hello everyone!

M

matt31

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Hello, I thought I'd better introduce myself as I am hopefully going to be aroung a bit!

I'm Matt, 31, from Fareham in Hampshire.

I've been using a cartridge razor for years bit always wanted to be able to use a straight as I've always been told that they're better! I thought I'd start this journey by going onto DE and then onto the straight (eventually).

I would appreciate some comments as to the 'kit' I have as I seem to be getting mixed results including a lot of cuts (i am assuming some of this is technique which will hopefully improve over time)

Parker 91R safety razor
best badger brush
many soaps/creams of different smells - favourite is Trufitt and Hill 1805 cream
Dovo Shavette (still in packaging untill I stop hacking my face to pieces)
Selection pack of blades (Feather, derby extra, Trig, Treet (2 types), iridium super, personna, and others)
alum block (used a lot at the moment!)

all comments welcome

Many thanks
 
Hi Matt

Welcome, near neighbour. Are you a Pompey or Saints fan?

As to your shaving, most likely it's your technique. You will read all about the details of ritual around here but the key will be to create and apply a good protective coat of lather, then slowly, lightly and systematically shave it off in neat short strokes with little pressure, with and across the grain and eventually against the grain for a really close shave. It really is a case of practice makes perfect with DE shaving. And even more so with straights. Persevere and it will all come right.

If you are not happy with your razor and blades you will find many suggestions here. Don't change too much to soon. Just patiently find what suits you.
 
Hello and welcome Matt. Have a good look around the forum, and you'll find a fair few pearls of wisdom hiding amongst the wisecracks. If you do a search on "Shavette" in the straights board, you'll find quite a bit of discussion.

Crikey, you have to be up early to catch Fido napping. :D
 
Alright Matt. Check the stickies for expert shaving techniques, but main clues are map your face (direction of hair growth), don't press on, and throw those fecking Derbys in the bin.
 
Hi Matt & very welcome. The Parker is a fairly laidback & non aggresive DE I've always found, I'm not sure that Derby will prove to be the best blade from your sample pack, but blades like most else in shaving is very much down to individual preferences.
Personnally I found when I first tried with a shavette I left my face pretty much a red ruin. The genuine straight was a totally different technique and much easier to come to terms with. Just keep persevering m8 & things will fall in2 place way sooner than you may presently imagine.
Happy Daze.
JohnnyO.
 
Welcome Matt.

Take time to study the guides and tutorials in the Shaving Help Section, especially the videos by mantic59 on utube.
 
cheese_dave said:
... don't press on ...
Click to expand...
When I said this, I didn't mean "don't press on (carry on) with the shaving habit", I meant "don't press on (hhnnnnrgh) with the razor". A light touch is best.

"hhnnnnrgh" is the noise I make when I press on with something.

I'll shut up now.
 
Welcome Matt ! Yep, sounds like technique more than anything, possibly trying too hard and applying pressure without realising it !! It's what I did in one particular shave some time ago, ooh, let me see, must be all of 3-4 weeks ago!! :lol: I am still a "newby" myself, and although the learning curve is quite steep, half the fun is experimenting with all the different pieces of equipment. Of course, you can't do that without a few minor mishaps along the way! Anyway, the adventure begins, have fun...

spandex...
 
Thanks everyone, I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it now (well less cuts anyway so that must be a good thing)

Currently working through the sample pack of blades and coming to the conclusion that Iridium super blades may be the ones for me, and that Trig blades are definitely not!

Matt
 
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