Thread: Well it's here but........

Originally Posted by edhewitt

Surely it would be just as quick to return it to the original vendor.
Anyway I digress, it could be, for want of a better turn of phrase, the human factor. It will be worth giving it another go first, as I understand it straights are a touch different to shavettes in use.
Like you said don't give up, and see how it goes.

What Ed says.

While I'm still terrified of DEs, they do provide a nice shave and like shavette's they are brutally sharp and I found them very harsh...so comparing them to a straight is a bit like apples and oranges.

It takes a while to get to know a straight, how it shaves, and they do shave differently than a DE or shavette...so give it a couple of tries, before you send it back. Where did you get the razor if I can ask?

Originally Posted by Phrank

Where did you get the razor if I can ask?

I understand the reason for the question but I would rather not post it because I don't want to be viewed as I am bashing or slandering on here. Thanks to everyone for the replies. I will most definitely give it another go and I won't send it back to the company. I am convinced they did their best. Thanks ed for the tips and new things to try I love trying new things!

The only thing I disagree with is that shavettes are a harsh shave. Ohh they can be but I have got some wonderfully smooth shaves off from them. Actually quite consistently too. Smooth, no irritation, and very very close (read BBS). Of course everyone is different and that has just been my experience.

What you are experiencing is pretty common.

I would not treat the razor with anything until you strop it and try shaving a few more times. There is a definite transition from the shavette to the real straight and you need to keep the razor more vertical when shaving.

Have fun.

Will do. I am happy to hear this is not uncommon. I am going to give it a strop and a go here in an hour or two and will report back.

Originally Posted by Steel

Will do. I am happy to hear this is not uncommon. I am going to give it a strop and a go here in an hour or two and will report back.

I also have a Best Quality. I purchased it with factory edge as I wanted to gauge my honing and compare it to my pro-honed edges. I shaved with it after honing it to the point it removed arm hair and was not happy with the shave. I put it away for a bit until I decided I didn't want to hone it again because it still picked up hair off my arm cleanly. I stropped 20 on webbing and 40 on leather and it was night and day. I have not honed and have had 2 nice shaves with it since. Seems to me the sharpness is there after honing but to get the smoothness it should be stropped. Good luck!

Well. A quick update. Of course, there is no quick fix. This will take some time. I stropped it earlier but my skills on the strop are not very good and I don't think I affected the edge at all. At least I didn't ruin the edge but I don't think I helped it either. This is just going to take some good old fashion practice practice practice. I will come back to this thread when I come out the other side in case others read it in the future and are having similar issues.

I went (still learning) through he same transition recently. Couple things, don't give up, its a learning curve. Eddy79 told me the most valuable advice I have recieved

"Keep at it and you will get there. Just remember that pressure equals burn not a closer shave. Good luck."

I would really focus on the angle.