Straight razor training/courses anyone can recommend?

doheuk

doheuk

Messages
56
Location
Dorset
I've been happily DE shaving for about five years now, but I'd really like to start shaving with a straight. I have tried, a couple of times, but not really found it very successful - patchy, nicks in some places, and razor burn in others. What I was hoping was that some of you might have done a professional straight shaving course to teach good technique, and practise a lot on other people, and might have some recommendations? I know this sounds 'lazy', but I appreciate when learning you need to take your time, before you can speed up, practice makes perfect, and I don't have the time regularly enough during a usual working week to gain the skills and confidence to do it 'properly'. If I only get the time to try straight shaving once a month or so (as I did try to do for about six months or so about midway through my DE shaving) I don't feel like I am able to progress and get better - it still feels just as awkward and uncomfortable as it did the first time. Each time I've tried I've had poor results, and spent best part of an hour. It feels like an ordeal rather than a pleasure!

Please don't laugh me out of court - genuine question. I am more than happy to do minor ops on other people (I'm a GP) so not at all squeamish and not afraid of knives, blades or razors. Although I realise technique is going to be slightly different for shaving someone else to shaving myself, I do think this is a sensible and realistic way fowards to get the practice I need to 'kickstart' using a straight. I think a concentrated 'volume' in a short space of time might be just what I need.

There might even be opportunity for a career change if GP all gets a bit much, or at least a busman's holiday!

Any help appreciated,

D
 
Don't know if this will help ,but when i started with a straight i just did my cheeks at first,
Then finished with a DE. I added more of my face as i got more confident. Cheeks then flat bits of neck,
Then jawline and under nose. I still struggle with under nose .(I have a fear of slicing it off) although i have never cut myself deep.
Had a few tiny nicks and i use straights at least once a week Good luck it will come
 
I would suggest you try to practise more frequently. Reading the experience of new straight shavers on different forums they all seem to crack it within a number of shaves.

Counterintuitively ambidextrous shaving is easier than one handed because you have more flexibility in stroke


Here are some useful videos




In this video Dr Matt says it isn't instructional and to follow GeoFatboy. Personally I think Dr Matt"s passes are better, and would not follow GeoFatboy as his angle is far too steep.

If you are in the UK, Trumpers run shaving lessons: https://www.trumpers.com/shaving.cfm


You need to bear in mind four things in this order:

1. The razor is ready to shave.
That means a properly honed and stropped razor. Hopefully your razor comes from a supplier who honed it properly for you.
You then need to strop the razor correctly. You can roll the edge if you do not keep the razor flat on the strop and it will need to go back to a hone to correct this. I recommend a paddle strop to start.
2. You need to have a well hydrated lather. Straight Razors do not have teflon baked to the blade like DE blades. Consequently they need more assistance from the lather to glide through the hair. You should aim to add more water into your lather than with DE shaving.
3. Angle of blade, pressure and angle of stroke. The blade needs to be lower than most people think. Generally a spine width from the face, but mileage may vary so you will need to experiment.
4. Practise. Everything else being equal, the closeness of shave improves considerably over the first 100 shaves. People report an improvement at the 30 mark and then very good shaves around 100. I would not limit yourself to straight shaving once a mouth. At least consider shaving with a cutthroat at weekends, once on Saturday, and once on Sunday.
 
This video is recommended to straight razor newbies again and again and again, watch and learn it is all in there, still I suspect only a few take advantage of it because the message in the video is: Do not rush it! and most newbies either lack patience or consider themselves born straight razor shavers :)

 
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jimmyc said:
Don't know if this will help ,but when i started with a straight i just did my cheeks at first,
Then finished with a DE. I added more of my face as i got more confident. Cheeks then flat bits of neck,
Then jawline and under nose. I still struggle with under nose .(I have a fear of slicing it off) although i have never cut myself deep.
Had a few tiny nicks and i use straights at least once a week Good luck it will come
Click to expand...
Starting with just the cheeks wtg is a great idea.

@doheuk : could you incorporate that into your normal DE shave sometimes?
 
seveneighth said:
I would suggest you try to practise more frequently. Reading the experience of new straight shavers on different forums they all seem to crack it within a number of shaves.

Counterintuitively ambidextrous shaving is easier than one handed because you have more flexibility in stroke


Here are some useful videos




In this video Dr Matt says it isn't instructional and to follow GeoFatboy. Personally I think Dr Matt"s passes are better, and would not follow GeoFatboy as his angle is far too steep.

If you are in the UK, Trumpers run shaving lessons: https://www.trumpers.com/shaving.cfm


You need to bear in mind four things in this order:

1. The razor is ready to shave.
That means a properly honed and stropped razor. Hopefully your razor comes from a supplier who honed it properly for you.
You then need to strop the razor correctly. You can roll the edge if you do not keep the razor flat on the strop and it will need to go back to a hone to correct this. I recommend a paddle strop to start.
2. You need to have a well hydrated lather. Straight Razors do not have teflon baked to the blade like DE blades. Consequently they need more assistance from the lather to glide through the hair. You should aim to add more water into your lather than with DE shaving.
3. Angle of blade, pressure and angle of stroke. The blade needs to be lower than most people think. Generally a spine width from the face, but mileage may vary so you will need to experiment.
4. Practise. Everything else being equal, the closeness of shave improves considerably over the first 100 shaves. People report an improvement at the 30 mark and then very good shaves around 100. I would not limit yourself to straight shaving once a mouth. At least consider shaving with a cutthroat at weekends, once on Saturday, and once on Sunday.
Click to expand...
What a post! :cool::cool::cool:

That's pretty much everything I'd have spent the next 20 minutes writing!!
 
