Thread: First Shave A Disappointment

Hello All,

My name is Tim and I am looking for a little advice/opinion after my first shave. I received my first straight razor the other day as a father's day present from my wife. It was ordered from vintage razors and is a Dovo Best Quality 6/8. Before shaving I stropped the razor approximately 20 times and then begun to shave. I noticed the razor felt as if it were pulling my hair rather than essentially cutting right thru it. I stopped the shave and performed the hanging hair test mentioned in the Lynn Abrams DVD and it wouldn't slice the hair without assistance from me. Does the razor need more stroping or a possible honing? Vintage razors says the razor is shave ready, but I found it to be a little disappointing. Any opinions or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also one other thing, as I am stropping sometimes I nick the strop as I rotate the blade on the spine, any way to perfect this technique would also be appreciated. Thanks for the help.

Tim Moss

Hi Tim. Welcome to SRP!

It is very likely that the edge of your razor got damaged when one of those nicks in your strop was made. Stropping takes a bit of practice. It's a good idea to go very slow at first to get the motions down and then as your muscle memory improves, very gradually speed up.

Don't worry too much about the hanging hair test. If you've never tested your hair against blades of known sharpness, it doesn't mean much. Some people have hair that won't "pass" the HHT even on a razor with a great shaving edge.

If you'd like, I'll be happy to take a look at your razor and touch it up if needed - no charge.
Of course, if you live somewhere where you can find a local mentor you could probably get your razor honed (if needed) and get some personal instruction on stropping and shave technique.

Thanks for the advice. I will slow down and really perfect the stroping. I think that when Im stropping the strop may twist as I rotate the blade on its spine so will have to watch out for that as well. Also, thanks for offering to touch up my razor and I may take you up on that in the future, as there aren't really that many people I know here in hawaii that use straight razors.

Tim

Be accurate. The first strop usually cut. Before shaving stropped the razor approximately 60 times. If it doesn't help, search the honemaster.
Everything will be OK. Not at once.

Hey and welcome

I would just add that if you receive a shave ready razor and are a rookie do not strop it before the first shave with it. That will let you know what a shave ready razor feels like. Then strop it before the second shave and if it feels worse than the first time you know your stropping technique dulled it. I think everyone goes through death by stropping syndrome at the beginning, I did.

Bob

Perhaps you could practise the stropping motion with a (second) dull razor or a piece of dull cutlery that feels similar in your hand. That way, you cannot damage the strop and still get the feel for the flip!

I would like to take you up on your offer if it still stands.

In my experience, the most common cause of nicks in strops is the timing of the flip and direction change. The timing is critical. Switch directions before flipping and you'll dig the edge in and then flip it up. This will certainly damage the edge. Switching after the flip is complete will dig the edge into the strop. This damages the strop, but may not damage the razor.

While moving the razor forward start the flip, and change direction after the edge is off the leather, but before it comes down again. Practice in slow motion to get it smooth. Remember: slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Thanks everyone for the advice I will try and perfect my stropping technique. When I received the blade from Vintage BladesLLC it was already opened and so I was under the impression it was shave ready, hopefully i didn't dull it with my amateur stropping technique. Have been looking forward to the straight razor for a long time and will continue to work at it.

PS. If anyone knows anyone on the island of Oahu that wouldn't mind showing me a couple of things I would greatly appreciate it. And thanks again for all of the help.

Tim

Keeping reading here and keep practicing stropping and shaving. It does get better. Your timing on the flip will get better. I had the same situation. I stropped my razor before my first shave before I found out I shouldn't have. I also had bad shaving technique and got razor burn that lasted a few hours after the shave on the first try. I dulled my razor in two weeks with bad stropping technique and also nicked my strop numerous times. Now I haven't nicked it in a long time and I can actually improve the razor edge with it. I can also tell when the razor needs a little refresh now too. It'll come.