Thread: I want to like my straight razor

[QUOTE=vectorcide;112079]
What I perceived as a light touch, in hindsight, was very heavy-handed. In addition, I was using both hands, one on the toe and one on the heal, to guide the razor down the hone. I didn't realize that technique was verboten.[\QUOTE]

I'm not sure whether using 2 hands is wrong. I keep 3 fingers on the spine to stabilize it, I am too clumsy to do it one handedly. If I am not mistaken LX_Emergency posted a video of his honing and he used two hands.

If you look at Norbert (who is a much acclaimed German honemeister) honing his razor on the video in this link: http://www.nassrasur.com/norbert/norbert7.html
you will see he uses 2 hands. The honing is under Schliff &c.

I hope Lynn will forgive me commenting in this way on his technique.

BTW the last video in this link shows Norbert's visit to the DOVO works and how DOVO make straights.

Originally Posted by stypticinthemorning

...My own stubborn nature is this: despite getting what is likely very good advice to send out my straights for expert honing, I was determined to do it all by myself...

one fellow newbie to another:

1. Face prep is absolutely essential.

2. Stretch the skin.

3. For me at least, the only test that matters is shaving.

Keith D'Grau at Hand American has also been very helpful with advice, and he makes excellent sharpening systems that are in my opinion easier for newbies to get a consistent result with than waterstones, along with some very fine strops.
KD

I really hear ya on the "stubborn nature" part. I firmly believe that I would have been a lot happier if I had gotten my razor honed before delivery.

As for the prep, I am fairly confident that I am doing a good job. I've been preping for DE shaving just as you would for a straight for over a year now, and I can test a small area of my face with just a bare DE blade and shave without a problem.

I am fairly certian that my problems lie first with a dull blade, and second with learning the technique of handling such a long edge and stretching the skin properly.

As for the HHT... I agree with you completely. My DE blades give me perfect shaves, and they won't pass the HHT. I've tried my hair, my facial hair, my arm hair, my wife's hair, and even my dog's hair without luck on both my straight and my DE blades. Perhapse the HHT works for some people, but I don't think I'm one of them.

I'll look into Hand America... I see the name come up a lot.

The HHT works differently for different people and different hones. I'm one of the lucky guys with hair that's perfect for the HHT. But it doesn't work with the edges I get off my coticule. The hair peels weirdly instead of cutting cleanly like it does off the Norton. But the edge is actually sharper. Lynn uses a coticule, I think, so that could be why your Lynn-honed razor doesn't do well on the test. Or maybe your hair is too fine.

The HHT can be a useful tool, but it's only one indicator.

Josh

I'm glad to see this thread. I've never had any success with the HHT, with any of the razors I have. That includes Lynn-honed, JonE-honed as well as others that were sent to me "shave-ready". Yet they all shave just fine. J.

Aye, regarding the HHT. I see threads from the experts where they talk about razors that they've honed that "pop" a hair with an almost audible ease, or a thread a saw a while back that "anyone" can pass an HHT off an 8K Norton; so of course I figure my own honing is very substandard, since I cannot HHT; as opposed to "good enough for a newbie to shave" standard.

In this regard, obsession with the HHT was hindering my progress in learning straights and getting shaved, since any shave that didn't go as well as I'd hope would immediately be blamed on a dull razor that couldn't pass an "easy" HHT; when all along it's been (mostly) my shaving prep and technique that needed improving.

I'm getting very nice shaves now, off three razors (two 5/8" DOVO's and one 7/8" Wacker) that won't HHT with anyone's hair -- mine, my wife's, my 11 year old daughter's, my two greyhound dogs, and our long-haired hippie chick neighbor whose hair is like spider silk.

That said, I'm not having anymore razor burn, and two days ago the shave was so good my wife commented it looked like I didn't even *have* a beard on my cheeks.

This is the reward I've been working towards for months now. I'm sure that others with more experience get their razors sharper, and hopefully I will too, someday. I know I need more work on learning to shave certain areas on my neck. But I'm finally *there*, if you know what I mean. My Mach III handle hit the recycle bin two weeks ago, and I'm not looking back.

