Too much stroppin & too sharp?

I just had my... I think about 8th or 9th shave or so, and had the worst razor burn yet. Most of the shaved area tingles, whereas before it was more localized. I wonder if I made the razor too sharp by over stropping it? I stropped 50 passes on the Tony Miller combination strop (It's small, about half the size of a hanging strop). Before I would do about 30-40 passes. The razor also 'rests' for about four days between shaves. I think my stropping technique is improving, but I wonder if I should take it easy on the stropping now. The razor shaves very well, no pulling, and though I cut myself twice, once was when I wasn't shaving, and didn't realize the razor was so close to my face, and it sank it at a 90 degree angle (very small cut though), and another time I think it was just lack of concentration, so it's the razor's problem. What do you think?

Unless you're stropping on a pasted paddle it's highly unlikely that you've over honed the edge. A plain leather strop only aligns the edge, unless you're stropping like a madman and then it's questionable as to whether it's even possible. It's more likely that you're using too much pressure and/or need to adjust your shaving angle a little. Try that and strop a little less next time to see how it may change the shave.

X

ZiCheng,

I don't think too much stropping is the problem. It sounds to me like the edge might be starting to fade a bit. Sometimes razors start to pull when they need refreshing, and sometimes they get rough but still shave OK.

Do you have anything to refresh the blade? A pasted paddle strop from Tony is probably your best bet.

Josh

I should add that MORE stropping can help smooth out an edge that's a little rough. You might try doing a couple of hundred laps and see if that brings it back into alignment.

Josh

I think he is using one of my pasted paddles. My concern would be whether the pasted sides are already being used in which case overhoning is a real possibility.
I don't think one could do it alone on a plain leather surface though.

Tony

Yes Tony, I am using one of your pasted combination, but I have not used any of the pasted sides. I am using the latigo side only.

Josh, I may try to shave it more if I have more problems, but I suspect that it is my shaving angle, as Xman said. I think I've used this razor less than 10 times since I got it from you, and my beard area is small, so I suspect that it is still plenty sharp. I use very little pressure when stropping, just enough so the blade stays on the strop and too keep the movement of the blade controlled.

Thanks for those suggestions, I will work on shaving angle, and then, mabye stropping more, and then, maybe stropping on the pasted sides if the blade is dull. Thanks.

ZiCheng

I hope this isn’t the blind leading the blind as I am quite new, but from my mistakes, I offer this:

It may not be your stropping but your pre and post shave efforts.

Key things to consider regarding razor burn for newbs and quick resolutions to consider:

• Rushing pre shave process =Spend more minutes conditioning and hydrating beard less minutes washing off natural oils

• ATG shaves =Shave with the grain til your technique improves

• Over shaving =re lather before multiple passes over shaved area

• Shaving too early while skin is puffy and fluid filled and not taught=wait 20 mins after you get up.

• sweat is acidic and can irritate freshly shaved skin=shave after workout not before

• long strokes cause more friction and friction causes razor burn=shorten stokes at first

• Xman’s heavy hand (His posts pack a punch) =Ease up on your pressure strokes.

• Alcohol or inappropriate apres shave product , drying or irritating your freshly shaved face=explore a post shave product that suits you.

Once you start considering all the things that might make you burn you may isolate that which does make you burn.

ZiCheng,

Try reducing the angle of the blade, and see if it is still cutting cleanly. Many times, the razor can still do beard reduction passes at a lower angle, and save your skin from razor burn. As already mentioned, try to consciously reduce your pressure too (but not so much as to stall the blade's motion).

You might just be doing what I was doing (and I suspect many others), as you start to get used to shaving - you subconciously start to use more pressure and more passes as you "feel" that it's the right thing to do.

I started off well and then went through a phase of horrible razor burn about 2 weeks in to straight shaving. I had to make a concious effort to use less pressure, lather up much more frequently before passes/strokes, and limit the overall number of passes to 2 - while I found my way.

I'm definitely guilty for going across the grain, using multipe passes, as well as using a fairly aggressive angle. I usually do three passes, with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain. Maybe I'll start limiting it to two passes. I"ll watch my angle too. Thanks for those suggestions.

I've reduced or eliminated razor burn problems by reducing the angle (perhaps less than 30 degrees) AND using zero pressure on the strokes.
Let the weight of the blade do the work.
I can't imagine an edge being too sharp!
Ron A

I'm thinking about two old sayings. A little knowledge is a bad thing and familiarity breeds contempt. As has been said when you are starting out and you start getting some good shaves and you think well, I've got this thing down perfectly and then your guard goes down and you start getting poor shaves. With straight shaving you must always be careful and never let your guard down no matter how many years you have been shaving. Even the most experienced can run into problems if he's not careful.

I did everything that people suggested: Stropped like a madman (100+ passes), shaved very carefully, and only skipped the against the grain pass. Surprise surprise, no more razor burn. Thanks guys.