Lot of pulling / tugging since last shave

I've only used the straight for the 6th time tonight and there's a lot of pulling. Is it possible that I've already dulled the edge through bad technique / stropping?

As for stropping, I was barely using any pressure and only enough to get that light scraping / singing noise from the blade (Dovo Best Quality). Also, I was never starting with the cutting edge against the leather, I started moving forward a little before bringing it in contact with the leather.

Think it would need to be honed? If so, are there any members from the UK that you'd recommended? All those in the Classifieds are US / International based. I was going to send it to Steve at Invisible Edge as that's where I got it, but he's got a notice saying that the sharpening section is closed until January 2013 due to backlog of work.

Before trying anything else try stropping it more. Say double what you normally would do and see if that improves it.

It is possible you have dulled the edge but could be something else also.
As your still new it may have just been poor technique or bad prep. I remember in my early days I would have a bad shave with tugging/pulling then the next shave would be OK and nothing done to the blade.
Give it a good carefully stropping and see how your next shave goes.
If you are convinced you need a honing you could try Neil Miller if Steve is busy...
Strop-Shop.Co.UK

Could just be that the edge needs refreshing w/ a little paste or spray. Like the others here said, you are new, so chances of you dulling the blade quicker are more likely. 5 passes over the pasted strop and 25-30 on linen, 50-60 on leather should get you back in the game. Also, don't lift the blade off the strop; make your stroke, stop, flip the blade on the spine w/it in constant contact, then make your next pass. Lifting it then beginning your stroke, then allowing the edge to basically "hit" the strop in motion will roll the edge, which could be part of your problem.

what type of strop have you got? don't be frightend to strop you can use a little presure so long as strop is fairly taught and you keep the spine in full contact all the time your stropping, so keeping the spine flat to the strop and even when you turn razor over to come back towards you roll the razor over and keep spine on strop do not lift spine of strop. so basicly the spine back of razor never leaves the strop that way you will not roll the cutting edge . it could just need a real good stropping or rehone . have you nicked the strop with your edge if so that could be another reason you lost your edge .. You could always get some sharpening paste on balsa and try touch up your self before you spend any money on rehoning. steve sells plenty of sharpening paste .

gary

Did your razor come professionally honed? If not it would be best to go ahead and send it off. Like the others said more stropping could help the problem. You may also be putting too much pressure on the blade when you are shaving. Try going lighter and change up your angle of the blade as you shave as this could also have something to do with it.

I've only had two attempts, and those were only on the right side of my face and a bit of my neck, so I'm not sure anything I can bring to the table is going to be much use. That said, what I found was the slickness of the lather seems to make a lot of difference. I must of spent half an hour or so gradually adding water bit by bit to get rid of the feeling that the bristles were being pulled out by the roots (when I first started having with a DE razor I found a few drops of glycerin in the lather helps it all glide a bit more). Also, the angle of the blade on the face makes a huge difference might be worth adjusting that a bit.

Hey guys, sorry for taking so long to reply, was out watching The Hobbit.

I noticed it was starting to tug a bit the last time, but only a bit. This time, I doubled the stropping laps in case that was it, but noticeably more tugging this time.

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Also, don't lift the blade off the strop; make your stroke, stop, flip the blade on the spine w/it in constant contact, then make your next pass

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Sorry, I should have explained better. The spine of the razor is always in contact, but when flipping over, i start the movement slightly before bringing the cutting edge lightly in contact with the strop, just increasing the pressure enough to get that slight scraping / ringing sound.

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have you nicked the strop with your edge if so that could be another reason you lost your edge

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Nope, I went for the 3" strop from Invisible Edge so that I didn't have to do the X pattern, that way I had less complexity when stropping.

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Did your razor come professionally honed? If not it would be best to go ahead and send it off. Like the others said more stropping could help the problem. You may also be putting too much pressure on the blade when you are shaving. Try going lighter and change up your angle of the blade as you shave as this could also have something to do with it.

