Thread: Questions from an idiot

Originally Posted by mike-s

Is that right? No pressure on the strop at all? It looks like people are pulling on the strop a lot from several videos I've seen, but I still see it sagging as the razor is drawn across the leather-- tells me they're putting a lot of pressure on it.

I didn't say it can't be done. I just said you don't really NEED any pressure.

A lot of this advice like no pressure when stropping or shaving or honing is intended for beginners, and for them it's the right advice. As you gain more experience you'll begin to figure out when it's ok to break the rules.

But for now, no pressure when stropping. Or honing. Or shaving. And keep that strop taut.

And that tinging sound you're hearing is a bad thing. Start flipping the razor while it's still moving, but make sure you're coming back the other way before you complete the flip or you'll nick your strop. You will likely get careless and nick your strop at least a few times before you master this, but the strop can usually be fixed.

Originally Posted by mparker762

A lot of this advice like no pressure when stropping or shaving or honing is intended for beginners, and for them it's the right advice. As you gain more experience you'll begin to figure out when it's ok to break the rules.

But for now, no pressure when stropping. Or honing. Or shaving. And keep that strop taut.

And that tinging sound you're hearing is a bad thing. Start flipping the razor while it's still moving, but make sure you're coming back the other way before you complete the flip or you'll nick your strop. You will likely get careless and nick your strop at least a few times before you master this, but the strop can usually be fixed.

Since I had my razor sharpened recently by Lynn / classicshaving.com, I'll try the no-pressure thing with the strop and shave. I have to assume it's sharp since he's the man and did the sharpening himself!

This could be a new thread, but I was also wondering about facial features. I am a pretty tall & skinny guy, and I have a kind of lean face with lots of angles. My skin is pretty sensitive too. Could that affect the type of razor I should have? It seems the shaving experience is very different for people with heavier faces or people with just plain more meat on them from a couple of videos I've seen. One guy in particular I saw on YouTube was really pressing the razor into the side of his face and the shave looked great. If I tried that I'd have no cheek left!

~ Mike

With a sharp razor, you need no measurable pressure against your face. Pressing with the razor will shave closer, but it also gives you razor burn. With sensitive skin, extra pressure is going to be a no-no.

The easiest way I've found to deal with multiple angles is to divide it into several zones, then focus on each zone individually. For example, I divide my chin into about 6 zones on my 1st & 2nd pass. If I'm going for ultra-BBS, I divide it into about 12 zones and finish with a water only pass.

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

With a sharp razor, you need no measurable pressure against your face. Pressing with the razor will shave closer, but it also gives you razor burn. With sensitive skin, extra pressure is going to be a no-no.

The easiest way I've found to deal with multiple angles is to divide it into several zones, then focus on each zone individually. For example, I divide my chin into about 6 zones on my 1st & 2nd pass. If I'm going for ultra-BBS, I divide it into about 12 zones and finish with a water only pass.

Is there any way to describe those 6-12 zones? It might help my chin shave as well.

OH, thinking of it let me run this past all y'all:

I said even after 3 passes, I don't get really close. Thinking about this for a while I have discovered that this is the case primarily along my jawline. The hairs tend to grow back toward my ears (horizontally). When I've stretched the skin I stretch back toward the ears and I've tested this only to find that those hairs "disappear". If I were to stretch toward the chin, those hairs stand up. I wonder if I did an ATG while stretching my skin toward the chin if I wouldn't get that cleaned up.

Also, I've been thinking more about my stropping/honing. I spent some time on the phone and PMing with Lynn. He's been a great help and I can now get a good edge of the Norton following his advice. So, I do believe it's my stropping technique that's the problem and from the advice here, I think I can narrow it down to one or two errors. I'm looking forward to touching it up tonight and trying the stropping advice previously posted and seeing how it goes.

Originally Posted by steve

When I've stretched the skin I stretch back toward the ears and I've tested this only to find that those hairs "disappear". If I were to stretch toward the chin, those hairs stand up. I wonder if I did an ATG while stretching my skin toward the chin if I wouldn't get that cleaned up.

Yes, it should solve the problem. For an against-the-grain pass you should pull from in front of the razor so the hair stands up. Be careful - your hand will be in front of the razor so don't slip!

Originally Posted by steve

Is there any way to describe those 6-12 zones? It might help my chin shave as well.

A picture's worth a thousand words. I wish I had a picture

When you look in the mirror, just pick... say 20-30 individual whiskers and focus just on them. Repeat until smooth. Stretching the skin really helps, and stretching so that the whisker stands up is really the key. So, as you learn more about your face, the angles and the direction the beard grows you'll have it BBS in no time.

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

A picture's worth a thousand words. I wish I had a picture

When you look in the mirror, just pick... say 20-30 individual whiskers and focus just on them. Repeat until smooth. Stretching the skin really helps, and stretching so that the whisker stands up is really the key. So, as you learn more about your face, the angles and the direction the beard grows you'll have it BBS in no time.

Thanks! I can get a picture of that easily. And, yes, I am learning about the skin stretching so whiskers stand up (I'll have to be extra careful in some spots as it will put my fingers in front of the blade). Problem is, I'll need to lather my face in sections so I can get a good grip in front of the blade.

I've learned more about my face in the last 2 months than in the past 36 years. It's confirmed what I've always thought...I'm ugly

Originally Posted by sensei_kyle

With a sharp razor, you need no measurable pressure against your face. Pressing with the razor will shave closer, but it also gives you razor burn. With sensitive skin, extra pressure is going to be a no-no.

The easiest way I've found to deal with multiple angles is to divide it into several zones, then focus on each zone individually. For example, I divide my chin into about 6 zones on my 1st & 2nd pass. If I'm going for ultra-BBS, I divide it into about 12 zones and finish with a water only pass.

Maybe that's my problem, I've been pressing in a little too much. To be honest, my shaves with the straight are still leaving me really rough. My wife prefers me to use the Gillette I've been using up until now because it leaves my face so smooth-- and a lot less bloody! The straight hasn't even come close to that level of smoothness yet, but I keep hoping it will! Thanks for all your guys' help in that regard.