Thread: dulling the edge on the first pass or two

I'm new at this; just starting to get comfortable moving this naked blade across my face and neck. I can get a SAS shave by making 2 WTG passes; the second pass I try to go just a little XTG. When I try to do a third pass in more of a XTG direction, the blade doesn't seem to cut anything. At this point, the blade just seems dull on the skin; not sure how to describe the sensation, just that it seems dull, or like the edge is rounded.

So today I tried to test the sharpness using the HHT method. I did that before the shave, after stropping and it was sharp. I did it at 3 different parts of the blade on both sides of the blade. After the 2 passes and attempt at the third, I tried the test again, and it failed miserably. So I stropped it and then it passed the test with flying colors. Before stropping the blade at the end of today's shave, there was a whisker that was a little longer on my neck, and I tried to cut it, but the blade wouldn't take care of it. After stropping, it cut it right off.

I don't think my whiskers are that tough; I can get BBS easily on my DE setup, without needing to change blades for up to 2 weeks of shaving.

Sorry about the length of this, but I wanted to be thorough in describing this. Can anyone give me suggestions, or thoughts on what is happening? Is it normal to have to strop again during the same shave?

There is couple questions someone needs to know before answering your quesitons correctly.
1. how long have you been using this blade?
2. is this blade fresh honed?
3. Brand of the blade?
4. how do you strop the blade? (paste etc)
5.Please never compare straight razor to DE THEY ARE 2 different animals.

below is general answer Not 100% correct(will depends on your response)
Middle shave stropping(this is what you describe) is sign of over honing.

hope this helps.

Originally Posted by BobK

I'm new at this; just starting to get comfortable moving this naked blade across my face and neck. I can get a SAS shave by making 2 WTG passes; the second pass I try to go just a little XTG. When I try to do a third pass in more of a XTG direction, the blade doesn't seem to cut anything. At this point, the blade just seems dull on the skin; not sure how to describe the sensation, just that it seems dull, or like the edge is rounded.

So today I tried to test the sharpness using the HHT method. I did that before the shave, after stropping and it was sharp. I did it at 3 different parts of the blade on both sides of the blade. After the 2 passes and attempt at the third, I tried the test again, and it failed miserably. So I stropped it and then it passed the test with flying colors. Before stropping the blade at the end of today's shave, there was a whisker that was a little longer on my neck, and I tried to cut it, but the blade wouldn't take care of it. After stropping, it cut it right off.

I don't think my whiskers are that tough; I can get BBS easily on my DE setup, without needing to change blades for up to 2 weeks of shaving.

Sorry about the length of this, but I wanted to be thorough in describing this. Can anyone give me suggestions, or thoughts on what is happening? Is it normal to have to strop again during the same shave?

Thank you for your response. Here are the answers
1. About 3 weeks with an average of 4 two pass shaves per week.
2. The blade was honed by a Senior member here; one who seems to specialize in restoring vintage straights.
3. C-MON Handmade Blackie.
4. Just with a leather, poor man's strop I got from someone nearby. It was cut up pretty bad, so I sanded the back (rough) side and the cut up side. I use the back side for about 20 passes, and then use the front side for about 40 passes.
5. I know, I referred to the DE blade to show my whiskers aren't extremely tough. My blades take about a third longer than most people's to get dull.

Don't be confused by the "Poor Man strop" reference. That strop is a plain old English Bridle leather strop.

Your razor is very good quality blade.
Only issue i can think about it is your strop.
Try change your strop Kenrup strop will work and it is under 20.00.
strop good and try again.( i don't think this will help but trying wont hurt) .i think the
best option contact who honed your blade and i am positive that person will be agreeing to check the blade and in case
if it needs to re hone it free.
if not luck then i will be the your last option and gladly help you out free.

Originally Posted by BobK

Thank you for your response. Here are the answers
1. About 3 weeks with an average of 4 two pass shaves per week.
2. The blade was honed by a Senior member here; one who seems to specialize in restoring vintage straights.
3. C-MON Handmade Blackie.
4. Just with a leather, poor man's strop I got from someone nearby. It was cut up pretty bad, so I sanded the back (rough) side and the cut up side. I use the back side for about 20 passes, and then use the front side for about 40 passes.
5. I know, I referred to the DE blade to show my whiskers aren't extremely tough. My blades take about a third longer than most people's to get dull.

Edit? i read your explanation after i post the message Larry. But i think doesn't matter at the moment stropping will not bring the edge to normal condition.
for future time i would still suggest him try to Kenrup strop( as i don't know what quality old English Bridle leather strop has after sanding so on.