Thread: Not so close with the straight razor

As I have said in other post, I have managed in a few weeks to shave my entire face with straight and not nick myself. But I notice that the shaves are not as close as I get with a DE. I imagine this is because I am reducing the angle too much to avoid cuts and nicks. Any thoughts.

It is possible that through less than ideal shaving and stropping technique that your edge has fallen away. If my lather is too dry it makes for a lesser shave experience as well, and not very close. My shaving angle changes with the part of my face and whether it is XTG, WTG or ATG. On my neck and underside of my jaw, with or against the grain, my angle tends to be quite flat. One of the older members used to say that between one and two thicknesses of the spine is the range for how much you should raise the spine above your skin. In the begining I spent a lot of time watching that gap.

Originally Posted by RezDog

It is possible that through less than ideal shaving and stropping technique that your edge has fallen away. If my lather is too dry it makes for a lesser shave experience as well, and not very close. My shaving angle changes with the part of my face and whether it is XTG, WTG or ATG. On my neck and underside of my jaw, with or against the grain, my angle tends to be quite flat. One of the older members used to say that between one and two thicknesses of the spine is the range for how much you should raise the spine above your skin. In the begining I spent a lot of time watching that gap.

I just had these razors honed a few weeks ago. I can’t imagine that my stropping technique is so bad that I’ve dulled the edge. I get lots of feedback with the hollow ground one

You'll be fine in time. Just keep after it and you'll improve your techniques that works for your face.

Originally Posted by Johntoad57

You'll be fine in time. Just keep after it and you'll improve your techniques that works for your face.

Well, I’m enjoying it too much to quit now.

It does take a while to get your specific technique dialed in. There is things that will be specific to your skin and what directions your whiskers grow in different spots on your face. There is skin holding and stretching, also lather making makes a difference. One missed stroke on the strop with a hollow razor can possibly roll the edge enough that it won’t strop out. Also high angle shaving will kill the edge fast.

Also, if you change a bunch of things all at once it is hard to keep track of what helped. Pick one thing that might be causing you issues and change it for one shave and reevaluate. There really are a lot of variables. You will likely have several aha moments in the first little bit. Once you mail it perfect the first time there will likely be a fair amount of facerbating.

Originally Posted by Elnones

I just had these razors honed a few weeks ago. I can’t imagine that my stropping technique is so bad that I’ve dulled the edge. I get lots of feedback with the hollow ground one

You could roll the edge with one stropping but the good news is that even if that were to happen anything you could do with a improper stropping you could normally correct with stropping properly.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

You could roll the edge with one stropping but the good news is that even if that were to happen anything you could do with a improper stropping you could normally correct with stropping properly.

Thanks. That is good news.

Originally Posted by Elnones

As I have said in other post, I have managed in a few weeks to shave my entire face with straight and not nick myself. But I notice that the shaves are not as close as I get with a DE. I imagine this is because I am reducing the angle too much to avoid cuts and nicks. Any thoughts.

I consider that a normal occurrence and (unless you have a substandard razor) to me it is an indication that your technique is still evolving.
For a straight shave to surpass a good safety razor shave everything has to fall into place, honing technique, stropping technique, shave prep, shave technique.

If you have serious issues in any one of the above four areas the shave will be be ruined, if you have minor issues the shave will be inferior to a good safety razor shave, if everything falls into place your shaves will be equal or better to a good safety razor shave.

I consider the often quoted 100 straight shaves the point where straight and DE shaves should be about equal, but after that technique still continues to evolve and you slowly start to pull ahead with straight razors.

Having said that; until about two years ago I believed that ultimately a safety razor was no match for a straight, but since then I have reviewed my view somewhat and believe now that with the right (positive) blade exposure and (generous enough) blade gap it is possible for a safety razor to match a straight. Safety razors that meet above two conditions (essentially that the blade glides directly over the skin and is not recessed somewhat) are however in the minority.


Hope this helps…


B.