Thread: some help please?

Hello all,

I have just bought my first straight razor (before reading here), and it is a solingen mehaz proffesional. While after some honing and work, it will shave, but its not very comfortable, and seems to be pulling at the hairs. I have it where it passes both of the thumb tests with flying colors.

So, I was looking at buying a new razor and came across this one, its a little over my price range, but was wondering if this would be a good razor for a newbie? Thiers-Issard Straight Razors

Any suggestions are much appreciated.

When it come to shaving the only test that matters is the shave test. Are you honing your own razor? What are you doing for a pre shave?
The Thiers razors are great.

Yes I honed my own. Tried just running it over a hard black ark, but nothing changed on it. Then a med ark, and finally had to go down to about a 800 norton waterstone for a few passes, then to the med ark, fine spyderco ceramic, hard black ark, then strop, and the edge does shave a little better now. Pre shave, was in the shower, wash face with moisturizer (shudder) while brush/soap is soaking. Right before I get out I let all the hot water I can stand hit my face. Get out, use secret shave oil, rub it in, let sit. Strop, the lather up and try not to slice my jugular. Before I rehoned the razor, after one or two strokes on my face it would be pulling and dull. After, it will go through a whole shave, but its not a smooth shave. I am not sure if its my lather (col conks), or the razor, but am wondering if it might be both.

Guess what I am asking, is will I benefit by buying a better razor, and if so, is the one in the link a good one to go with. Need to try some other soaps or something, cause col conk, just doesnt seem to be doing it.

Thanks

i think it is more a problem that you are sharpening it like a knife.... try sending it to one of the honemeisters on here and get them to fix it up for you..... then you will see what it is capable of.....

best of luck to you

Yup that sounds about right paco.

I need to search the forum. Bit I think mehaz are one of the razors to avoid.

You do not need to spend $200. Hit the classifides or some of the vendors you see here

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

slarti, yes the list says no to soligens, I dont know if it specifically says mehaz, but....

To hone it, I laid it flat, so the spine/edge were both touching and pulled it across. Is the technique wrong or the stones wrong? They are all newish (>6mths old) stones, except the hard black ark, but I dont think you can wear those out.

Originally Posted by ubet

slarti, yes the list says no to soligens, I dont know if it specifically says mehaz, but....

To hone it, I laid it flat, so the spine/edge were both touching and pulled it across. Is the technique wrong or the stones wrong? They are all newish (>6mths old) stones, except the hard black ark, but I dont think you can wear those out.

you must be sure that ALL the stones are lapped flat.... you can use a piece of glass with 400 grit wet or dry and a lot of elbow grease... mark a pencil grid on the face of the stone then scrub in figure 8's till perfectly flat....

then set your bevel with a ~1000grit stone... i personally feel the 800grit you have is a tad rough so use LIGHT pressure to avoid losing blade width.... at this time do the thumb nail test to see if your bevel is set... if it is.. make ~5 more LIGHT passes to fix any damage this test did to the edge...

then progress through the rest of the stones... remember LIGHT pressure and its not a race to the finish....

after you finish on your black arkansas strop it up and give it a test shave..... if it isn't satisfactory then send it to one of the honemeisters and see if a pro can make it shave....

if they can't do it NO ONE can.... *(aka new *(quality) razor time)...

but i think you will do fine.....

best of luck and let us know how it turns out...

Many of us feel that Arkansas stones are for knives. Razors and knives are two totally different tools. Where we typically start honing a straight razor is where most knife users stop. I hone my kitchen knives up to 3K on water stones, my razors on the other hand go up to an occasional 30K...same water stones.

Lets take one thing at a time. Please send the razor to a pro honer. This will help you to learn to shave & to know what a real shave ready razor is all about. Once you have that down, then have your hand at honing.

Where are you from? You might check the community tab above and visit the map...should find someone with a bit of experience to mentor you a bit...heck, at least you may meet a fellow straight user. You might luck out and they may be proficient with the stones. While you are there, post a pin where you live.

Shooter, I tried using the community tab and well, I just got lost and had no idea what I was doing. I live in Norther Ca, south of Red Bluff a ways.

We are in Occupied San Francisco tonight, and I went into art of shaving here, and walked out with a TI razor, some of their shaving soap, and just got done shaving. WOW, what a difference good soap and that razor made (I did strop it about 20 passes on a rougher strop, new belt, then on a real fine one, regular piece of leather that is silky smooth) and did it shave. I am going to buy a SRD strop in the next week or two though I think. It was quit a treat, wife is even pretty impressed .