Thread: Is it sharp enough?

Ok. After 2 shaves I don't think my new razor is sharp enough. It was supposed to be shave ready but it doesn't compare with the feather DE blades I've become accustomed to. I was told that these Hart razors are the exception to the claim of being "shave ready". I didn't strop before my first shave as said in the instructions and it was pulling. I have stropped before and after the subsequent shaves. I stropped slowly and carefully with no pressure so I think I was doing it right. The Hart site says to hone on a 4k/8k to bring back the edge. Any suggestions?

did you buy it direct from Hart or via someone like SRD? did it say "shave ready when you bought it"?

Simple answer, your technique isn't up to it yet, everyone's first shave pulls.. it takes a lot of practice. the edge should still be there though based on what you said but i would send it to someone to hone if it's come straight from hart

Reply to subscribe, but I kind of know what's coming...........

I'd answer myself, as I know what's wrong, but I can put it into words nearly as well as other people on here, so I'll let them tell you.

What's coming?

If the razor is pulling that is a problem. The question is whether the problem is because of a dull razor, an inexperienced user or,improper strop use. So that's what you have to figure out. Depending on the answer will determine your course of action. maybe some honing of the razor or your technique. It's hard to advise further.

no no, nothing bad, but yours is a case book new user question, the same i asked when i started and most people on here do.

It isn't the blade basically. You're using to much pressure, probably too high an angle and your soap/lather maybe isn't right yet. welcome to the club all you have to do is persevere and you're going to be having some nice shaves soon enough

I believe my lather is good I've been shaving using soaps, creams a good badger brush for about 2 years now. The angle I've been following is almost 30 degrees for a WTG pass as said in the beginners forum. I did manage to nick my strop very lightly the first time I did it. Since then I have practiced every dy with a nutter knife before te actual razor. I do 15 laps on the canvas side and 50 laps on the leather. I go slowly with no pressure so I don't mess up. I did try cutting the hair on my arm after putting some lather on but had the same effect.

A nutter knife? that sounds like some kinda of feminist invention. I would go with prep as being your problem, as well as a little of everything else. The amount of prep I can use to shave with a DE is nothing close to what I need to get a comfortable straight shave. With my DE I face lather and start shaving, with or with out a shower I can get a comfortable and close shave in two passes. For the straight to get a reasonable shave it goes a little like this. Shower(if I don't shower I spend at least five minutes with a hot towel with lather on my face and then reapply new lather before stropping) , build my lather (adding about 4 drops of glycerin), apply lather(working into my face with the brush, effectively face lathering), strop (30 fabric/ 50-60 leather), and finally shave.
Also I found I really had no idea what no pressure really meant untill I had about 30 shaves under my belt.
Of course this is assuming your blade is actually shave ready. Who honed it for you?
Any ways just my two cents.
cheers
-Omid

Originally Posted by OmidFarahbakhsh

A nutter knife? that sounds like some kinda of feminist invention.
-Omid

That might be one of the funniest things I've ever read!

Haha! I meant butter knife. Gotta love iPhone spell check.
Anyway my usual prep is shower, face wash small amount of shave oil when I get out and Proraso shave cream. The razor was supposed to come shave ready from hart steel.
Thanks guys for all the help. I'm gonna keep at it. I had a pretty good learning curve from cartridge to DE blades bit I know I'll never go back to canned goo and mass market overpriced junk.