Thread: First shave with classifieds razor!

So I had my first shave a little while ago.

My prep was good. Two hot towels and lathered up and stropped (I stropped a bit today because I didn't want to sit with the lather on too long) then hot toweled again with lather on.

I first attempted my right side under the sideburn with my new straight razor. It was pulling way too much so I took out my DE w/ a feather blade and did the rest of my first pass with that. By the way, I experimented with multiple angles and tried different areas and could not find anywhere that the blade would remotely glide. I even tried to shave the middle of the cheek where hair is less concentrated with a little momentum.

After I finished my first pass I went back on the right cheek and did the whole cheek another WTG with the straight razor. WOW that felt good! It did shave the closest I have ever had from just a WTG Pass. I dried it off and let it sit while I finished my shave with me DE.

So, my dillemma is that I don't know what to do because I bought this razor "Shave Ready". Although, I should say that I have pretty coarse hair. but I don't know what constitutes "shave ready?" Should I ask for the money to get it honed? The only reason I bought this razor was because it was shave ready. Now I would have to pay for shipping and honing. What do I do?

I'd say give it a bit of time. Strop well, see how it goes in the next week or two. I'm pretty sure most sellers would be happy to rehone your razor. If not I'll do it for you, but only if after you've given it 6-7 shaves you still think it's not sharp enough.

That definitely sounds like a good idea. I was probably being a bit hasty. I will try to see if shaving and stropping technique improve my shaves. The only reason I was jumping to conclusions is because after my last post I compared a DE blade and my razor and felt like they were light years apart. When I did the DE HHT I could feel the hair catch on the blade. When I did the HHT with the razor is just slide right over it with no feeling of it "catching" even a little.

Anyways, I am just a newb and will take your advice and give my technique time to mature.

You didn't say how much stropping you did before shaving. I'd suggest at least 50 laps. My preshave ritual is 20 laps on linen and 60 on leather. If your technique is good try a little more stropping and see what happens.

I wouldn't worry too much about the HHT as it's dependent on both your razor sharpness and your hair type. Even on my most scary sharp blades the best I can do with my hair is a popping noise when they cut and it fails on some of my other blades that still give a pretty decent shave.

Yeah, stropping makes a big difference, and technique too. Dull razor is more dangerous than a sharp one, so be careful, but normally subsequent shaves get better
For almost everybody here there's a learning curve, including yours truly. I was way too timid stropping on my first shave, which combined with the awkwardness of holding the razor didn't make for a particularly effortless one, but the next ones got better.

I'd echo everything that, gugi says. For me, correct stropping was a crucial part of the learning curve. Took quite a while to teach my hand to move in the right way but when I got it, the improvements in the shave were immense. Since your WTG pass on the right cheek felt so good, I'd guess that the razor is shave ready (couldn't believe how close my WTG passes were with my first shave ready razor, thanks again, Steve). Honestly, you sound like you're doing great, mziter. The technique will come with practice. Good luck.

Originally Posted by gugi

Dull razor is more dangerous than a sharp one, so be careful, but normally subsequent shaves get better

That is what is scaring me! I will keep trying to do my first pass WTF with the straight razor. Maybe I will try leading a bit with the toe, but it was having such a hard time getting through my hair(2 days old) that I didn't want to put too much pressure and then all of a sudden have it slice my cheek off or something

Also how taught should a strop be? I have been stropping with a fairly taught strop with it rounding only a lit bit when I strop.

Also how much pressure should there be? I use just enough pressure to feel that both the spine and edge are flat on the strop. If you could please try and find some kind of pressure to compare it too that would be great because "light" is kind of relative.

Are there any other stropping tips you can give? Should it feel a certain way?

Also, it seems to me like the blade makes a different sound when stroping one side compared to the other.

Originally Posted by mziter

Also how taught should a strop be? I have been stropping with a fairly taught strop with it rounding only a lit bit when I strop.

Also how much pressure should there be? I use just enough pressure to feel that both the spine and edge are flat on the strop. If you could please try and find some kind of pressure to compare it too that would be great because "light" is kind of relative.

As taut as possible. Experienced shavers seem to allow some give in the strop (eg see some of Lynn's videos) but I'm not there yet.

Originally Posted by mziter

Are there any other stropping tips you can give? Should it feel a certain way?

Also, it seems to me like the blade makes a different sound when stroping one side compared to the other.

There should be a slight drag, kind of relative, I know but it's the best I can do. Perhaps more articulate members than me can chime in.

When I experience the different sound thing, I think it's because contact is uneven regarding spine and edge. When it's right there's a satisfying shick sound both ways. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by mziter

Also, it seems to me like the blade makes a different sound when stroping one side compared to the other.

It's normal for the sound to be different. Most strops have a slight grain which runs just like your whiskers. When you are stropping with the grain it makes a different sound than when going against the grain. In addition to that there's the doppler effect so unless you are standing directly in the middle of the strop it will sound different going away than it does coming towards you.

if you havent purchased lynn abrams dvd on straight razor shaving i would like to suggest it to you, as it has so much valuable information on it that pertains to everything you need to know to properly shave with a straight razor, espicially technique, just a simple adjustment could result in a great shave for you with proper technique, just a thought