Thread: How sharp should my straight razor be?

Hi guys,

I recently purchased my first proper straight razor (after shaving with a shavette/safety for about two years). I bought a DOVO best quality 6/8 half-hollow from the invisible edge UK. I was told that it would come shave ready and yet it struggled to complete the "hanging hair test". I had my first shave with it straight from the box, it was quite uncomfortable and there was a fair bit of tugging and I ended up bailing out and using my safety razor to finish off.
With the razor, I also bought a canvas backed leather strop. After some stropping the blade feels a bit sharper and is ok when shaving my cheeks but it is still very uncomfortable shaving my chin and neck area. As this is my first straight razor I am not sure what to expect in terms of sharpness, but it doesn't seem as sharp as the double edge blades in use in my safety razor or shavette.

Should the blade be sharper than this? Do you think I should try and send it back to get it re-honed? Or perhaps buy some paste for the strop and try that?

Thanks

It should never pull. Comfortable is what you want. Some like sharp and crisp. A little harsh but i prefer smooth soft edge like butter. They may have honed it but needs to be dialed in or rehoned.

I'm sorry that your first shave was not to par. You were right to stop and finish with another razor.

A properly honed straight should be literally sharper than a scalpel. It should glide through your beard with no pulling. The sound should be akin to spreading butter on toasted bread.

I'm not going to blame anyone, but it sounds like maybe your razor wasn't honed to shave ready. When I buy a new razor, I always touch up the edge, unless I know who honed it, and strop before the first shave.

How's your stropping? Poor stropping can dull an edge very fast. It looks like you didn't strop before the first shave, it that correct?

I'd contact the vendor and see what they have to say. In my experience, the first shave with a newly honed razor isn't the best. Stropping and use helps it "settle in."

Will it do this ???

What is "The Shave Test" for a Straight Razor - YouTube