Thread: Help!

The FlatBed Hone is 11 inches long and I did about 60 round trips just before I shaved. This probably works out to 30 round trips on a 24 inch hanging strop.

I'm still thinking that I might have damaged the blade. Trying to keep the entire blade flat on the hone may have put pressure on it inadvertently. This would explain why the third shave was so bad even though because of the first two shaves I was trying conciously to keep the blade angle low and use a minimum of pressure. Could still have failed at that however.

About using the weight of the razor: I can get that sensation when using a double edge but with the straight the sensation is more like the hairs snag or catch the blade not letting it move unless I push somewhat. In fact in some places when I don't stretch the skin the blade moves the skin because it is hooked on the hair.

Bob

One of the shaving demigods around here might want to chime in, but is it possible that the two stropless shaves might have folded the fin over hard enough that stropping couldn't straighten it out?

Jag, I've only been doing this for about a month, so I know what you are going through.

Besides the issues raised by the others, don't forget that you have a whole new set of physical mechanics and muscle memory to retrain. This simply takes time and practice. Be patients with yourself and you'll start to get a better feel for it (once the stropping, etc is taken care of that is).

Jordan

Where do you live? There may be a member nearby that can help diagnose your problem in person.

I'm nowhere near a shaving demigod, I'm just a man with a razor right now... but I can definitely say that this is NOT the way it is "supposed to be" during your shave. My shaves are, for the most part, smooth and tug free. There's no pain or discomfort involved unless I'm stupid and not paying attention and manage to nick myself and even then there's no real pain due to the sharpness of the blade

I'd definitely suspect your stropping technique. It's very easy to ruin the edge on a blade with bad stropping. You can also ruin it by improperly cleaning the blade after you are done (don't just wipe it down with a bath towel and run it along the edge, for example). I would suggest doing a video skype session with someone here and having them show you a good stropping technique as well as critiquing yours. It would be even better if you live close to a member who can help you in person.

Str8 shaving isn't rocket science, but it's also something that requires practice to get down. In the old days we would've learned this from our fathers (or an uncle in my case since my dad got killed when I was 3) but nowdays we're trying to rekindle a nearly lost art so we have to help each other.

-- Gary F.

Thanks everyone!

I was quite 'let down' after the shave from hell. I glad to know it's not required

I'm about to lap the blade a few times on the 60K grit paper that came with the hone and try again. I'll let you know what happens - hopefully not from the emergency ward.

Bob

Originally Posted by JAG

I'm about to lap the blade a few times on the 60K grit paper that came with the hone and try again.

60K paper? Are you sure? I thought plain old paper was around 10k grit?