Thread: Hello

l am fairly new to straight razor shaving. I have only shaved with a straight razor a few times (6-7). I have a Dove master's and a Ralf Aust 6/8th. I have questions regarding the shave. Coming from DE shaving I don't feel that my shaves are as smooth as what I had with a DE.i just had the Dovo professional honed and I know the Ralf Aust is also.i have the lather down okay and I feel the angle of my shave is alright also. I'm stroping before my shave. Any thoughts or suggestions? Or do I just need more practice? Any advice would be appreciated.

Nice razors you have there..that's a certainty.

Hate to say it but the facts are:

1. Yes, a smoother and closer shave is frequently an easier task, especially when using a hyper aggressive razor/blade combination, like a Feather in a Muhle R41 (2011 model).

2. More than not it will take a longish time to achieve a shave on par with a decent DE/blade when using a straight. Just takes time to master the learning curve.

3. There is significantly more opportunity for operator error when using a straight razor as opposed to a DE.

Conversely, little rivals the satisfaction of achieving a nice, close, blood-free shave using the time honored technique(s) germane to the hone, brush, strop, and blade. Finest kind indeed. After over 40+ years, that's my take on the whole thing anyway.

+1 to what Phoenix51 said, it takes time and a commitment to gaining the skills used when shaving with a str8. I'm coming up on a year (150 shaves) using only a straight razor and I am getting the very best shaves of my life.

Practice and dedication to improvement has been the path for me. I have found that there are allot of skills that make up a really good shave, from beard prep and lather quality to mapping the growth of my beard and learning the strokes that give me the best results.

Keep at it and keep seeking the knowledge that is available here, your shaves will improve.

Welcome to SRP!

Thanks for the input and advice. I wanted to start with a modern new razor and not a shavette to learn it. I knew there would be a learning curve. I saw a video from Lynn Abrams regarding new straight shavers and comments on irritation. I'm just not used to. That from a DE. Thanks for the input. I'm excited to be able to gain knowledge from others on shaving from the community.

Welcome to the SRP Forum!

Congrats, you have a very good start. Keep it up, it takes time and is not something that you learn overnight. Read all you can and watch a bunch of videos. There is a world of information in the Library.

It could be your stropping technique is not quite there yet, that makes a lot of difference. Just try improve each shave, and use light pressure. Skin stretching is another thing to master. Finish with a DE while you learn. I get better results with a straight than a DE now, and definitely less irritation. It all really starts to come together around 100 shaves.

+1 on the stretching. You can generally get away without stretching the skin with a DE but with a straight it's imperative for a BBS shave.

Hi and welcome. At 6 or 7 shaves you are still just scratching the surface. After a month you will find you get good shaves and you will get better again with time. Try lather slightly wetter than with a de and from there angle, stretching and pressure play vital roles in how your shaves go and will take time to come together. Good luck

In the meantime, pat yourself on the back for an amazing beginning. After my first eight shaves, I was _not_ where you are!