Thread: Will bad razor angle while shaving dull the blade ?

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out why i can't keep my razors sharp. My razors are pulling on whiskers so much that i cant really cut unless i put pressure or change to aggresives angles. Do you think it's possible i dulled all my razors because i used aggressive angles when it didnt cut smoothly?

Thank you very much in advance.

JP

I use pretty aggressive angles and go 10 shaves before I touch it up with CrOx.

There are other SRP members who are probably more experienced at this than I, but imho a bad razor angle won't dull your blade to the point of not being able to use your razor, but it will not provide with the best shave.

If your razors aren't cutting your beard smoothly, check your stropping technique first. You may have dulled your blade while stropping.

As a remedy, get a second used strop and apply some diamond spray or CrOx and strop it 15-20 strokes. Then move to your regular strop and give it 50 strokes on the fabric and 55 on the leather. See if that helps at all.

If the preceding does not improve your razor's performance, then perhaps you'll have to get it rehoned.

If you're using a strop alone you need to have it honed. It sounds like it's very dull. Barber hones can be had cheaply off ebay and most people on here can tell you how to use it. I don't think your beard can dull it enough to not be corrected by stropping BTW.

Originally Posted by jhenry

check your stropping technique first. You may have dulled your blade while stropping.

Yes probably. I'm working hard on my stropping technique, still not quite sure if im doing right since my razor just keep pulling so any improvement would probably be covered up. I tryed touching up with CrO2 (green thing) and also i tryed touching up with a barber hone i have. I think i got improvement on a small wedge but all my full hollows gives poor shaves..

Thank you for your advices i think you're right. I should get one rehoned.

J-P

Your razors sound like they need rehoning. Poor stropping is likely the big culprit & any faults will be magnified with CrO & stones. Also high shaving angles will contribute to edge failure.
Link below is worth a read

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-use-care.html

Originally Posted by onimaru55

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-use-care.html

Oh thank you very much! Very inspiring reading, especially the section about the blade selection. I have two almost wedge blades, one wapi and one very small maybe 1/2 inch wide and i think i will get those one honed since i have coarse beard, thick whiskers but small face.

J-P

& Thanx to JimmyHAD for the original post

Originally Posted by onimaru55

Your razors sound like they need rehoning. Poor stropping is likely the big culprit & any faults will be magnified with CrO & stones. Also high shaving angles will contribute to edge failure.
Link below is worth a read

http://straightrazorpalace.com/razor...-use-care.html

Onimaru,

I never would have thought that the shaving angle would contribute to an edge failure. Stropping and honing I understand. But it makes sense.

Thanks for pointing that out.

I have found that the keener the razor is, the lower the angle you need to shave with so what you have said you need to hone. If you have a very sharp razor you probably can't get to high an angle because you will cut yourself. When I have a newly sharpened razor I lay it down and lighten up on the pressure. When you are shaving with a sharp razor your angle is low thus the pressure you are applying is to the side of the blade not the point, if that makes sense, so that you are less likely to cut yourself or get razor burn.

Later,
Richard