Straight razor first shave: OWW!

[jandude]

I have been pondering straight razor shaving for quite some time. Today, at the shops, I bought a shavette as an affordable option to give it a go.

I have wet shaved for years using cartridge razors but never been totally happy with the result, even though it's much better than an electric shaver shave. So I thought it wouldn't be so hard...

Well, I re-watched a few how-to videos on YouTube this evening, had a few dry runs to work out how to hold the razor and then... In for a penny, in for a pound. I fitted a razor blade and put steel to stubbly face.

OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!

In the course of half an hour I turned my face into a ketchup-covered pie Sweeney Todd would be proud of.

It's all in the angle, I have worked out for myself. Get the angle of the blade wrong and, well, out the red stuff runs. Again and again.

After cleaning up both me and the sink, I think with hindsight I should have bought a styptic pencil too. A few applications of a hot flannel and most of the blood stopped flowing. But never mind, I also bought some after-shave balm to "cool and soothe". A small dab on the fingers, a delicate application to the sore and chopped up chops and...

OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!

Darn, that alcohol smarts when it hits the oozing-again cuts.

Now, 20 minutes later, with my sore and sliced face still smarting, I'm writing this while worrying about what my wife will say when she gets home. I don't think she will be impressed at my less than baby's bum-soft and now even more ugly mug. And with a job interview next week perhaps I should have waited before my first attempt.

With hindsight I should have shot a video of this first shave. It would have been interesting for you!

But I did take a couple of pix of the damage. The 3/4 inch slice by my chin, where I have given myself a new dimple, is ugly and is visible in the pix. The many, many smaller nicks didn't come out too well but you get the idea.

I will wait a week for the big cuts (yes, plural) to heal before trying again.

So I put this up as a cautionary tale - all the videos you can watch make it look easy but it isn't. Any hints and tips most gratefully received.

And I posted in the first aid topic for obvious reasons - I need some!

The pix:

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[Stevie777]

I tried using my Boker last year whislst camping up north, still got the scar 1" below my right eye. I pretend it was a dueling injury recieved defending the honour of a beautiful woman.

 

[NoName]

Ouch...
Three rules:
- no pressure
- no sideway motion
- angle constant 20 till 30 degrees
First week only the cheeks then move on
Ps maybe a normal straight is sharper then a shavette ?
Been shaving here for 6 months. Love it. Sometimes minor cutts lip/ chin area.

Good luck and a friend told me one can practise on a balloon lathered up.

 

[subzeer0]

you did well for a first go .... i tried but never got the hang of stropping ...so ditched it

my best shaves were from a Cobra razor...but blades were expensive

now happy with my merkur slant i have had for quite a few years now...or a progress when i fancy a change

good luck and keep it up....with plenty of glide

favourite soap is Institut Karite ...if you can find it worth a try

 

[Goatboy]

Not too bad, you could've ended up with a smile like Jack Nicolson as the Joker!
I've been pretty lucky on the cut front, worst one was when away staying at a friends years ago and they hollered through the bathroom door "What would I like for breakfast." I got a start and turned my head sharply and cut into my chin. I had a goatee at the time and blood was everywhere. The bathroom looked like an slaughterhouse. Still if the blade is sharp it heals well and is pretty invisible. I've said elsewhere go to a Turkish barber and let them do it at least once. Ask them to talk you through it and watch in the mirror. Much better being shown than a watch on YouTube and you get to treat yourself too.
Good prep is essential too, a good hot shower/bath to soften the hair and open up it's scales to allow the blade to catch the hair more easily. Can also be an idea to shave later in the day as your skin is tighter rather than try to shave a saggy morning face. Really work up the lather and spend a bit of time with tge brush working on the stubble, hot lather being better and maybe even a bit of time with a hot facecloth on to further open and soften.
I'm not really a fan of shaving oils as I find they make my face too slippy and I cant get the tension right.
Another possibility if you trust your partner is let them have a go. I've found partners really wanting to have a go. Just make sure they love you and that you've been a good boy or they might be doing it for the insurance money.
Good luck and keep at it, it's pretty satisfying and you wont get a better shave.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[rik_uk3]

Stop farting about and get a good razor

 

[mrcharly]

gillette fusion is crap. Utter crap.

