5th shave... frustration.

Hi guys,

I'm feeling a little frustrated here. I have a brand new 3" strop big daddy from star. I have a used razor which was sold to me honed and stropped.

My most recent stropping experience seemed to me to be my best yet, both by feel of stropping strokes and by number of repititions. ~40-50 on felt/~70+ on leather.

I feel the razor is not sharp enough. WTG downward strokes are leaving hair in some areas, requiring additional strokes. More passes equals more shave burn eventually.

I think I'm going to go over to SRD and get some chromium oxide .5 spray for the felt strop and maybe the neatsfoot for the leather.

Could that be it ?? My razor not sharp enough?? I only have 1 so what now?

My guess is that you dulled the edge with improper stropping. We've all done that learning how to strop. If you're going over to SRD, have them do a touch up for you so you know that you are starting with a proper edge. Then go slow while stropping and put no weight on the razor. Treat it like polishing a feather not a razor. Hold the razor loosely so that you cannot put pressure on it. Go slow over the leather and concentrate on keeping it flat. You'll get it.

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Originally Posted by jbtusa

My guess is that you dulled the edge with improper stropping. We've all done that learning how to strop. If you're going over to SRD, have them do a touch up for you so you know that you are starting with a proper edge. Then go slow while stropping and put no weight on the razor. Treat it like polishing a feather not a razor. Hold the razor loosely so that you cannot put pressure on it. Go slow over the leather and concentrate on keeping it flat. You'll get it.

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Yeah, could be. I thought I was stropping gently, but could be too much pressure. By going over to SRD, I meant the website. I guess its worth the $25+shipping to make sure I have a good edge.

CROX a good idea for the felt?

Also, I should mention, that I don't usually start to feel any irritation until I get toward the end of the XTG pass and in certain areas of the ATG pass.

I don't know where you got your first razor from, maybe reach out to the seller, if he is one of the members. I'm sure he can put the razor back on track, should you have taken the edge off slightly.

It could be a combination of things but I know you want a direct answer. My 5th straight shave was nothing to brag about. For the longest while it took 3 passes to get a "comfortable" shave.

If the strop is new, I would not put anything at all on it right now.
Just start over from the beginning , with a fresh attitude/outlook & start with a good shave prep, thick lather, concentrate on your angle & pressure.
Don't expect a BBS shave so soon. If your not into honing yet or have never used the pastes before, then maybe have your straight refreshed by one of the guys here & pay close attention to your stroping of it.

If funds are available, maybe a second razor for when this one needs to be sent out.

Honestly, there are a hundred possible issues. I'd try the .5 CroX or maybe a reasonable hone. Better would be to see if anyone is around that can help you out.

If you get really frustrated you can send the razor to me and I'll hone it, free.

You might also try some more aggressive stropping. There are a few options such as using slight sag, slight pressure, or even raising the spine a touch. If anything helps then your razor sharpness becomes more of a possibility.

Everyone seems to have the same problem when they start, so be patient and focus on your technique. Lots of guys have technique issues and it acts exactly the same as a potentially dull razor.

You might also want to try stropping again. You may not have killed it all that bad. It doesn't take much but worth a try. What do you have to loose. Lay it flat on a table which will take some of the variables out of it. Grabbing to hard making it cup or to much slack, twisting it a little lifting the spine, etc etc etc can all keep you from getting better.

I got the idea about the CROX from watching Lynn's vid as an extra step after honing, before leather stropping.

I'm going to give the table strop a go for starters... And will work to improve all other fronts. On the upside, my lather making is getting progressively better. I'm still finding that wet and lather alone aren't quite cutting it. I've rubbed in shave oil first and before the XTG/ATG pass before lather goes to face.

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Originally Posted by Siguy

Also, I should mention, that I don't usually start to feel any irritation until I get toward the end of the XTG pass and in certain areas of the ATG pass.

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For your 5th shave you are going XTG and ATG?
You sir are a brave guy!

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Originally Posted by Chevhead

For your 5th shave you are going XTG and ATG?
You sir are a brave guy!

