Thread: The Gift

My wife purchased a gift for me that included the following:

- Parker SRW Stainless Steel Straight Edge Barber Razor
- 100 Shark Super Stainless Straight Edge Barber Razor Half Blades
- Van Der Hagen Men's Luxury, Shave Set

I'm finding if I have stubble of 1/8 inch the razor pulls and hurts while shaving in a downward movement. I've adjusted my technique but nothing seems to fix this issue I'm having.

Any thoughts?

Are you shaving ATG with the downward pass? (Against the Grain)

A razor like that should not pull at all when used properly. The first things that come to mind are preparation and angle. Before shaving you want to make sure that your facial hair is well hydrated. You can use a hot towel or, even better, shave right after a shower. You also need to use the proper angle while shaving. The razor should be fairly flat against your face. If it's too flat it won't shave efficiently. If it's not flat enough the blade will feel harsh and irritate the skin. Experiment till you figure out the angle that works for you.
Here's a video I made that could help out a bit.

My first razor was basically that same razor and the same blades. I definitely did not get pulling - I just cut the hell out of my face. First thing I'd do is switch to a new blade, just in case something is jacked up. Second, make sure you shower and (at least for me) use conditioner on your face to soften the hairs. That's a shavette, so it's almost never sharpness of the blades that is the problem. Make sure your soap is moist enough, and maybe think about adding a few drops of glycerin ($1 from any drug store).

And as mentioned above, make sure you're going WITH the grain of the hair during your first pass.

Along with everything else everyone else has said, don't forget skin stretching! That's what always helps me when I feel like it's tugging a little.

VdH takes a bit of time to get the right shaving lather. However, when dialed in you have a consistant performer at low cost. I use it when testing new honed blades because I know it well!
Category:Lather - Straight Razor Place Library
Get a blade sampler pack from a vender online. You need a stiff blade that is very sharp. A super thin blade will flex and that can be painful.
Go slowly and learn the products as you go.
Change only one item of your shave at a time.
Have fun!
~Richard

lose the shark blades,they are crap JMO

Welcome to SRP. Are you new to straight razor or shavette shaving? If so, be sure to read all the stickies ,highlighted at the top of this forum. Lots of good stuff. ..
+1 on hydration and latherquality .

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

lose the shark blades,they are crap JMO

I share the sentiment. When I was starting out I went for Shark blades, but they did not agree with my face. If you are just starting out, also consider getting a sample pack of blades from any of the great vendors. Personally, I have found the Rapira brand to be very forgiving.
Keep us posted and let us know how you fare.

Thanks All.

I'm new to the straight edge world. I've adjusted to a really flat angle and it seems to help.

I'm still not getting as close as I would like but I'll continue to adjust.