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Yes, I got it off Steve from Invisible Edge, so it was honed before being sent out. I've always had a problem with razor burn so I've been taking a 'lightly lightly' approach (plus nervous about taking a chunk out of my face). I start with the blade flat against the face and then angle it out until it catches the stubble and proceed with very small strokes. The whole process takes ages still, as I'll trying to remember everything.

I have the same prep routine as always, as I've been using the same prep for near 2 months, for use with the cartridge, before getting the straight.

I couldn't finish the WTG pass, it was starting to get sore, so had to finish with the cartridge.

I was planning to spend 2 weeks over Christmas to start and learn honing myself, but haven't got a cheap razor for that yet. I've only got the 3" strop from IE, doesn't have the canvas back and I don't have another to put paste on. Hence was hoping to find someone who knew what they were doing haha (especially before the Christmas hols).

You may very well have rolled your edge then.. Maybe next time you strop lay the strop on the counter as you strop to make sure it is straight. Things will improve once you get the hang of it. The more you do it the more you kind of just figure it out. You can make a canvas strop out of an old piece of denim. just get some old blue jeans. Also a paddle strop with some pastes could be an easier way for beginners like us to touch up the blade. More so than a hone. I would def go get a cheaper razor so you have a backup in case you need to send this one off. I just received two more razors from www.whippeddog.com I love everything about that site. They are cheap, good quality, and shave ready
Here are a couple of links to pasting.

Pasting a strop - a photo tutorial - Straight Razor Place Wiki

http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...rop-paste.html

On the second page of the second link it breaks down for you which pastes do what.

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Originally Posted by stevieb

just increasing the pressure enough to get that slight scraping / ringing sound.

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I don't know about scraping/ringing sounds but if the razor degraded over 6 shaves there's every chance you applied to much pressure. Freshly honed razors should be stropped more lightly than most people think.
The edge would tell all under magnification.

Should I be getting that scraping sound? Or is that an indicator I may roll the edge.

So if I get an old denim pair of jeans and cut a strip and then add the paste to that?

there will be some sound as you strop and yes it kind of sounds like scraping very lightly on the leather, you don't want that "shing" sound, that usually means you're lifting the blade during the stroke which will roll the edge. you can do that, just make sure to glue it to something that you know is perfectly flat like balsa or cedar planking. Oh and make sure its really tight and flat else it will flex or bow up smacking into the edge..not good. I would do two layers just to give it some backing and a bit of cushioning.

More likely that you've never effectively stropped the edge in the first place.

You might like to try the ever faithfull newspaper technique.

Fold a sheet of newspaper into a strop shaped object (making sure the folds are crisp), then place it on a counter top or something similar and then strop about 10 - 15 laps to see how it goes. Obviously, if it folds/bunches up you are using too much pressure.

Hope this helps

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Originally Posted by gary haywood

. . . don't be frightend to strop you can use a little presure so long as strop is fairly taught and you keep the spine in full contact all the time your stropping, so keeping the spine flat to the strop and even when you turn razor over to come back towards you roll the razor over and keep spine on strop do not lift spine of strop. so basicly the spine back of razor never leaves the strop that way you will not roll the cutting edge . . . .
gary

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Keep reading that. If your blade is making noise when you're stropping, it is quite possible that you're lifting the spine off the strop. That _will_ dull the edge.

. Charles

I get quite a lot of noise when I strop, more so from some razors (full hollow) than others. It's the TYPE of noise that's important; I won't try to explain what I know to be 'bad' noise.

I'd actually go against the grain so to speak here and say that if it was me, I'd get a Shapton 16k and do 10 very light very careful laps on that. First, though, I'd find out if it was honed using tape. I know that sounds radical, and I'm no expert, but honing isn't all THAT hard; it's quite achievable. You might find that 10 laps on the Shapton 16k brings it back fine. That's how I usually bring my razors back, so to speak. I've never sent a razor to anyone to be honed (started SR shaving in June '11) and I'm quite proud of that fact really. Of course, I can't change the oil in my car or fix a cupboard door, but I can hone reasonably well... Just my opinion.

Another forum user from the UK has contacted me and offered to get it back up to shave readiness.

