Thread: Unhappy - What am i doing wrong i cant get my edge sharp enough!!!...

Bravo HNSB. Kudos for helping.

Seeing as how you just joined today? I have to ask what experience you have shaving with a straight razor? Until you have experience shaving with a "Straight razor" you won't know if the trouble you are having is due to the sharpness or your technique. Thats why it is recommended that you have a honemeister hone it before trying to hone it yourself until you have more time on a straight. comparing it to your DE is just not enough. Trust me, been there done that!!!

Enjoy!
Jeff.

I am having a very similar problem. I got a razor back from being professionally sharpened at SRD and thought that I was in for a treat. I stropped it 30 on linen (real linen) and 50 on leather and had an awful shave. I think that if there is anything in the discouraging linen for fresh blades that it really makes sense that I lost my edge before my first shave. In my experience there is a lot that can go wrong with a stropping that will round off, break off, or otherwise just kill the bite that your blade might have. I have been very discouraged but now have become addicted to the idea of straight razors and have about 4 gems that I have collected at low cost and two nice new razors so there is no turning back, yet I struggle because it is so much more comfortable, quick, and effective to just pull out the double edge. Yet I did have a few really good shaves and recently tried one of those drop in replaceable blade straights and it was like magic. So now I have a high standard that I am shooting for and hopefully I will get there before I am too old to be trusted with sharp objects anymore.
Keep tinkering because you know that you can't stop anyways. If you made the commitment in the first place to get a straight then it would eat away at you to walk away now.