Thread: Is my razor dull?

Originally Posted by Aurimas

For now I only shave WTG, but just can't get one spot on my cheek. So I decided to go ATG on that spot (I know that it is not very recommended for a beginner, but I wanted to try it). I laid the razor completely flat on the face and shaved. It shaved well but I felt every whisker and it was painful... Can it be the sign of a dull razor?

I don't think so, for the reasons Hirlau stated. You were able to get the whiskers in another direction.

The same thing happened when I started four years ago. This video had just been released so I decided to study it:


I was overwhelmed, it was a one pass shave strictly WTG, so I went after it on all fours and memorized the choreography by the inch. The results were almost as if I hadn't shaved at all quite frankly. As an experienced shaver I do three passes (WTG, XTG, ATG) and when I shaved last night the first pass was much better than those early efforts.

Why? Experience. You develop an instinct of what to do over time. That answer would have frustrated me when I was a beginner but it is true.

My angle was a biggie. You weren't satisfied going WTG at the angle you were using and in frustration held the blade flat against the face and got the hair ATG.

The answer lies in between. That's the difference between a straight razor and a safety razor. The safety razor has a safety bar underneath the blade that helps you set the angle. With a straight, it's just you and the blade. I liken it to playing football without a facemask on your helmet. Everything is up to you and you have to do whatever it takes to protect your face.

Keep shaving and you'll get it. Another video became available from someone who had been straight shaving for 30 years. He learned before there were internet videos. The first week he didn't know that a new razor out of the box wasn't shave ready. He went through the same thing you and I are going through then eventually got it. I watched it many times and the more I watched it the more I saw what he was doing. Blade angle, lather, everything. I copied his movements and couldn't reach everywhere he went in the first place, but eventually could.

Do I do everything like he does? No. Over time I developed a few variations in my routine that were better for my face because my face is different. I have to shave this, and have particular trouble getting the folded over corners of my mouth and under the jawline. This is what I have to shave:

Look at the corners of my mouth folded. Every face is a little different. My skin is sensitive. So was my dad's. He might have chewed me out if he was still around and saw me using a straight, because he was a confirmed electric razor shaver. I can picture him saying directly and to the point, "John, you're going to hurt yourself!" The guy in this second video does 5 passes and there's no way mine can take that kind of surgery unless I need a face lift.

You'll get it. And you'll enjoy straight shaving because you will eventually master it, it is challenging, and never gets boring.

Originally Posted by Aurimas

For now I only shave WTG, but just can't get one spot on my cheek. So I decided to go ATG on that spot (I know that it is not very recommended for a beginner, but I wanted to try it). I laid the razor completely flat on the face and shaved. It shaved well but I felt every whisker and it was painful... Can it be the sign of a dull razor?

Let me mention one more thing. While trying to figure out if the poor results were due to the razor edge or my technique I purchased one additional razor in the Classifieds section here. This is not intended to be a commercial, but these people are so good at honing razors that having a "second opinion" was valuable.