Morticiaskeeper said:
As others have said, incorporate it into your DE shave. Start with the easy bits and leave the upper lip and chin til last.

I'm doing alternate passes between shavette & DE and I'm getting results that I would never have thought possible a year ago

Sent from my neocore_E1R1 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Using much the same at the moment being a newbie to straights.

Achieve what I can with the straight and then finish with a DE or SE. I don't pay much attention to how brilliant the straight shave is as I feel it is more important to get familiar and to become confident in its use. Things can only get better as time progresses.
 
Thanks for the advice, it really is appreciated. I have done a lot of research, and before each shave refamiliarise myself with the youtube videos. To answer @seveneighth 's questions

seveneighth said:
I would suggest you try to practise more frequently. Reading the experience of new straight shavers on different forums they all seem to crack it within a number of shaves.

Counterintuitively ambidextrous shaving is easier than one handed because you have more flexibility in stroke


Here are some useful videos




In this video Dr Matt says it isn't instructional and to follow GeoFatboy. Personally I think Dr Matt"s passes are better, and would not follow GeoFatboy as his angle is far too steep.

If you are in the UK, Trumpers run shaving lessons: https://www.trumpers.com/shaving.cfm
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for the pointer - Truefitt & Hill offer them too https://www.truefittandhill.co.uk/products/traditional-cut-throat-shaving-class , and so do Pall Mall Barbers https://www.pallmallbarbers.com/product-category/vouchers/ and so do Ruffians https://ruffians.co.uk/collections/gifts-accessories/products/cut-throat-razor-masterclass but I wouldn't have found that out without your suggesting! Are there any others anyone can think of? Anyone done any and have a recommendation?
seveneighth said:
You need to bear in mind four things in this order:

1. The razor is ready to shave.

That means a properly honed and stropped razor. Hopefully your razor comes from a supplier who honed it properly for you.
You then need to strop the razor correctly. You can roll the edge if you do not keep the razor flat on the strop and it will need to go back to a hone to correct this. I recommend a paddle strop to start.
Click to expand...
It is - Neil Miller restored my razor, and I use a paddle strop (although its been a while - at least a year, so I'll need to send it back to him again!)
seveneighth said:
2. You need to have a well hydrated lather. Straight Razors do not have teflon baked to the blade like DE blades. Consequently they need more assistance from the lather to glide through the hair. You should aim to add more water into your lather than with DE shaving.
Click to expand...
I don't think my lather technique is bad either. One of my favourite moments of a shaving day - a bit of alchemy. Currently really enjoying the last bit of my Klar Kabinett. Here's hoping the Dusy is up to the same standard!
seveneighth said:
3. Angle of blade, pressure and angle of stroke. The blade needs to be lower than most people think. Generally a spine width from the face, but mileage may vary so you will need to experiment.
Click to expand...
This is in part why I'm thinking some professional help might be a way forwards. Not convinced I am getting it right. Experimentation is painful!
seveneighth said:
4. Practise. Everything else being equal, the closeness of shave improves considerably over the first 100 shaves. People report an improvement at the 30 mark and then very good shaves around 100. I would not limit yourself to straight shaving once a mouth. At least consider shaving with a cutthroat at weekends, once on Saturday, and once on Sunday.
Click to expand...
Even if I had a prolonged period of time off, and could shave 2-3 times per week (which is what I do usually) that would only be 6 shaves or so. probably less as it is taking at least a week for my skin to recover between shaves! If professional courses I've looked at offer 2-3 shaves per day, that would be a much quicker learning curve!

I think the suggestions about SR shaving my cheeks then finishing a shave with my trusty DE collection might be a good re-start.
 
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I've been straight shaving for about 2 years now but I remember when I first started.

If there was one thing that made a difference when I first started was learning to keep the razor sharp. I'm not sure what happened to my first SR but it just wasn't sharp enough, despite being bought shave ready, my guess is that I didn't know how to strop the blade properly. Once I sorted the blade stropping out I began to make progress regularly..... dull blades definitely make the whole experience much more difficult. It is more important to have a sick than cushioning lather.

You need to give yourself plenty of time, you can't rush these things.
 
Merkurologist said:
I've been straight shaving for about 2 years now but I remember when I first started.

If there was one thing that made a difference when I first started was learning to keep the razor sharp. I'm not sure what happened to my first SR but it just wasn't sharp enough, despite being bought shave ready, my guess is that I didn't know how to strop the blade properly. Once I sorted the blade stropping out I began to make progress regularly..... dull blades definitely make the whole experience much more difficult. It is more important to have a sick than cushioning lather.

You need to give yourself plenty of time, you can't rush these things.
Click to expand...
Really well put. I too first shaved with a dull blade and it was an horrendous experience. I later found out that it was me who ruined the freshly honed edge while stropping.
Lesson learnt.
 
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