If you want to use disposable blades, get feather blades.

It's pretty normal for your skin to take a while to settle down to a straight razor. Don't ever put any sideways movement in - no turning of your head, no sweeping down with the razor, straight movements only.

 

[John Fenna]

It just goes to show that shaving is an un-natural activity!
If you have more facial hair than can be licked off by a friendly kitten - grow a beard!

 

[rik_uk3]

gillette fusion is crap. Utter crap.

If you want to use disposable blades, get feather blades.

It's pretty normal for your skin to take a while to settle down to a straight razor. Don't ever put any sideways movement in - no turning of your head, no sweeping down with the razor, straight movements only.

That statement is crap lol. When I was nursing and certainly when with the elderly I'd often end up shaving a patient and the best razors without doubt were the Gillette range, started with the 2 IIRC. As you age your skin sags and you need a razor thats good at its job, the Fusion are well up to the job.

 

[Alan 13~7]

Stop farting about and get a good razor

Hi Rik. That's what I use & I don't have any issues with them.... in my job I have to shave others & I am supplied with disposables such as Bic 10 for a £1 & similar Gillette single use razors which are the cheapest of the cheap they are Painfully crap... In my Job even a dull Gillette fusion is a luxury....

 

[Alan 13~7]

That statement is crap lol. When I was nursing and certainly when with the elderly I'd often end up shaving a patient and the best razors without doubt were the Gillette range, started with the 2 IIRC. As you age your skin sags and you need a razor thats good at its job, the Fusion are well up to the job.

+1 Rik I Strongly agree & will back you up on that one!

 

[Goatboy]

Stop farting about and get a good razor

The multi blade jobbies are okay if you shave short stubble or have slow growing hair. If I leave my neck; I have a beard over the rest of my face, more than a day then one sweep with a multiblade razor will leave it clogged so uselessly that it's murder to try and finnish off. No amount of rinsing or trying to clear it will do. The first "old style" razor I used was a Rolls, what a difference. Clean shave and no real cuts. Have collected and used all sorts over the years and will always stick with single blades. A former girlfriend bought me an electric horror show for a present. Expensive but irritated my skin so much that it soon found its way to the back of the bathroom cabinet.
Was talking to someone from the local library the other day as they'd put BCUK back on the no show list of their public computers. I'd had it put on the show list before but they took it off again due to percieved hunting and sharp things being seen as non PC. Was using threads like this to show that we more often talk about plants, biscuits and beards than killing stuff. We'll see if it comes back on.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[rik_uk3]

The multi blade jobbies are okay if you shave short stubble or have slow growing hair. If I leave my neck; I have a beard over the rest of my face, more than a day then one sweep with a multiblade razor will leave it clogged so uselessly that it's murder to try and finnish off. No amount of rinsing or trying to clear it will do. The first "old style" razor I used was a Rolls, what a difference. Clean shave and no real cuts. Have collected and used all sorts over the years and will always stick with single blades. A former girlfriend bought me an electric horror show for a present. Expensive but irritated my skin so much that it soon found its way to the back of the bathroom cabinet.
Was talking to someone from the local library the other day as they'd put BCUK back on the no show list of their public computers. I'd had it put on the show list before but they took it off again due to percieved hunting and sharp things being seen as non PC. Was using threads like this to show that we more often talk about plants, biscuits and beards than killing stuff. We'll see if it comes back on.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

If you have a problem with the multiblades clogging a quick brush with a tooth brush brings them back up to full performance.

 

[Chiseller]

i use a 5 blade wilkinson....shave my head , neck and upper cheeks every other day....i dont have trouble with cloggong as i rub it back and forth on my scalp like i was using a pencil rubber.

for clearing when needed i just swirl it in a billy can....i can get over 3 weeks with one blade if im persistant ....so what seems an expensive blade ....isnt....

