possible plan: stop honing and learn to shave

Short version: I think I should be satisfied with the current state of my edge and work on my shaving technique for a while. What do you think? Here's the longer version of my progess so far:

1. I started straight-razor shaving last month with a new $55 DOVO "Best Quality" 5/8. My shaving technique was so poor (90-degree blade angles and not enough prep) that the cutting edge didn't much matter at first anyway: an uncomfortable mess.

2. Once my technique began to improve, I found time to notice that the blade failed both the "hanging hair test" and the "thumb test" (didn't "grab" at all when passing the wet thumb across the edge). Maybe it had not come "shave ready"; maybe I messed it up with too-forceful stropping. Anyway, it seemed time to hone.

3. As I honed cautiously with the Norton 4k/8k, doing about a 1/3 or 1/5 each evening, things improved for a couple of days and then went wrong, wrong: I found I had been losing contact with spine, edge, heel and/or point, and most of the edge was pretty dull, more so near the heel than the point. I could actually get a decent shave with three passes, but it pulled badly and irritated.

4. After watching Brian Donofrio's video, I tried honing with my finger on the blade to keep better contact. I now have an edge that "grabs" my thumb very well along the whole length, from each "face" of the blade. When un-stropped, it doesn't quite pass the HHT, but grabs at the hair and "sings" a bit; stropped for 10 laps, it passes the HHT pretty well.

What do you think of this for a plan: to be satisfied with the blade the way it is, and just SHAVE with the thing for a month or two, getting my shaving technique "all the way there." I think that, until I feel really confident in my prep and my shaving, I'm always going to be uncertain about whether the problem lies in the edge or just in my shaving. Thoughts?

If your going to want a good shave your edge must be sharp and thats it. Dovo's rarely come shave ready out of the box so that was probably your initial problem.

You can tell if a razor is shave ready with the first stroke on the side of your face. If its smooth and comfortable its ready if it pulls or needs pressure or just feels bad its not.

My first recommendation is to send your razor out to one of the honemeisters here so its really sharp. Then you can work on your technique. Working on your technique is fine but not with a dull razor.

Brian's video is interesting and obviously it works for him but much of what he does is unorthodox and many here would not recommend it especially the 90 degree shaving and not using the X pattern while honing and as you develop your skill you might find your own way with this thing but initially I would stick to the tried and true practices most of us use.

I thought that it was alright for a razor to pass the HHT only after stropping. Not ideal, but adequate. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong :)
Edit: You might want to read this before shaving with a new and untested razor:
http://www.classicshaving.com/articl...90351/5058.htm

I agree big...either call lynn or tony buy a shave ready razor and send yours to them to hone and learn how to shave...when you get the razors back stay away from honing...the razors should stay sharp with stroping...you need more than 1 razor anyhow...go into archives look at lynn's shaving video...If your pres razor goes dull after 2-3 passes it wasnt honed properly to begin with...forget the hair and nail test try shaving stroke on your face...experience dictates little or no pressure on blade lift spline away from face just barely try it...increase the angle in small increments until shaving is smooth no drag or razr burn...If your face is sore give the str8 a rest for a few days use a mach 3 or what ever...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clarman

you need more than 1 razor anyhow...

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Actually, you don't, but will want the second, soon... :)

Nenad... Stop trying to corrupt the poor guy. Isn't it enough you did it to me? You are creating an army of addicts here!

muhahaha!!! :evil face: And all the world's MAX3's will be mine... miine MIIIIINEEEE!!!

I'm assuming you meant Mach3... In any case you're only the second guy I've ever met that collects actual junk ;)

Yep, Mach3... I have just checked, and discovered that I have all Gillette's contraptions since the Contour Plus, and suprisingly, that one is very well made, with really nice handle, and heavy too. I just have to figure how to cut the handle and transfer it onto my dad's new Gillette DE. He complained it was too light...

OK, lets get back to basics for a minute.

