Thread: Two steps forward, one step back

What a disastrous day yesterday was, in my little world of straight razor shaves. On the good advice of those who responded to my plea, I carefully patched up my strop (smoothing out the nicks with emery paper), making the best of an already bad job. Then some more careful research revealed that my stropping technique was clearly at fault. I resolved to improve it. Armed with my trusty Dovo, I prepped for the shave of all shaves late (late) last night.

Now, it is probably perfectly clear to most that it is not the best time to practice this delicate art at 1 a.m. when one is a tad on the tired side. I stropped carefully, slowly at first, rolling the blade on the spine, shank held between fingers and thumb in a pencil-grip as all good stroppers do. Getting the hang of the new technique, I built up speed and was soon stropping at an admirable pace. Until my few remaining alert brain cells diverted their attention to the shaving brush that toppled my freshly-brewed Truefitt into the basin. My technique slipped and so did my Dovo, now scything a precision slice into my best Rindleder. That was sharp!

I will spare you the expletives as I resigned myself to the shave (sleep was calling, after all). Yes, the blade was sharp, soon proven by the two 1 inch incisions in my jawline. I stemmed the blood with a cold wet face-cloth before applying my styptic pencil, which broke at the base. No matter, they aren’t expensive. But what if I bleed in my sleep? Two strips of adhesive plaster would have done the job, had I not pinched my finger in the scissors.

I think I’ll go to bed…

What an uplifting post! I read between the lines & realise that what you're saying, basically, is that your straight career can only go up from here! That's the spirit!

It'll improve mate. Maybe just pick a better time for the next one?

a while back while honing a stubborn Stainless razor i have i cut my finger pretty good right on the pad, and then while i continued honing and thought about how i had never cut myself honing before, i managed to cut the finger right beside it. and then the shave sucked to top it off!

all i could do is remember that these s%$t happens, you have to take the bad to make the good that much sweeter. plus you know that the next strop and shave has to be better right!

Thanks both. I will master this!

Oooh boy.. all this blood.. where are we going with this world.....

most likely the next shave will be better.. but I would let the wound heal a couple of days or be very carefull around it..

Maarten

+1 on letting the wounds heal. It sucks to shave over a cut and have it reopen. Next time will be better, and hopefully a little earlier at night.

Keep at it Moggs, its a steep old learning curve but its all good. I keep getting frustrated by various aspects of it but still I cant wait for the next shave!

Originally Posted by Moggs

Thanks both. I will master this!

That is exactly the attitude needed to succeed in this hobby, with all the advances and setbacks. And afterall, who likes a quitter??

Thanks to all. A much better shave last time. Slowly on the stropping with a deliberate (though clumsy) technique which started to feel right after dozens of laps. Seemed to be effective with a good TPT and close shave, without nicks (I avoided the earlier couple of jawline cuts to let them heal properly)!

My routine: shower (hot water on face for last minute), towel dry, strop, mix and 'hold' cream floating the bowl in hot water, hot towel, restrop (can't have too much and I need the practice!), more hot towel, lather, shave 1, shave 2, and precision finish. Hot water wipe over, cold water splashing, pat dry, choice of balm, lotion depending on mood. Clean up. Strop. Dry.

I see the advantages of good equipment and yearn for some sort of scuttle now as I can feel the benefit of having warmed lather. The floating bowl thing just gets in the way of operations!

I'm randomly employing a different sequence of strokes in my quest to find what suits me best, which is probably not a good approach. I need to fine tune this sequence to be able to deliver good results in a consistent style although, overall, I'm quite pleased with progress.

And I really enjoy the whole thing, an opportunity for calm in an otherwise hectic world!