Shaving, Wet shave vs electric

Try shaving immediately after a hot shower, when your facial hair is softer. I find even drying my face a bit before lathering up to shave makes my bristles tougher to shave. The chin is harder because there's more changes of angle, I think. I find the best thing to do is just take smaller stokes, lining each one up with a different bit of the chin. Once you've roughly removed the beard around your chin, you can have a look for bits you've missed or bits where there's obvious differences in the closeness of the shave and do a quick second pass to even things out.

The moustache is difficult because the upper lip is quite soft and pliant, and it's hard to get the correct shaving angle directly under the nose. Using your other hand to stretch and tension your skin can help.

Four years ago today, Xmas 2011, I shaved myself with a straight razor for the first time ever. It was a dicey, scary, scruffy, slightly bloody affair but I got the job done adequately.

Since then I've not used any other type of razor, unless you count my recent adoption of the Kamisori. Fair to say that my technique has vastly improved. In addition, my ability to shape sideburns and other stupid facial hair has gone way up. More importantly I just don't get razor rash any more, something that plagued me all my life with cartridge razors.

The money I've saved on Gillette blades I have probably spent on my slowly growing razor collection, but it has bought me much greater pleasure and satisfaction. I certainly never asked for a new Mach 3 for my birthday the way I might be angling for a strop, whetstone, or even new razor these days.

Since that Christmas day, I have become a father again, this time to a son, Leo. I hope to get him started on a straight razor earlier in his life than I discovered them.

Happy Christmas.

You are an awesome dad.

Congrats @mashton. My straight razor days are over though, gave me the same issues as with any other close shaving method I've used. Ingrown hairs and pimples. Back to trimming down to a mm or two every now and then, and for fancy 'must look clean' occasions I can use the magic powder.

Magic powder?

Good call, I also like getting coked of my nut for fancy occasions...

Lol^

Can someone recommend me a straight razor, nothing too expensive but not something I'll have to upgrade straight away if I take to using it...

Go browse on https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk and see if you find something that fits the bill.

Look for a narrow blade with a rounded point.

This would be a good one:

https://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/58-1116-razors/6-dovo-best-quality-razor.html

I've a shavette, a couple of blades and a brush I won't be using again. Maybe used for 5 shaves or so. Could be a way to try the thing out. You (or anyone else) can have them for postage costs if you like. I'm in Sweden though so maybe £5-6 or something.

@mashton yeah I'm always snowblind when I have to look my best. Gives me that extra bit of calm, confidence inspiring behaviour.

And not at all a veneer of rambling, hysteric, over exuberance.

Oh no. I'm a charmer. Oh yes.

I need to buy a shaving mirror and am not sure about the level of magnification.

They seem to be around x3, x5 or x10.

x10 seems a bit extreme, but I don't know.

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Just don't leave it in the window. Someone's house round the corner burned because of one of those things.

Yeah, one of my mum's friends had a similar thing where their curtains got badly singed. No actual flames though.

I bought one from tk maxx for silly cheap. To be honest I never use it.

Yours for free if you are ever near Herne Hill.

Ah, thanks for the offer. I just ordered one yesterday. It doesn't actually list a magnification, so I'm just hoping it'll be usable.

I tend not to use them but our new place has a window over the sink, and I need a mirror to shave.

I'm such a sucker for razors, I just ordered the Hatori Deluxe at the top of this page:

http://www.japanese-razor.com/japanese-western-straight-razors-for-sale/

Looks like a cool cross of a kamisori and a Western straight.

Lovely. Was gonna say you better know what you're doing with a pointy thing like that but then remembered you use a Kamisori...

I'm actually thinking of getting a straight for when the stubble gets long enough to be a faff with a safety. Does it work like that?

Would love a Kamisori but would be worried about the unprotected blade getting damged.

How good is your strop game? Did it take a while to get it right?

One of my favourite things about shaving with a straight is the length of stubble it effortlessly gets through. Highly recommended.

Stropping is easy. Get a cheap one to start off with because you will slice it up a bit, but you'll be sorted after a few weeks. Don't over think it and you'll be a ok.

Funny you should say about the kamisori getting damaged. Mine has come back from a trip away with a nick out of the edge. I am sure it wasn't me and am worried that my daughter has been "playing" with it. Much more worried about the damage it could have done to her, obviously. They always live on a very high shelf at home but when we are are travelling it is easy to forget. Be cateful out there.

I now own three Western straights, the kamisori and that there crossover combo thing. This is getting silly.

Don't you shave about once a month too?

Twice. Come on.

Totally ignored everybody on here banging on about how great straight razors are and bought an electric shaver. A Phillips aquatouch thing, about £45 on sale. Used it in the shower earlier, really close shave and really quick. I shave almost every day and can't be arsed spending ages in front of a mirror so it suits me well! Much closer than the cartridge razors I was using before hand as well.

Chevrons

Feather razor blades (double edged), I used to get them from Amazon but don't seem to be cheap on there anymore. Any other suggestions?

Traditional English Shaving Company?

Carlo Anichini in Piccadilly Arcade. Grooming stuff on the ground floor and a barbers above.
The lady in the downstairs shop is really friendly and they stock Proraso products and lots of different sorts of blades.
Everyone raves about Feather blades, but I can't get on with them. They seem to pull the skin a bit and cause a rash. The brand which suits me best is Astra, which I get from here, but they had Feather last time I was there.