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Truth be told. I have been at it since shave 1. I know. I know... but even though I had beads of sweat running down my face, couldn't make lather, etc., I felt...feel a certain confidence. Beneath the nose makes my nads tight and I tried but didn't do an upward swipe above the lip towards the nose. Despite being conscious of angle, I just don't think my blade is sharp enough for that action.

Odly enough, taking dry swipes aren't that bad.

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Originally Posted by Siguy

Truth be told. I have been at it since shave 1. I know. I know... but even though I had beads of sweat running down my face, couldn't make lather, etc., I felt...feel a certain confidence. Beneath the nose makes my nads tight and I tried but didn't do an upward swipe above the lip towards the nose. Despite being conscious of angle, I just don't think my blade is sharp enough for that action.

Odly enough, taking dry swipes aren't that bad.

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Truth be told... I have done it from shave 1 also. :ziplip:
Now I just do WTG and XTG...seems to work for me. :D

I also started doing 2-3 passes pretty early in the game, and kept nicking myself. I have since gone back to just doing a single WTG pass, so I could concentrate on technique (light touch, skin stretching, correct angle). While I would really like to be able to do at least a 2nd pass and get a closer shave, I have decided (with a lot of encouragement from folks on this site) to just be patient, work on one thing at a time, not try to advance too fast.

While watching one of Lynn's videos, he says he usually does a single pass most days himself. I think if you have really good technique, you can get a decent shave with a single pass. You can do some "buffing", try a scything motion, etc.

I would recommend doing a single pass for a good long while and experiment with basic "stuff" -- including lathering, maybe trying cold water, etc.

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Originally Posted by 400E

I also started doing 2-3 passes pretty early in the game, and kept nicking myself. I have since gone back to just doing a single WTG pass, so I could concentrate on technique (light touch, skin stretching, correct angle). While I would really like to be able to do at least a 2nd pass and get a closer shave, I have decided (with a lot of encouragement from folks on this site) to just be patient, work on one thing at a time, not try to advance too fast.

While watching one of Lynn's videos, he says he usually does a single pass most days himself. I think if you have really good technique, you can get a decent shave with a single pass. You can do some "buffing", try a scything motion, etc.

I would recommend doing a single pass for a good long while and experiment with basic "stuff" -- including lathering, maybe trying cold water, etc.

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Agreed 400E

Siguy i believe you are trying to move way to fast. five shaves into your straight razor experience is not the time to be trying XTG and ATG shaving. the rule of thumb is about 100 shaves before you become competent enough to experiment. for the next six month shave WTG maybe one or two passes, keep a DE available to to any touch ups. choose comfort over closeness. don't rush it...you'll get there. also give cold water shaving a try i may improve your shave.

My advice find a mentor and get a hone. Establish shave ready and when you touch up run it past them. You will soon know how to get and recognize an edge. From someone who did it this way trust me its much quicker this way. Even with paste are you going to be sure its truly sharp? Good luck

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Originally Posted by Siguy

Truth be told. I have been at it since shave 1. I know. I know... but even though I had beads of sweat running down my face, couldn't make lather, etc., I felt...feel a certain confidence. Beneath the nose makes my nads tight and I tried but didn't do an upward swipe above the lip towards the nose. Despite being conscious of angle, I just don't think my blade is sharp enough for that action.

Odly enough, taking dry swipes aren't that bad.

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Read what you just wrote, the answer to why the edge is dropping off so fast is in this post..

But really it is in one word "Impatience"

The is so much advice on this forum about doing thing step by slow step, it really does work if you read it and take things slow...

I agree. I wasn't comfortable not having a means of sharpening my razor, because I knew I'd be screwed if I messed up the blade and had no way of fixing the problem. So I made sure to get a sufficient hone supply as to let me redo the edge as needed. Not to mention putting an edge on a not-shave-ready blade.

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

But really it is in one word "Impatience"

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Thanks for your input glenn. My patience skills need honing as well.

I've really taken my time felt and stropping on a table with really careful attention to my pressure, barely more than the weight of the blade. Also, made sure not to roll the edge and to watch my elbow angle.

I've going to give it a WTG shot tomorrow. I try and follow you're shave prep video, with the exception that I add and massage in shave oil prior to lathering.

Thanks for your video help, glenn. Big time.