Printable View
I have managed to get proficient enough to shave and only nick myself once every 12 - 13 times, but i have a stubble left over. To get rid of this, do i increase the angle of approach (move the spine more away from my face). I THINK that I am at a 30 degree angle, and I hone properly every time. What do I need to do?
I always decrease my angle (spine closer to face) on those last atg passes.
At the end of your shave, spash some water on your face and rub it around. You then get a fairly slick layer of lather remnants on your face that you can use as lube to do any touch ups you need.
Was your razor honed by a pro first or did you hone your own razor? I am not trying to sound rude but if your razor was hone by you it may not be sharp enough. The next thing would be time how many shaves have you given yourself? This info will help others answer your question.Quote:
Originally Posted by bradkerry
Razor sharpness is a key to getting a close shave, but so are beard prep and shaving technique. My first thought is that your razor isn't sharp enough, does it pull or feel uncomfortable when you shave?
You might want to consider using water only for your last pass, also try lowering the spine, here's a link to the wiki about cutting angles.
Concur with all the above. You don't say what strokes you are using. WTG, XG, ATG? If you are using just WTG are you stretching the skin? Also, most people don't get a BBS using WTG only. That comes with adding XG and/or ATG.
+1 on razor sharpness. Who sharpened it, and how many shaves are on it so far? Also, have you done any kind of touchups (on pasted strop, hones, etc)?
My biggest "aha" moment in getting a close shave was discovering just how important a sharp razor is. IME, even if it's not pulling or tugging badly, that's not a sure sign that it's as sharp as it can be / is needed for the closest shaves.
I have found that when a razor is of proper sharpness that the spine is low enough to the skin that just a little more and the razor will "stick" to your skin. How many passes are you doing? I have a heavy beard and, for me, I do two WTG passes on my neck while I am doing XTG passes on my face. Going ATG involves a low angle and short overlapping strokes.
Take Care,
Richard
Just to agree with what all of the previous posters, if there is stubble left after the shave than the razor probably isn't sharp enough. OTOH, technique, or the lack of it, could also contribute to the less than perfect results. Jump back to the SRP Wiki for the tutorials and give them another read. Maybe you will find a step you've been skipping in prep or skin stretching.
For me, a totally stubble-free, absolutely, long-lasting (12 hours) BBS shave takes 4 passes ... WTG, ATG and 2 XTG.
Now, if you can't do 3 or 4 passes without irritation, then the problem is prep and technique. The number one technique problem is not stretching enough (I stretch with every stroke, mostly pulling with my fingers but also pointing my chin towards the ceiling and making monkey faces). The number two technique problem is too much pressure. In this case, you need to lighten up and let the razor do the work.
The number one prep problem is not lathering enough and an extra half a minute working the soap in well and raising a meringue is worth it.
If you can do 3 or 4 passes without irritation but there's still stubble, then the razor isn't sharp enough.
I agree with the above except that I would add this.
Get yourself a Gem or EverReady SE.
Why? Well the head is set to approximately 30 degrees. Gives you a nice visual for what you are doing.
They are cheap and fun to use.
Okay answering a lot of questions:
-I had my razor sharpened by the person at SRD, which people suggested. (I put the blade through my thumbnail about a week ago, but I don't think that would dull it that much)
-I have shaved probably 60-70 times
-I feel only tug at my chin, which i don't know if that is normal. Safety blades do the same to me, so I assume so.
-I do WTG/ATG, and stratch the skin both times.
The TNT is not recommended past the 1K grit or beveling. Some say it is alright after the 4K but never past that. I think you might have dulled the blad doing that test and need to have the razor honed. You might try a hard strop with CrOx and then stropping but the TNT could have ruined the sharpness enough to not make it recoverable IME.
______________
Ray
One of the keys to a close shave with a straight is a correct shaving stroke. Think of how you would slice a loaf of bread - not by pushing the blade straight down into the loaf, but by angling the blade tip down and sawing down into the loaf. This is the correct way (according to barber texts) of shaving with a straight. Imagine that each hair is a loaf of bread. There is only a push stroke, no pull stroke. Some use a "scything" stroke which is a modification of the "sawing" stroke. Both will work, but the "sawing" is the surest way to get a close shave with a single WTG pass. You might think that you will get cut, but only those surfaces that are perpendicular to the edge will get sliced (beard hair, moles and pimples if you're not careful). Since your skin is tangential to the blade it is not cut. Just be sure you have enough lather/ water against the skin for lubrication otherwise the skin may catch and then get cut. This is why it's also important to stretch the skin.
Ouch! I am pretty sure that could have dulled it. I wonder if stropping is enough to bring the edge back after having been dragged through a thumbnail though?Quote:
Originally Posted by bradkerry
It is best not to fiddle with a shave ready edge if you expect it to remain shave ready - stropping and shaving are all it should be exposed to
Have you touched the razor up using pastes or a hone or some other method since you've got it? With 60-70 shaves on it, and a trip through your thumbnail, my guess is that it's no where near as sharp as when you started/ as it should be... You ought to send it out to a honemeister for a touchup/resharpening. It should be a night and day difference that you'll really notice now that you're getting your technique down.
I have not honed on it, but have stropped every time. This is what I am think is the problem. Thank you for the advice.
60-70 shaves, you may need a 4 sided pasted strop .5/1.0/3.0 or a 5.0 for the forth side plus the strop to get it sharp enough to be an effective shaver.
If the stropping alone does not get the sharpness where it needs to be an effective shaver, then the pasted strop is an intermediary step before the need for honing and I used it to postponing honing, so for indefinitely.
Perhaps you should invest in a disposable straight and some blades since they are inexpensive and they will always let you know the standard for sharpness and effectiveness to measure your straights effectiveness. This experience gave me a reference to keep my Dovo Tortoise tuned properly.
Pabster
Attention All,
Thank you for your help. have honed the blade, and am proud to announce the best feeling shave that i have had since i first got the razor. The blade now is a very nice smooth cutting tool, that handels well, even around the chin. The only complaint I have now is the fact that I can no longer feel it if I cut myself, but that is ok.
:chop: