Thread: Not sure what the problem is?

I was quick to assume the razors (sharpness) were at fault because even though my (shaving) technique is far from perfect, I couldn't figure out why I have one razor which drags and sticks when I shave at any angle I tried (clauss), (and I did end up shaving my chin with the DE after this), then I have another razor that is so smooth that I felt like a pro doing my chin and everywhere else (cutlerix), yet another razor that drags but doesn't stick (dubl duck), and then a fourth that is nearly as smooth as the second and I can tackle my chin and anywhere else with ease (thomas turner).

Even still, though, I haven't gotten a single bit of irritation from any of them (even though I would usually get a little bit of irritation on my neck with a DE), and my shaves are at least as close as I would get with a DE using the same WTG and XTG passes that I've been doing, so maybe I just need to play with the angle a little more with the clauss. I'm actually pretty excited to give it a try again and really focus on my angles and see how it performs now that I have some level of expectation for what it should feel like. I'm thinking since I used it first and I've tried the others since, that maybe it didn't get a fair shake.

I actually don't have any magnification yet, but I did just win this: Cambridge Educational Academic Microscope - eBay (item 120379750308 end time Feb-23-09 17:20:25 PST) yesterday, and hopefully will have it soon. Thanks for the tips!

As an update, I stropped up the shave-ready Clauss today and had at it. It was much much better than I remember. I had a very nice shave and was able to do my chin too. I guess it was just that I used it for my very first shave and didn't have any technique whatsoever. Guess my technique is improving already!

I still do think that the dubl duck I had tried to hone wasn't properly honed (by me) and that was part of my problem shaving with it. I did re-hone it last night by following some of the guides in the wiki. First set the bevel better, did a pyramid on the norton, 30 laps on the chinese 12k, 15 laps on the pasted strop (chromium oxide), 20 laps on smooth cotton, and 60 laps on red latigo. I didn't try it yet, but it seems to shave arm hair pretty easy.

I really couldn't believe how sharp it was coming off the D8E after setting the bevel. I tried the TPT for the first time ever and definitely have a nice slice in my thumb that is stinging today (paper cut depth). I remember very lightly dragging my thumb down the blade, thinking, yeah, this does feel like strangely like caramel (as the wiki says), and just as I thought that, youch! Learned a lesson, lol. I couldn't believe how easy it sliced even with no pressure.

Once I saw Gssixgun (Glen) describe the TPT as kind of bouncing the TP on the edge. After reading that I did a TPT and realized that is kind of how it is. Bouncing lightly in the direction of the heel towards the point.

I used a sharp new DE to educate my TP as Randydance advised to learn it. I also used the TPT on the striaght in conjunction with the TNT while setting the bevel. IOW, razor is dull and I am on the diamond plate or coarse grit stone setting the bevel and I know it isn't sharp enough to pass the TPT but I am doing it anyway along with the TNT.

As I progress on the bevel I am feeling the progress as I do these two tests and getting my TP to get used to the feel of the edge against it as it gets sharper. Randy told me to do this to get the feel of the TPT and it really worked. Now I use the TPT more then any other. If you hone enough you run out of arm hair pretty quick.

I have never cut my TP using the TPT. It is a light touch along the edge with the force going from heel towards the point with only the slightest pressure to see if the edge grabs or the pad slides. The pressure isn't going from the edge towards the spine.

Cool on winning the microscope for that price. ( item #120379750308) I only have the 30x in both the loupe and my microscope. Not sure if 100x is ideal as it might show too much but maybe it will be better then less power.

I think the issue is more about what "shave ready" means to us personally. By virtue of the fact that he had a good shave with another razor should indicate that his technique is at least adequate.

If I shave, and at the end I have a BBS face and no irritation then I consider the blade shave ready. But this is a wide spectrum. I have blades that give more or less "feed back" and all give me the same end result.

The issue is we newbs spend so much time reading posts before our first shave that we come to expect a razor to glide effortlessly across our face. We read so much about the "hot knife through butter" that we assume that's the mark for shave readiness. When our first shave is less than that we wonder why.

And thus the quest for the ultimate edge begins.

For what it's worth I have blades that pull more than others, I am always trying to improve those edges but I have never considered them to be less than shave ready. My face is smooth, there's no redness, no irritation, I'm happy.

Originally Posted by JCitron

For what it's worth I have blades that pull more than others, I am always trying to improve those edges but I have never considered them to be less than shave ready. My face is smooth, there's no redness, no irritation, I'm happy.

J, I agree with what you have said with the exception of the pulling razor. If I have a razor that pulls at all (I'm using the correct angle, prep etc.) I don't consider it shave ready. aThen again it depends on if we have the same definition of "pull".

You're right Jimmy. Perhaps pulling is not the best word to use. I always imagined pulling in a negative sense to be something where you almost had to force the razor through the hair and were almost tearing the hairs.

I was referring more to excessive feed back so to speak. In my head I imagine that the ultimate edge is one where you don't feel anything at all as you do the initial pass. One step below that and you have a little bit of feed back. As you work down that spectrum you get more and more feed back until you hit the point where the razor is doing as I described above.

"Shave readiness" is unique to each of us and is a range that begins at some point along that spectrum. We all agree that the top of the spectrum is shave ready but where we draw the line is a personal thing.

