Tearing me up.

K guys, i need some insight here. I am very new to all of this and I am having trouble with my shave, so if it's just me being new then let me have it. I have no problem taking criticism or admitting when I am wrong. With that out of the way, I received a new Dovo that was "professionally honed". Does not pass the HHT at all. I understand that the HHT is relative. I am ok with that, but the bevel looks uneven on this razor and it just tears my face up. As previously stated, if its just because I am new, then I will return to the sink and continue this endeavor. Pictures included, and this is not due to my stropping because these pictures were taken BEFORE the razor ever came in contact with a strop in my possession. Sorry for the BIG pictures, I wanted as much detail as possible.

I would recommend stropping it up and working on your angles. I am taking it for granted that your beard prep is OK. At this stage, the HHT simply pre-disposes your thinking regarding the razors ability to shave. 30 degrees or less with very light short strokes followed by longer clean up strokes. Have a read at the many posts with new folks having the same problems and getting better with practice.

Lynn

Ya, beard prep is not the issue. I have been wet shaving for years. Just recently made the jump from an old Gillette DE to a straight. I guess my major concern was just the bevel. Looks bigger on the heel and point and dissipates in the middle.

Judging by the edge on the blown up pics, it looks fine. Having honed it and tested it, it shaved well.

It is not uncommon for new guys to look to the razor for fault when they start out, but in virtually every case, it boils down to learning the proper shaving angle and practice.

Re-honing one is never a problem either.

Lynn

I've used that same model before. From the factory, they come "honed" but still not sharp enough to shave without taking off most of your face! I found that out the hard way when I first started using it. If it is only factory honed, it still needs a "professional" honing. Are you sure it was honed by one of the reputable dealers, like at SRD or Classic Shaving? If not, then it's not ready.
I know from experience that that Dovo will take a very fine edge and give an outstanding shave.
Even then, I have found that the professional honing jobs I have received, although very good and truly shave ready, still were not as sharp as I can get them myself, with a touch up on a leather pasted with CrOX, and then careful stropping. I have a tough beard and I need a very sharp edge.
So make sure you got it honed by one of the guys here, then, if you want to get into honing, check out the Wiki and honing forum for info on getting the edge even sharper with pastes, etc.
And also, of course, the angle that you hold the blade against your face has a lot to do with how the blade will shave. It won't cut well if you don't hold it just right. Like riding a bike, it takes practice. Check out the Wiki for diagrams on blade angles.

Gentleman I appreciate the excellent advice and information. I am slightly ashamed that I followed suit with so many beginning shavers and blamed the razor. As previously stated, when I am wrong, I admit it. I am wrong. Eliminating the razor from the equation will only bring me closer to that "perfect" shave.

Never to worry.

The objective is always to get you to where you can learn and enjoy straight razor shaving for ever.

Let us know whenever we can help.

Have fun,

Lynn

I got my first razor from SRD and I also thought my razor was not sharp enough. On the third shave I began to realize the blade was great, and I needed to use a different blade angle in order to take advantage of the blade. I am about two and a half months into straight razor shaving. The first week or two is the hardest, but it is also when you learn the most. I was hard headed and hadn't found SRP yet...so I shed some skin and blood trying to learn. After I found this site, I learned how important the razor angle and pressure really is.

If your blade is sharp (and it probably is), try using an angle where the spine of the balde is at an angle that looks like you just fit two or three quarters (twenty five cents) between the spine and your skin. Next you can try experimenting with the pressure of the blade against your skin.

If you have used a safety or electric razor you are probably used to using quite a bit of pressure against the skin. With a good straight razor you should try to just glide the blade between the lather and your skin. Using to much pressure was something that was hard for me to give up. The muscle memory of using pressure was learned over about 35 years of shaving and was hard to unlearn.

Once you get the angle and the pressure right, you will notice the shave is smooth and you will hear the whiskers cutting without feeling them cut. After this you just need to learn how to avoid razor burn by not going back to using to much pressure and avoid taking the blade over the same area more than necessary.

I am a person that learns by doing better than by reading or listening, so I am still learning more with every shave. I still go to SRP to learn from the more experienced shavers, then I experiment with the advice and information they provide. Now everytime I shave...I am rewarded with a great shave that lets me know I am on the right track to becoming proficient with a straight razor.

One tip I would give as a fellow beginner who is going through the same thing has to do with the light touch thing. The "visualization" I give myself when I am doing it is to "shave with my fingertips" rather than hold the razor in a death grip of sorts which I find myself doing often. This isn't to say use the motion of your fingers to shave, but gripping it there helps keep the touch light, gives a nice feel, and makes the blade more forgiving when you would otherwise hack up some skin.

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Originally Posted by MrClean

Ya, beard prep is not the issue. I have been wet shaving for years. Just recently made the jump from an old Gillette DE to a straight. I guess my major concern was just the bevel. Looks bigger on the heel and point and dissipates in the middle.

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The width of the bevel is controlled by the ratio of

. . . Spine thickness :: blade width

(which determines the bevel angle) and

. . . Blade thickness at the edge

If the razor has a thickness that varies from heel to center to toe, you'll see a matching variation in the width of the bevel. Such variation _does not_ affect the "shaveability" or "sharpenability" of the blade.

Keep practicing, I'm afraid . . .

"Too much pressure" is a common cause of razor burn. It's an easy mistake to make.



Charles

In addition to all of the great advice so far, I would add one thing that helped me a great deal.