Also, although I thought I was using light pressure on the strop, I'll go lighter again and slow it down and see how it goes.

Thank you so much guys for all the tips. I think it's my stropping technique needs to be scrapped and start again from the beginning :)

i am having the same problem with a razor from invisible edge,it was sent shave ready yet failed the hanging hair test,it has got steadily worse and no matter how much stroppng i do it is now pulling hair,ive only used it 8 times.
last time i stropped i did 40 laps on a pasted paddle strop with diamond 1 micron and then
60 laps on the other side with Green Chromium Oxide,and still no diference:thinking:

I'm having mine honed on a coticule, not as harsh an edge. Plus I'm going to get a linen strop as well. Between that and re-examining my stropping, going to see if that makes a difference.

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Originally Posted by leadpig

i am having the same problem with a razor from invisible edge,it was sent shave ready yet failed the hanging hair test,it has got steadily worse and no matter how much stroppng i do it is now pulling hair,ive only used it 8 times.
last time i stropped i did 40 laps on a pasted paddle strop with diamond 1 micron and then
60 laps on the other side with Green Chromium Oxide,and still no diference:thinking:

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I don't think the HHT has any bearing at all on this. I myself don't consider it a test at all, unless you're going to pluck the hairs from your face and cut them hanging from your fingers, but that probably sort of negates the whole idea of using a razor. But that's just my opinion of course.

Are you new to stropping? if so, it could actually be your stropping that has dulled the edge, esp as you are using abrasives.

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Originally Posted by stevieb

I'm having mine honed on a coticule, not as harsh an edge. Plus I'm going to get a linen strop as well. Between that and re-examining my stropping, going to see if that makes a difference.

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I'm going to hone steve s razors with coticule ...As for HHt i use it as an indication of shave readyness,,, I use same batch of hair and it never fails me . when you get the razor s back steve i'll pop some hair in there and you can check hht for your self this will give you same indication of what i do ... I my self use a coticule and the hht is bullet proof for me .. i have had razors sent to me and they have not passed my test and they have not shaved well if at all . Vendors have alot of razors to hone and look after and they do not test shave them before sending them out..I also think a razor honed should be tested fully before sent to a customer? I no lynn does but many others don't. i always test the ones i hone ..gary

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Originally Posted by leadpig

i am having the same problem with a razor from invisible edge,it was sent shave ready yet failed the hanging hair test,it has got steadily worse and no matter how much stroppng i do it is now pulling hair,ive only used it 8 times.
last time i stropped i did 40 laps on a pasted paddle strop with diamond 1 micron and then
60 laps on the other side with Green Chromium Oxide,and still no diference:thinking:

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thats way to many laps and that could well of made the edge even duller or way to harsh, sounds like yours needs fully honing . if you contact steve i'm sure he would put it right for you..

gary

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Originally Posted by gary haywood

thats way to many laps and that could well of made the edge even duller or way to harsh, sounds like yours needs fully honing . if you contact steve i'm sure he would put it right for you..

gary

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that was out of desperation
i have tried twice with no reply,he is really busy though and not taking any orders till january.
i have to learn sometime so it may as well be now,i live on a small island in between england and ireland,and dont know anyone who shaves with a straight

If your desprate to get it honed i don't mind doing it for you i'm in the uk.

gary

I had the same problem for a loooong time. A razor shaves good then dulls after about 3-5 shaves.

My solution was to torque the blade lightly and strop firmly. Then I do more laps than before. That has worked better for me.

I think your technique is good and you are "under stropping".

Michael

ow many laps on a stropis normal:thinking:
ive heard everything from 10/100:shrug:

i've always performed 60 linen/60 leather after a freshly honed razor or a touch up. then 20/40 before each shave ...I use medium pressure enought to keep razor on the strop nicely and keep strop fairly taught but not where i'm ripping it of the hook so to speak . its that simple realy . i've tyed stropping with just leather but i do find natural lien makes a nice differance for as in the edge keeps going longer

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Originally Posted by leadpig

...that was out of desperation...

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I understand how frustrated you might feel, but in my limited experience sharpening a razor and desperation go really badly together :-)