Straight advice you wish you'd been given

dowsing said:
As I'll be attempting my first straight shave in the next couple of days. What's your best advice and what wisdom do you wish was given when you started out?
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PPPP: Preparation,practice, perseverance, patience.
Map your beard.Correct angle of the razor & follow the direction of the growth using small even light strokes.Keep the pressure minimal.Once you are happy with the first pass WTG then try ATG then call it a day.You can finish off the difficult areas with a cartridge if need be.Eventually you won't need to.Be sure to clean the razor & the scales & make sure they are thoroughly dry.I personally Strop the razor 20-30 times on soft leather before putting the razor away(if you do this then take your time with it.Correct focused method is more important than speed)Be sure to prep thoroughly beforehand & remember the post shave treatment is essential.Hope this helps but most importantly enjoy & don't forget there is no rush :) jack.
 
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Strop it like its hot: Sometime over the weekend I usually do some upkeep on my razors, polishing, PTFE coating... whatever. But I also make an effort to stop the blade well, I have a narrow strop so 20 strokes on the front, 20 on the middle and 20 on the heel then 5 X pattern strops. This keeps the edge keen as a bean, stropping is essential.

Otherwise just relax and take it easy, make it your own time.
 
I have started myself and just stuck to the cheeks and under the nose. I will continue with this until I perfect that area...well as much as I can. Then it's time to move onto the other areas. I'm in no rush at all. I'm happy to finish my shaves with my de. I will get there slowly. I'd rather learn one area then move on once confident then rush in and pay the price and possible put myself off. Rome wasn't shaved in a day.
 
wayne mattison said:
I have started myself and just stuck to the cheeks and under the nose. I will continue with this until I perfect that area...well as much as I can. Then it's time to move onto the other areas. I'm in no rush at all. I'm happy to finish my shaves with my de. I will get there slowly. I'd rather learn one area then move on once confident then rush in and pay the price and possible put myself off. Rome wasn't shaved in a day.
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Agreed.The only way to learn is what feels right for the individual.You will get there in your own time.
 
Jack Sales said:
Agreed.The only way to learn is what feels right for the individual.You will get there in your own time.
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It does take a while, so you need to start with decent kit, it can seem like you're going nowhere but all of a sudden it starts to come together, I found that taking a break from the razor for a week then coming back to it, made a vast improvement, I am still learning, still getting the odd nick here and there, but it's certainly improving over the month or so I have been trying.
 
Fuzzyian said:
It does take a while, so you need to start with decent kit, it can seem like you're going nowhere but all of a sudden it starts to come together, I found that taking a break from the razor for a week then coming back to it, made a vast improvement, I am still learning, still getting the odd nick here and there, but it's certainly improving over the month or so I have been trying.
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Good advise. Thanks.
 
Nisse said:
As for advice: 100 years ago all men used straight razors so it is not an artform possible to learn only for a chosen few on shaving forums :)
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The Problem with Folks in Forums is that they Ignore Good Advice & Jump Into Honing Far Too Early..All a Newbie Needs is a Shave Ready SR & a Decent Strop for Around 6 Months to Learn On..Forums are Full of Miserable Beginners that Wont Pay for a Proper Shave Ready SR..:eek:

Folks that Jump in & Buy Pastes & Hones when they Don't Even Know what a Proper Shave Ready SR Should Feel Like or Haven't Learned to be Competent at Shaving with One in a Natural Way are on a Hiding to No Where..;)

I can Tell You Something Else..Many Vintage SRs I get to Hone have Never been Honed Properly..The Heel in Most has Never been Sharpened or the Bevel Been Properly Set..The Average Joe of Even the Days Gone By it Would Appear to Me Weren't that Competent at Honing SRs at All..:)

Billy
 
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