Thread: Poor start. Stalled.

I've been DE shaving for about 8 months. I've become really proficient and get terrific results, and its enjoyable.

I've always wanted to try a straight, and nearly did many years ago, but glad I didn't, as I was able to do more homework via the DE experience. So prep and lather are not issues, and I've done my reading on 'how to', and what to expect.

But my straight experience has been awful so far. I bought a vintage German blade from B&B, and despite the seller honing his own blades, this one was not shave ready for me. I sent it to Onimaru from here, and he's got a sharper edge on it, but it still bounces and tugs anywhere but my cheeks WTG.

To top it, after my second shave, it appears I've nicked the edge while stropping. So now I can't use it. Is this possible? I heeded Oni's advice to treat the edge with care and stropped it with as much care as I could.

So while I was very keen and looking forward to the learning experience, the opposite is now the case.

So am I expecting too much of this blade and my technique so far? I'm not expecting results anywhere near my DE, but was hoping to get a pass completed at least, albeit probably a pretty ordinary one.

I hold the blade quite firm to stop it skipping, but keep the touch on the face very light.

I've kept the blade very flat, to the point of almost sliding over the hair, but the only thing I can shave is my cheeks WTG. With stretching this takes me a little way down the neck too. I can do a few little of parts of the neck - has to be ATG though, I can't manoeuvre this blade WTG on my neck as the hair grows sideways and the blade won't fit shaving that way. But that's about it. No cuts, weeps or redness. But no shave either.

Just want to get some comments where I'm at. But I'm pretty much stalled here, with my blade as is anyway.

Your experience with tugging is typical for those starting out. When I started out, I bought a new Bismarck from SRD and the first shave was...unpleasant. After a bit of thinking, I could only come up with a couple theories, the blade was of poor quality (nixed that idea since it was a new Dovo), Lynn didn't hone the blade properly (fat chance), and the third option was that my angle was off (bingo!). Shaving with a straight razor requires about a six month learning curve, but your shaves will get significantly better after the first month. When I started, I thought the blade was at thirty degrees, but it really isn't. Try keeping the blade, at what you THINK is a fourty-five degree angle and you'll be real close to where you need to be.

As for dinging the blade...these things are incredibly fragile toward the edge. I've never heard of anybody dinging up an edge on a strop, but I've had an instance where the blade came off the strop and rang out in protest...I suppose I could have dinged up the blade if it wasn't a good day. More likely, you accidentally hit a faucet or countertop without you knowing it and dinged it.

Hello, Drubbing. To have nicked the blade while stropping you have probably been using too much pressure, this article in the Wiki may be useful. What is the strop you're using? If it's not a good one that could be the problem. It sounds as if you're too tight to your face as regards razor angle. For WTG passes try about two spine widths off your face and get closer if you still have problems. The fact that you're not getting good shaves so new to the game is not surprising and quite normal. Good luck and, if you can, stick at it. It does get better.

Thanks. There's no way I could have applied to much pressure stropping Alan. I heeded Oni advice to the letter and just drew the blade back and forth with no weight of my own.

Can't think of any instance where I was careless, but maybe so.

Anyway, thanks, can't stick with it yet, as I've got a dinged blade.

i will hone your blade free you have to include package and postage to send back to you.let me know if you want to do so.

Thanks mate a kind offer, but this blade has already come to me from the US, then to Sydney for a hone, and back, and I've only had it for 2 shaves.

If it needs doing, it really is cheaper and quicker to do it in Oz.

hi_bud's offer is great. Take it up, Drubbing.

What do you mean by a nicked blade? Can you elaborate? If you carefully strop the blade across your hand can you feel the blade catching somewhere?

If your hand feels no catching when you gently strop it across your hand then any damage caused is minor.

Send the razor out for honing in a couple of days.

In the mean time consider stropping it up properly instead of using the dainty incorrect way and you'll probably discover the blade is pretty decent afterall.

Step 1: Evalute this nick your talking about. No, a strop can't nick a blade unless you are stropping with your hand 6 inches above the strop line or 6 inches below.

Step 2: Strop the blade again, this time without concern for hurting the blade. Keep the strop relatively flat and use some pressure. Draw out the edge, then use light pressure for a bit, maybe 40 passes. Then hold the strop relaxed with your off-hand and strop with gentle pressure for another 40 or so passes. Then evalute the edge. If it still sucks continue with the original plan to send it out for honing. If, on the other hand, it suddenly starts shaving okay again, well, then . . . cool.

Remember though that this nick you have must not be felt when you strop lightly on your hand. And don't cut yourself on the nick.