Originally Posted by JCitron

You're right Jimmy. Perhaps pulling is not the best word to use. I always imagined pulling in a negative sense to be something where you almost had to force the razor through the hair and were almost tearing the hairs.

I was referring more to excessive feed back so to speak. In my head I imagine that the ultimate edge is one where you don't feel anything at all as you do the initial pass. One step below that and you have a little bit of feed back. As you work down that spectrum you get more and more feed back until you hit the point where the razor is doing as I described above.

"Shave readiness" is unique to each of us and is a range that begins at some point along that spectrum. We all agree that the top of the spectrum is shave ready but where we draw the line is a personal thing.

Agreed, I use the gradual stubble removal I learned in DE shaving. Not trying to get bbs smooth in one pass. Some parts of my face/neck will get smooth in one pass. Some in two and certain areas (on either side of the windpipe) may need further attention.

What I look for is almost no resistance and a smoothness in the cutting of the whiskers. For me the chin and mustache areas tell the tale. If those areas are resistance free and cut smoothly my razor is shave ready enough for me but as you say it is an individual thing.

Randydance told me early on that after coming off of the hones test shave and you may have to go back to the hones a few times to refine and improve the edge. He also told me to try shaving off of the 8k instead of moving on to the higher grits right off the bat. Gives a good indication of how sharp you're getting the razor. I like doing that and find it is a good barometer of how my honing skill is progressing.

Originally Posted by JCitron

The issue is we newbs spend so much time reading posts before our first shave that we come to expect a razor to glide effortlessly across our face. We read so much about the "hot knife through butter" that we assume that's the mark for shave readiness. When our first shave is less than that we wonder why.

This, I think, is exactly what happened. My first shave, with a "shave-ready" razor, did not glide, but my second shave, with a razor that I honed myself (very first honing) glided like I imagined it should. So I wondered why. Then, I honed another razor the same way as the one that glided, and it did not glide, so I wondered why.

As it turns out, though, it seems like I may have been doing a little too much wondering a little prematurely. For the first razor, since it shaved great today, it seems it WAS shave ready, but since it was my first shave, I a) didn't know what to expect, and b) had bad technique. The second razor was probably a fluke that it was honed so well, and the third razor is probably the norm until I get my honing down pat.

Sorry everyone that I've now started babbling and worrying/wondering so much over my newbie discoveries and explorations

Originally Posted by pjrage

This, I think, is exactly what happened. My first shave, with a "shave-ready" razor, did not glide, but my second shave, with a razor that I honed myself (very first honing) glided like I imagined it should. So I wondered why. Then, I honed another razor the same way as the one that glided, and it did not glide, so I wondered why.

As it turns out, though, it seems like I may have been doing a little too much wondering a little prematurely. For the first razor, since it shaved great today, it seems it WAS shave ready, but since it was my first shave, I a) didn't know what to expect, and b) had bad technique. The second razor was probably a fluke that it was honed so well, and the third razor is probably the norm until I get my honing down pat.

Sorry everyone that I've now started babbling and worrying/wondering so much over my newbie discoveries and explorations

Not to worry,

This is quite normal around here!!

Lynn

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Once I saw Gssixgun (Glen) describe the TPT as kind of bouncing the TP on the edge. After reading that I did a TPT and realized that is kind of how it is. Bouncing lightly in the direction of the heel towards the point.

I used a sharp new DE to educate my TP as Randydance advised to learn it. I also used the TPT on the striaght in conjunction with the TNT while setting the bevel. IOW, razor is dull and I am on the diamond plate or coarse grit stone setting the bevel and I know it isn't sharp enough to pass the TPT but I am doing it anyway along with the TNT.

As I progress on the bevel I am feeling the progress as I do these two tests and getting my TP to get used to the feel of the edge against it as it gets sharper. Randy told me to do this to get the feel of the TPT and it really worked. Now I use the TPT more then any other. If you hone enough you run out of arm hair pretty quick.

I have never cut my TP using the TPT. It is a light touch along the edge with the force going from heel towards the point with only the slightest pressure to see if the edge grabs or the pad slides. The pressure isn't going from the edge towards the spine.

Cool on winning the microscope for that price. ( item #120379750308) I only have the 30x in both the loupe and my microscope. Not sure if 100x is ideal as it might show too much but maybe it will be better then less power.

I'm not sure I'm completely understanding what you are saying about the TPT. After reading the wiki, my understanding of the TPT is to lightly drag the blade along my thumb pad, heel to toe, as if trying to cut my thumb, but it shouldn't cut it because you are using light pressure. Are you saying the same thing?

I did do this, but I had two main problems. First, I didn't expect the edge to be SO sharp after coming off of the course D8E (1200 grit), so I underestimated the blade. Second, I just started at the heel and kept going toward the tip. I probably should have done small sections at a time instead of one continuous stroke (is this what you mean about bouncing?). With the one stroke, even though I was dragging it ever so lightly, as soon as it started to cut in a little, it just dug in too smooth, too fast

It was at least as sharp as a DE blade, which I wasn't expecting from that hone. It's not like I cut myself bad or anything, luckily. It didn't even really bleed. It's literally just like a papercut, which, of course, stings