Bad Technique or not really "Shave Ready"?

Hi there

I'm completely new to straight shaving and have recently purchased a Dovo Best Quality razor (pre Honed & Stropped) and Dovo Prima Rindleder strop, to see if it is for me.

I opted to go straight in to a full shave without stropping myself to get the feel of the razor in it's best condition. I'm quite pleased with the result for a first go, 2 minor cuts in areas that I regularly irritate with a mach 3, so no real surprise.
As I say I'm happy with the result, not what I would call a close shave but nevertheless I was happy enough to leave the house. I'm expecting with practice this will improve, as all advise seems to indicate this.

I saved my chin to last and while doing this area could tell that the blade had changed, it didn't seem to be cutting as well. I finished the first pass and the tried a strop but this didn't seem to change things, but the results were OK so I finished up and left for work.

Now on my return home I have tried stropping again but I can't seem to get the edge back, testing on the back of my arm and on a long hair, I'm trying different techniques of stropping and get varying results, from not bad to very dull. When I say not bad, when cutting a long hair (in a loop) the hair tensions up before breaking.

Would you put this down to strop technique, or could something be wrong with the hone? Could a poor strop ruin a blade so quickly?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Pete

Welcome to SRP

bad shaving tecniqe wil dull your blade a bit at first
its probably a bit of luck that not more dull the blade when first stropping
one bad move(pretty bad) and the edge is gone

you seem to be off to a good start even if your razor is not

I would bet it is mostly technique, when you are new to this, honestly you really abuse the edges, between hard angles, and shall we say not so perfect stropping ...

BUT I SWEAR, if you keep at it it does get better...

If you think the stropping might be at fault try putting the strop flat on the edge of a table and stropping that way...

Here are some tips that I do each month and also read Lynn's beginner tips, some things in there will click for ya...


http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...an-2010-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...eb-2010-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ch-2010-a.html

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...il-2010-a.html

Good luck and stick with it...

Hi Pete10uk,
Sounds to me like a classic case of " non-shave ready" razor.It was sharp enough to do the first draw down your cheek but not sharp enough to tackle your chin.
You need to get your razor honed by a pro-send it to Neill Miller of Strop-shop.co.uk.He is also an SRP member.I have bought a razor honed by Neil and it was "sharp"!
As already pointed out your stropping technique (or lack of it) could have damaged the blade but is not likely as you know when you have screwed up on this.(when you strop badly it sounds bad and you can't feel the "draw").
You do not say what skin prep you use- I recommend Proraso but there are other good brands out there.
Once your razor is honed then you will know what the razor can do when properly sharpened.
Hope this helps.
From one brit to another-welcom to SRP & happy shaving!
Best regards
Noggs :beer1:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pete10uk

Hi there

I'm completely new to straight shaving and have recently purchased a Dovo Best Quality razor (pre Honed & Stropped) and Dovo Prima Rindleder strop, to see if it is for me.

I opted to go straight in to a full shave without stropping myself to get the feel of the razor in it's best condition. I'm quite pleased with the result for a first go, 2 minor cuts in areas that I regularly irritate with a mach 3, so no real surprise.
As I say I'm happy with the result, not what I would call a close shave but nevertheless I was happy enough to leave the house. I'm expecting with practice this will improve, as all advise seems to indicate this.

I saved my chin to last and while doing this area could tell that the blade had changed, it didn't seem to be cutting as well. I finished the first pass and the tried a strop but this didn't seem to change things, but the results were OK so I finished up and left for work.

Now on my return home I have tried stropping again but I can't seem to get the edge back, testing on the back of my arm and on a long hair, I'm trying different techniques of stropping and get varying results, from not bad to very dull. When I say not bad, when cutting a long hair (in a loop) the hair tensions up before breaking.

Would you put this down to strop technique, or could something be wrong with the hone? Could a poor strop ruin a blade so quickly?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Pete

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Chin is a hard location to shave correctly, so it might be just lack of technique/prep.

Probing the edge with hairs outside shaving situation is a learned skill that depends. You can continue doing it (to gather data between your hair tests and shaves), but concentrate on shavetest for now, ie. does it shave passable?

Dovo rindleder is decent strop (though a bit short) IMO. Steve's honing is good too. Poor stropping/prep is more probable cause. Can you describe what did you try stropping?

Does it pull when you shave your sideburns and no angling seems to be correct? If so, try fix it with stropping, say 100 laps. If it still doesn't cut the mustard, try touching it up with crox, newspaper. If that doesn't work, send it off to honing.

When I was starting out, the edge did worsen until I learned to strop properly.

As an aside, it is suggested that beginners not strop the razor before shaving because they screw it up when stropping. It is not because we want you to try the razor "in it's best condition".

I would suggest following Glen's advice because it is also very possible that after shaving you'll not be stropping well enough.

Razors often smooth out after stropping and initial shaves which makes them less sharp. Then they stop "passing" the sharpness tests which are only designed to check for sharpness directly after honing. The only true test, besides shaving, that is accomplished after stropping, is the thumb pad test. Often, this new smoothness is a good thing, and not a bad thing.

After very effective stropping razors often smooth out in a way that makes them glide over soft long head hair, yet continue to shave whiskers quite well. Another point on a long list of things not understood about razor testing.

Welcome to SRP. A +1 to what the other gentlemen said. The knob of the chin is probably my toughest part to shave and there is a difference in how the blade feels when shaving some areas as opposed to others. As my skin stretching, blade angle and stroke improved the difference became less apparent to me. So as sixgun said, it does get better. The stropping and the condition of the edge is another issue but the stropping will also get better with practice and the edge can be retouched if it is necessary. Hang in there and keep at it. :gl:

The chin is probably the hardest area to get right, which means it could be technique, but it could also be that you rolled the edge whilst stropping.

But, as Glen said, it does get better! :) We all started out like that (at least I certainly did!), and we're still here to tell the tale and all the richer for it. Not monetarily of course, because we spend all our money on razors and hones, but spiritually..! Lol :D

Good luck and keep us posted!

I'll cast another vote for technique. The cheek is easy, which is why Lynn's first shave guide says do just your dominant cheek on your first shave, get good at it, move to the other side...gradually progressing to more difficult areas. Every time I progressed, I'd start nicking myself up again.

I know my blades are nice and sharp from beginning to end, and I have a heavy beard too. There are just places that are hard to shave and, at least initially, you'll leave some stubble behind. I have a spot in the hollow of my throat that is always a little rough, compared to the rest of my face. But I get that with Gillette razors.

Patience. It'll come with time.

Goog

I might have missed the part about where you bought the razor, but it sounds like you got it at straight razor place. Com. If you did then those blades are guaranteed shave ready. My technique sucked for the first 20 shaves. After 20 I could see that my angles and techniques were getting better. Just keep that blade in good condition and take it slow and you will do fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by salazch

I might have missed the part about where you bought the razor, but it sounds like you got it at straight razor place. Com. If you did then those blades are guaranteed shave ready.

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I just sold a razor on the mentioned website earlier tonight and I can guarantee that it doesn't shave at all :)