Thread: Do you change technique when using different razors?

Hi, I'd really appreciate some suggestions from the group about technique when using different razors.

I've been shaving every day for about a month with a Dovo Best Quality 5/8 full hollow, bought shave ready. My technique is nowhere near world-class but it's getting better every day - better shaves, fewer cuts, less razor burn. I'm happy with the shaves I'm able to achieve and really enjoying this straight razor thing.

The other day I got my Dixie 5/8 back from honing. I gave it a strop as suggested, then tried shaving with it. No cuts, and no razor burn, but I couldn't seem to cut the whiskers as efficiently as with the Dovo. It took a lot more strokes with the Dixie, and after 2 passes there was still a lot of stubble left. I tried again the next day, same result.

The following day (this morning) I shaved with the Dovo, and got a good shave by my standards.

Please don't misunderstand: I'm not blaming the Dixie razor. It's been honed by one of the best in the business and it came to me shave ready. If I'm not getting a good shave with it, I'm doing something wrong. But what?

The only meaningful difference between the two razors is that the Dixie is half hollow while the Dovo is full hollow. Both are 5/8, the Dovo on the wide side and the Dixie on the narrow side. Stropping, face prep, etc. have stayed exactly the same between the two razors.

How much do you adjust your technique to the razor you're using?

Can you suggest where to start looking in my own technique?

Thanks!

The Dixie is a little thinner stock than your Dovo. It is also an excellent shaver. I would try a little more upright angle with it and see how it goes.

Have fun,

Lynn

+1 on that.

I used to find with the larger or smaller razors that I would sometimes use too much of an angle and get a bad shave. It takes a little practice to work out the best angle for each razor, but thats part of the fun!

Originally Posted by Lynn

The Dixie is a little thinner stock than your Dovo. It is also an excellent shaver. I would try a little more upright angle with it and see how it goes.

Have fun,

Lynn

Hey Lynn (or anyone else who knows the answer), what does "a little thinner stock" mean?

I'm asking because if they're both 5/8, and if the Dovo is a full hollow while the Dixie is a half hollow, it seems like the Dovo would be the thinner blade in most regards. Is it the spine width?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Lynn

The Dixie is a little thinner stock than your Dovo. It is also an excellent shaver. I would try a little more upright angle with it and see how it goes.

Have fun,

Lynn

Hey Lynn, thanks for the tip. I was doing just the opposite - when the razor didn't seem to be cutting I tended to flatten out the angle. I'll try a steeper angle tomorrow and see what happens. Learning this stuff is a big part of the fun for me.

Sorry, I didn't give you due credit in the original post. Thanks for honing my grandfather's old Dixie and for peening the pins; I know it'll shave great once I get the hang of it. You also honed up the Dovo when I bought it from SRD, and that one got me hooked on straight razors.

Yep, the Dixie is definitely a thinner and narrower blade than the Dovo. Just for fun I measured them. From the cutting edge to the very top of the spine, the Dixie measures 19/32" and the Dove 23/32". The Dovo spine is a little wider than the Dixie spine. That's quite a variation; I guess the Dixie is a "thin" 5/8 and the Dovo a "fat" 5/8. Again, learning something every day.

Thanks again for the help, and best regards.

Once you have been shaving for some time it gets kind of automatic so I'm not aware of any changes I make from grind to grind or razor to razor. With size yes because the larger ones are less maneuverable so you have to watch how you move it around your face and the scales on the larger ones can get clumsy so you have to adjust how you hold the scales.

+1 to what everyone has said, the angle is pretty much what changes from blade to blade for me, but not drastically just a little change here and there depending on the blade size Enjoy and good luck!!

I use a different technique with a rounded point than I do with a square point. I can't tell you what I change, as I don't do it consciously but I'm very much aware that I do it.

Happy to report that Lynn's advice about a more upright angle helped considerably. I had a much better experience today with the Dixie. Now I just need to practice.
Thanks again to everyone for the input. This site is a great resource.