Thread: Sadly...my best shave in over a month.

It sounds like your razor is not shave ready to me.
I would try giving it 5 to10 passes on the diamond wipe it off good and give it 5 to 10 passes on Cro-ox if it is pasted lightly. If the Cro-ox is pasted too heavy it can dull the blade. Use light pressure.
Then wipe it off and strop it on fabric 50 passes and 50 passes on leather then test shave it and see how it does. Is it better? Does it need more help? if it does go back over it again.

full hollow blades do not need more angle. Using to much angle can dull the edge of the best razors. You might try using a scything motion on you shaving strokes. Razors really cut better when they are slightly sliceing the hair off instead of hitting it straight on. You will notice a change in the sound of the razor.

The Bokers have given me some of my very best shaves. When I got my King cutter new it was not sharpened by a pro. I gave it some passes on a pasted strop then hit the leather. It just wiped the hair off after that.

Let us know how it goes.

Silver2

Thank you for all the advice. I will try to give it a few passes on the paste. So you're saying I should run it over the diamond first, followed by the CroX? Just want to make sure that is correct?

When I say I was increasing my angle, I meant very, very little. I have been using a 20 degree angle (estimated) with my other blades with good results. Today, I increased the angle to maybe 30 degrees and got better results with this particular blade.

I will take your advice and give the Boker a few passes on the paste prior to my next shave and see what happens.

Yes, strop on diamond first then Cro-ox.

Yes up to 30 degrees is fine on WTG.

Give a try at using a very slight slicing motion on you shaving stroke.
Made a big difference in my shaving.

My shaves were so close on 2 passes one WTG and one ATG that I had to stop using the ATG pass because of ingrown hairs.

Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out?

Silver2

Just bear in mind any possible stropping faults will be magnified on pasted strops so easy does it.
Also it may be just semantics but DON"T do any kind of slicing action or slicing is what you may achieve All you need do is angle the blade so heel or toe hits the hair first followed by the rest of the blade.

I did the same thing for a bit and fell into a slump after about a month of shaves...some good CroOx, and nice laps on the leather, and no distractions, and BBS once again. I think some of it may have to do with your beard getting used to the STR8 as well. Senior wise can jump in on this one. I used electrics a long time ago and it would take a few week b/f your beard get used to the razor and start shaving closer once again. I'm about 2 months in on STR8's and it's getting better every time...

Okay, I'm convinced that the Edelweiss is not as sharp as it should be. I have shaved with it at least 5 times and each time I have gotten a terrible shave. Irritation, tugging and not enough hair being removed.

Yes, I have only been using a straight for two months, but I have three other razors that I shave with no problem, so I am almost certain (99%) that it is not my technique. I just cannot get a close, comfortable shave with this blade.

I'm going to send it out to be honed and see what happens from there.

Yep learning what sharp is a learning curve all by itself, when you get into honing your own straights and learning what sharp and smooth are ,then the shaves get real good, but take your time and have fun ,you will get there.