All I Know is Pain

So I received my spanking new Hart Steel 7/8 and followed manufacturer's guidance including "razor comes shave ready" needing no stropping first go around. I excitedly and over ambitiously began to lather up my shaving soap. I had heard that beginners should start with cream and move up to soap but I thought "I'll be the anomaly, like Neo in the matrix." I was severely mistaken. I endured a painful and un-pleasurable shave that day. I vowed to do better next time and after enduring a number of video tutorials, a few days later I stropped my razor and lathered up some shaving CREAM. This should have yielded a better result but unfortunately I experienced the same painful shave with stubble being pulled not cut, as well as having to make several passes to have an effect on the shadow. I eventually turned to my shavette to take care of some troublesome areas. I'll say that again. I had to use my $15 shavette to do the job that my $300 straight razor could not. I must be doing something wrong. Where's the smooth silky, pain free shave promised from switching from a disposable razor and shave gel out of a can to a straight razor and T&B shave cream or soap? Buyers remorse starting to set in.

Slow down , do one section at a time till you learn the angle that a straight needs , they are different than a shavette, plus I don't know if Harts Are shave ready per say , never bought one from them. ,, but this is a learning curve , and instant gratification usually doesn't happen ,, so step back and try to find out what it is that's going wrong , cause it sounds like your angle is off, unless the razor isn't shave sharp . Some of the Hart guys will come along and help with the razors edge from Hart. Tc

There are a few things that could be wrong. The razor may not have been shave ready out of the box for one. If this is the first time you are using a brush and shave soap/cream to make a lather, the lather may be sub par. Your technique might be off a bit wrt blade angle. If it was your first time using a strop you may have made the blade worse instead of better. Really hard to guess what is going on.

Bob

How long have you been using a straight razor. If this is your first experience with straights I would suggest to watch the videos on you tube on shaving with the straight razors. study the angles . Lynn Abrams has several videos on the subject and also honing and stropping. Hang in there. it gets better.

If you put your location up there is some chance that a senior member may be close at hand. I know some people live a long way from the beaten path but not everyone. Hands on help can be the shortest learning curve of all.

Thanks folks. Not the answers I was expecting but the one's I needed. While watching the tutorials they don't mention that it looks so easy because they have been doing it for sometime. There seems to be a learning curve for the shave and I assumed that using a shavette would prepare me for the next step. I'll start again with trial and error.

It's kind of like watching Bob Ross paint.

If the shavette is working for you use it in tandem with your straight. Try picking a reasonably flat area and shaving that first (typically the sideburn area). Have the razor almost flat against your face and do one downwards stroke, see if you have removed any stubble, if not increase your angle fractionally and try again then repeat until you have success, bear in mind that you will only feel smooth in the direction of the pass if you check in the opposite direction you will still feel stubble most likely. You also need a really good stretch, I tend to pull up from just above where my stroke is starting and open my mouth to pull my jaw tight. Your lather may also need to be wetter.

I am just guessing here really though as I don't know exactly what you are doing currently.

I've never used a shavette but from what I gather people use a higher blade angle than with a straight. Like has been said before, try different angles. You may try and keep the spine almost touching your face while using short confident strokes. You may also be suffering from an almost shave ready edge though I have heard harts come with a good edge. I have a 6/8 hart I bought second hand. The guy said he only shaved a few times with it. If the edge that I received it with was indicative of how it leaves the factory I would think about touching it up.

If you can eliminate user error then you can blame the razor.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...ng-basics.html

Razors hardly ever come shave-ready out of the box. Send it off to a honemeister and in the mean time read up on the basics of stropping.

Here is a link to find members in your area. As Rezdog said, put up your location. Some hands-on will really shorten the learning curve.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/memberlist.php?do=search

Pick out a few single hairs on your arm and just lightly touch them with the razor. Do they ping off at a touch? If they don't cut easily, then your edge isn't right.

The shave test

This also has some tips for your first attempt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93zQP7CToWQ

I've made this offer on a LOT of new razors and several Harts: Try the recommendations and if you still don't like your results, send it to me. I will shave with it and report to you via PM. If the razor needs a touch-up, I'll take care of that. All you have to do is cover the return postage of a USPS Priority box with insurance. This way you will know if your edge was right or it was technique. Most of the time it's a little of both, edge and technique.

