Thread: Razor dulls fast

It happens every time? "First" side is ok and the other is not?
If that's the case - your blade's not getting dull. Actually, either way it's probably not getting dull...
My first guess is that the "other" side is your non-dominant side.
My second is that you started shaving not long ago and got to the "other side" too quickly.
Most of us don't realize how poorly we perform with our non-dominant hand, but let me tell ya - it's bad.

My advice:
For now, shave your non-dominant side with a double edge or whatever you shaved with before you moved to a straight.
Meanwhile, your off-hand needs some practice. Start brushing your teeth with this hand, holding your fork\spoon with it etc. You can also "practice" shaving on your off-side with a butter knife or any similar object that can simulate grasping a straight.

Or you can try shaving your entire face with your dominant hand (and if you already do that - try moving to your non-dominant hand with the above instructions).

Best of luck!

My question is, why are you honing a supposed shave ready Dovo and using paste? With a shave ready, all you should be doing is stroping on clean fabric and leather nothing else. This is a rabbit hole that newbies fall into all to often. They start reading what others are doing and think they have to copy them. Just start with the basics and then build from there.

If you are certain that the bevel is set correctly and the blade does not hold an edge it is possible that you have a dud that has not Bern HT correctly.

I've had it with folding knives in the past from reputable manufacturers. It's rare but does happen and if that's the case I would imagine a company like dovo would want to know about it.

First you need to find a mentor around you to show you the ropes. Sure you can muddle your way through it, but it will be a VERY rough journey & your face doesn't deserve that.

You need your razor to be properly honed would be step two. I will evaluate your edge & re-hone if necessary if you cover return postage.

I was in your shoes several years ago and I have always been one of those (I can do it because my ego is is as big as my head) guys who can figure out pretty much anything that requires hands on. What I found out is that just because I could sharpen a knife better than most, that's where straight razor guys begin. Once I was able to get past my huge ego, I began to learn. I listened and learned to shave with a razor honed by someone who knows how to hone. Once I got that down about 30 or so shaves later I approached someone to become my honing mentor & I luckily chose well. After sending a ton of razors back and forth & making a lot of video's I finally got what I was always hoping for: "I shaved with your razor and enjoyed the shave". This took me about 6 months.

If you don't send your razor to me, send it to someone in the classified's and while it's in the mail find someone who has been at this "sport" for at least 6 months & within driving distance from you. I know there are a few southern FL guys on here...make a new friend & enjoy a bit of face to face...you will learn more in those few hours than you will in a month reading & watching videos.

OK a lot of info being passed around. All of it good. I still say get another razor. One that is shave ready from a trusted source. (A benchmark if nothing else)
a person should learn to shave before trying to learn to hone. Then you know when a razor is a comfortable shaver.
Also I think you need much more leather after your Crox .

I'm no pro, but kinda sounds like you may have created a wire edge when you honed it. The services of a pro hone meister are a boon for us newbies.

I've not been a member here for very long but I must have seen at least four threads from us newbies complaining of edges that are dulling very quickly. The thing I find most interesting is that as far as I remember all of them were using new Dovo razors. One I remember had his honed by Lynn twice and id bet my front teeth the bevel was set on that one

Of cause it may just be that allot of new shavers buy a Dovo and so we see them in posts, but it does make you wonder if their HT process is as consistent as we would like to think. I don't recall seeing any posts from new shavers complaing about edges dulling quickly on new TI, boker or Ralph aust razors.

Not really a Dovo thing, 9 times out of 10 it's the new person using the razor: Rolled edge or bad shaving angle kills the edge. First you have to have a edge on one. Lynn has honed a couple razors, he knows how to put a sharp edge on one.

Think about what you said there a minute: "Of cause it may just be that allot of new shavers buy a Dovo and so we see them in posts, but it does make you wonder if their HT process is as consistent as we would like to think." How many veteran shavers do you hear this from? Better yet, how many veteran honers do you hear this from? Sure, once and a while there will be a razor with the HT blown...but you know what...most of those are blown by someone carried away with a dremel or buffer and getting the blade too hot. That's done by someone who doesn't know what they are doing (notice a trend here?).

Moral of the story: Listen to the advice of folks who know what they are talking about.

So here's a small update:
I looked at my blade before touching it today. The state of the edge from yesterday was left with plenty of dents in the sharp edge. I was looking at it under 60X magnifier. No wire edge, no corrosion. I had thought that maybe the "smile" on one side of my blade was normal but I took a closer look and it is bowed. I could not get an accurate measurement but there is about a .015" gap at the one end when I hold it down against a flat stone. The "smiling" side lays nice and flat.

That's not a smile that's a warp. Easier to get the honing wrong on those.
More prone to wire formation which breaks off & leaves a ragged edge. When I say wire, it's not to the degree you see on knife sharpening but under magnification you will see anomolies in the edge because parts of the edge get more honing.
I can't explain how to adjust for that other than you have to find & use a stroke that gives even contact.