second shave...still no luck

Ok after the first attempt to shave i tried once more and still it was very bad!...

I think the blade is not ready shave even though the guys who sold me the blade told me it is

In my head the logic explanation is that if this thing cuts...then it should be able to remove the hair off my face smoothly just by sliding the blade down my face,... now...when i do that i feel the blade grabbing my hair but not cutting them! so basically its just grabbing my hair! :gwh:

I really dont thing is the lather or the way i shave...damn thing just wont cut even though i stropped it on leather about 70 or 80 times...:rant:

I quess im gonna have to send it to a honing expert and wait before i try a 3rd time and throw everything out the window

Poor technique will mimic a poorly honed razor almost exactly. If you've been shaving for more than six months, then I would say send the razor in for a hone. If you've started shaving in the last month, I say give it more time. Take the razor and strop it up, then try the hanging hair test. If it cuts the hair, then try taking a look at your technique...but if you're testing the blade, don't do the thumb-nail test as this test at this point will only dull your blade.

Another thing to try is multiple passes. On my first pass, the WTG only takes about 20% of the hair. My second pass XTG usually takes another 70%, witht he remaining 10% on my ATG. If this sounds like you're results....only one pass that's getting about a quarter of the hair, then that's alright. Finish the pass and start on the XTG pass from the corner of the mouth to the earlobe and watch how the hair starts to fall off.

Hi..

Thanks for your answer

How do i do the hanging hair test? And see if this thing really cuts?

And yes...on the first pass it only takes out about 20% off the hair...is this normal? I thought the razor smoothly removes the hair of the face


Isnt there a technique to do just one pass?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Philippos

I quess im gonna have to send it to a honing expert and wait before i try a 3rd time and throw everything out the window

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Try change angle . if that will not work then i can hone your razor. just send pm i let you know my mailing address.
you pay for shipping back to you.

This sounds exactly like most people's first time. I'm only a couple shaves in too, and just from the change in quality between the first and second shaves for me I could tell it was just my technique.

Straight shaving may look ridiculously easy, but starting isn't as simple as just sliding the blade down your face. Pressure and angle being just slightly off can alter the quality of the shave. From the advice and experience stories from people on here, it takes quite a bit of practice to get a smooth shave, and it's not going to be a one-pass shave to BBS.

Hi Stylus...thanks for your answer man...

i know its a long learning curve... but i cant get it out of my head that this razor is not sharp enough...i feel it..! Unless i hone it somewhere i cant tell if its just my technique or the blade... how do you test your blade?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Philippos

Hi..

Thanks for your answer

How do i do the hanging hair test? And see if this thing really cuts?

And yes...on the first pass it only takes out about 20% off the hair...is this normal? I thought the razor smoothly removes the hair of the face


Isnt there a technique to do just one pass?

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Here's the best way to describe it:

YouTube - Hanging hair test . Razor's edge !!!!

Well, you can get smoother on a single pass, but it involves increasing the angle of attack. I recommend just doing what you can do until you get more comfortable. If you're not taking all the hair off you want, you can do a clean up using your usual method of shaving. If you have gone cold turkey, do at least two passes...no matter how long it takes:)

Who sold you the razor saying it was shave ready? While I'm still a beginner myself, I know that very few razors advertized as shave ready really are.

Also, the razor could be in perfect condition but you are doing something wrong. Remember that you are the beginner here, and your stropping, beard prep, and shaving techniques are all at the beginner stage. It is not uncommon for someone who is using poor technique to blame a perfectly good razor.

That said, some people simply have very heavy hair that is hard to cut. There was a thread not to long ago where someone had a shave ready razor honed to perfection and shave tested, but still did not shave well for the purchaser because of their hair.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Philippos

And yes...on the first pass it only takes out about 20% off the hair...is this normal? I thought the razor smoothly removes the hair of the face


Isnt there a technique to do just one pass?

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When I do my first pass WTG, I get 99% of the hair. This really is good enough if you are just shaving for the look of it. Subsequent passes are to simply knock down the little remaining stubble to get a smooth to the touch shave.

Getting a baby butt smooth face in one pass is not realistic. With straight razor shaving, you are reducing the beard with each pass. First WTG pass gets most of it, and later passes get progressively more and more of the stubble. If you are trying to get BBS with a single pass, you are going to end up disappointed, or bloody.

I tested mine once with the HHT after my first shave, just to get an idea for whether or not I wrecked my edge with bad stropping or something (it passed). According to many members here who hone a lot and I think even in the wiki, the HHT is still not a completely accurate test and the only true sharpness test is the shave test, which unfortunately only works for people who know what they're doing, i.e. not beginners like us.

If you bought your razor on the classifieds here from one of the members and they said it was shave ready, it probably is. Also if you bought it from a vendor site like SRD and they said it was shave ready BY A PROFFESIONAL HONER then it is. If you bought it straight from DOVO or something and it's only factory honed, it does indeed need to be sent out.

Now with the members here there's always room for error, since they are only human, so it's possible it would need to be re-honed, but I would say not as likely.

Thanks for you answers


I got the razor from here

Straight razors online, straight shaving razor, UK straight razors

Its in the UK...i already contact them for the situation and im waiting for a reply after the weekend

I also did the hanging hair Test and the hair did not cut, or broke.... so its most probably not shave ready!

I will wait for their answer and see what im gonna do...

Looks like the problem got solved. I've never heard of the company before and as such, I'd be pretty concerned that it wasn't sold shave ready. Between the buying from an unknown vendor and not passing the HHT, I'd say it's time to send it in for a hone. These guys www.strop-shop.co.uk - UK Razor Honing and Sharpening Service are a known quantity and can get that razor honed up properly for you.

take sham 'hi_bud_gl' up on his offer might take a little longer but cheaper and he puts an absolute wickid edge on razors...

Cheers for that link red96ta i will check it out...

Whether the razor is sharp or not, during the beginning stages, when even with a sharp razor you will razor burn yourself and inflict other damages, you don't need the extra worry wondering whether it is sharp. Mail it to someone here for honing right away! (I think someone above offered.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Philippos

I also did the hanging hair Test and the hair did not cut, or broke.... so its most probably not shave ready!

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FWIW, I currently own 4 razors and only one of them passes the HHT. :boohoo:

I am not sure what to make of this, but all of my razors have passed my shave test......for the most part.

I can honestly say, that my first two weeks of shaving with a straight, I too thought my blade was dull. I even sent a brand new blade (honed by Lynn) out to be rehoned because I was certain it was the blade.

Guess what, it was me and my noob technique.

Hi.

Yeah its a 50/50 thing...either is the blade or me...we gonna have to find out...i cant risk shaving with it if its not sharp enough...i may cut my self bad

If it cant cut hair then most probably the blade is dull.... and i already contacted the guys who sold me that and their honing expert is not even in the same town as they are...Chances are big for the blade to be not shave ready... i will let you guys know after i hone it the results

philippos,

+1 on red96ta's suggestion of sending the razor to Mr Neil Miller of www.strop-shop.co.uk. He does a superb job, and is a most fine chap to do business with :)

Mr Steve Dempster of www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk also does excellent honing.

Good luck :)

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