Thread: New to Straight Razors, What am i missing ?? Blade not sharp

never mind all these guys. send me $1400 and i will send you a great practice razor, with a magic stone, and world class piece of leather. Instructions included

OR realize you are taking on too much at a time. Making a razor sharp is a skill which will take practice so is making lather, stropping, shaving, and most everything else concerned. The skill building is a large part of the pleasure. Read the wiki's and the stickies and the beginners stuff. Send the razor out to be fixed. Take a step at a time or at least not more than two. Welcome aboard enjoy the ride everyone here likes to share.

Originally Posted by carl16732

Yeah I read that its better to get it professionally honed lol, But I just always want to learn and do it my self, But with everyone stating the same thing i think i may just send it off, and go from there. Thanks for all of the answers.

No problem playing with honing, just do it to a 2nd razor.

Really need the first to learn the shaving aspect, send it off a second time after a few months of shaving and its ready for the next hone. When you get it back, you will have the control for you honing learning. You have a known good edge used while knowing the basics of shaving to compare your edges too. You will also pretty much eliminate shaving and stropping techniques for the honing equation also.

carl16732

Two advices-and I`m also beginner so it think some of master will agree or doom me :-)

First-make sure that you properly set bevel if bevel need to be st. If you think bevel was set just check it.
Second-I found very important to work long enough on 4k stone before moving to any higher grits. I missed this on the beginning and shaving was just BAD...

Best luck!

+1 for the recommendations to send your razor to someone who advertises honing services in the SRP Classified section. You have enough on your plate just learning to shave.

It's clear to me that the AOS salesman you bought your Dovo from knows nothing about the straight razors he is selling. They aren't knives you use for whittling sticks. I've never tried this myself and I don't recommend anyone else try this with a prized razor, but it's my understanding that were you to take a razor that was honed shave ready sharp and gave you a comfortable shave, then used it to slice a piece of paper, it would no longer give you the same comfortable shave until the edge was touched up.

I went to the AOS store one time because I wanted to try their shaving cream. I noticed the straights they had for sale and asked the salesman what brands of hones they carried? His face took on a doe-in-the-headlights expression. I then asked him who he recommended his customers send their straight razors to when they needed honing? He again did his impression of a deer about to be jacked. No surprise, given that Gillette owns AOS.

Should you ever be moved to purchase another new straight razor, might I suggest you purchase it from a vendor like Straight Razor Designs? Every razor they sell is honed shave ready sharp for you at no extra cost. You're guaranteed to get a good, comfortable shave (once you've developed your technique, that is).
Namaste,
Morty -_-

Folks, cutting a piece of writing paper or similar won't likely harm an edge. At least not in a way that couldn't be fixed by stropping it. Think about it - whiskers are far tougher than paper and one can shave for months without needing to touch up a razor.

Originally Posted by carl16732

Yeah I read that its better to get it professionally honed lol, But I just always want to learn and do it my self, But with everyone stating the same thing i think i may just send it off, and go from there. Thanks for all of the answers.

Send it off to be honed. And while you wait, get a practice razor from an antique store and learn honing on that. This way you will also have a standard known shave ready edge for comparing your edges to when yours comes back.

Originally Posted by JeffR

Folks, cutting a piece of writing paper or similar won't likely harm an edge. At least not in a way that couldn't be fixed by stropping it. Think about it - whiskers are far tougher than paper and one can shave for months without needing to touch up a razor.

you wiskers are also cut at a controlled angle, who know how the paper tried to flap around and or pull on the edge. there is a bit of lateral force on a blade during those cuts, especially if the cutter is good and consistent with them. im not saying its a guarantee to mess up a blade, just that i can see the possibility.

Well it seems logically the next step would be to cut up some printer paper and shave test the edge. I have done it already. Razors aren't for cutting paper. Try it.

I just have to say cutting paper, EVEN if it's not going to harm the edge, proves nothing, surely? Has anyone heard, on this fine forum, of the paper cutting test (PCT)?

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I just have to say cutting paper, EVEN if it's not going to harm the edge, proves nothing, surely? Has anyone heard, on this fine forum, of the paper cutting test (PCT)?

no but if you want i'm sure we could work up some test parameters and evaluation standards. it cannot be and more useless of that test than the hht.