to this, I had purchased a vintage SR on E-bay that was supposed to be shave ready. I had no idea what shave ready was. When the razor arrived from E-bay, I gave it a try after watching some of the excellent 'Youtube' video's on shaving with a Straight. I thought the straight razor would glide over my skin like a safety razor, but I was mistaken, it tended to pull and stop when the blade hit some whiskers. I had a dull straight razor and did not even know it.
Then, I started searching straight razor forums and came across this site. I saw a nice, inexpensive straight razor that formum member RHensley was offering and decided to purchase one of his 'shave ready' razors. Best decision I ever made! When the razor arrived, I lathered up, cautiously placed the blade at a 30 degree angle on the cheekbone and slowly pulled it down towards my jawbone. Everything went just fine. No cuts, no pull, and the blade felt great.
Then I felt my skin where I had just shaved. It was smooth as could be. I have been shaving daily for two weeks now with a straight razor.
If anyone reading this post wants to try straight razor shaving, my biggest recommendation is to buy a razor from someone like RHensley or someone in a straight razor forum rather than off E-Bay. Some of the razors on Ebay are probably perfectly fine, well honed and shave ready, but in my case, I lucked out and did not receive a very sharp razor.
If you get a sharp straight, I recommend going slow and only partially shave until you gain confidence. Shaving your cheek down to your jaw bone with a couple smooth strokes with your dominant hand is fine for a few days. You can finish your shave with your safety or electric shaver and try a little straight razor shaving the next day.
To date, I have been shaving with the 'RHensley straight' for about two weeks now with no cuts.
It really does not take long before you are shaving your whole face, but it really does not matter how fast you learn. No pressure. If you look on the web, you will find lots of expensive things being sold for straight razor guys. Hope I do not offend any forum members by saying this, but if you are on a budget like me, all you need is a finely honed vintage razor and a strop. Neither cost that much. Don't worry how getting a 'super-duper expensive straight' unless you want one. Just about any drug store shaving cream will work. A mug, soap, and brush is not necessary at first unless you want to use a brush or already own these.
One thing you will need is either a belt strop that you can hang from a hook to strop your razor, or a 'paddle strop', which is a leather covered wood paddle that you can strop a straight razor on your bathroom counter. I use a 'paddle strop' and love it because it's easy to use in the bathroom and I do not have to worry about how tight I stretch a traditional belt strop. Again, there are loads of videos on the web on how to properly strop. It really does not take long.
Now the fun part, why use a straight? Although it does take courage to place a sharp blade against your skin the first time, once you do it, it's like diving off a high board, it's exciting. The other thing I noticed right away is how close a straight razor shave gives you. It is amazing. The other thing I noticed right away is that a straight razor makes your face feel great. Some of the forum members will have to chime in, but the reason may be that the razor blade is exfoliating your skin as you shave. Don't know if this is correct or not, but I did notice my skin felt great.
Another thing that is very satisfying is that you control everything about your shave and I mean everything. You control how you shave, the angle you hold the blade, and where you let it glide. It's nice to forget the world as you shave for the new day.
Now for the challenge. It's a learning process and I am still learning. You have to be patient. This forum is fantastic and all the men are super helpful. I have been using a straight for about two weeks and so far, anchors away. I hope Forum member RHensley does not mind me mentioning his name in this post. If it had not been for him selling me a truly 'shave ready' razor, I would never be writing this post.
Hope anyone considering taking up the shaving technique tries it. It's a very inexpensive hobby to get into and you do not need expensive razors, shave cream, hones, etc., etc., to get your feet wet. Watch some YouTube videos, look around for an economical vintage straight and give it a try.
Feel free to comment guys on your experiences starting with SR or offer some suggestions to improve my skills.
Bob
Then, I started searching straight razor forums and came across this site. I saw a nice, inexpensive straight razor that formum member RHensley was offering and decided to purchase one of his 'shave ready' razors. Best decision I ever made! When the razor arrived, I lathered up, cautiously placed the blade at a 30 degree angle on the cheekbone and slowly pulled it down towards my jawbone. Everything went just fine. No cuts, no pull, and the blade felt great.
Then I felt my skin where I had just shaved. It was smooth as could be. I have been shaving daily for two weeks now with a straight razor.
If anyone reading this post wants to try straight razor shaving, my biggest recommendation is to buy a razor from someone like RHensley or someone in a straight razor forum rather than off E-Bay. Some of the razors on Ebay are probably perfectly fine, well honed and shave ready, but in my case, I lucked out and did not receive a very sharp razor.
If you get a sharp straight, I recommend going slow and only partially shave until you gain confidence. Shaving your cheek down to your jaw bone with a couple smooth strokes with your dominant hand is fine for a few days. You can finish your shave with your safety or electric shaver and try a little straight razor shaving the next day.
To date, I have been shaving with the 'RHensley straight' for about two weeks now with no cuts.
It really does not take long before you are shaving your whole face, but it really does not matter how fast you learn. No pressure. If you look on the web, you will find lots of expensive things being sold for straight razor guys. Hope I do not offend any forum members by saying this, but if you are on a budget like me, all you need is a finely honed vintage razor and a strop. Neither cost that much. Don't worry how getting a 'super-duper expensive straight' unless you want one. Just about any drug store shaving cream will work. A mug, soap, and brush is not necessary at first unless you want to use a brush or already own these.
One thing you will need is either a belt strop that you can hang from a hook to strop your razor, or a 'paddle strop', which is a leather covered wood paddle that you can strop a straight razor on your bathroom counter. I use a 'paddle strop' and love it because it's easy to use in the bathroom and I do not have to worry about how tight I stretch a traditional belt strop. Again, there are loads of videos on the web on how to properly strop. It really does not take long.
Now the fun part, why use a straight? Although it does take courage to place a sharp blade against your skin the first time, once you do it, it's like diving off a high board, it's exciting. The other thing I noticed right away is how close a straight razor shave gives you. It is amazing. The other thing I noticed right away is that a straight razor makes your face feel great. Some of the forum members will have to chime in, but the reason may be that the razor blade is exfoliating your skin as you shave. Don't know if this is correct or not, but I did notice my skin felt great.
Another thing that is very satisfying is that you control everything about your shave and I mean everything. You control how you shave, the angle you hold the blade, and where you let it glide. It's nice to forget the world as you shave for the new day.
Now for the challenge. It's a learning process and I am still learning. You have to be patient. This forum is fantastic and all the men are super helpful. I have been using a straight for about two weeks and so far, anchors away. I hope Forum member RHensley does not mind me mentioning his name in this post. If it had not been for him selling me a truly 'shave ready' razor, I would never be writing this post.
Hope anyone considering taking up the shaving technique tries it. It's a very inexpensive hobby to get into and you do not need expensive razors, shave cream, hones, etc., etc., to get your feet wet. Watch some YouTube videos, look around for an economical vintage straight and give it a try.
Feel free to comment guys on your experiences starting with SR or offer some suggestions to improve my skills.
Bob
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