Thread: 2 questions

So I finally got around to dumping the 8 buck a month a habit known as buying chinese triple safety razors at sprawlmart.

I started small. Got a starter kit from an Internet store. Dovo basic plastic handled straight razor, hair brush, plastic tub of glycerine soap, strop with leather and what looks like braided nylon/plastic. Ordered a 4/8 Norton.

Norton arrives 2 days after razor, so I'm chomping at the bit for 2 days.

Get the Norton stone yesterday. Give it about 20 passes on the 4k side, then 20 on the 8k side. Strop it on leather about 15 times.

I had about 2 weeks worth of growth, fairly heavy beard. 41 and male, BTW, if that makes a difference.

So I lather up and get going - first couple swipes are working, very loud, feels as though I'm using a broken beer bottle. I get from ears to jaw line, done, but leave the chin strap and the goatee.

Go back to the stone. Put about 150 strokes on the 4k, 20 on the 8k, 20 strops on leather.

Resoap, finish the shave. Several of the strokes are really fine - no pulling or whatnot.

Finished shave is at least as good as what a sprawlmart throwaway would give you.

Few minor points of blood that stop immediately and are not noticeable an hour later.

So I'm pleased with the experience, and it was cool as all get out.

Here are my questions -

I realized that the razor wasn't ready to go out of the box, but I didn't think i'd have to go lower than a 4k surface to get it honed. After the honing I gave it, I examined the edge carefully and there is a very clear bevel on one side that starts on the heel of the blade fairly wide and then is barely visible on the end of the blade. Same thing on the opposite side of the blade, but the taper of the bevel is reversed.

There was no visible bevel when I got it.

Question - should I go to a lower grit? The shave was OK, but a bit rough.

Question - does it matter that I had 2 weeks growth? Some strokes were fine, others pulling. I assumed the length of hair was not material, as long as I kept the blade clean.


FWIW - the only part of the whole shave that made me nervous was doing directly under my nose. The only really bad cuts I've had with sprawlmart razors have always been under my nostrils at the very top of my mustache. I swear I have a major artery going right through there.


Thanks.

Frank.

hmmm.. Based on your description of kit, i am guessing this razor was supposed be shave ready adn came with a free honing certificate?

I have a feeling you did more bad than good with your norton.

I would just assume that the razor didn't have a bevel when you got it. It's better to be safe than sorry especially considering a professional honing should only cost $20 or so. If you're trying to set a bevel with 4k you're going to have to spend a lot of time (which you learned). If you're interested in setting the bevel yourself and you don't want to buy another stone I would suggest picking up some wet/dry sandpaper. Without a bevel there is no way you're going to get a shave (as you found out and corrected). From the description of the "broken beer bottle" I think that you didn't have a bevel.

Here are some useful wiki links that are applicable for your situation:
Bevel-setting in theory and practice - Straight Razor Place Wiki
Using micro abrasive film - Straight Razor Place Wiki
Formulae For Converting Between Grit and Microns - Straight Razor Place Wiki

To specifically address your questions a lower grit isn't necessary per se but it makes your job much, much easier. Second question: the different lengths of hair probably more had a combination of beard preparation and different hair softness, perhaps inconsistent bevel on the edge resulting in sharper parts of the blade, hair growth direction, and differing blade pressure across your face. I would say that the different types of grabs are probably primarily due to too high of an angle.

Wow. Thanks for the quick responses.

The kit I bought was this one Basic Five Piece Straight Razor Shaving Set - Straight Razors

They wanted 20 bucks for "professional honing."

20 bucks! No thanks, I'm a real cheapi.

Anyway - based on the above two replies, it almost certainly didn't come with a bevel. I'll read the links and post back as appropriate.

Thanks fellas.

O.k.. Yeah, that probably needs honed them. If you dont want to send that razor out ot be professionally honed, do yourself a favor and buy asecond razor that is shave ready to compare with your not shave ready dovo.

