Straight Razor shaving - The fundamentals.

Many of you know that I have a love of the straight razor. I shan’t go on about the pro’s and cons of using one, and the wherefores and whys. If you’re after that, check out my previous article here..

https://www.hedinghamcuts.com/post/straight-razor-vs-safety-razor

So, what do I mean by the fundamentals? I mean the basic knowledge that you need in order to use a razor yourself.

Preparation is key.

No-one wants a cold shave or a blunt shave so you’ll need to have your hot water and equipment to hand.

Before the shave though, if you’re using a shavette, make sure your blade is fresh and clean.

Never shave with an old blade, it’ll Just end up pulling and leaving horrible rashes or worse, removing sections of your beautiful face.

For those of you using a traditional razor, you’ll need to either hone and strop your razor yourself or have it sharpened by your barber if you’re unsure on how to do it.

The crux of it is though, is that your blade must be in the sharpest, best possible condition.

Good, now your razor is ready.

Now we can begin...

Start with using a facial scrub.

this will help remove any dead skin from your face before you shave, making your blade move easier over the skin. I use The Bluebeards Revenge Face Scrub. Rinse it off thoroughly and then apply some Pre-Shave oil. Lubrication, like many things in life, makes the whole process easier. You should apply it liberally, so that your face is glistening.

Next, apply your foam.

of course you can use it straight out of a can, but for best results, use a badger* brush and lather it in a small bowl and apply with said brush. Using a brush lifts the hair on your face, ensuring that each hair is surrounded and coated in lather rather just just spread over the top.

*Badger brush is a name, and not necessarily a product made from animals. All my shaving products are vegan friendly, including the brushes. Not because I’m vegan, (I’m not) but because if I can avoid using animal based products I do.

Now once you’ve applied your foam and you look like a ropey Santa Clause, we‘re ready for the skilled bit. Putting blade to skin.

I’m not gonna go into over hand and underhand techniques for holding your razor. If you want me to, jump onto www.hedinghamcuts.com and send an email enquiry about shaving tuition.

BUT, essentially, you will need to use a 30° cutting angle to afford you the best performance.

Maintain the angle around the contours of your face, and always keep the blade perpendicular to the skin. It kind of goes with out saying, if you slice, in The words of Doug Marcaida, “it will cut”!

With your free hand, keep the skin on your working area pulled tight for the closest possible shave.

Always use two passes of the razor. One complete shave going downward and one complete shave going upward, reapplying oil and foam in between.

Take your time and keep your hand steady.

Once you’re satisfied with your shave, rinse off with hot water. Address any nicks you have by applying some Alum or using a styptic pencil. It stings but it works.

Congratulations, you’ve just done yourself a straight razor shave!

This process is by no means exhaustive, it takes time and practice to get it right. You will no doubt nick yourself but overall you will get better with time.

as a side note, we now stock our own range of barber grade straight razors! If you’re interested, please let us know, they're priced quite reasonably at £9.99

For more information on products, tools or techniques, pop in for a chat or visit www.hedinghamcuts.com