Thread: Is my razor dull?

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?

Probably not, my guess,,,if your WTG was fine, then the blade did not dull just because you went in a different direction. From the way you explained it, probably was your technique. Some places on the face are harder than others to smooth out. Maybe stretching a different way might help.

BTW, I only shave WTG, so sometimes it takes a little more effort to get the smoothness.
Don't sweat it,,,it will come to you.

Could also be your lather. I add water to my lather for the ATG pass (if I do one, generally I just go WTG). I find the added slickness is handy for an ATG pass. Also, for an ATG pass i use very short strokes...

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Could also be your lather. I add water to my lather for the ATG pass (if I do one, generally I just go WTG). I find the added slickness is handy for an ATG pass. Also, for an ATG pass i use very short strokes...

Sounds like great advice I am going to try that tomorrow.

Roger

Hirlau, I do not think that I killed the razor just with WTG.. Maybe my stropping is poor, or maybe it came not truly shave ready. Vendor repined it but the pin was loose when I got it, maybe he did a not very decent job in honing too..

carlmaloschneider I will try that today. Thanks!

For now I just can't get good shave with WTG and I do not know is it just because my bad shaving technique or other reasons. Hope everything will get better in the future

I think what Hiralu is saying is if your wtg pass was ok a single follow up atg pass won't have dulled the blade. Stretching and a light touch are important for the atg pass. If you are consistently missing 1 spot on your cheek you need to address your stretching and how you shave that area. Try coming from a different angle or stretching from a different direction. Good luck

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Could also be your lather. I add water to my lather for the ATG pass (if I do one, generally I just go WTG). I find the added slickness is handy for an ATG pass. Also, for an ATG pass i use very short strokes...

I'm with Carl on this one in a sense. When I am shaving I progressively water down my lather. I go WTG using my lather as I mixed it, then XTG with another dash of water to make it just a bit "milkier" and, if I am doing a third pass, I water it down additionally to go ATG. By time I am doing my ATG pass, I try to have it as watered down as possible without making it runny. For me, that extra lubrication from the water works, or so I think... Ultimately, you need to gather all the ideas that you can (as you are doing here) and then don't be afraid to experiment just because it isn't written somewhere. On that note, keep everything else the same in your routine while experimenting. If you change multiple things at the same time, you won't be able to narrow down the factor that is making the shave more or less pleasant. Enjoy and do good...

Skin stretching does more than you would think. My angle was flat enough. That's what helped me the most.

Originally Posted by Aurimas

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 read all posts and noticed noone seemed to notice the statement of the razor being completely flat. No angle on the blade could have been the reason since edge may not have a good contact with the skin.
Just my 2cents.

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.