Thread: Well that was quick...

I'm a rookie and, after 8 shaves I've managed to dull my Dovo Best Quality 6/8" razor. The blade really started to tug at my hair and burn my skin. I assumed it was my technique and pressed on for another shave, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I pulled out my reference blade, a Dovo Micarta professionally sharpened by SRD, and shaved with it. Whoaa.. world of difference. Smooth passes when I held the blade correctly, I could again focus on my technique.

I'm pretty sure I dulled the blade while stropping. I think I was moving the blade too slow with too light of pressure on the spine. I could hear a lot of "zing" coming off the blade, very different from the audio example in the wiki. Yes, I do lead with the spine, and roll on the spine, bet there is so much more to stropping than that.

I guess what I am trying to say is:
-For such a simple motion demonstrated by experts, its taking some practice for me to emulate.
-Stropping should improve blade sharpness, I manage to make it worse. Lame!
-Great advice from the community here to have a reference blade, helped out a ton.

So I'm gonna send the Dovo Best Quality back to Lynn/Don and have them touch it up for me. I don't think I've done any damage too it, just tuckered it out a bit early. In the meantime I'll continue to shave with the Micarta and hope that my stropping skills have progressed to the point where I wont do any harm.

My first edge didn't last long either.
As your shaves get better, so does the edge longevity...
I think even the wrong angle on your whiskers can dull the edge too.

Send it off for a touchup. usually, blades only have to be honed once every three months or so and, at least for me, about every two weeks it gets a couple laps on chromium oxide to bring that edge right back to where it's supposed to be.

If you have a crox pasted strop, give it a half-dozen laps and see what it does...I bet you'll be surprised.

Great to hear you were able to quickly get over what for some is a major setback. It's not a big deal, part of the learning process.

Have fun.

The pasted strop would be cool to try. I wouldn't be surprised if thats all it took to whip the edge back into shape. Alas, I only have my single strop. But this experience makes for a good excuse to go out and buy a new supremo strop and relegate my current one to the paste. I'm a sucker for gear........

Paddle strops don't flex or sag, and are better for beginners (like me), I think.
I have a horsehide barber's strop, but it's waiting in the wings until my technique is up to it.

A finely honed edge is difficult to achieve. To foul it up with faulty stropping is a minor tragedy.

I hone my own blades and I am very aware of how easy it is to mess up a decent honing job with poor stropping technique.

Cheers,
Ian

After just 8 shaves I doubt that you have really "dulled" the blade to the point of requiring a stone. It sounds like your strop technique is the trouble (that is assuming your face prep and lather are okay). Let's dispel something fairly quick. Speed is not the critical component, technique is. Don't pay much attention to the movies where the barber is flying up and down the strop. They are, after all, the movies.

You are correct with the light pressure. Don't push down on the blade. You stand the chance of rolling your edge. How many laps are you doing? I do 20 laps on the linen and 60 laps on the leather. You can practice your strop technique with a regular dinner knife (without the serrations).

It will come in time. Be patient...

I would suggest you use a paddle strop -- they don't sag, cup, or roll. You can make your own paddle strop from a piece a balsa wood that you can pick up at any hobby store. I make my own by gluing balsa to a solid piece of hardwood. You can also make a good paddle strop by gluing some leather to a piece of wood. You can get leather suitable for strops from a number of places, but even wide belt leather works well.

I am sure 10 - 15 passes on a pasted strop(Chrom Ox. 1.0/.50) will bring your edge back. My Dovo Special could only go about 3 shaves before it needed a few passes on my pasted paddle strop and that was considered a good beginner straight razor.

Everyones different. Most of my other straights can go 7+ plus shaves before a detour to the pasted strop. These razors have over 18 months of shaves on them and are they are just reaching the point of needing a stone honing.

Pabster

I had the same problem. In my case, I was using a little too steep of an angle while shaving, using too light of a pressure while stropping, and not making enough passes on the webbing.

I now make 30 passes on the webbing (60 on the leather), pull the strop until it's tightly flat but not super taught (stretched), and use a very light pressure (caused by rotating the blade until I can barely hear the edge).

Now my edges are lasting 2 weeks before touch ups on a pasted strop, 1 month between touch ups on a ultrafine finishing stone, and 4 months between touch ups on a fine stone. (I can get 50% more life between touch-ups if I be less picky. I just prefer to touch up the edge rather than be extra careful of my shaving angles & pressure).