Thread: beggining to hate loathe and despise honing

Originally Posted by Joe Lerch

Second, your standard may be unrealistic. The moustache area is the worst for me and I have never found a str8 (even those honed by our best) that will allow me to go against the grain in that area. Only the Fether str8 and a few DEs with Feather blades can do it. For me it becomes a sharpness issue, because the sharpest str8 blades still require too much pressure in that application. The edges that work are so sharp that they cut against that grain with no pessure and do the trick. So, if your razors are working well except fot the one area, that may be the best you can do.

Joe,

I have to disagree with you on this. I have learned to go against the grain in the moustache area and now do it with each shave. Prior to this I was not satisfied with the results in the moustache area.

I find that an odd statement too. Even my blades are sharp enough to go against the grain; without using pastes. But since they cut plenty close with the grain I don't bother. Maybe a softer beard for me there.

Originally Posted by RichZ

I have to disagree with you on this. I have learned to go against the grain in the moustache area and now do it with each shave. Prior to this I was not satisfied with the results in the moustache area.

You don't have the same beard, and I have seen posts by others with that problem.

It's not that shaving in the area is unacceptable, it's that against the grain is impossible with most razors, of any type. A very few razors can do it, and they're the super sharp ones. If it were a question of sr8 razor technique I wouldn't be able to do it with a Feather, which is a str8. Some of my best str8s have come close when freshly honed and stropped.

I disagree...I shave every morning 3 passes one across one down and one against grain...no pain or irritation...baby smooth face and I use every razor (many) I own...lynn tought me how to hone strop and strech the skin, lubricate,and correct angle to hold razor against face so as not to scrape face and irritate...call lynn...he travels all the time on buss...find out where hes going figure out how to hook up with him...let him teach you...best thing you will ever do...for years I suffered like many on this forum...no pain no gain is bs...what he can show you, you cant get on video...everyones face and beard pattern is different...practice makes you better but you need someone to work with you and answer your question and show you little tricksto get your razors really sharp and improve your shaving tech...when you are stressed and frust you hold the razor differently than when confident and ralaxed...this is supposed to be coo lnot torture!...lynn is a great guy very easy going and patient ...we spent about 8 hours on honing he had me hone prob 20 razors,he damaged blades and showed me how to fix them,tighten pins ect ect ...he showed me how to strop and greatly improved shaving tech from face prep to shaving angles and diff ways to hold razor to get at diff places...this is not rocket scientist stuff but there is a learning curve and how much blood you loose and how much pain you go through is up to you...When I had had enough I called lynn and asked for face to face help

I think Joe is right.

There will be some that will say they have no problem shaving against the grain on the upper lip, but there are many who will attest that it is not do-able with their growth - no matter how sharp. In my case I feel it is not worth the risk, a nicely honed and stropped hair-popping edge does the upper lip very smooth. I have tried to go against on the upper lip, off and on as my skills have improved and I always stop, for safteys sake.

Emil

Even a blade that's not ideally sharp should give you a decent moustache shave without going against the grain. It just takes a couple of passes.

Originally Posted by clarman

I disagree...I shave every morning 3 passes one across one down and one against grain...no pain or irritation...baby smooth face and I use every razor (many) I own

That's great. Obviously you don't have that problem. But there are people who do, and they may never be able to go against the grain in certain trouble spots.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

Even a blade that's not ideally sharp should give you a decent moustache shave without going against the grain. It just takes a couple of passes.

Should it? I can go down and across all day and it still leaves stubble in the mustache area unless I go against. Besides the increased resistance of a str8 against that grain, you have the problem that you're shaving towards the nose.

Joe's right. Every guys face and beard are different. I have to go against the grain on my lip or else raze myself silly trying to get those stubborn whiskers under my nose. For me, it's better to go against.

X

As I said before unless I go against the grain the upper lip is not as smooth. I do this with all my razors 3/8 through 7/8