Thread: Razor sticking/tugging and neck burn

Experienced shavers: please help!! I just got a Dovo Prima Silver Steel SR which had great reviews on amazon and other sites. I got everything I needed to hone and strop razor. I have a lot of experience with wet shaving but with a DE. I have two issues for which I’m hoping some people will have some advice.

First issue is that it seems as if the razor is sticking to my face. The razor also does not feel that smooth on my face. I almost feel like if I make a stroke it’s going to cut my skin off. So this has been making it difficult to make confident strokes because I’m worried about cutting my skin. Sharpness should not be an issue because I honed the razor well and put it to the strop. I took it up to a 12,000 Shapton stone. I’ve been careful to not roll the edge on the strop. Does this sound like an angle issue?? Or do I suck at honing??

My second issue is shaving my neck. I absolutely cannot get a burn free shave on my neck. I have a large Adam’s apple and have two concaves on either side of it so it’s very difficult. In fact, I had trouble with a DE for a long time. Any advice on this??

Thanks for your help and happy shaving!

Originally Posted by zaneprice5

Experienced shavers: please help!! I just got a Dovo Prima Silver Steel SR which had great reviews on amazon and other sites. I got everything I needed to hone and strop razor. I have a lot of experience with wet shaving but with a DE. I have two issues for which I’m hoping some people will have some advice.

First issue is that it seems as if the razor is sticking to my face. The razor also does not feel that smooth on my face. I almost feel like if I make a stroke it’s going to cut my skin off. So this has been making it difficult to make confident strokes because I’m worried about cutting my skin. Sharpness should not be an issue because I honed the razor well and put it to the strop. I took it up to a 12,000 Shapton stone. I’ve been careful to not roll the edge on the strop. Does this sound like an angle issue?? Or do I suck at honing??

My second issue is shaving my neck. I absolutely cannot get a burn free shave on my neck. I have a large Adam’s apple and have two concaves on either side of it so it’s very difficult. In fact, I had trouble with a DE for a long time. Any advice on this??

Thanks for your help and happy shaving!

What tests have you done other than shave test after honing? It may be less sharp than you think. I would recommend sending it out to a professional honer to ensure it's sharp enough and cut down on the variables that could be off. If you're just starting out I will tell you that you're very likely not getting it as sharp as you need first try.
Secondly, if you feel like you're going to cut skin off, it may be the angle. The rule of thumb I have heard is two spine widths off the face, which is a much more acute angle than what comes naturally to most beginners. Pay attention to the angle you're using because if you're doing it right, I don't think you should be worrying about cutting your face regardless of how sharp (or not sharp) your blade is.
Lastly, the neck. this is one of the most difficult parts for me. And I have to say it just comes with patience and time. Before shaving, do a thorough evaluation of the orientation of your neck beard. Like really spend some time on it. And then use this to inform the angle at which you place your blade and the direction of your strokes. My beard is such that I have to use several different techniques to get a decent shave. up, down, left hand, right hand, short strokes, long strokes, you get the idea.
That would be my advice, to start. but I'm sure you'll get some other very good advice from more experienced members here! Good luck!!!

Could be a combination of both honing and technique.
Learning to hone is quite a task on its own. Learn to shave first. Best way to do this is send your razor out for a pro hone. This will give you a measure to go by. Takes a hundred or so shaves to get just shaving dialed in, add honing and you are compounding the learning curve.

Sent from a moto x far far away

If this was the first time you honed a razor that could be your problem right there, a poor edge that is dull and rough. The only way I have had a razor feel like it was sticking to my face was by having the blade flat on my face. As Butzy mentioned, a spine width or two gap between face and the spine is the way to go. As far as stropping goes, if you have not stropped a razor before how do you know you did a proper job of it. It could be one of those or a combination of all three.

If you have not honed before get the razor honed by a person respected for their honing skills and when you get it back do not strop it. That would give you a know shave ready edge to start with and by not stropping would eliminate any question of your stropping buggering up the edge. As a bonus you would know what a shave ready edge feels like.

Strop it before the second shave and if the razor feels worse than the first time you have a good indication your stropping needs worked on.

Bob

Thank you very much. Very helpful!

There are two things in question, can you hone and can you shave. As mentioned both of those are acquired skill sets. People do learn both at the same time. It can be done. I don't understand why anyone chooses to go that route. With a shave ready blade you get the luxury of simply focusing on learning to shave, once that is accomplished you can choose to learn how to hone and will be able to judge your edges quite well. Also if you are really interested in honing the very best way to learn is by attending a meet. If you follow or even post in the meets forum you will be able to find or inspire a meet in or near your area, unless of course you are as far from others as I am, in which case it makes for a nice part of a holiday.

Yep, what everybody else has said regarding technique. I have the same Adams Apple situation. The technique that works for me is : pull the skin tight to the side; and, learn to use the heel and toe of the blade for the valleys on either side. If that makes sense ?
Ps: light on the pressure . . . . . .

Another potential problem is lather. Is it moist enough? Suggestion: don't learn to hone on your Dovo. It is a top quality tool. Don't muck it up. Get an inexpensive razor such as a Gold Dollar to learn and practice honing. As someone who took up both straight razor shaving and honing at the same time, I know it is completely doable. Give it the time and commitment required. Do your homework. Watch the videos; hours worth. Get the right tools for the job. Once you are capable of honing a good edge on a lesser quality razor, you're ready to take your good razor to the stones.

I would keep working on your honing. It takes time to get good. Can't expect great results first time. Doesn't matter if you take that razor to 30k. Technique takes experience.

Stretch skin to side as mentioned and use heel or toe to get those tricky hollows. The troubles of not having a fat flat neck. You are not alone my friend.

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In spite of what manufacturers say a razor is seldom really shave-ready out of the box. Misleading but that is how it is.
Learning how to hone takes time. Your razor is truely shave-ready when it cuts armhairs without requiring pressure. Get yourself a truely shave-ready razor off the B/S/T section. If you want to teach yourself get a cheap and cheerful vintage razor off the bay. If you want to start with a Gold Dollar make sure you get them from someone who tested it for you as their quality isn't very consistent.
Which hones and strops do you have?
For concaves you might want to consider a smiling blade.