Shaving with a straight razor is an art. You need skill, experience, and patience. If you aren’t careful enough, then get ready to see some cuts and blood. Besides, nothing will give you a clean shave than a straight razor. The only disadvantage of using it is, it takes time, unlike electric ones.
If you want to master how to shave with a straight razor, then check out the following steps.
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How to shave with a straight razor?
First, own the right tools.
Before shaving with a straight razor, you need the right tools. Without the gear, you won’t get a perfect shave.
What you need are:
- Straight razor: Obviously, to shave.
- Shaving soap or cream: To apply before shaving to prepare and soften the skin and facial hair.
- Shaving brush: To evenly distribute the lather on your face.
- Case: To keep the razor safely.
- Leather strop: To polish and straighten the razor blade.
Prepare your skin
You need to prepare your skin before shaving. For that, you need to wash your face and beard with hot water. Some people also use cold water. You can also take a hot shower either with soap or shampoo. This way, your skin and facial hair will be soft. Also, it will remove dirt, oils, and pollutants. After that, wipe your face softly with a towel.
Lather up the shaving cream
Put the required amount of cream or soap on the shaving brush after soaking it in hot water. This way, the bristles will be soft and won’t sting you in the face.
After that, gently and circularly rub the shaving brush on your face and neck. Keep doing it until a thick and rich foam is formed.
Ensure that every part of the face and neck you want to shave is covered with the lather.
Load blade
Now, load the blade into your razor. So, how do you do it?
First, lift the metal catch.
Then, separate the two parts of the razor.
Then take a double-edge blade and break it into half. Ensure that you don’t cut your finger.
Now, load the blade into one part of the metal and close with another half.
Lastly, close the metal catch again.
This way, you will be able to load the blade into the razor.
However, remember one thing before loading your blade. First, you need to hone the edge of the razor. Otherwise, you will not be able to have a perfect and clean shave with a blunt razor.
Stropping your blade is a crucial part of shaving with a straight razor. So, use the leather strop to polish and straighten the edge.
Hold the razor
Now comes one of the crucial parts of shaving with a straight razor. You should know the right way to hold the razor. However, it depends on people how they grip it.
Follow the instructions below to hold the razor correctly.
First, the handle and the shank should be at a 90-degree angle wide.
Then, put your thumb under the shank.
Your middle finger and forefinger should be on top of the shank.
Put your ring finger over the tang. (the end part of the shank) Your little finger should be under the tang.
Some people put the middle, forefinger, and ring finger on top of the shank and little finger over the tang.
This is how you hold the razor the right way. Remember to grip it firmly and gently.
Shaving techniques
You need to know the shaving techniques to avoid cuts and nicks. Pressure and angle are crucial parts of shaving.
First, hold your razor at a 30-degree angle.
Start with either side of your face. (depends on you)
Now, begin with sideburns. Keeping your razor straight at a 30-degree angle, stretch the cheek with your other hand and start the first stroke downward. It takes 5-10 strokes for a clean shave in each part of the face.
Then, stroke the razor from your cheek to below your jawline. And move towards the lower part of the lip. Keep stretching your skin for easy shaving.
Now, tilt your head up. Then, slowly and gently, proceed down the jawline to the neck.
Repeat the same process for shaving the other side of the face.
The second pass
In one pass, you won’t get a clean and perfect shave. So, you need a second pass as well. First, wash your face and wipe with a towel. Again, apply the cream on the brush and lather up nicely on your face. Then, you know what to do, right. Repeat the process of the first pass. Begin with your sideburns, then to the cheek, lip, jawline, and neck. You don’t have to do anything new.
Some people don’t use the cream after the first pass. They just rinse the face and begin the second pass without using the cream and lathering up. In a way, it fulfills the purpose of shaving as well.
Rinse your face
It is crucial to rinse the face well. Or, do you want to let the shaving cream be and go out? Sounds funny, right.
Besides, when you let the cream be on your face for a more extended period, it dries and irritates your skin. You will feel itchiness and a burning sensation.
So, rinse the face after shaving to close the skin pores.
Moisturize your face after shaving with oil or lotion to keep your skin smooth, hydrated, and replenish the moisture.
Throw/change the blade
Either change or throw the blade after shaving.
You always need to use a fresh blade. So, better replace the old with a new one.
Dry the razor
After shaving:
- Clean the blade with cold water.
- Wipe it with a soft cloth.
- Ensure that it is completely dry.
This way, your razor will be clean and prevent it from rusting. Besides, hygiene is essential. Otherwise, it will cause irritation, burn, rashes, etc., the next time you shave. So, keep these things in mind after shaving.
Store the razor
You can’t put your razor here and there after shaving. After drying your razor, it is essential to store it safely.
Keep the razor in the case and store it somewhere safe. Most importantly, in a dry place.
You can buy the case when purchasing the razor.
Always keep your razor clean, sharp, and safe.
Check out 10 Best Electric Razors for Elderly Man in 2021 and 12 Best Razors for Men in 2021 for a Perfect Shave.
In Conclusion
Overcome your fear and get ready to use the traditional method of shaving with a straight razor. It looks intimidating, but once you learn how to shave with it, you will leave your electric shaver and other manual razors somewhere in your closet.
Do you shave with a straight razor? If not, are you planning to?