With regard to angle, pay attention to the *spine* of the blade as opposed to the edge. The edge is on your face and obscured, if you watch how far the spine is from your face, you can keep the angle better. Helped me anyway :)

Once you get a bit farther in, the angle will speak to you through the feel of the razor against your skin.

Perhaps watching for the right angle is not as easy/helpful as feeling for it. I learned by laying the blade flat on my face and gradually raising the spine as I shaved until I could hear the whiskers being dispatched.

Ya, I will definitely be giving this some more attention. As soon as the face heals and the hair grows back I will update. =) Thank you everyone for all the thoughtful advice.

My DOVO Bismark from SRD is absolutely fine...... Go through WIKI and even have a look at some or the vids available.

It shouldn't be tearing your face up... what do you mean in terms of the 'damage'? Razor burn...nicks.. slices.

This is the place to be anyway in terms of solving problems... a lot of great members!

Keep at it and best of luck!

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Originally Posted by ace

Perhaps watching for the right angle is not as easy/helpful as feeling for it. I learned by laying the blade flat on my face and gradually raising the spine as I shaved until I could hear the whiskers being dispatched.

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Awesome advice.... can I second this!!!

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Originally Posted by baldie

My DOVO Bismark from SRD is absolutely fine...... Go through WIKI and even have a look at some or the vids available.

It shouldn't be tearing your face up... what do you mean in terms of the 'damage'? Razor burn...nicks.. slices.

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By "damage" I meant that it feels like it is pulling every hair from my face and leaving gaping, bleeding holes behind and there is massive razor burn.(especially on the neck) There really hasn't been any nicks or cuts yet. I'll give it a good stropping today and put all of this new-to-me information to use. Thanks everyone.

Make sure you check out the videos here (on the Wiki?) before you strop. I'm still working on getting the feel of stropping. It can either refresh the edge or make it painfully dull, if done incorrectly. And the difference between doing it right and wrong can be subtle.

MrClean,
Welcome to SRP. I am still a newbie--3 1/2 months into the straights and I'm just now starting to get some pretty decent, consistent results--for me it was practice, practice, practice. There is some great advise in this thread--stretch the skin and give it time. Don't give up!

I am by no means an expert on the subject. I started wet shaving recently and acquired an Iwasaki Kamisori razor a few weeks ago which I later found out was purchased at SRD. I have been shaving with the razor for two weeks and progressively getting better. Thank God I have not cut myself once. Prior to touching my face with a razor, I read all the outstanding advice provided here at the forum. The information is invaluable. I also purchased the Lynn Abrams dvd which is a treasure for a newbee. I take a hot shower while letting my brush soak in hot water. I then use pre-shave oil (the Art of Shaving), and lather up well. For now I only shave with and across the grain.. Short strokes at about a 30 or 25 degree angle. Very slowly I begin under the sideburns then the neck area, chin, and under the nose. I put not pressure at all on the blade. The weight of the blade is enough. I only glide the blade across my face. I must admit I have a fear element but I appreciate and respect the razor. I then re-lather, and repeat the process with the blade gliding ever so gently, slowly, and in short strokes. Afterward, I rinse with hot water, then cold, and a aftershave balm. I still have alot to learn in my technique, especially the chin and neck. The advice here is great. I have the feeling that this is the beginning of a long relationship with my new razor. Thank you to all on this forum. Wonderful place to learn about shaving and many other topics.

K, so I waited a day and stropped the hell outta that razor and took the plunge. I started with a hot shower while the brush soaked and the soap warmed up. Started with an initial lather and HOT HOT towel. Rinsed that off and applied another lather and started the shave. Short strokes, about 30 degree angle and then I noticed it. The hair seemed to just melt away. It seemed as if the less pressure I used, the better it worked. This had to have been my best shave yet. Thank you so much everyone for all your assistance. Especially Lynn. Thank you for organizing this site so that all these like minded people can discuss and exchange ideas.

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Originally Posted by MrClean

It seemed as if the less pressure I used, the better it worked. This had to have been my best shave yet.

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You just hit the nail right on the head. It seems counter intuitive at first, but the lighter the touch the better the results. In the words of Jockeys, a member here who has some really great tutorial vidoes, "A light touch is paramount." I started with the exact same razor as you from the same place. It takes some time, but it is 100% worth it! Glad to hear it's coming along for you.

By the way, Welcome to the forum!

I love reading those "ah-ha" moments, when you finally GET IT. It kinda makes you want to grow hair faster so you can do it all over again immediately, right? :)

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Originally Posted by MrClean

K, so I waited a day and stropped the hell outta that razor and took the plunge. I started with a hot shower while the brush soaked and the soap warmed up. Started with an initial lather and HOT HOT towel. Rinsed that off and applied another lather and started the shave. Short strokes, about 30 degree angle and then I noticed it. The hair seemed to just melt away. It seemed as if the less pressure I used, the better it worked. This had to have been my best shave yet. Thank you so much everyone for all your assistance. Especially Lynn. Thank you for organizing this site so that all these like minded people can discuss and exchange ideas.

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That's fantastic! Glad you had a successful shave! I was about to mention the skin stretching as it makes a big difference for me, but it sounds like you finally got it to all come together. Congrats!

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Originally Posted by SpicyJem

I love reading those "ah-ha" moments, when you finally GET IT. It kinda makes you want to grow hair faster so you can do it all over again immediately, right? :)

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+1 on that. My neck, which has always been a problem area for me, hasn't felt this good since before I had whiskers! I do, in fact, find myself looking forward to my next shave.

Keep at it Mr. Clean!