Thread: straight razor not shaving

Okay, I am a newbie. I have read a lot online about straights, and I bought one off of an online posting like craigslist a while ago. It is a new Dovo razor that someone had got as a gift but didn't like it. It came with a strop. I bought some proraso shaving soap and a cheap (non-badger hair) brush to apply it. But when I shaved with it it really didn't work very well. Figured it may not be sharp enough (shave-ready) so, first I bought an 8000 grid waterstone and tried to sharpen it myself. Didn't have a noticeable improvement. Of course I read here that newbies don't sharpen properly so I decided I'd send it to someone who knew what they were doing. Got it honed by someone linked to here, and it came back with maybe a slight improvement (I didn't strop it before trying since they said they strop it before they send it back). It was definitely sharpened as there was more wear on the spine.

Is it possible that I just don't have the right type of beard? The razor doesn't seem to slice the hair. I get some ripping and then give up and do the job with my disposable gilette sensor. Is it my technique? I have never cut myself with it, and it doesn't really seem that it is sharp enough just to slice stuff. I tried the hanging hair test and it tends to grab the hair and tug it but never slice on contact.

If it was done by someone with a decent reputation here, then they shave tested it. A straight can work for any type of beard. Sorry, but that likely means it's your technique. Have you done any of the highly recommended reading in the Wiki for beginners? This ain't the easiest thing to pick up and for many it takes a while to get the proper feel for it--kind of like learning to ride a bike.

Keep trying and ask lots of questions--the more specific the better.

Welcome to SRP

your tecniqe being probably lacking probably has some of the blame
And good prep is also a Big factor in getting a good shave(hot shower, make lather,strop/wait 3 minutes, reaply lather if needed then shave
You could start with your blade flat at your sideburn area and slowly lift it till it starts cutting

Good luck

And more adwice will follow shortly im sure

yeah, it's probably your technique and/or prep.

it took me about 3 months before i got a truly good shave, and that was after getting the razor honed by lynn. i can't vouch for any of the other honemeisters, but lynn definitely brought my razor to a shave ready state.

do you use a preshave oil? is your lather truly adequate? i found that my lather took a bit of practice to get right, and the preshave oil did more harm than good because it killed the lather. btw, i use Col. Conk's soap, which i find to be quite good, but the other members have posted reviews of other soaps elsewhere.

they say that the three things you need for a good straight shave are a shave ready razor, good lather, and patience. good luck!

Thanks for the replies and advice!

I think next time I shave I will try and do a lot longer pre-shave preparation. I may have not been getting my whiskers soft enough. My pre-shave prep has just been shower, quick hot water soak and lather, so I'll try lots more soaking.

As for the lather, I am not sure that I am getting it okay (never having experienced it done by professionals). It is fine for use with my cartridge razor, though that's not saying much. I have watched some videos on good lather and tried to emulate them. I think I'm doing okay except that I don't have a badger hair brush (just a $10 synthetic brush). Is it possible to get a good lather with a synthetic?

I get a better lather easier with a badger hair brush but I got along just fine for about 25 years with cheap boar brushes. Your brush likely is not a major factor in your difficulty.

Angle of the blade relative to your skin and the stroking motion itself are critical. Consider how you slice a tomato. You don't just push straight down through the tomato, you move the blade lengthwise at the same time as the downward stroke. Your shaving is done the same way with a scything motion.

Hmm ... I reckon your preparation is perfectly adequate. Quite often I just wash my face, lather up, strop my razor and get stuck in; in fact I actively prefer the whiskers to have a little resilience left. Don't think it's that.

Not having used a synthetic brush I'm not speaking from personal experience, but they're supposed to be surprisingly decent for soap or cream, so perhaps it's your chosen shaving medium which is causing the lather problem: what soap or cream are you using, and are you using a bowl or going straight to your face with the brush? If you're having trouble, stick with the former for now and aim to make your lather stiff then add water till it still has some body but doesn't stick up in stiff spikes. Getting lots of soap into the brush and then achieving the right ratio of product to water are the keys here, along with practice.

Now the razor. Ten to one it's the angle, and if you haven't cut yourself yet it'll probably be too flat to your face. You're looking for something like 30 degrees, give or take, and it's easy to under estimate. One and a half spine widths of space between the razor and your face will be somewhere near for a 5/8, a bit more for wider razors. Experiment - carefully - and this will come good with, you've guessed it, practice. Your Dovo will most likely be a full hollow, so you should be able to hear it cutting quite distinctly, which is one of the pleasures of shaving with an open razor.

Finally, nil desperandum. It's not the easiest skill to pick up, especially coming from a cartridge razor I should think (don't know, never used one), but apply yourself and you will get there, no doubt about it. The rewards are considerable.

If your shaving technique is lacking using the best shave prep and soap and brushes in the world ain't going to make that much of a difference. If you have the technique down good those things will increase your enjoyment but your use of the blade trumps all.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

If your shaving technique is lacking using the best shave prep and soap and brushes in the world ain't going to make that much of a difference. If you have the technique down good those things will increase your enjoyment but your use of the blade trumps all.

+1
I shave with no beard prep and it works just fine, its all about technique.
Not saying that good lather and some other beard treats is a bad thing though.

As you can see a lot people has advise you and in fact they all correct.
In straight razor shaving there is not such a only factor will stop you getting great shave.
It include many factors.
That is why you will need to find out where is your problem.
It could be anything . let's say
sharpness of the blade.
angle while you shave.
wrong stropping technique( i know you said you didn't strop before shave)
preparation for the shave.
cheap soaps
Making longer strokes then necessary
growth of the facial hair(many members will argue this factor)
etc
i would suggest try eliminating factors 1 by one.
1.st you have done it . get it sharpen by someone from here. contact that person and ask for help. has blade shave tested before shipping etc(mostly srp member very helpful)
Second. Please find right angle which your razor will cut most smoothly(without tagging etc.) doesn't matter how sharp your blade will be without right angle it will pull hairs and you will have uncomfortable shave/
Preparation i think you know already.
use small strokes.
Please don't shave against the grain at the moment.
hope this helps.