Still shave ready?

I purchased a shave ready razor from the classified section.
The first few times I stroped with really poor technique, but I took it slow and I'm getting better.
On my 4th partial shave, I could not get the razor to pass the hanging hair test. I stroped a good 40 times, with what I thought was my best technique yet.

I'm letting the blade rest for a good 48 hours, and I will try stropping again tomorrow, after I practice with a butter knife for awhile.

Could I have damaged the blade so bad as to not be able to correct it with proper stroping?
It is still sharp, I'm just having a hard time telling then state of the blade. I got it shave ready, but then I stropped it very poorly, so I don't really have any way to tell if it's still alright.
Any advice would be great.

the hanging hair test doesn't really prove anything hows it shave? If it shaves well without pulling it still sharp.

And if isn't that sharp, maybe You can spare a honing with stropping on a CrOx strop. (Try the Wiki for more info)

If it's really dull, it will need a honing.

Another method is the Thumb Pad Test. I usually hone my razors so sharp, that it isn't always pass the HHT, but i have very smooth shaves.

There is definantly some tugging, pretty uncomfortable, but I'm sure a big part of that is being so inexperienced.

But if the hanging hair test doesn't really prove anything, sort of changes the whole way I was looking at it.
I'll just keep stroping it as best I can and try shaving a little more every day.

It may be worth reducing the angle of the blade while shaving. That 30 degrees was smaller than I thought. Good luck.

Good point. Both Kropp & Torrey used to provide instructions with their razors recommending to lay the razor almost flat on the face.

Continue working on your technique, the source of most problems for people new to straight razor shaving. Pressues and angles are key when moving the razor against your face.

Sounds like you are working on your stropping skills. Put just enough pressure on the blade to hold it flat against the strop, and no more. It's good you are taking it slow at first. Speed will come later. Technique far outweighs speed.

A few other areas that are just as important to getting a good shave are facial preparation and lather. Good facial prep will set the whiskers up for a better, and more comfortable, shave. Lather should be of whipping cream (the real stuff) consistency. Don't forget these two important steps in your shave. :gl:

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Originally Posted by brienzee

There is definantly some tugging, pretty uncomfortable, but I'm sure a big part of that is being so inexperienced.

But if the hanging hair test doesn't really prove anything, sort of changes the whole way I was looking at it.
I'll just keep stroping it as best I can and try shaving a little more every day.

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The shave test is the ultimate test. If you feel that you are not slicing though the hairs with ease and are feeling the tugging effect, then the blade needs to be sharper. After a few shaves with my new Dovo, I just couldn't get it sharp enough with my canvass leather strop. So I bought a 4 sides paddle strop with three sides pasted. I gave the blade 10 passes on the 1.0 paste than 10 on the .50 paste, then the usual stropping on the canvass leather and my blade was so much sharper and performed like a champ.

This pasted paddle strop has made a huge difference for me and it keeps all my straights sharply tuned.

Pabster

Thanks for the advice and encouragement guys.