Thread: Letting the razor "rest"

I bought a DOVO straight razor and was just reading the Dovo.com website. On the Interesting Facts section, I found the following:

"5. The straight razor I bought a short time ago no longer shaves properly. Do I have to whet it, and how often is this necessary?

DOVO straight razors are whetted in the factory for use (whetting on leather by hand). If you own a suitable strop, you should nevertheless take into account that the razor must first "rest" after use. After the razor has been carefully rinsed and dried, it should not be used again for at least 24 - 48 hours because the fine "fin" on the cutting edge straightens up again extremely slowly. If the razor is stropped too soon (or stropped incorrectly by moving it backwards and forwards without turning it over), the "fin" which is necessary for a close shave breaks off. Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between."

So, with that said, How often can I use my one Dovo straight razor? Every other day? I am also hearing from others that they strop before and after each use, which goes against the thought of letting the "fin" straighten up (which is a little baffling to me that this occurs)

Can anyone shed any light on this?

i agree with this but soooooooo many people against me ? You will see they are coming and will be in here before i leave lol

I got those instructions, with my Dovo and have ignored them repeatedly, with no ill effects to my shaving experience.
However, im not knowledgable to say that whether or not its true...

Mac

"There is no generally valid rule for the whetting (stropping) of straight razors; in many cases, it is sufficient to draw the razor lightly over the ball of the thumb, especially when it has been left unused for several days between shaves."


and

" Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between."

From what I have been reading, this just doesn't sound possible. Could i be overstropping?


Thanks for your reply!

The following phrase is laughable for me:

Between six and fifteen shaves are possible without stropping in between.

I will admit I have not shaved with a Dovo razor. But there is no razor I have been able to get three full shaves out of without stropping.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

i agree with this...

Sham, do you shave between 6 and 15 times with the same razor before stropping it?

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Sham, do you shave between 6 and 15 times with the same razor before stropping it?

Sorry to say i never had dovo razor. i have sharpened couple of them never shaved .
May be dovo is really good and you can shave 15 times without stropping . Don't know can't say anything about it.

Ive been stropping before each shave, sometimes even in between passes...Im a newbie, I have a nicked strop and face. please, tell me that I must keep stropping!

you need to keep stropping but with different strop or your stropping will not stop.

Yes, steel does have a memory so if allowed to rest, then small distortions caused by shaving will relax and the edge will straighten out. Having said this, I always strop before each shave, even though my razors typically get a one week rest between uses; it may not be necessary, but it certainly does no harm.

The 'fin' is a myth, an understandable misconception which has persisted beyond the development of the microscope. No level of microscopic observation reveals any type of tooth at all.

Steel may have memory, but I'm skeptical about that with regard to our practice.

Strop before every shave. Just try not stropping for several shaves. Just try it. You won't be happy.

Some have opined that not cleaning your dulling blade after shaving will cause rust to form and that the subsequent stropping will remove this rust to reveal a better shaving edge and the myths you quote may have some basis in these or other currently unpopular practices, but in general I'd say that that article is wrong.

X

PS ... I let my razor rest for at least a day before shaving again, but I also let my beard grow for at least a day before shaving again too, so I don't worry about such things too much.