Thread: Pulling like crazy

I have bought new straights that were professionally honed and shave ready. I thought they all needed a few passes on my chrom ox .50 strop to smooth out the edges for a smoother shave for the 1st shave.

Since I learned to shave with disposable straight blades, I know what a very sharp blade feels like and shaves like and I know how these blades feel on a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th shave. This experience gave me great insight into keeping my fixed straights sharp and finding the way to do it.

The leather strop and canvass are more about realigning the fin/edge and sharpening the edge every so slightly. Each of my straight razors need a visit to my pasted paddle strop every two to five shaves depending on the straight razor. This has kept my straight razors going for 9 months without a honing, but a true honing will likely have to be done at the one year mark for each straight razor in my rotation.

Without the pasted paddle strop, I believe a touch up stone honing would have been in order about the 12th - 15th shave with the same razor. So my pasted paddles stop was a good investment for me as it allows me to get many more shaves with the straight razors between stone honings.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Pabster

Okay, Day #3... Ouch!
I'm still working on my technique and still making the same mistakes (ie: digging the toe into my cheek and have several gashes to prove it). I'm beginning to think a round point would have been a better choice for a 1st razor.

I still have not tried an XTG pass, and probably wont until I get the hang of using my other hand. I'm a lefty and switching hands will take some time.

Although my Dovo came shave ready, I can't but think my inexperience with a stroop has messed up the blade. I see some of you actually are using a microscope to get a better look at the blade, maybe I need to visit Radio Shack.

It is more likely that your inexperience with the straight razor is causing your problems vs. the strop.

Your razor is one of Dovo's better shavers. Your improvement the second day and digging the spike in would really indicate that you need to relax and just practice from the side burn to the jaw for a few days until you are comfortable with the razor and you get improved results in just that area. Once there, then move on to the cheeks and so forth.

Shaving with a straight razor is usually not something that just happens and you end up with the best shave of your life on your first try. There generally is a little learning curve.

Lynn

Originally Posted by wchidester

Okay, Day #3... Ouch!
... Although my Dovo came shave ready, I can't but think my inexperience with a stroop has messed up the blade. I see some of you actually are using a microscope to get a better look at the blade, maybe I need to visit Radio Shack.

Check around for a barber hone. If you really did dull the blade a bit the barber hone will bring the blade right back in 5 strokes or so. It will keep you shaving comfortably as you learn how to best attack your beard and strop your razor.

goodluck!

Another technique for not letting the spike point cut into your cheek via. your WTG movement is to puff out the check a little as you shave over that area. It will lift the spike point off the skin a little

Good Luck,

Pabster

I had a bad first shave experience as well. I purchased my shave-ready Dovo and put it straight to a strop. I mis-understood the "shave-ready". I thought I had to strop it first. Well, my stop technique was that of a new person and I dulled my blade. It does get better.

Personally, I have also experienced this pulling. And as mentioned in the post about reduction, I do have almost no pulling on the final skin level pass. I do believe my razor could use a honing or at the very least a run on a pasted strop.

Oh, its a spike point and I love it. Dangerous, but then again, it is a razor sharp piece of steel against your face and neck, so there is some inherent danger.

Another thing to avoid pulling is adequate skin stretching. You don't have to pull it drum tight but if you don't pull the skin taut enough the razor will tend to pull regardless of how sharp it is.

IME the spike point is mainly used in detailing around the nostril/lip area and other hard to get into spots. I always am aware of where the point of any straight that I am shaving with is regardless of the point style.

With a spike point I'm shaving my cheek or neck with the point past the skin (not even touching). Of course on the sideburn area you have to ease that point in there towards the ear. A good example of watching where the point is or you may get a rude reminder.

JimmyHAD... wish I had your concentration. I do well on my strokes. But, when I move from one area to another, I tend to let down.

I am still learning the whole process of shaving with a straight razor. I have several razors that have been professionally honed and I also experience pulling from time to time. The area where I feel the pulling the most is on the underside and the tip of the chin.

When I follow the advise given on this site by the more experienced and in the Wiki, I have little or no pulling. It starts with proper prep, a sharp razor and proper technique. I am still learning the growth of my beard and how to stretch the skin. When I stretch the skin, use a light touch and good technique I get a great shave and a confidence booster.

Good luck.