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Goatboy]

I must have oddly sticky hair as if it's more than 24 hours growth brushing and rubbing with my thumb didn't clear the gaps very well. Can get away with a double blade but the triples and so on up just take so long that it's not worth the bother. So saying I should stop being a slob and shave every day I suppose. Though like I said earlier I prefer to shave last thing last thing at night and a brief tidy in the morning if it's an important day.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[mrcharly]

Those fusion blades may be ok for one use on an elderly person, but for someone who shaves daily and has tough bristles, they deliver one good shave and are then as blunt as a butterknife. Makes them incredibly expensive (and wasteful of metal and plastic). I bought a year's supply of feather blades for £15 - How many gillette fusion do you get for that? 4-5 heads?

Sorry, but for everyday use gillette are an expensive ripoff.

 

[sasquatch]

Keep at it, you'll soon get the hang of using the shavette. The cuts won't scar and you'll soon look back and laugh.

A straight razor and safety razor are more aggressive than a normal razor, they take more off than a disposable razor. As a result it'll take your face a few weeks to get used to it then you'll have amazing shaves.

The best post shave treatment I've found is a splash of cold water to close the pores, followed by a splash of distilled witch hazel. Witch hazel is amazing stuff. If you really want to enjoy the experience get a tube of 444 shave balm.

Like everything in life practice makes perfect, no point in throwing in the towel and settling for sub par shaves for the rest of your days. As mentioned above, no pressure and bring the razor straight down. Try short passes to begin with, the long swooping passes come with experience. Keep at it and keep us posted on how you get on.

 

[jandude]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

Goatboy: some great guidance: thank you. I'll take it on board but my wife faints at the sight of blood so doubt she'll help me with the shaving! And she has banned me trying again until I have found a new job so I don't scare the interviewers.

I have been using Mach 3 razors for years. Definitely better than the cheapo disposables but not perfect. And I do think they're expensive and Eco-unfriendly for what they are, but still my modern cassette safety razor of choice (maybe I'll try a Rolls or similar, too).

But I will persevere. Just need to heal these cuts first (saw some friends today; they think I'm barmy and looking "a bit tatty" but no change there, then!).

My wife doesn't like me with a beard these days, no matter how fashionable they are. And I don't cut such a dash as you do with yours, Mr Fenna, sad to say. Ho hum, I'll keep on shaving for now.

 

[rik_uk3]

Those fusion blades may be ok for one use on an elderly person, but for someone who shaves daily and has tough bristles, they deliver one good shave and are then as blunt as a butterknife. Makes them incredibly expensive (and wasteful of metal and plastic). I bought a year's supply of feather blades for £15 - How many gillette fusion do you get for that? 4-5 heads?

Sorry, but for everyday use gillette are an expensive ripoff.

No they are not, they leave your face smooth and clean I've got old razors similar design to the Feather blades but stopped using them when better shaving solutions developed. You stick with what you like and I'll stick with the multiblades

 

[Samon]

Stop farting about and get a good razor

Sacrilege!

Jandude, stick at it mate. The more practice the better. never used a shavette myself but ahve used cut throats for ages, double edged safety razors fore a little while and both are great and enjoyable skills to learn. DE being the easiest to learn and the most cost effective disposable out there and cut's being the most decidant!

Like I said, stick at it. I'm suprised you managed to not butcher your 'stache area, usually they most aggressive area on my face (having a moustache most of the year). Go slow, keep your angle consistant and never rush.

Multi blades are good, but .. meh imo D the job, easy to use and effective but lacking in the important 'ritual' of it all. Just a means to the an end.

If you want a cut throat to start with I have a Kropp made I need to tidy up and hone I am trading. Send me a pm if that interests you, if not, try a few different blades on your shavette and have a bit of fun practicing.

(failing that get a double edge safety razor and enjoy the simplicity of a tradtional shave with the easy learning curve)