Hi every body,

I am new on str8 razor, and I end up in STR and BBS forums as a result of my search for a better and closer shaving as I was not happy at all with the way the match-3 would leave my face after shaving.

In this search I have bought my self a few str8 razors, including a TI I bought yesterday. I have also bought a DE FB and a Slim, and some blades (a trial pack with: Feather, Derby, Personna, Super +) but they are still in the post.

I have honed the str8 razor by myself (as I had some experience grinding / honing cutting tools for watchmakers lathe , and knifes), the get very sharp and testing how sharp the blades are I have ended up with not hair in my left arm.

I have manage to honed them as to cut the hair of my left arm by just "flying" the razor above my skin without touching it.

So far so good, but!

When I use the str8 for shaving they don't cut so nicely the hair of my chin as it does with the one of my arm.

I even have bought myself a very nice and beautiful "Revisor" (made in germany @ solingen) "shave-ready"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN:IT&ih=003

But not this one, neither the TI, nor another one from solingen give me the smooth shave and easy cut I was expecting. Shaving the sides of the face is more or less fine, but when I reach the chin, as the hair is much tough, the hair is not so easily cut by the str8.

The question is:

how sharp is "shave-ready"?

is any objective test I could carry out to find out if the str8 are really sharp enough?, should I perhaps forget about the str8, sell them and go back to the match-3 until the DE arrive?

Did I set my expectation on str8 shaving too high ?

I am really confuse. Hopefully Lenn's DVD and the book "Standardized Textbook of Barbering" will bring some light when they arrive in the Post.

When should I understand I have a str8 sharp and good enough?

After spending well over $ 300 on badger, str8s, soaps, DE and a lots of shipping I am starting to wonder if it was a good idea.

regards,
Ro