The Pyramid system in the wiki is a good starting point and will help you achieve repeatable results.

Instead of sandpaper for bevel setting, i would look about buying a 1k king for around $20(if i remember correctly).

Honing a razor is not quite like honing a knife and takes patience and practice. Do yourself a favor and tape the spine with electrical tape to avoid additional hone wear.

Btw, isnt a 4k/8k stone quite a bit more than $20 honing service?

Welcome to SRP. As claytor suggested the SRP Wiki has a lot of good info on all things related to straight razors including shaving, honing, equipment and about anything else you might need or want to know.

It is not unusual for a razor to have an uneven width bevel from one end to the other or from one side to the other. The honing progression you used is a bit radical and not really what a knowledgeable honer would do IME.

The suggestion to have the razor pro honed is a good one. That will give you a benchmark to judge your own efforts with other razors. If it was "shave ready" when you received it and didn't perform to your expectations that could have been a result of shaving technique, miscuing when stropping ..... we'll never know.

Read Lynn's pyramid technique in the Wiki honing section and give that a try and if you haven't flattened the stone you might want to do that. Look for hone lapping 101 in the Wiki.

Just my 2 cents but i would take that razor and send it out to Lynn(founder of SRP) and have him hone it, then you will know what a shave ready razor is suppose to feel like. Then i would put the hone away for awhile and learn to shave and strop till you can pretty much shave with no complications, by that time you can conquer honing which is another beast all by itself. Its easier to do one thing at first , get that down and move on. Hope this helped. Also welcome to SRP!!!!

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

O.k.. Yeah, that probably needs honed them. If you dont want to send that razor out ot be professionally honed, do yourself a favor and buy asecond razor that is shave ready.


Btw, isnt a 4k/8k stone quite a bit more than $20 honing service?

I give up. This is not worth it. I come here and post a question in the beginner's forum and this is the response I get?

Do I need to point out that 20 bucks spent is 20 bucks out the window and I don't learn how to do it myself? But the stone I'll have a good long time?

As for "getting a shave ready blade," that defeats the purpose. I don't want to spend the money for a second razor that will be redundant, and I don't want to pay somebody else to do what I can do myself.

And, seriously, we're talking about sharpening a blade here. Sure, skill is required. But I'll learn that skill - not pay somebody else to do it and use a "spoon feed ready" blade until I get around to it.

I asked 2 questions.

1 appears to have gone unanswered.
The other was answered with . . .
get some wet dry sandpaper.
pay to have somebody else do it.
spend 200 bucks on a redundant tool.

Take care.

I am extremely sorry to offend you by offering advice. I will try to take a more helpful tone from now on.

Yes.. go find the cheapest sandpaper possible and hone until you have a 3/8 blade, then start a thread about how horrible dovo razors are. I look forward to it.

I made that comment about cost due to you saying want to save money and be cheap. Spending $90 on a hone vs $20 does not follow that logic. Unless you plan to purchase many razors and become the newest honester.

I recommended a second razor that is shave ready because you obviously have no idea what a shave ready razor should feel like.

Originally Posted by FrankIvy

I give up. This is not worth it. I come here and post a question in the beginner's forum and this is the response I get?

Do I need to point out that 20 bucks spent is 20 bucks out the window and I don't learn how to do it myself? But the stone I'll have a good long time?

As for "getting a shave ready blade," that defeats the purpose. I don't want to spend the money for a second razor that will be redundant, and I don't want to pay somebody else to do what I can do myself.

And, seriously, we're talking about sharpening a blade here. Sure, skill is required. But I'll learn that skill - not pay somebody else to do it and use a "spoon feed ready" blade until I get around to it.

I asked 2 questions.

1 appears to have gone unanswered.
The other was answered with . . .
get some wet dry sandpaper.
pay to have somebody else do it.
spend 200 bucks on a redundant tool.

Take care.

Here's your hat, there's the door .... what's your hurry ?