Thread: Tech. Issues.

Hello friends,

I recently bought a razor off the site classies. Its shave ready, but I must be stropping incorrectly, because I have read the beginners guide, wiki etc, repeatedly on shaving angles, skin pulling, stropping etc, and I just cant seem to get a clean shave, my end result always looks like something an electric razor would leave, all I am doing is the side burns, I start off by pulling tightly on the top of my burn, upwards, and proceed with a 30 degree WTG stroke straight down the burn, it takes of just a little, I have lathered up and tried again, then pulled and used an XTG repeatedly, using a lower degree, and finally an ATG using a 5 degree cut, and I cant get a BBS shave, nor even close to one.

When I strop, I use just the lightest pressure, I have even tried a bit more pressure, but I keep coming up short, any idea what I am doing wrong ?

Even if from a reputable place relative to sharpening, I wonder whether it is truly shave ready. Possibly, it was not shave ready to begin with, or has been damaged since. It really doesn't take much to bum out the edge.

I would be interested in how you are testing the sharpness of the blade, other than actually shaving. Does it pass the hanging hair test? How does it feel when you moisten your thumb and (carefully) run the edge across your thumb. (See the wiki's on sharpness tests.)

My experience is that a shave ready blade does better than you are indicating even with less than optimal technique.

at first be patient.
second please make sure your face is ready for shave. hot towels ,leather etc.
Now when you make strokes Please make them short and tip forward strokes.Never go against grain it is too early.
if you have put light pressure to the strop while you strop then you haven't hurt the blade yet.
lastly try while you make strokes find the best angle which blade will cut. Most people include myself put 1 layer's of the tape while we hone. (Lynn won't)
This is may be the one of the reason Blade doesn't seems like sharp enough. You have to change angle slightly while shave and see how it works.
at the end if you bought from classes you can contact person anytime. I am sure your problem will be resolved. GL

Sounds typical to me.

Wait 2 weeks, then call us that morning.

I take a hair and run it across the length, some times it will pop after a long drag but it kind of sticks, doesent pop clean.

It only takes one or two strokes on the strop accidentally lifting the spine instead of rolling the razor ON the spine,to dull your edge.Sounds like this may be the case.You may be able to get it back with quite a bit of correct stropping,if you don't have a pasted strop or hones.Or,if it's too bad,you may have to send it out to one of the honemeisters in the classifieds for a pro-honing.

When you first received the razor, did you try shaving with it without stropping. If so, how did it shave. If it shaved well then, but not after the first time you stropped it, then your stropping might be to blame.

Technique wise, you seem to be doing it right, but I cannot really say without actually seeing what you are doing. One bit of advice, don't over analyze technique. If you stretch the skin and get the angle approximately right you should be fine. In truth, the stroke that just comes naturally is usually better than any convoluted attempt to lead with the point, or the heal etc. You will find that a natural stroke tends to pivot slightly about the pin holding the blade, giving a good scything motion.

As pointed out by others, make sure you have done a proper prep before shaving, shaving right after a shower is best. If not, then at least wash your face with warm water and soap (hot towel, lather, hot towel, relather is essentially washing your face with hot water and soap, so this works as well).

The hanging hair test is useless as a measure of shave ready. I can make any razor fail this test, and I can make kitchen knives pass it. The tumbpad test is a fairly good indicator, but it takes time to develop the touch and it is still not perfect. Only the shave test is fool proof.

Personally, I have never damaged the edge by stropping, and I find it hard to see how this can be done by someone who is even moderately carefull. Still, I suppose it is possible if you really put some pressure on the edge.

Hi,
I've always had a hard time doing the hanging hair test. My benchmark for a shaveable edge is will the razor shave some arm some arm hair when the edge is hovering 1/4 inch above the skin (you should hear "pingging" sounds and see some hair falling)-- if it does that it should be sharp enough.

On stropping, I actually use moderate pressure-- the thing is to be sure not to roll the edge-- must keep the blade flat on the strop and do the turns on the spine, and to keep the strop taut.

-Chief

Originally Posted by Roshambo

Its shave ready

If so then you just need to keep practicing. Keep reading, but keep practicing. It doesn't come overnight. Patience! Perseverence!

If it's not shave ready then it needs to be. You may need to strop the razor adequately or that may not be good enough and it may need to be rehoned. You probably have no way to tell without a standard to compare it to

If you haven't already, you should contact the seller and find out what kind of shaves they were getting with the razor, and ask them for advice

Originally Posted by Roshambo

Hello friends,

I recently bought a razor off the site classies. Its shave ready, but ?

I searched for this site but found nothing, is this the correct spelling?
The reason for the search was to check if it is really shave ready.