Thread: 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.


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Ray

Where does he get this information?

Originally Posted by rayman

Exactly how much pressure do we need starting out and how do I know what it feels like?

none. if you are pressing the razor against your face at all, you're pushing too hard. if you have to push in order to cut hair, your razor isn't sharp enough. it should glide along with no pressure, and cut hair without resistance.

Originally Posted by rayman

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.

Sounds like a good way to get a feel for this but I am a little confused by it:

1. What is "the end" of the four inch segment? There are two ends -- one at the end of the paper and one where the mark is.
2. I don't understand "just below the four inch mark". Is that within the four inches or just outside the four inches. Where is it in relation to the quarter?
3. When doing the stropping, where is the quarter and what end of the paper is being used? The end with the four inch mark, I am guessing. Am I holding the paper within the four inch segment or just outside it? Where is the quarter with relation to the hand and to the strop?

I know this sounds dumb!

Originally Posted by TexasBob

Sounds like a good way to get a feel for this but I am a little confused by it:

1. What is "the end" of the four inch segment? There are two ends -- one at the end of the paper and one where the mark is.
2. I don't understand "just below the four inch mark". Is that within the four inches or just outside the four inches. Where is it in relation to the quarter?
3. When doing the stropping, where is the quarter and what end of the paper is being used? The end with the four inch mark, I am guessing. Am I holding the paper within the four inch segment or just outside it? Where is the quarter with relation to the hand and to the strop?

Great questions.
Let me try and explain it a bit better. After you fold the paper lay it down in front of you so the ends are to the left and right. Then on the left end tape a quarter. Also measure from the left end to the right 4" and draw a vertical line. To the right of the line place an 'X'. You will be stropping the 4" section to the left of this 'X' and your thumb and forefinger will be placed over the 'X' to the right of the line. The quarter will ride on the strop and simulate the approximate weight of the razor. This measurement is only approximate and totally unscientific. I guess depending on the weight of the paper you use perhaps the line could be moved to 3 or 3-1/2 inches but the results would be similar.

In a side note I would like to say that I am aware that the amount of pressure that is supposed to be used with regards to the blade has been quoted and verbalized numerous times as very little to none, but I have tried here to give someone new to str8razor shaving a tactile interpretation to what they can actually expect to feel or duplicate before they start on their journey.

Thanks for the question by the way.

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Ray

Originally Posted by rayman

Thanks for the question by the way.

And thanks for the answers! That cleared things up completely. I will give that a try a little later.

BTW, similar pressure for honing?

Originally Posted by TexasBob

And thanks for the answers! That cleared things up completely. I will give that a try a little later.

BTW, similar pressure for honing?

Hoaning is a much more complex subject then I really want to tackle here in this thread. I have only hoaned about 20 razors so far and am just in the beginning stages of my hoaning apprenticeship. As a general rule though less is better and I would say that hoaning pressure overall is similar to the paper or maybe even a little lighter. No more than the weight of the blade as a general rule. I would hope that one of the experts would jump in here and save me on this one though.

____________________
Ray

Honing pressure is the exact amount that is necessary to keep the edge of the razor even, level, and in contact, with the hone.... No more No less....

The exact amount as necessary in stropping also, keep the spine of the razor in even, constant, level contact, with the strop and the edge will do what it is supposed to every single time....


Note that in Honing I said edge, and in Stropping I said spine....

That's a GREAT! explination for both processes. Thanks

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Ray

Sorry, but I am so lost here................

Maybe a video or something would help me understand.

Thanks,

Lynn