Thread: Please help with first shave!

I recently purchased a Boker King Cutter bundle with the red latigo strop from SRD and attempted to use it today. I spent several weeks before receiving it watching tutorial vids and reading these forums, so I thought I knew what I was getting into. My blade didn't pass the hanging hair test so I stropped it as per all the tutorials I've watched, and the edge looks great, but still doesn't pass the hht. So I attempted to shave anyways. I took a long hot shower and did all the preparation, but had a couple issues. First of all my soap lather, even though it looked good in the cup, didn't seem to lubricate very well. I'm using the SRD bay rum soap. Then I attempted shaving. It didn't really pull the hair on the side of my face, but it barely took any off as I shaved it. When I got to my chin, it really started to pull the hair so I quit and reapplied the soap. Same issue. I finally gave up and washed my face, and it looked like one side of my face was kind of shaved but really spotty. The rest of my face didn't look shaven at all. A few minutes later, the side that was shaven the most looked really red and blemeshy, like razor burn. What am I doing wrong? I even tried watching the DVD from SRD and it seems like I'm following all the steps correctly.

There was probably nothing wrong with the blade when you received it. Shave ready blades don't have to pass the HHT. It's a common misconception amongst newcomers (& some who should know better). If it shaves badly now, it's technique, whether that be stropping or the shave itself.

Here's a recent thread that relates a little.

Don't be disheartened.

You might be moving the blade to fast for it to have time to cut. Try going slower and just a half in or so at a time and then back the blade back up your face so it spreads some cream back onto your face then go another half an inch.

If you've been reading up on this stuff then you know mastering shaving can be a long process as you learn the skills. Also with new users it's very difficult to advise because we don't know if the issue is with the razor or the user. Even if the razor was proper sharp when you got it you may have stropped poorly.

So my advice is concentrate on the usual technique issues with strokes and pressure and angle and if things don't improve then suspect the razor may need some work.

Originally Posted by ben.mid

There was probably nothing wrong with the blade when you received it. Shave ready blades don't have to pass the HHT. It's a common misconception amongst newcomers (& some who should know better). If it shaves badly now, it's technique, whether that be stropping or the shave itself.

Here's a recent thread that relates a little.

Don't be disheartened.

+1

On the HHT -- the oil placed on the razor
after honing and stropping to prevent rust
will also get in the way of the HHT.

Strop with smooth, light, deliberate strokes and
more often than not the edge will recover.

Good stropping and short smooth strokes...with no distractions...did I mention "NO DISTRACTIONS"? Laid the side of my face open one night b/f the daughter went down and the dog puckered out...luckily it heeled... I've been STR8 for a few months now and it gets easier, better, closer and quicker with each shave. Patience grasshopper, patience. Face prep and good slippery lather also key.

+1 on the previous advice. I think the issues you describe about your first shave grow out of your technique. You may be somewhat skittish or fearful about letting that sharp blade come in contact with your face. I know I was initially.

Don't despair. As the previous posts have suggested, there is notjing wrong with your razor. Strop your razor carefully again, being careful not to roll the blade. Review your technique, especially your blade angle (optimum 15-25 degrees) and continue to shave one side of your face, using slight scything motion because it is the toe of the razor that does the closest shaving. Keep at it and try another 3-4 shaves.

As you become more confident and less ferful of cutting yourself, the quality of your shaves should improve.

Let us know how things turn out.

Just my 2 cents.

Ben nailed it.

Hard to accept, but it's you. One way or another, it's you. We all have to face the reality that reading is not the same as doing. Would you expect to make a sand shot in golf the very first time just like the pro does by reading how he does it?

I rolled the edge stropping my first razor. Many, not all, do. The edge may have been unintentionally dulled when you stropped. User error my friend.

The good news is that all is fixable.

Welcome to SRP. There is a lot to learn to successfully shave with a straight razor and no one can learn it all at once. Perhaps that is why when SRP founder Lynn Abrams wrote this here on how to do the first straight razor shaves he suggested taking it slow and doing it in increments rather than all at once.

Skin stretching techniques, blade angle, stroke, direction of attack all enter into it and then there is stropping, pre shave prep, lathering. All kinds of stuff to become proficient with. So be patient and take it slow. Re-read the beginner's guide in the SRP Wiki at the link below and as you continue to practice things should improve.

Edit ; forget the HHT. That is a test for advanced honing. The shave test is all you want to concern yourself with now.

Keep experimenting with angles. Try to keep your skin as tight as you can.