Help me SRP, you're my only hope. Discouraged Shaver :(

I received an older blade from the family which was in great condition (Otto Duetsch's Hans). I cleaned it up a bit and had it honed at SRD. My first couple shaves seemed pretty good. I chalked up any and all missed spots etc. to my lack of skill, but now it seems my razor isn't doing it's part. After those first couple partial shaves it just doesn't want to cut closer than stubble. I have not cut my self at all, and I do have a goatee, so i don't have to deal with the difficult areas around my chin and upper lip. I keep the spine close to my skin which seems to be a cutting angle of 10 degrees, and I've even tried propping it up a little to a 30 degree angle too. I have made several passes with the WTG, XTG, and ATG, but there is still stubble and hairs not getting cut.

My stropping skills seem to be pretty good. I've only nicked the strop a couple times in my first attempts. I strop with a steady pace. Not too fast; not too slow. I've prepped with a hot shower, followed by a hot rag on my face. I use warm lather. I started with the cheap VDH soap and also used TOB shave cream.

Last night I decided to just target one area with stubble, and went over it more than a few times in every direction I could just to see if it was me or the blade. I'm just not cutting the hairs, and I'm left with random stubble. I don't have a lot of tug or pulling while shaving and it does cut, but I can't seem to get a close shave.

Have I dulled my blade on my strop already? I started doing 80 laps leather 30 felt, and last night in an attempt to get it sharp i did 125 laps leather, 40 felt. The sharpness of my blade seemed to be a problem since my second or third shave, but I've just been thinking it was my fault due to lack of knowledge and experience. It's been honed properly, so what could I have done to my poor sweet razor soon quickly?

Thanks for all and any help.

If your stropping is wrong, you can easily be dulling the blade. But I would be worried about the stretching of the skin to be sure that the edge is hitting hair, not gliding over with small bits of skin, and so hair, never actually touching the blade.
It's really hard to believe how many invisible wrinkles are hiding all over your skin, but I've noticed that a straight razor points them out well in rough patches if you do not make sure your stretching is good.

I have been stretching my skin as much as I can. I am 33 and don't have too many wrinkles, or moles, or bumps etc. in my face. I'm also a bit over weight so my skin is not very lose in my face or anything. I believe i am stropping properly. I do not put much force on the blade edge, I take my time to make sure my strokes are even. spin on the leather etc. I guess i need to have it honed again? I carefully stropped the last couple days hoping i could get the edge back. :(

Does all this mean i need to have my blade honed again? can I strop 500 laps to get my edge back?

Are you stropping on felt first or Leather. You should start on Felt or linen and then finish on Leather. I usually to 25 passes on Linen and then 60 on leather depending on the feel and the sound of the blade. My initial stropping was poor and I dulled my blades. You can also get a shavette with disposable blades. That way you can learn the proper shaving technique and know that the blade you are using is sharp.

There are several reasons to what you experience, but what first comes to my mind is stropping, you say you do 80 leather/30felt?

First you should strop on felt/linen first, then leather, and as with most with this hobby, less is more. Most of us do about 30/60 or somwhere around that number, the more strokes you do, the higher chances are for doing something wrong.

Do you know any in your area that could take a look at your razor?
If not you can check for "local help" under the Community tab in top of the page, maybe you can find someone who can take a look at your razor, and maybe also check/give some advice regarding stropping (and other things:))

Good luck!

I have been finishing on the felt :( I think I did dull my blade. sigh...

Does this mean I'll need it honed again?

I'm at least fairly sure that the answer is, sadly, yes.

Thanks all. I'm not sure there is anyone in my area, even though I'm in a huge city. San Francisco bay area. I'll have a look around. thanks for all the input! Again this website is a great and helpful resource.

G'Day Groth,
Maybe this will be of assistance to you.
I've seen many members from your area so maybe you could hook up with someone with more experience who could help you with your technique
Local Help - Straight Razor Place Wiki
Don't lose hope - it will get better

Hi Groth,

I'm late to the party but yes, it sounds like you've stropped improperly. An improper stropper. There's no shame; you won't have to wear a monitor or register with authorities or anything, but you probably will have to have the blade rehoned, back to a bevel reset and forward again, I'm guessing.

Check out our wiki article on stropping, and watch the videos. When your blade comes back from honing, shave with it right away, don't strop with it first. The honer will have stropped it. That way you'll know for sure what a properly sharp blade should do and how it should feel.

May the force be with you.

When I first started out I had the same issue, bought a Dovo and the first few shaves were amazing and then after some stropping the blade seemed to be getting dull, after that I went out and bought as many shave ready vintages that I could lay my hands on and have been quietly getting on well with my shaving now.

Even learned how to touch up the dull Dovo on some honing stones and now he shaves a dream again.

Im six months down the line and though ive had my ups and downs my only advice to you is to hang tight and keep shaving!.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roughkype

...I'm late to the party but yes, it sounds like you've stropped improperly. An improper stropper. There's no shame; you won't have to wear a monitor or register with authorities or anything...

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We will laugh and point, though. And you won't be able to go to the prom dance.

Hang in there we all have had our ups and downs during our entry into straight razors! It's well worth the time investment.

Keep the faith and the practicing. Worse case scenario, have someone competent hone the blade for you.