So what's it suppost to feel like?
One of the frequent questions asked here in the newbies section is why am I getting a razor burn. The simple answer is one of several things. Lather needs to be wetter, the angle is to steep or your pressure is to much. Well I have said it before and I will say it again - str8razor shaving isn't a science but rather an exercise in observation and technique. Wetter lather and angle change are easy to correct but what about pressure. Exactly how much pressure do we need starting out and how do I know what it feels like? Well we all know how much pressure it takes for our old razor to work, the problem is we are using about 5 time the amount we need to do the same thing with a str8. So to get the feel for the pressure you need to start out try this: Lather up and take your old razor and instead of holding it with your thumb and first 3 fingers, hold it with your thumb and 3rd finger only. That's the finger next to your pinky. Now shave with it. That pressure is about the amount you should start out with when using the str8. The pressure will slowly increase as you become more adept and confident with your equipment.
The next thing to think about is blade maintenance. Many of us seem to think the correct path for maintenance is from hoaning stone to strop when in fact it is the other way around. Unless you plan on becoming a honemeister, which I do, you won't need to be concerned with hoaning just yet. So to keep your freshly hoaned razor sharp for months you need to have a feel for correct stropping. Here again is a good starting point that will give you the actual feeling of stropping without ruining your blade edge. Take a piece of 8 1/2 X 11 paper and fold it in half. Then fold it in half again, and once more fold it in half. Now put a small piece of tape along each edge to keep it closed. Measure 4" from 1 end and mark it. Now tape a quarter out on the end of that 4" segment. You will now need this paper and your strop to continue. If you take your belt and hold it in both hands in front of you and pull, the amount of pressure you need to flatten it out is the same amount you will need to use with your strop. No more. Now tighten your strop and take the paper you folded and grab it just below the 4" mark you made and start stropping it on your strop without letting the paper fold up. That is the pressure you need to start with to effectively maintain your blade. After 15 to 20 shaves you want to strop your blade on a pasted strop to renew the edge and then continue with the regular daily stropping.
Ok, so why doesn't my str8 give me the same close shave I get with my other razor after one pass? Well.. remember that test we did for pressure? Lather up take your old razor, and again, hold it with your thumb and 3rd finger. Now shave off the lather using only one stroke and don't go over the same area more than once. What does the shave feel like? Lather up again and keep doing this until you are satisfied with the results. The number of times it takes to get the shave you like will most likely be the same with your str8.
I hope these examples are of use to you newbies. If you have any comments or suggestions I would surely appreciate them.
:gl:
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Ray