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.