The HHT is to be used after the 8000 stone, not after the belgian coticule or the 12000 nor after the abrasive pasted strop's or the plain leather strops. Frankly I can make a razor pass the HHT after the 4000 stone and then stropping on plain leather but it shaves poorly.
The standard I use is that the razor must pass the HHT ater the Norton 8000 and it must pass it easily with no tugging on the hair. This has served me well.

There are only two tests that you can use to "INDICATE" that a razor is ready for a shave test
1. The Thumb Test
2. The Hanging Hair Test
(The Thumbnail Test should not be used after the 4000 grit stone)
So you better learn one or the other and preferably both.

I do not agree with your decision to stop honing and concentrate on your technique. Continue with your honing until your razor passes one or both of the tests AND! shaves you easily. Use whatver honing style you wish for now. If Brians method is working for you then continue using it.
Continue using the 1/3, 1/3, 1/5 sequence between shaves until you reach your desired level of sharpness.

Best of luck,:)

Wow, what a great forum.

On Randy's advice, I did go back to the hone. It was two steps forward and one step back, but I got an edge that did pass the wet-nail test, and would (right off the 8k stone) split hairs with hardly any noise along most of the blade (then I was tired and jumpy, so stopped while ahead).

I then shaved a first pass without stropping and got a good shave. Before the second and third passes, I stropped very lightly about ten laps on the clean leather. I did the HHT after stropping just to make sure I hadn't dulled it through poor stropping.

Now, having shaved and cleaned the blade but not re-stropped, it won't pass the HHT at all: I'm going to assume that that's normal unless I hear otherwise from someone. Tomorrow morning, after the blade has "rested" a day, I'll try the HHT again on the unstropped blade before going on to strop as usual (clean linen side and clean leather side).

I'll keep my eye on Bill's site for a second, shave-ready beginner's blade. Then I'll have something to compare my first blade to.

Thanks to everyone. Keep the suggestions coming!
Deepweeds

OK, basics again.

You MUST! strop before every shave! No exceptions!
The minimum number of laps is 30, I use 60-90.

The stropping cannot be done the day before either. Just a few minutes before actually shaving.

Forget using the HHT on a blade that has just been shaved with or that has just been stropped. That is not the appropriate time to use that test.

The last time to use the HHT is after the fine stone (approx 8000 grit).


Hope this helps,:)

You can use the HHT to test the progress of the razor from 4k to 8k through 12k, but that will just be so that you can see how the hair reacts to an edge which is not sharp enough or wire edged. I have VERY fine hair and do use the HHT after stropping, but only to confirm that the razor will effortlesly and silently cut my own hair. If that happens, it's definitely time for the shave test.

Also, I think the wet nail test is a very aggressive test for the new edge. I only use it to detect burs and nicks.

We haven't talked about the paper towel test though. Has anybody been using this one?

X

You MUST! strop before every shave! No exceptions!

Okay, I think I'm one of those guys who must be told, "By the way, shave with the shiny metal side, not with the curvy plastic side." :^)

Randy, I suspect I'd read at some point one of these 12k-stone, belgian-coticule guys talk about shave-testing without stropping. In any case, my poor, red face tells me that you're right: shaving without stropping is a no-no. Also, my three passes seems to have dulled the blade somewhat (at least, it no longer "grabs" my wet thumb from either face of the blade when I pull it across).

I'll use a gentle hone to get it back to where I had it ("grabs" the thumb and passes HHT right off Norton's 8k side), then strop it very well before shave-testing in the morning.

X: I agree that the wet-nail test is a bit aggressive; I'll keep in mind to use it sparingly. But what is the paper towel test?

Thanks to all for helping me with the basics.
Deepweeds

This is the test in question.

As a new shaver you can expect your face to react a little to the agressive edge on the straight. It will take a half dozen shaves or so for your face to adjust.

Be careful with the higher grits. Too much ultra light work on them can create a wire edge and raze your face. If this starts to happen you'll need to go back to the higher grits for a few passes and work your way back up.

Always strop and always strop carefully. It's quite ease to knock the nice new wdge you just made off with bad stropping. Take yor time and get it don right.

X