New guy in SC having trouble.

Generally experience is an issue with someone new to shaving. A video will show you technique, and you may think that you are doing exactly what the video is showing but you may well not be. Changes in angle can be very subtle but make a huge difference.
You should expect it to take around 100 shaves to get consistent, acceptable results.
Your razors may or may not be shave ready, and your stropping may or may not be beneficial to the edge.
If you can try to meet up with someone to look at what you are doing and provide some guidance.

I would also add that using multiple soaps etc and various razors will make ironing out any technique issues very difficult as each soap and razor will perform differently. Pick one soap and one razor, learn to use them then start branching out.

Hi and welcome. A little more stropping wouldn't hurt. Stick with 1 razor and practice. Your shaves will probably be sub par for a good month. It will come together with time. Go for comfort and close will come with time. Good luck

Hi & welcome to the forum. All of the above have given very good advice. If you are unsure of the edge on your straight razors, then send one out to be honed by a professional. You can find one in the Classifieds under Member Services. That would be a good start because you should be able to shave with it as soon as you get it back & you will have an idea of what shave ready is like. Many will say shave ready but usually aren't. I have encountered that many times but I still got a deal on whatever it was I won or bought. Lots of patience, practice & technique are also important. It isn't difficult once you start with one that is shave ready. Right now you are at a state of confusion so you are asking for help. Many have provided excellent points & getting one honed correctly will be an example of what you are looking for so use that as a reference. Once done, you might want to send the others out to be honed until you yourself can learn to hone them yourself. It is also correct that one wrong stroke can dull a blade so make sure you are stropping correctly. It is quite simple. I'm sure you have seen it in the video's or even in the Library here. Just hold it flat on the strop & make a stroke lightly with the spine leading each direction. Never let the edge lead or you can cut your strop & dull your blade. There is a wealth of information here & it would probably be best if you had someone nearby to help you with some one on one help if possible. You can go to the following link & put in your location to find some help near you:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/memberlist.php?do=search

Don't worry, you will be okay & once you learn this old art of shaving, you'll never go back to a disposable..........ever. You will find that shaving with a straight razor is the best, most comfortable, smoothest & closest shave you ever had.
Good luck my friend.

Welcome, WARDM123!

The fellas have given you good advice. I would only add that although it's true that one bad stroke can damage the edge, it has to be a pretty bad stroke. So don't be too tentative when stropping. Good stropping strokes can often correct the occasional errant one. A few slow and careful strokes on the strop are worth much more than dozens of ineffectual ones.

Be bold, and have fun!
Jeff

Yes. That is what I try to do and I think I keep it like that. I try not to let the angle creep up during shaving. All I do right now are my cheeks and I still can't get a good shave. It starts out good on the side burn area, but fizzles out the further I go. Maybe the blade needs to be professionally honed.

Thanks to all you guys out there that replied to my thread. I truly appreciate all your advise, thoughts, and encouragement. I now that once I find my way through all of this, I'll enjoy straight razor shaving. Thanks again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WARDM123

Yes. That is what I try to do and I think I keep it like that. I try not to let the angle creep up during shaving. All I do right now are my cheeks and I still can't get a good shave. It starts out good on the side burn area, but fizzles out the further I go. Maybe the blade needs to be professionally honed.

---

people selling on the classifieds here are straight razor users, so they should be able to provide a shave ready edge, i can't speak personally for sellers here but any razor i have borrowed from another member has always had a good shaving edge.
if your razors from the classifieds all came from different sellers then it is unlikely that they all provided a less than shave ready edge, and as you say that the shaves start out good but fizzle out then i doubt it is an issue with the razors, however it can't be entirely ruled out.
how many shaves in are you?

to allay your fears regarding the quality of the edges it won't be too costly to send a razor out for honing, and if you can meet up with someone in your area that would be even better, sorry I know i sound like a broken record :)
even starting a dialogue via PM with someone reasonably close may be beneficial, you can discuss exactly what you are doing etc.