I've Got A Magic Razor.

Hello Everybody,
After alot of procrastination throughout a year of de shaving, I picked up one of my two straights today and said to myself "Enough is enough, I'm taming this beast". The past few times I'd picked up a straight had ended in a great deal of blade bouncing, patchiness and redness on my face and neck that looked like I'd had a fight with a branding iron and lost.

Today, after my first two pass shave, I still have some soreness (though not as bad as I've seen before) and...well...more stubble than I started with. Seriously. Even the other half looked at my face and said "How did you manage that?!"

Truth is I don't know. I've got a feeling that it just looks more because of my pre-shave and lathering routine has lifted the beard so it looks more pronounced (feel free to call that nonsense, it's just a theory)I think that my few clumsy attempts at stropping and shaving have probably dulled the blade somewhat so I think I may have to send it away for re-honing. The question is: Could my poor technique have blunted my razor so quickly (no more than five shaves)? It's a vintage GEBR LUTZENKIRKEN bought from Neil Miller, so there are no worries about it being shave ready when I bought it.

It's either my very poor technique, or I have a magic blade that makes my stubble grow.
Any suggestions, pointers (or offers of huge sums of money for my magic straight) would be gratefully received.

Huge thanks.

Sub-par technique, a dull blade, and poor stropping is a powerful combination. Look at the bright side. Now at least you know your beard is robust and healthy.

Poor shaving technique will not dull a blade.

Poor stropping technique will definitely either let the blade degrade or actually cause it to go dull.

I read so much about people knowing they have poor stropping skills and yet not doing the obvious. SLOW DOWN.

Make sure your razor is flat on the tightly help strop. If you cant hold the strop tightly, consider a paddle strop.

Light passes with the razor and stop at the ends. Flip the razor over and finish the lap.

If you take 3 seconds to do each lap you will have your razor stropped in less than 3 minutes. Let me say that again....3 second laps equal a stropped razor in 3 minutes.

I refuse to believe that anyone here cannot afford 3 minutes out of their day to see to it that their razor is kept in top form. As you get better, you'll do the same 50-70 laps in about 90 seconds, but don't hurry, the speed will come naturally. For now just learn the technique.

Magic blade huh? Nothing a little hone sorcery won't fix. Or maybe try some pasted paddle voodoo.

Michael

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VanHelsing

Today, after my first two pass shave, I still have some soreness . . . I think that my few clumsy attempts at stropping and shaving have probably dulled the blade somewhat

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I would suspect your shaving technique is more at fault than your stropping.

First, consider shaving with a straight razor to be a stubble reduction process, rather than stubble removal, which means using a three pass technique: with the grain, followed by across the grain and then against the grain.

Second, use almost no pressure at all. The less pressure -- the better the shave.

Third -- don't rush your progress! Read "First Straight Razor Shave" by Lynn Abrams that you will find HERE. Follow his advice to start with just one WTG pass from sideburn to jawline on one side of your face then stop and finish your shave using whatever razor you usually shave with. GRADUALLY add different parts of your face as you become comfortable with what you are learning, finishing your shave with your DE or cartridge razor. There is a treasure trove of advice in that article; take it to heart.

Later on -- when you are feeling VERY confident in your three pass straight razor shaving technique -- you will want to consider adding advanced shaving techniques such as Guillotine style cutting and The scything motion that are described HERE. Those advanced techniques are often necessary for those of us whose stubble is stronger than peach fuzz, but do not not attempt them until after you are proficient shaving your whole face with three passes: WTG, XTG, ATG.

Take your time and learn slowly. It will be worth your patience and effort. This is a true thing.
Namaste,
Morty -_-

Well, first thing is a razor is neither a beast or a brute to be tamed. So attitude is important. Think of a razor more like a ballroom dance partner. You just have to get comfortable with each other and that takes some time and you have to treat each other right meaning don't do something to dull the blade and ensure your technique is up to snuff.

With practice you'll be moving as one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by joebehar

Poor shaving technique will not dull a blade.

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If the poor technique involves a high angle which scrapes against the face & beard rather than shaving, it will dull the blade quicker than usual but I wouldn't say as quickly as 5 shaves. More likely the stropping is at fault.

Thanks to you all for the kindly pointers and tips. I've taken everything back to zero and following I'm Lynn's guide to the letter. Wonderful analogy of dancing with a partner rather than taming a beast. Here's to patience and time.