Thread: Lots of pain - bad lather or dull blade?

Send out your razor to one of the many great guys offering there honing services. This way you will know what a shave ready razor feels like. Get some pre-shave cream or oil. I like using Proraso.

How about stropping? If you are using too heavy a hand when stropping, you may be rolling the edge.

Did you strop the razor when it came back from the professional sharpening? You shouldn't have had to. If you did, maybe you roiled the edge.

Try using a really low angle with the spine about a penny's width off your face. It won't get you super smooth but it's such a low angle that if your blade is sharp it shouldn't irritate the skin.

Don't forget pressure. You want to keep the blade against your skin but not be pushing hard against it.
That can lead to razor burn and skin thinning which can be the cause of irritation and inflammation.

Also, tell us about your stropping routine. Do you strop before every shave? How many laps? What kind of strop are using?

Had the same problem with the same razor... Trust me, you want it professionally honed. "Shave ready" is not always shave ready, so I would guess that is probably the problem. At least knock that out so that you can rule it out when it comes back and if you are still having the problem, its either technique or prep.

You definitely want to avoid intense burning sensations. It sounds like the razor needs to be looked at again by a pro. If you have to press the razor into your face to get it to shave, that is a problem. You don't want to use pressure, that is what causes the red puffy irritated skin.

I don't think the lather would be causing this since the intense burning begins when the razor touches your face, not the lather

My opinion for what its worth:
-You did not receive a shave ready blade
-You didn't mention who honed you blade professionally: scissor/knife sharpeners generally know squat about razors
-After honing yourself you most probably dulled the edge, its common for new honers
-You could very well have rolled the edge from stropping
-The concept of no pressure is very difficult for us, don't be surprised if you are using too much
-Despite what most beginners think they are not watching their angle as close as they could
-Your lather COULD be a little off

As you can see this is a lot of variables that can ruin an otherwise great shave. I would suggest reducing some:
-Send your razor to a known honer to be properly treated
-Don't strop the razor once you receive it in the mail
-No pressure means no pressure; I was once asked how much pressure is too little, I responded "when the razor isn't touching your face you are using too little pressure
-An angle of approximately 1-2 spine widths away from your skin will give you a strong foundation to start from
-If you still think that your lather is a little off feel free to post a picture here after you make some lather and we can analyze it
-Check the member map for members in your area or post your location, you could find someone close by who could do this all for you

The people on this forum are extremely helpful and always seem up for a meet, heck we had two last year in Washington State.

most likely sounds like the razor, as everyone has said already. Send it to one of the guys here on the forums, they'll sharpen it up good and you'll be shaving in no time.

I know lathering made a huge difference to me at the start - stropping as well - a good stropping can knock your razors edge up a few notches and feel like a different razor when done properly.

And if you have time post some pics, quickest way to get some answers.

Shaving with a straight should be totally painless, if you get razorburn, there's something not right - thin lather, dull blade, could be anything. find out what it is because I remember the razorburn I had when I started and it wasn't pretty especially with an alum block after shaving.

regards Alex

Thanks everyone, much appreciated...although the electric is looking appealing at this point, I am committed to making this work. I did have it sharpened by a knife/scissor sharpener - maybe that was the issue. Let me find a straight razor expert to sharpen it. Any recommendations? I live in Charlotte NC

Originally Posted by OmniRiot

Thanks everyone, much appreciated...although the electric is looking appealing at this point, I am committed to making this work. I did have it sharpened by a knife/scissor sharpener - maybe that was the issue. Let me find a straight razor expert to sharpen it. Any recommendations? I live in Charlotte NC

That is almost for sure the problem, if you can't find anyone close PM me

Tons of straight guys in NC. If none respond, contact me. I'm in Florence, SC. Be happy to spend an afternoon teaching you.