New straight drag

Hello all,

I just acquired a straight razor and it was made shave ready. Unfortunately, when I shave with it, I have difficulties cutting the whiskers, and I tried different angles. My beard is well prep, the razor passed all the cutting test (including the infamous facial skin cutting test). When I say dragging, it's like trying to cut a steak with a butter knife (ok, I may be exaggerating, but it's almost like it). It's like shaving with a Mach 3 cartridge, for the 13th shave. They finally get cut but it's not as easy as I thought the straights should be cutting.

Thanks

Keep practicing, it was the same for me and many others. Even if the razor is shave-ready, you might not be. There are a lot of variables that can contribute to a poor shave, but few that continued practice won't help eliminate.

Beard prep, strapping, and shaving technique are all points you need to keep practicing

Read this if you haven't already because there is so much good, basic information (shaving and stropping info are near the bottom of this linked thread): http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...ght-razor.html

You mentioned it was a shave-ready razor. Did you strop the razor? A shave-ready razor usually still needs about 60-100 passes on the strop before shaving (unless your honemeister did that for you).

Had the same problem. Stropped it and started using slight wrist movement as well, not just dragging a blade down my face :eek:
This seems to be one of the 'secrets' of shaving with a str8
It has to glide and this takes patience and time. Another trick is to forget the desire to get an extra close shave, do not apply any pressure on a blade and your progress will show much sooner. Otherwise you'll keep cutting and nicking yourself and that's painful and frustrating.
I'm still learning and do not get extremely close shaves, but stopped nicking myself completely and even can shave my chin, under my lower lip and my jaw line - all after discovering all these little secrets.

I'll agree with what has already been said, a slight wrist movement, like scything or slicing, as well as no pressure. Pressure =cuts and nicks. Correct blade angle as well. And as always beard prep, whiskers must be warm and moist as well as lathered with an appropriate soap.

Wrist movement and tip lower improved greatly my shave, thanks to all. Also doing movements with less amplitude (1 inch at a time) instead of long sweeps as I was doing improved my shaving