That 7/8" Hart Steel razor is a fine piece of equipment! It's a "chopper;" i.e., it's a BIG razor. I have two Harts, a 6/8 and a 7/8 and I love them both. They are excellent razors. But, you'll have to send it out to get a professional honing. Once that's done, you'll love that big chunk of steel! Sssmmmoooootttthhhhh!

To summarize: watch your angle, practice your lather, the razor might be to blame (for some of the issue).

I'll add my own $0.02 on those subjects. Because of their design, shavettes require a higher/steeper than actual SRs. The beginner's guide here has a lot of information on proper technique, and it's best to spend any available free time reading it :needcoffee:.

Lather is tricky. And even if your lather is fine, it usually takes we noobs longer to shave. As a result, even the best of lather won't hold up to a shave that takes 30 minutes or more. If you lather in sections (examples: left cheek/sideburn, goatee area, right side of neck, etc.), it will help eliminate that variable. I'm still working on my lather, and when in doubt, I revert back to sections.

I don't think I've seen it mentioned in this thread yet, so I will do it... Remember NO PRESSURE! Pressure and straight razors do not mix. This applies to both stropping and shaving. Stropping should basically feel like "weight of the blade only". And shaving: it is said that you should think of it more as wiping away the lather with the blade.

The other tips thus far are excellent.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Thanks again folks.

This was the info on the readiness of the razor. see #7...
http://www.hartsteel.com/index.html

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Originally Posted by shooter74743

I've made this offer on a LOT of new razors and several Harts: Try the recommendations and if you still don't like your results, send it to me. I will shave with it and report to you via PM. If the razor needs a touch-up, I'll take care of that. All you have to do is cover the return postage of a USPS Priority box with insurance. This way you will know if your edge was right or it was technique. Most of the time it's a little of both, edge and technique.

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Thanks for the offer. I think if I have any further doubts on the quality of the blade, I will probably deliver it back to the manufacturer for honing if I'm going to send it anywhere.

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Originally Posted by rolodave

Here is a link to find members in your area. As Rezdog said, put up your location. Some hands-on will really shorten the learning curve.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/memberlist.php?do=search

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Thanks. Looks like I'm the first member in my area. Pioneer :rock:

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Originally Posted by HtheBear

Thanks. Looks like I'm the first member in my area. Pioneer :rock:

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That is a bit amazing. We are legion.

You could try a barbershop employing some senior craftsmen. They should be able to help you and would probably relish the opportunity to teach.

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Originally Posted by HtheBear

While watching the tutorials they don't mention that it looks so easy because they have been doing it for sometime. There seems to be a learning curve for the shave....

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I dunno. One barber shave 40-years ago and no shavette history, myself. I remember my first barber- and personal shaves quite vividly (as I'm sure you will!). I sent a flea-market Sheffield to a honemeister and it came back with an "edge". I could hear it cutting whiskers on the first stroke but didn't feel a thing. Had to feel my cheek to see if anything happened Smooth as silk.

The next few shaves went right in the dumper as I mangled that fine edge on a strop. No video for that.

There is light at what ought to be the end a very short tunnel if you already get a good shave from a shavette.

Good luck , most razor makers , really want to make a razor and sell it Not maintain its,but you can see , but if you get the same edge back won't that be like the definition of crazy , send it to one of these guys who shave with a razor , Hart seems like a decent razor , it's not a lot of money , so spend a couple bucks making it a great razor. Tc

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Originally Posted by HtheBear

Thanks for the offer. I think if I have any further doubts on the quality of the blade, I will probably deliver it back to the manufacturer for honing if I'm going to send it anywhere.

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If you wish, but this would be your inexperience talking. If you are going to be talking about paying for services, which you would be if you send it back to Hart as they will charge you for a re-hone, you would be better off sending it to one of the gentlemen on this forum offering honing service in the classified section. These men will have much more experience at providing the edge needed for a quality shave.

It's not the quality of the blade, so get that out of your mind. It's either the edge or the user, or both as I mentioned before.