Thread: Help! Confused.

I'm on about my 6th shave. I know I shouldn't be expecting much but one shave will go good and hardly any irritation, the next won't, blade catching and not really gliding. I'm not even doing a 3 shave pass either. Just WTG pass twice and a little XTG. I don't think it's my soap because I'm using the same soap. Could it be my stropping? Or could it be one time I get the angle right and the next time I don't. I've tried using guillotine stroke a little too. I'm confused. The blade seems sharp using HHT. Is there a way to narrow down what I'm doing wrong? Bad stropping or angle? I try to pay attention to the angle I'm using.

On another note, I used to shave maybe every two or three days with a cartridge and now I'm shaving every day because I look forward to it even though the results aren't very satisfying.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

It could be any of the things in question. Basically keep paying attention like you are, if it goes from one shave to the next then it may be a technique issue. Hang in there, it'll all come around, and glad you look forward to shaving

I got some Vintage Blades brand shaving cream. After the first use I threw it in the trash because it dried up really quickly and when I shaved it off there were little white flakes flying around everywhere. I had second thoughts and dug it out of the trash because maybe I didn't add enough water. Maybe I'll try it again and use it for several shaves to see if it helps. I've read the creams will help the blade glide better than the soaps.

What do you think? Or should I stick with the same soap and not enter another variable?

Originally Posted by Catrentshaving

It could be any of the things in question. Basically keep paying attention like you are, if it goes from one shave to the next then it may be a technique issue. Hang in there, it'll all come around, and glad you look forward to shaving

+1 It sounds like your technique.
Keep at it and it will get better...
I PROMISE!

If it could be my stropping technique should I maybe get a balsa strop and try a few passes with CrOx? To rule out the stropping and narrow it down to shaving technique?

And don't forget to hit the wiki here on SRP,
trust me I have been here since 2011 and I am still reading it, great stuff.

If you are getting a good shave with it every other time or so, I would "think" that you are stropping okay....
If the stropping was bad then you would always get a bad shave. Does that make sense?
IMO I would limit the things I change to MAKE SURE I don't compound and confuse myself with what could be wrong.

Strop SLOWLY and CAREFULLY there is no prize for finishing FAST.
Stropping is like shaving... LITTLE to NO pressure!
Pay attention to you angles and to your skin stretching.
Try to remember what you did when you have had a GOOD shave and see if you did anything differently with a "bad" shave.
I by NO MEANS am an expert, this has worked for me YMMV.

Yeah that makes sense. Maybe I'll let my face rest a day or two!

One of the biggest lessons i have learned is to take my Time for everything, prep, stropping, shave. It really helps. Well it helps me anyway.

Originally Posted by Jetmech

I'm on about my 6th shave. I know I shouldn't be expecting much but one shave will go good and hardly any irritation, the next won't, blade catching and not really gliding. I'm not even doing a 3 shave pass either. Just WTG pass twice and a little XTG. I don't think it's my soap because I'm using the same soap. Could it be my stropping? Or could it be one time I get the angle right and the next time I don't. I've tried using guillotine stroke a little too. I'm confused. The blade seems sharp using HHT. Is there a way to narrow down what I'm doing wrong? Bad stropping or angle? I try to pay attention to the angle I'm using.

On another note, I used to shave maybe every two or three days with a cartridge and now I'm shaving every day because I look forward to it even though the results aren't very satisfying.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

My interpretation of your experience is that you're doing great. You have to work through that period of confusion, because the more you do it, the better results you will get.

You're asking the right questions. Generally, the best angle is 30 degrees. I'm going to attach an outstanding shaving video and an outstanding stropping video. The more you watch the shaving video you will notice little things like how well mixed his lather is (he uses Cella in case you're curious). If you can't perform these strokes at first you will eventually be able to do so. As you develop your shaving technique, you may find better ways for you than the way it is demonstrated.

straight razor stropping - YouTube