Thread: first experience with real straight razor

Last night I had my first experience with a real straight razor. Until now I've been using the feather razor. I've been shaving with the feather for about 6 months now and I think I've got it down but I tried my new dovo 5/8 last night and there was so much drag I don't even know what to think. I know its honed properly because I ordered it through Lynn's sharpening service on classic shaving. I thought I followed the stropping instruction to the T but when I don't know what went wrong when I shaved with it. I really want to like my real straight more than the replaceable blade and any assistance would be greatly appreciated

really,

I should try the feather blade. It could be that the stropping dulled the blade, or that you are holding the blade differently from how you held the disposable. I am still having trouble with my dovo and it has been profesionally honed twice.

I have to say that when I read posts like this I feel really bad for the new guys. So much to know, so many variables...

Saladbar, I just want to know, when you stropped your razor, how did you know it was time to stop stropping and start shaving? Do you use any type of indicator test (thumb pad, hanging hair, both, neither?) to let you know that your razor is stropped enough? Or, do you just count round trips and assume you've done enough?

I get the impression that alot of new guys miss the importance of testing their razors. They just go right for the shave and then get dissapointed.

The kick in the pants is that the difference between a shave ready edge and one that will pull and irritate the skin can be very miniscule. Just a few more RT's, a little more pressure, another few laps on the linen and then back to the leather, etc.

Ever come to a street intersection that didn't have limit lines painted on the asphalt? When the light turns red people are guessing and stopping all over the place. Some are too far back, some too far into the cross street, some guess better. But when those painted lines are there everyone knows exactly where to stop.

I'm not saying that the razor tests are as easy to figure out as lines painted on the street (in fact the tests I'm refering to are sort of an art in themselves), but once learned they really will tell you when to stop, and then shave. At first you may misread the tests, but after a while you'll get better at interpreting them.

Anyway, don't give up! With time you will master this thing.

Good luck,

Scott

Yes! I actually feel kinda frustrated that I can't be there to help out the newer guys (I'm kinda new myself). I slowly strop 60 times on each side. Then I use the hanging hair test. This isn't too reliable since a dull razor will pass this test too but it's a start. I then gently touch the razor edge with my thumb pad. The edge should "kiss" or grab at the thumb skin, making it very clear that it will cut if you move any more. That is the feel of a ready blade. A calloused thumbpad may not feel this test and you may have to slightly dampen it (not wet!) to soften the skin or use the pad of the middle or ring finger. Keep at it, the effort is well worth it!
Ernest

Originally Posted by saladbar2000

... but I tried my new dovo 5/8 last night and there was so much drag I don't even know what to think. I know its honed properly because I ordered it through Lynn's sharpening service on classic shaving. I thought I followed the stropping instruction to the T but when I don't know what went wrong when I shaved with it. I really want to like my real straight more than the replaceable blade and any assistance would be greatly appreciated

Hi,

one thing you have to keep in mind: the feeling of the Str8 versus any DE and especially versus the ultra-sharp Feather is completely different. Even a very sharp Str8 will IMO show some kind of "drag" which just takes a little getting-used-to....

Also the technique with the Feather is possibly a bit different, I use it with a shallower angle than my conventional Str8s.

It may be that in the end you just have to adjust your technique to the different tool.

This will come in time, persistence is the key :-).

-Axel-

P.S.: Does your Dovo pass the HHT ?

Exactly the same thing happened to me on my first shave. You may have rolled the razor's edge when stropping as I did. Keep working with the razor and tests. Right now, the feel of my shave seems to vary by razor.
I have a feeling that is because there is no uniformity or exact repetition of the blade edge from razor to razor. That should change over time as we become more skilled shavers, honers and stroppers.

thanx for all the info guys. I thought shaving with the two razors would be different but I don't think I realized how different they were until I actually shaved with them. I love the feather razor but I think it is time to take off the training wheels. Maybe I rolled it and maybe I just didn't strop it enough so I guess I've got to do some reading up on stropping and testing the blade.