Thread: razor pull

Originally Posted by Colin

Apologies, but I don't know what hht is.

"HHT" stands for Hanging Hair Test. There are many things written in this forum as well as some examples on Youtube. It's one of several tests that can be used to check a razor's sharpness, but does NOT ensure that a razor passing the HHT is sharp enough to shave. I can get edges to pass the HHT off of my Shapton 2000 grit ceramic on glass stone...........I wouldn't want to shave with an edge off that stone.

Originally Posted by Colin

Thanks so much. I guess this is trial and error to a certain degree. The razor is a new dovo bismark. I've honed it when it probably didn't need it, and am worried that I've done some damage. I think, also, that judging by what you say my prep is not good enough.

Sorry to say it's quite likely you did not bring your razor to shaving sharp by "taking the bull by the horns" this early on and trying to hone it yourself. "Damage"? Unless you nicked or chipped the edge, I doubt you damaged the edge but may have dulled it. Factory edges are almost never shaving sharp anyway, so your involvement may have had little detrimental effect. Yes, prep is huge with any wet shaving method.

Originally Posted by Colin

Thanks so very much for your replies. How smooth should a straight razor shave be compared to a good quality safety razor? My point is, is a bit of pulling something that is just part of straight razor shaving?
Thanks

Smooth? A razor should not pull during the shave. In my opinion (IMO), the phrase "wiping whiskers off the face" may be used too often is situations where it shouldn't. I'm not saying a razor couldn't get sharp enough to feel like it's wiping away whiskers but to me that would mean literally no friction and no resistance of any kind. My razors cut/slice whiskers off my face very easily with virtually no resistance; my razors don't literally wipe whiskers off my face and I doubt most people's straight razors do. Or their definition of "wiping" is different than mine. I tend to be a literal person rather than figurative.

After the shave, your face should be as smooth as you want it to be, including being so smooth when wet, it has the sensation of squeeking. Smooth as glass. As a rule, such a final smoothness requires more than one pass.

Originally Posted by Colin

And do I have to do anything to a brand new razor? Does it need stropping or honing etc?

Almost definitely a new razor needs to be honed and all razors need to be stropped prior to each shave.

Originally Posted by Colin

Thanks so much for all your advise Lee. I'm truly grateful. There is absolutely NO WAY I'll ever go back to safety razors, so I'll keep at it, as you say. One more thing, I purchased a leather strop with my razor. Do I use the red side too, or just the smoother pinkish side? It may seem a silly question, but I'd rather look daft than not ever find out.

Use the smooth side for now. You can decide later what if any benefit the other side may do for you.

I hope this all helps you. You know where to find us!

Chris L

Thanks,
Colin.