Thread: Does it get this sharp?

Gents,

I've learned to hone well enough that I can shave with the grain and not feel the razor shaving. It just glides over the skin, making the tiniest bit of sound. Against the grain on the cheeks, I feel it but it's fairly smooth and one pass if I stretch correctly. But on the chin, neck and especially on the moustache area, it's definitely a 'scrape scrape scrape' sensation. Not painful, not 'tugging', but not what I would call 'comfortable' either.

Can a blade get sharp enough that on the moustache and other difficult regions the razor 'glides' the whiskers off with barely a pull? Or am I probably getting about as good as it gets?

There are a lot of variables here. Best I can say is to send it to a veteran shaver/honer for an evaluation. How does it compare to a pro-honed blade? I would be willing to do this if you cover return shipping.

So whatcher saying is that it could be the honing, or it could be a feature of the awesome manliness of my moustache area? I'm guessing the solution to the latter is grow handelbars!

:-)

The "manlier" the whisker is, the more resistance it provides to the edge. A truly shave ready blade will find no whisker that is a match for it. A well-honed blade doesn't give a damn what lies in its path. Anything standing in front of a well-honed blade is essentially "dead meat".

I keep seeing threads where people describe their whiskers as like steel and it makes me wonder whether it's their finger tips that are soft.

Sounds to me like you are not quite there with the honing and the way to test that is to send a razor to a recognised honer and use it in comparison to you others.

Another tip is to check your preparation - try a pre-shave and hot towels when you have the time and see if that makes a difference.

Originally Posted by UKRob

I keep seeing threads where people describe their whiskers as like steel and it makes me wonder whether it's their finger tips that are soft.

I totally agree that it's my finger tips that are too soft!


Cheers.

The problems that many in this, or any other forum, face is that we don't see first hand how other people shave, lather, hone, or strop. I have a beard that my wife can hear me cutting ten feet away using a 1/4 grind. It used to drive her nuts but she has gotten used to it. The point is that we all have different beards. The density, coarseness, and varied growth direction that different people have is probably quite difficult to get a handle on. I would think a professional barber could give some really great input on this particular issue.

A straight razor will never be as quite, or cut the same, as a double edge because of design and technical differences that are built into each particular instrument.

Later,
R

Using a straight should never be uncomfortable no matter how tough the area or your whiskers. If it is your razor either isn't sharp enough or you need to modify your technique.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Using a straight should never be uncomfortable no matter how tough the area or your whiskers. If it is your razor either isn't sharp enough or you need to modify your technique.

Yes, I think I'm still using a too high an angle against the grain.

You can also use a slight slicing stroke. Don't try it on the stache area until you do it on an easier part of the face. BE careful though and don't slice too much, just like a slight left or right motion. It really maginifies the sharpness of the razor on tough whiskers. On my cheeks and face I use a guillotine stroke, slight angle to the stroke.