My first straight razor shave

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Evening all.

I’ve just finished my first ever straight razor shave, and I have to say- it went better than expected!

I used the Hermes 6/8 purchased from @Tony'schin. Coupled with my trusty omega 10065 brush and a brand new puck of tabac.

Face lathered as I always do, and got to town. As per Tony’s advice, I didn’t strop before hand as it was done prior to my receiving of the razors. I had the paddle strop he kindly included ready for after my shave.

anyway, I’m a lefty, so started on my left cheek/sideburn, and cracked on. I found that I needed to make my lather slightly wetter than usual after a couple of swipes.

I was initially planning on just one pass, but my first pass was pretty crap as I was getting used to my angles. I found the more I did it the easier it got, and when I got used to getting my hands in the right position, particularly for the across the face side, it became a lot better.

so full of confidence I decided on a second pass just to catch all the bits I missed in the beginning. Both WTG.

I found the chin ok but struggled most on my neck and jawline. It’s far from BBS but I achieved MUCH better results on my moustache area and chin than I expected from my first go.

when I finished I dried the blade with paper towel and used a piece of bog roll to dry between the scales. Then I had a go at stropping.

I honestly found this the most difficult bit of the shave. The paddle strop is ever so slightly narrower than the blade, so worked ever so slightly heel to toe. I found flipping the razor very fiddly, and kept wanting to turn on the blade rather than the spine! My crappy, knackered G Butler razor I think I’m gonna use as my practice blade to get better at stropping. I’ll have a go with my hanging strops too and see if I find them easier.

anyway, one shave down and looking forward to the next. Cheers everyone who’s helped on my journey so far.

Alex

edit: if I don’t get the hang of stropping some honemeisters may be getting a bit of business!
 
Evening all.

I’ve just finished my first ever straight razor shave, and I have to say- it went better than expected!

I used the Hermes 6/8 purchased from @Tony'schin. Coupled with my trusty omega 10065 brush and a brand new puck of tabac.

Face lathered as I always do, and got to town. As per Tony’s advice, I didn’t strop before hand as it was done prior to my receiving of the razors. I had the paddle strop he kindly included ready for after my shave.

anyway, I’m a lefty, so started on my left cheek/sideburn, and cracked on. I found that I needed to make my lather slightly wetter than usual after a couple of swipes.

I was initially planning on just one pass, but my first pass was pretty crap as I was getting used to my angles. I found the more I did it the easier it got, and when I got used to getting my hands in the right position, particularly for the across the face side, it became a lot better.

so full of confidence I decided on a second pass just to catch all the bits I missed in the beginning. Both WTG.

I found the chin ok but struggled most on my neck and jawline. It’s far from BBS but I achieved MUCH better results on my moustache area and chin than I expected from my first go.

when I finished I dried the blade with paper towel and used a piece of bog roll to dry between the scales. Then I had a go at stropping.

I honestly found this the most difficult bit of the shave. The paddle strop is ever so slightly narrower than the blade, so worked ever so slightly heel to toe. I found flipping the razor very fiddly, and kept wanting to turn on the blade rather than the spine! My crappy, knackered G Butler razor I think I’m gonna use as my practice blade to get better at stropping. I’ll have a go with my hanging strops too and see if I find them easier.

anyway, one shave down and looking forward to the next. Cheers everyone who’s helped on my journey so far.

Alex

edit: if I don’t get the hang of stropping some honemeisters may be getting a bit of business!
Well done, the first is always the hardest, just a matter of practice makes perfect now! :)

Paul.
 
Well done man, stropping does genuinely get easier. Personally I find the hanging strops a lot easier on the turn. I don't know whether it's the flexibility of the strop itself or that it's just easier because you have more flexibility in your arm movement as your not fixed to a solid platform.

Either which way, it does get easier!
 
Well done @SmallBeard the stropping certainly does take a bit of getting used to just take your time and keep it light..once you find that sweet spot of the correct tension on the strop and pressure of the blade it’s like the two work in harmony and it just clicks ! Sounds like the first pass left you hungry for a second that’s how it got me too..in my opinion the finished result really doesn’t matter there is no rush progress and not perfection that’s how I see it enjoy
 
Nice, welcome to the fold! So satisfying, especially if you still have the same amount of blood inside at the end! The turning on the spine seems counter intuitive or awkward at first even on a paddle but if you play around with your grip and the angle of the blade to the scales (ie open it up a tiny bit wider than you thought) you'll find it soon becomes 2nd nature. At least, that's my experience.

You defo went about it the right way, getting a truly shave ready razor from someone known and trusted on here, because so many razors from lesser sources aren't really shave ready and when you're learning the ropes it's hard to know if it's you or the blade. I must say I look forward to every shave now, even though sometimes the lather maybe needed more work, or better hydration, or maybe the blade wanted a touch up on the paste, I haven't had a bad shave, even though I've nicked myself a few times. Now I can almost sense when it's going to happen and why, and intuitively prevent oe minimise cuts, most of the time at least!

Have attempted the "fool's pass" a couple of times but backed off at the first sign of resistance. I wouldn't mind a smaller nose but that wasn't the method I would choose!
 
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Tabac mixed wet is a good choice :) It can take a surprising amount of water compared to some other soaps.

To get around the jawline reach over your head with the hand that isn't holding the razor, put your fingers on your cheek, and pull up. This will stretch the skin under the jawbone up over the jawbone where you can get at it with the razor. Experiment a bit and you'll figure it out.

