Newbie - Had a go

J

jon_hall

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566
After a few weeks of this thing sitting in the bathroom looking at me in a threatening way, finally had the courage half an hour ago to strop it and use it for the first time.

Very very nervous as i didn't fancy changing my name for Van Gogh...

Just did a simple start downwards from near the ear, cheeks and towards the mouth, and a tiny go down the easier part of my neck.

Terrified - yes
Cuts - none

Ironically got two weepers when using my EJ89 with Shark SS in to finish off the shave...

Will try it maybe 2-3 times a week when i've not touched any alcohol or coffee (that can wait till after...) to get less nervous and so that i can slowly but surely learn the technique needed over the coming year.
 
Well that was crap...

Mind it was only slight try number two. Almost glad i've nicked myself twice tonight as it will force me to take it slowly until i can half do it well.
 
Expect about 10 shaves before you get start to get the feel for it, you have to build muscle memory and its more different moving from DE to str8 than moving from cartridges to DE. It took about 30 shaves to get a shave I didn't need to finish with a DE and even now, well over a year later, my technique is still improving.
 
Fallen off the wagon a bit on this as been very busy and away for a bit over the next few weeks. home to get more time early october to get back on the wagon.
 
jon_hall said:
Fallen off the wagon a bit on this as been very busy and away for a bit over the next few weeks. home to get more time early october to get back on the wagon.
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That's okay. Don't give up, even if you don't see any performance benefits, the act of completion and mastery is worth it in itself. Straight razor shaving is like a right of passage. Learn it and you feel like you've accomplished something. And you really have. Its not easy.
 
Hang in there Jon! It's great fun once over the learning curve - you truly learn for a _very_ long time, but that'äs also part of the reward. But usually I would say you need 20 shaves to get a decent shave and many more to get as good as with your DE, but it the long run I tihnk straights win... Just hang in there :D
 
There's a theory that in order to perfect any worthwhile skill you need to accumulate 10,000 hours of practice. Codswallop, I say, which is just as well if you do the maths.

Realistically, if you use a straight every time you shave things are going to improve pretty nicely after a month; after two months you might have begun to get to grips with the tricky bits like the chin, and after six months you should be getting results which compare favourably with a good DE shave. The important bit is the "every time you shave" part, even if you just do the easy areas and finish off with a safety razor - that way you'll be developing muscle memory and confidence.
 
I read a post on another forum, I think it might have been from Chimensch of the 30th anniversary shave fame, in which advocated forcing yourself to do an additional pass with the straight than you might need whilst learning. The idea being that you gain experience with the straight in your hand a lot quicker, if you normally do two passes adding a third will give three weeks experience for every two expended. Also, he says it's much easier to try different strokes on the later passes when you beard is already significantly reduced. Any thoughts?
 
Yellow Jim said:
I read a post on another forum, I think it might have been from Chimensch of the 30th anniversary shave fame, in which advocated forcing yourself to do an additional pass with the straight than you might need whilst learning. The idea being that you gain experience with the straight in your hand a lot quicker, if you normally do two passes adding a third will give three weeks experience for every two expended. Also, he says it's much easier to try different strokes on the later passes when you beard is already significantly reduced. Any thoughts?
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Sounds good to me, as long as the extra pass is with _ultra_ light hand - but it's in fact, I think, very good advice!!
 
Yellow Jim said:
I read a post on another forum, I think it might have been from Chimensch of the 30th anniversary shave fame, in which advocated forcing yourself to do an additional pass with the straight than you might need whilst learning. The idea being that you gain experience with the straight in your hand a lot quicker, if you normally do two passes adding a third will give three weeks experience for every two expended. Also, he says it's much easier to try different strokes on the later passes when you beard is already significantly reduced. Any thoughts?
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Other than razor burn, can't think of any negatives. And by razor burn I also mean taking off more skin.

Definitely agree that the less stubble on your face, the easier it is to shave.
 
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