Thread: It's been three months with my first razor...

Hello everyone,

About three months ago I purchased a thiers-issard razor and dovo strop. At first, I used the razor once a week to shave, but it felt like the razor was pulling every hair.
I was much more comfortable with shaving every other day. My feeling is that my hair is much easier to cut when its shorter, but I could be completely wrong. Since I am new to straight razors I really have no idea just how sharp it should be.
Yes, I have read that every new razor should be honed, despite what the razors booklet says, but is this the case even with a new quality razor?

Any comments would be helpful. Thanks

First off HELLO and welcome; second, from what i've been reading here in the forum YES it should be honed

Originally Posted by GotchaDef

Hello everyone,

About three months ago I purchased a thiers-issard razor and dovo strop. At first, I used the razor once a week to shave, but it felt like the razor was pulling every hair.
I was much more comfortable with shaving every other day. My feeling is that my hair is much easier to cut when its shorter, but I could be completely wrong. Since I am new to straight razors I really have no idea just how sharp it should be.
Yes, I have read that every new razor should be honed, despite what the razors booklet says, but is this the case even with a new quality razor?
Any comments would be helpful. Thanks

Hi and welcome! I am also new to straight razor shaving but I've definitely learned a lot and have done much research. The razor I purchased was honed before it was shipped to me. Even being honed I also experienced significant pulling at my beard. I have eliminated that almost entirely by focusing on the angle of the blade, my lather, and my shave prep. I suggest making sure your lather isn't too dry. That was my first problem. Your lather should allow the blade to pass smoothly over your skin and then wash easily from your blade. If your lather sticks to your blade when you rinse it off then it is probably too dry. I was running in to that. Also, don't be afraid to relather mid shave. I notice if my blade isn't passing as smooth then I will relather before I continue. Also, make sure your beard is properly prepped before you shave. I will either shower or use a hot towel before I shave. Generally I will use a hot towel, lather, strop, hot towel, lather again, and then shave.

I wish you the very best and hope that I may have helped a little!

welcome to srp

Originally Posted by GotchaDef

Yes, I have read that every new razor should be honed, despite what the razors booklet says, but is this the case even with a new quality razor?

yes, this is the case especially with the thiers issard razors from the art of shaving. if the money is a big concern see if Utopian would hone it for free.

Welcome. You are exactly right you should send it off to a honemeister to get sharpened asap. This way you will know it is sharp.

Welcome to SRP! Sometimes you get lucky. most times you don't. I say get it honed.

I hone new ones like this one all the time for folks. Unfortunately, they do not come ready to shave out of the box. I have had this conversation with the CEO over at AOS and I'm not sure he understood. It's great that you found us and you will be shaving with a straight razor very soon........

Have fun,

Lynn

A French razor on a German strop, and you wonder why they dont get along! But really it just needs a good honing, check the classifieds.

Let me explain something that I learned the hardway. Honing is the act of sharpening the blade so that it can shave you, stroping is cleaning the metal shards off the blade so that the honing can be done. Honing is something that every straight shaver needs to learn do do. Personally I am a tad dubious because the Inox I have was honed for me before it was sent to me, when it arrived it was so dull it could not shave anything. So I had a rather bade experience so I am a tad dubious of the honemisters in the first place. Sort of like one ruined the business for all of the others.

Thanks for all the great info everyone. I know prep is good, because like so many others, I too learned the hard way. My shave has improved since I got my prep right, but yes I still feel as though the blade is not 100% sharp.
I have no problem honing myself, although in my research I see so many style stones. From what I have seen, the 4000/8000 stone looks like a good place to start, but again maybe there is a better stone. Let me know what you think. Thanks