Thread: A Bad Beginner

Originally Posted by gull

I used to nick my strop all the time, but what I did was start a stroke, then stop, turn the blade, move the razor, stop, turn, and so on.

So I do disagree with you here. Eventually, he can get the proper stroke down, but I found that stopping the razor really helped me.

I can't understand how stopping the razor teaches you the "proper stroke" ie rolling the razor on the spine or are you referring to something else like proper contact.?

Originally Posted by onimaru55

I can't understand how stopping the razor teaches you the "proper stroke" ie rolling the razor on the spine or are you referring to something else like proper contact.?

I was just referring not nicking anything. I can understand how most people, when they stop the razor, end up nicking their strop. But for me that just wasn't the case. I actually nicked my strop a lot before I started stopping the razor.

My problem was I would roll the razor while still moving the razor forward, and then once the edge hit the strop, the razor would still be pushed forward. Thus I nicked my strop. I hope I'm making sense

Now that I have built up some confidence, I can imitate what I see on videos, i.e., not stopping, not nicking anything, and also having proper contact.

Originally Posted by gull

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My problem was I would roll the razor while still moving the razor forward, and then once the edge hit the strop, the razor would still be pushed forward. Thus I nicked my strop. I hope I'm making sense

..

Yes, that does make sense. Perhaps beginners will appreciate the idea that the razor direction should change before they drop the edge down.

Originally Posted by gull

My problem was I would roll the razor while still moving the razor forward, and then once the edge hit the strop, the razor would still be pushed forward. Thus I nicked my strop. I hope I'm making sense

Yup. It's a tricky timing at first which is why I recommend practice with something dull at first

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Yup. It's a tricky timing at first which is why I recommend practice with something dull at first

You sayin' I shoulda practiced with ma brain Oz...


Mick

Originally Posted by MickR

You sayin' I shoulda practiced with ma brain Oz...
Mick

Just use the spare in the jar Mick

You been takin' photo's of me on the job again I see


Mick

Another bit is shave prep. I was having really bad shaves until i got lathering down. Dry lather is really white when applied, wet lather will run, try to find the middle. Mantic's vids on youtube are great for this as he shows different methods. Also if you can afford it, try a dovo shavette with disposeable blades. Sharp every time. They're a little harder to use than a real straight, at least for me, so get it down with that and youre good.

New shave today with only one-day's growth (used a DE yesterday), this time with the Engles "Lafayette" that I won in the December giveaway. The good news is that I did shave some hairs today, WTG on face, jaw, and a little neck. Re-lathered and did again. Not close, BUT IT DID SHAVE! Had a good day, learned a little, used both let and right hands, stopped while it was still good. Progress!

I then finished with my DE.

I have also been practice stropping with my Boker from SRD. I have been getting much better, but not to the point of it getting sharper. I have been focused on the rhythm, get it right and do a few laps before stopping. This keeps the right motion in my memory for the next time. The next time I start, I am ahead of the last time. And so on. I am starting for length now where it will sharpen the blade.

Update: Second real shave with a straight. I have been practicing stropping with the Boker, and the edge is coming back. The Engles worked well and was sharp after stropping.

I tried something different today. I shaved both cheeks with the Engles Lafayette, then used my DE to finish. BUT, for the final pass I got my straight out to do the final pass. What the heck, you say?

Here was my reasoning and it worked well for me. The lack of long hairs let me not worry about any pressure to get through the stubble removal and focus on angles. When my angle wasn't right, it didn't cut (or cut well...into my skin). When it was right, I could hear the hair being cut but not feel it. Decent shave, not BBS, but I learned. It also gave me hope on getting a good, irritation-free shave.