Ok, so I've only shaved with a straight 3 times so far. I bought one shave-ready razor from the classifieds here. This was the first razor I tried, so I didn't know what to expect. I felt like it was tugging a bit more than it should. I had imagined it would "glide" across my skin as it shaved, but it was kind of rough. I didn't know if this was normal or not.

In the mean time I had another 8-10 razors that I was buying like mad on ebay. I cleaned up a couple, and one in particular, a 5/8" "cutlerix" brand (solingen) was in great condition. It was already pretty sharp, so I honed it up on the norton 4k/8k then finished on the chinese 12k, then stropped on a pasted strop (chromium oxide) and then stropped on red latigo (tony miller practice strop). When I tried this razor, it was incredibly smooth. I couldn't believe how good of a shave it gave - it just glided over my face, and cut really well also. I can't exactly how many strokes per hone I did, but I'm pretty sure it was in the neighborhood of 10 on the 4k, 20 on the 8k, and 25 on the 12k? Then 20 on the pasted strop, then 25 laps smooth cotton, and 25 laps red latigo.

So after that great experience, I tried fixing up another new razor last night to shave with today, a dubl duck special no 1. It too was already pretty sharp with no nicks or problems I could see with the edge, so I started at the 4k again (I do have a D8E too, but I didn't think I needed it here as it was pretty sharp and the bevel seemed set, not that I'm 100% sure how to check that). I followed the same honing strategy I did for the razor that shaved beautifully, but when I tried the dubl duck today, it pulled simliarly to the way the shave ready razor I bought here did. (The shave-ready is a 6/8 claus, fwiw). It was actually a little bit better if anything, but some of that could be my technique improving too. I was able to complete most of the shave with it, but it wasn't as smooth as the cutlerix. I ended up finishing my chin with the cutlerix, because it I was afraid I'd cut myself if I kept up with the dubl duck, since it was pulling a bit. I actually did my second pass with another razor that I bought off ebay, but I think the guy actually uses razors too (not just an antique dealer) and he told me he had just honed it and stropped it and it was ready to shave with. I did give this one 10 passes on the chromium oxide, 25 laps smooth cotton, and 25 laps red latigo, but it too shaved very nice. Not quite as nice as the cutlerix, but very very close. I was able to complete my XTG pass no problem with it.

So, sorry for the long background, but I'm curious. What was the problem with the dubl duck (and maybe a similar problem with the clauss)? Is this over-honing? Or was it likely that the bevel was never set properly? Or do some razors just pull a little bit and that's the way it's supposed to be? What is the most common thing the razor should do? Glide like butter, or should it have some drag? Or could it be that the razors are sharp enough and pretty much OK, but it's my technique that's the problem?

I know I'll get better with practice, but I'm just wondering what I might try next (tonight) as far as honing goes, to fix these problems, and see how the results are tomorrow morning. I'm making it my short term goal to get the dubl duck to shave like the cutlerix. I'm thinking I might try some circle honing, then try a pyramid on the norton. Which hone would I circle hone on if I tried this?

Sorry that this post turned out so long