Thread: First Shave - A few Questions

Hi everybody, I want to start by saying that this forum is great and it's really helped to get into and learn about straigth razor shaving. My Dovo "Classic Black" 5/8" set from Vintage Blades came in today; cant remember being to excited. I opted to have the blade "Shave Ready" and therefore went to work right away. Lathered up with Col. Conk soap that came with my mug and had at it.
The shave was pretty good, not as close as with my disposable, but i didn't expect the first time to be perfect. As far as the blade goes, and this could be chalked up to bad technique, but I felt as if the blade was dragging more than it should be. Also, the blade didnt pass the hanging hair test at all, I must have tried 10 times, and I got some razor burn. I've heard this can be attributed to a razor that isnt sharp enough but I had it ordered "Shave-ready." Did anyone else have a similiar first experience? The razor burn im sure is pretty common at first, but the drag and the test? I would really appreciate some insight. Thanks again, everyone.

i have donned my asbestos underwear: the hanging hair test is not flawless and is to me a waste of time. there i said it!

i find that my razors will pass the hht off the 4k nortons sometimes off the 8k norton but when it is really sharp after the yellow coticule or the hunsrueck it cannot pass it at all... shave very well though.
oddly i have had people comment about how well the blade passes the hht... when it will not pass it for me... it is one of those "Your Mileage May Vary" things.

for the drag and burn i would look more into your technique ... care do give some details there?

How did you strop? It is possible that you rolled the edge or that you simply didn't get a good angle. There are a whole lot of things that can cause the razor to drag. Also, did you do this after a shower? Beard prep can make or break a shave big time! All told, it sounds like you are off to an average start! Good job so far, they only get better from here.

Thanks for the quick replies! As far as technique goes, I wouldn't be surprised if my angle wasn't exactly right. As for the rolling the edge, the blade came shave ready with a note saying that it doesn't need to be stropped, that is until after the first shave. So I didnt even strop at that point. I'm glad to hear that HHT isn't flawless, not to mention the blade was sharpened by Lynn Abrams so It was probably an issue in my technique. Only got a few cuts, nothing too big, and im looking forward to the 2nd shave.

I have two razors a John Watts and a Genco.
Both razors were honed by a pro honer, not very long ago. I have used both razors then did plenty of stroping of both after use. They both feel and shave the same as when I got them, maybe a tiny tiny bit smoother with all the stroping (but I'm no authority). My hair (on my head) is quite fine and flexable and won't do the hanging hair test on either of the razors consistantly.
But, I tried it on a stiffer pubic hair, and it works every time! Maybe the donors hair type has an effect?
BTW, the Genco, particularly, will stick in you thumb as soon as you try to "feel" the ege, with nil pressure, that's sharp!
Anyway, hope your enjoying it all.
I also now shave with the blade a lot flatter to my skin. I was frightend to at first because I thought I would more likely to cut myself, but the reverse is true! It's slicing that cuts. Too steep an angle tears at the hair and pulls them, or that's what I've found.
Gentle and shallow is the way to go - I think?
M

Originally Posted by littlesilverbladefromwale

I also now shave with the blade a lot flatter to my skin. I was frightend to at first because I thought I would more likely to cut myself, but the reverse is true! It's slicing that cuts. Too steep an angle tears at the hair and pulls them, or that's what I've found.
Gentle and shallow is the way to go - I think?
M

It took me years of on again off again shaving with a straight to realize that the 30 ish degree angle is actually a lot flatter to your face than you think. Once I lowered the angle the smoothness increased by a factor of 1000%

Barney

Originally Posted by barneycg

It took me years of on again off again shaving with a straight to realize that the 30 ish degree angle is actually a lot flatter to your face than you think. Once I lowered the angle the smoothness increased by a factor of 1000%

Barney

Incredible - it must have been pretty rough before - what angle were you shaving at in the past?

... OK so maybe I was exaggerating a little on the 1000% bit (actually it should have read 100%), but it really did make significant difference. I reckon I was shaving somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees, it is difficult to tell.
Shortly after my kids were born and I was tidying out some draws and came across my straight and gave it another try, as it had always been in the past it was a little tuggy then for some reason I lowered the spine closer to my face and hey presto. I've never used anything else to shave since ... It was my eureka shave.

The moral of the story - Low,Slow and Straight !!
Or to rhyme better - Low Slow and Glow