Thread: Impressions after 5 shaves.

To start off, I have a Dovo 5/8 with the faux tortoise shell, an SRD strop, badger hair brush and some SRD soap. The first shave was over ambitious (like most) and not successful at all. It felt like the razor was doing more plucking of my hair than cutting, especially when I used more of the heel of the blade. My stropping technique was absolutely abysmal the first few times, and the edges of my strop are pretty eaten up. I had the tendency to pull the razor back before I made the pass, really knicking up the side closest to me. However, the second shave was much better, but it still felt like it pulled the hair a bit much. I'll attribute that to poor stropping, because right now after about the 5th or 6th shave, it is much more comfortable. I still have trouble on the sides of my adams apple in the neck area. I don't get nicks or cuts really, but just really small spots of blood. For some reason it still feels uncomfortable to utilize the heel of the blade, as it still feels like it plucks my hair out rather than cut it. However, I'm glad I stuck with it because after the first shave my first instinct was "Wow, I wasted a lot of money." It's a lot more fun to shave now, but do you really only get the benefits of ths straight razor when you go ATG? If I only make a WTG pass, when I rub my face against the grain I still feel some prickle, but with the grain its phenominally smooth. I've only made an ATG pass on my cheek area, and it came out rather well.

Another quick note- I dropped my razor when I was stropping it two days ago, and the blade caught my guitar on the way down and put a little knick about 2/3rds the way towards the toe. It's very very small, and it didn't even seem like it affected the shave performance. I plan on sending it in to Lynn eventually, as well as picking up a Dovo Bismark (I know, I know... I probably shouldnt be buying more razors right off the bat, but its fun!) Would it be looking down upon to shave with this razor? It doesn't scratch the strop when I use it, and I have yet to get a gash from the razor after two shaves. What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance,
Josh

I'm still pretty new at this too, but I would suggest you don't shave with it.

I nicked my first razor on the sink (a Dovo Bismarck) and sent it back to Lynn to hone. Then again, my nick was enough to leave scratches on my strop.

When I came back here to about my misfortune, several people actually suggested that I buy at least one more razor just in case I ever dropped one....now I have 8. Well, 7 since the Mrs absconded with one.

So the moral(s) of my rambling is that you should probably send it off to be re-honed, it's not worth risking a cut. Also that you shouldn't feel bad about purchasing a second (or 3rd, 4th, etc.) razor. Think of it as insurance.

The Bismarck is a nice razor. I have that one and the Dovo Spike Point in Ebony, both from SRD. The rest are vintage.

As far as going ATG, some people here never do it. I've found I can get almost as close with 2x XTG passes. However, I only get close to BBS if I go ATG.

Oh, and welcome to the forums.

Is the heel of the blade the part that has been nicking the strop? That would explain why it is less sharp.

I'd stick with going WTG for a while, especially since you are getting good results. When that seems just too easy, try XTG in a few places. I wouldn't go ATG until XTG has become second nature and also you need to know your blade is in great shape before doing ATG.

How small is the nick? If you can see it at arms length it needs to be fixed. If you can barely see it when it's held in front of your face it should be OK for now. Since it isn't cutting you or the strop that's a good sign.

Good stropping might smooth off the nick making it safer, and possibly restore sharpness at the heel. Use light strokes, focusing on keeping the blade flat. Pressure is not necessary, and speed will come with practice, don't rush it.

Mudkipz- How do you like the feel of the 6/8 Bismark as opposed to your 5/8 spike?

Rajagra- I haven't knicked the strop, but cut it several times on the ends. When I first started stropping I had the tendency to pull the razor back towards my body before i started the pass, or to push it away from me before the second half of the pass. One side of the strop isn't more cut than the other. I've cut it on both the left and right edges.

As for the nick, I stropped it for probably about 50 passes on the woven canvas side, and it does seem like it has smoothed it out quite a bit. You can see it at arms length, but it has to be under the right light. As I've said though I have shaved with it twice, and I can't feel the imperfections in the blade when I'm shaving. I'll probably order another razor by the week's end, and when that one comes in I'll send my current one in to Lynn.

As for sending them in to Lynn, what shipping methods do you use, and what do you use to pack the razor up in?

Besides the stropping, I would hazard a guess that your angle is too great causing the razor to tear the hair instead of cut it.

As to the stropping, use slow laps to learn proper technique. The speed isn't the important thing, technique is. You should have enough pressure to hold the blade flat on the strop, no more than that. Don't try to push down to create "draw". Don't get hung up on the feel of draw, it isn't as important as proper technique. As you gain experience things will fall in place, including your stropping speed.

I bought a Dovo Tortoise new and the note said it was shave ready and professionally honed, but it felt like it was plucking my hairs vs. cutting them while shaving for the first time with it. I was a newbie to straight shaving and 1/2 of my problem was technique, but I had a clue on sharpness or smoothness since I had another straight with disposable blades and knew how they felt shaving. So I knew what a decent shave should feel like and the Dovo just wasn't ready to meet my demands.

After using those sharp disposable straight blades, The Dovo Carbon Steel blade was a rude awakening for me. I thought if I stropped it enough, it would get sharp, but it didn't work well enough for me.

So I ordered a 4 sided pasted strop and gave it 10 laps on the .50 micron paste side along with the usual stropping and that did the trick. Since then, the Dovo Tortoise is a great shaver for me. About every two to three shaves, it gets 10 laps with the pasted strop. I have been very pleased with the 4 sided strop as this blade is soft, but easily takes a good edge.

Pabster

That's interesting, because I got it from SRD, so it should have definately been shave ready. I didn't strop it the first time I used it because I didn't want to ruin the edge. However, several shaves later it doesn't pluck, but I also apply more pressure than the first time I shaved.

I just shaved though, and it went even better this time. I applied some scything action as well and that really improved ths shave. Also, my stropping technique was better. With a strop 2" wide, what if you did 20 laps (just as a figure) on the toe half the blade and 20 laps on the other half. That would take the X-pattern out of it, making it a little easier. Just food for thought. I switched to a toe leading pattern instead of leading with the heel, and it was a much more comfortable shave with the heel this time. I'm making progress, that's for sure.
TIA,
Josh

Glad to hear it is going better for you and welcome to Straight Razor Shaving. The person who sold me the 4 sided paddle pasted strop also agreed with me that although new straights say shave ready by experience honemeisters, some users prefer to "tune" it to their personal satisfaction.

Pabster