Well... my shaves are improving after developing a lighter touch on the hone, but damn if it still doesn't hurt like hell to shave! And I still have stubble when I'm done!!!! ...whew.

Here is a question for you ole timers:

Is my problem that I don't have a finishing hone? The finest grit I have is a Norton 8K. Could it be that the 8K just can't get it sharp enough for my beard? Do I have some kind of frankenbeard that just won't be shaved off but by the very sharpest edge?

I thought that off the 8K it should be "sharp", but just not comfortable. Did I miss understand? Is the blade more comfortable because its sharper?

I would blame my technique, but just to test that assumption I shaved my upper lip (carefully) with a bare blade from my Double Edged Razor. It poped off the hairs without a problem and didn't hurt! -- on my whole lip (my most sensitive area)! AND I did this without any prep!

I'm still so confused as to what the problem is.

Originally Posted by vectorcide

I would blame my technique, but just to test that assumption I shaved my upper lip (carefully) with a bare blade from my Double Edged Razor. It poped off the hairs without a problem and didn't hurt! -- on my whole lip (my most sensitive area)! AND I did this without any prep!

I'm still so confused as to what the problem is.

Your razor isn't sharp enough. The 8k is sufficient, but it helps to be really good at honing. If you keep using the 8k, eventually you'll get good enough, but it could take some time. In the short term you might have better luck adding a pasted paddle strop (I recommend 1 micron diamond and 0.5 micron chrome oxide) to your routine to help kick the edge up a notch. Or get a Feather, which is sharp enough to put most DE blades to shame.

I'll second the recommendation for the pasted paddle. That's the easiest way to make a shaving edge into a comfortable shaving edge. As your skill on the hone improves, the paddle's effectiveness will also improve.

The jury's still out on this one, but I'm pretty sure that it's impossible for me to get a comfortable shave from the 8K alone. I've tried edges honed on stones of all types, and only this little barber hone I have really gives me a comfortable shaving edge right off the hone. A few laps on a pasted paddle does wonders. (Other guys can shave with my edges without a problem, and I can't use even honemeister edges without going to a pasted paddle first.)

I seem to be a weird anomoly, though. I haven't come across anyone else who seems to have the same problem. Maybe you're the guy, but I doubt it.

Josh

Originally Posted by mparker762

Your razor isn't sharp enough. The 8k is sufficient, but it helps to be really good at honing. If you keep using the 8k, eventually you'll get good enough, but it could take some time. In the short term you might have better luck adding a pasted paddle strop (I recommend 1 micron diamond and 0.5 micron chrome oxide) to your routine to help kick the edge up a notch. Or get a Feather, which is sharp enough to put most DE blades to shame.

Well its nice to hear someone say that with confidence. I think I'll get a pasted strop then. I've been leaning that direction for a while now. Do you recommend a certain make or brand?

And what is the difference between 0.5 micron chrome oxide and 0.5 micron diamond?

(also, as for the Feather, isn't it shameful to get one... kinda like giving up? Won't everyone make fun of me? )

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I'll second the recommendation for the pasted paddle. That's the easiest way to make a shaving edge into a comfortable shaving edge. As your skill on the hone improves, the paddle's effectiveness will also improve.

The jury's still out on this one, but I'm pretty sure that it's impossible for me to get a comfortable shave from the 8K alone. I've tried edges honed on stones of all types, and only this little barber hone I have really gives me a comfortable shaving edge right off the hone. A few laps on a pasted paddle does wonders. (Other guys can shave with my edges without a problem, and I can't use even honemeister edges without going to a pasted paddle first.)

I seem to be a weird anomoly, though. I haven't come across anyone else who seems to have the same problem. Maybe you're the guy, but I doubt it.

Josh

Interesting. maybe I am the guy... or maybe I just don't have any idea how to handle a razor. Who knows.

That settles it though. I am definately getting a pasted paddle now. Again, does anyone have any recommendations? A particular paddle they love? There are so many out there.