Thread: First shave with SR after Shavette

Hello Everybody;

So I just got my new Dovo Best Quality 6/8 professionally honed and I must say that I am desapointed about my first shave with it. I have been shaving for 30 days with a shavette with great results and I find the the Dovo gives a much worst shave.

Is this normal? Will the shave be comparable to the one of the shavette as my technique improves?

Thanks

did you strop it before shaving?

Actually not. The person that honed the razor told me not to do it since I am not skilled.

Of course, I ll have to strop it next shave.

What are you having problems with? The sharpness? The length of the edge? The angle? Weight? Of course you will have to adjust and it will take time.

The ¨problem¨ that I am having is that the straight razor is not shaving as well as the Shavette. Of course my technique is off so I was asking if with the proper technique I can expect the same shaving ¨quality¨ as with the shavette.

Should I put more pressure in the shave. Change the angle (I use the Dove Best Quality 6/8)?

Thanks for the feed back, I appreciate it.

I hesitate to give an answer never having used a shavette. From what I have read here the shaving angle on the blade is slightly different with a straight razor compared to a shavette. there should be about 2 spine widths gap between your face and the spine and adjust from there to suit. I would not apply more pressure as that usually leads to razor burn. It may just be a matter of acquiring the right technique for using a straight razor.

Stropping is a double edged sword for a beginner. You can improve the edge a bit with good stropping technique or damage it with poor stropping. If you have not stropped a razor before you might want to try another shave without doing so. I am sure you will get some better answers shortly from those who have used shavettes.

Bob

Originally Posted by Icarusflies

Hello Everybody;

So I just got my new Dovo Best Quality 6/8 professionally honed and I must say that I am desapointed about my first shave with it. I have been shaving for 30 days with a shavette with great results and I find the the Dovo gives a much worst shave.

Is this normal? Will the shave be comparable to the one of the shavette as my technique improves?

Thanks

Every razor shaves differently. I have eleven and each one behaves differently. One is full hollow, another quarter hollow, another is 5/8, another 8/8, one square point, another round. I can't hold each razor to the same standard in shave quality, because I don't fully appreciate a full hollow blade, I prefer a quarter hollow. The reason, I've spent more time learning the traits and technique of a quarter hollow. Square points require me to slow down or look like Edward Scissorhands got ahold of me. But, when I slow down and pay attention I still get a close shave.

So, it's probably more technique than it is the razor. You have to learn each razor.

The shavette just felt wrong when I used it for the first three months of wet shaving. The blade was always sharp and the angle was not as critical but a straight just feels solid. Technique comes into play a lot more and you need to take it easy at the start. I enjoyed having a larger edge to play with than the shavette when I made the change. It is just technique, your primary concern is to keep the edge shave ready (go slowly and precisely), worry about the angles a bit and relax on the rest as it will become natural very soon. I am asuming that you can build a decent lather by now. The fun part at the beginning is experimenting and finding out what works for you.

Did you say this was your experience:
- 30 shaves with a shavette?
- 1 (now 2) shaves with regular straight?


Before we start theorizing about stropping, heat treatment of the steel etc., let me point out the obvious: Your experience has not developed yet.


Firstly, I do not believe that a shavette is a good training tool for a straight shaver.
The lightweight shavette may have its uses, but does feel and handle differently from regular straight.

It may take up to 100 shaves to become proficient with a regular straight razor and expecting the first straight shave to be nearly as good as your last shavette shave is just not realistic.

You have not developed the muscle memory yet and you are unlikely to have found the best way to shave your problem areas (chin, yawline). This all takes time and patience (and the willingness to accept that some shaves in the beginning will fall far short of what you had hoped to achieve).

You also chose a 6/8 razor as your first straight.
While one can learn to shave with a 6/8 straight, this size is less maneuverable than the more customary 5/8 beginner's straight, and considerably less maneuverable than a lightweight shavette.

If you keep using the straight, you may eventually expect a shave that is smoother, closer, more comfortable and certainly more satisfying than a shavette shave.
While doing that expect to dull your blade, nick your strop, struggle with your first honing attempts and get frustrated by the lack of progress. It's all part of the learning experience.


So there are no surprises here, and what it takes most in your case is continued practice.
Consider straight shaving a journey and your train has barely left the platform - a platform BTW that we all left from at one time or another.




B.

Thank you feed back;

Actually my experience is even smaller than you state since I just got 10 shavette shaves before I went to the SR.

I realise that its a learning experience and that is one of the things I like about this.

I ll keep practicing and I am very thankful for all your advises.