For the neck, throwing your head back might be all you need to do to stretch the skin. You can also put a finger either side of your Adam's apple and pull down gently.

Skin-stretching is a good thing to learn which can help with DE shaves too.

Since I started using straights I've mostly switched to shaving at night when it's quiet and I've got time to relax. You never want to rush a straight razor shave...
 
All good advice so far. The only thing I would add is to concentrate on how you hold the razor for stropping - thumb on the underside of the tang and a couple of fingers on the top when you start at the bottom of the strop - then rotate your wrist and turn the spine over as you start the return stroke. Your thumb and fingers will also adjust slightly on the down stroke in order to apply a bit more pressure on the edge. It’s a technique that you soon learn and becomes second nature. You will also learn that gripping the razor changes slightly according to scale and/or blade design.
 
Thanks all for your kind words and advice. I'm definitely going to stick in, put in the practice, and hopefully one day- nail it. It was a good experience. Blood levels remained the same before, during, and after the shave. There was a moment where I thought I was going to reduce internal levels, but I managed to get away with it.

@RussellR5555 I hope not to cut the strop, but will have a practice with a more blunt instrument to get the hang of it. For some reason my brain seems to always be telling me to lift the spine off the surface of the strop- which I know is a big no no as I will roll the edge, but I think it comes from when I used to sharpen pen knives. I know stropping is almost the opposite, leading with the spine rather than the blade but I need to get out of that annoying habit.

@Crossan cheers mate! Yes I think I would feel more comfortable with the hanging strop. We will find out for the next one!

@Olie29- that sweet sound when you are stropping it is lovely. I'm sure with a bit of practice I will get there!

Thanks @hotmetal. The two guys who sold me razors were real genuine guys. Great prices for great razors, you know people on here aren't going to mug you off.

@UKRob I watched a few videos on how to hold the razor when stropping, but that bit about rotating your wrist I didn't pick up. I'm sitting at my desk now invisibly stropping an invisible razor and the rotating your wrist makes a lot of sense and makes it easier. The natural rotation of the wrist means you're turning it spine side rather than blade side. Left handed strops- are they normally on the shelf next to the glass hammers, sky hooks and tartan paint? :ROFLMAO:

I don't have the greatest dexterity in my hands, and I think I need to work on how I'm holding the razor too. It seems easier to me having the razor and scales in alignment. Not sure on how others usually do it, or if its a case of YMMV and do what is comfortable for you?

My hanging strops weren't majorly expensive, so I will have a crack on them. My biggest fear is ruining an edge if I get it wrong, but I guess I do have 4 shave ready razors now so I've got one to use while the other is being repaired. Practice makes perfect as you say @Blademonkey.
 
Tabac mixed wet is a good choice :) It can take a surprising amount of water compared to some other soaps.

To get around the jawline reach over your head with the hand that isn't holding the razor, put your fingers on your cheek, and pull up. This will stretch the skin under the jawbone up over the jawbone where you can get at it with the razor. Experiment a bit and you'll figure it out.

For the neck, throwing your head back might be all you need to do to stretch the skin. You can also put a finger either side of your Adam's apple and pull down gently.

Skin-stretching is a good thing to learn which can help with DE shaves too.

Since I started using straights I've mostly switched to shaving at night when it's quiet and I've got time to relax. You never want to rush a straight razor shave...
Thanks @mcgruff. It's just a learning curve really, and finding what works for you. I've got 6 weeks until my wedding and my goal is to be pretty adept by then. I always used to be a night time shaver, but more recently with pressure from work I ended up shaving in the shower in the mornings with my DE. I think using a straight deserves more time, not only to preserve my face but to enjoy the experience.
 
Then I had a go at stropping.

I honestly found this the most difficult bit of the shave. The paddle strop is ever so slightly narrower than the blade, so worked ever so slightly heel to toe. I found flipping the razor very fiddly, and kept wanting to turn on the blade rather than the spine! My crappy, knackered G Butler razor I think I’m gonna use as my practice blade to get better at stropping. I’ll have a go with my hanging strops too and see if I find them easier.
 
Great first go! Welcome to the dark side. I find rotating the wrist while stropping a bit awkward. I just sort of rotate the fingers a little.
Nice, welcome to the fold! So satisfying, especially if you still have the same amount of blood inside at the end! The turning on the spine seems counter intuitive or awkward at first even on a paddle but if you play around with your grip and the angle of the blade to the scales (ie open it up a tiny bit wider than you thought) you'll find it soon becomes 2nd nature. At least, that's my experience.

You defo went about it the right way, getting a truly shave ready razor from someone known and trusted on here, because so many razors from lesser sources aren't really shave ready and when you're learning the ropes it's hard to know if it's you or the blade. I must say I look forward to every shave now, even though sometimes the lather maybe needed more work, or better hydration, or maybe the blade wanted a touch up on the paste, I haven't had a bad shave, even though I've nicked myself a few times. Now I can almost sense when it's going to happen and why, and intuitively prevent oe minimise cuts, most of the time at least!

Have attempted the "fool's pass" a couple of times but backed off at the first sign of resistance. I wouldn't mind a smaller nose but that wasn't the method I would choose!
I find it easier on the fool’s pass if you hold the razor stationary between the two hands and moving the upper lip on the razor. I get more control. Just stretch the lip. Keen razor helps too. Coticule edges are not great for the ATG passes for me.
 
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