Thread: Shave Went from Good to Bad

Well, I took another shot at it last night and the shave was just short of disastrous

I did 100 or so laps on the strop and, just to make sure, tried the HHT before shaving. Well, the blade failed the HHT at the end (toe? tip? point? the proper word escapes me right now) and got an occasional pass at the middle and heel. I also tried the popping some arm hairs and got the same result. I probably should have put the razor down at that point and called it a night, but I am pretty stubborn.

So I gave it my best effort and right off the bat I could tell that the end of the blade was significantly less sharp than the middle and heel. I was able to do one full pass shaving with just the heel and middle of the blade but it was mighty uncomfortable. I got about half way through my second pass when I decided that I had had enough and finished with the DE.

After the shave, the dram of 'The Glenlivet' I had enjoyed earlier in the night finally started to effect my judgement (some may argue that it actually impaired my judgement to shave at all ) when I decided to go with the Booster aftershave. Well, it contained alcohol and reminded me of how much I still have to learn!

Anyways, any suggestions on how to proceed? Does this sound like a case where a simple refresh on the pasted bench strop would suffice or is it necessary to hit the stones?

Again, thanks to everybody for helping me through this. This whole straight shaving thing can be frustrating but I know that it will make reaching the goal all that much sweeter!

Shay,

I'd vote for trying the pasted paddle first. You're less likely to harm the edge that way; once you start messing around on the hones it could be a long way back to where you are now.

Generally, it's a good idea to start conservative, especially at first. Until you get a better feel for things, you're kinda shooting in the dark.

Grabbing your DE was good move. It's good to know when to quit, because trying to force it will only frustrate you and stunt your progress.

If you find you're unable to get your razor shaving again, I'd be glad to take a look at it for you. I could probably whip it into shape quickly and shoot it back to you. Just send me a PM.

Good luck,
Josh

Thanks very much for the tip and the offer Josh.

I will try to see if I can fix it up with the pasted paddle. So its 5 on 1.0 micron and then 15 on 0.5 micron, followed by a shave test. If it is not sharp enough do I just repeat?


If I cannot fix this myself then I will certainly be contacting you for some help. Thanks so very much!

Shay,

I'd say try that sequence a couple of times at least. Beyond that we might start creating a wire edge, which would be bad to say the least.

Try doing some regular stropping before you hit the pasted paddles, too. That'll help realign the edge before you start refreshing it.

Let me know if you'd like some help.

Later,
Josh

So I followed the recommended sequence 3 times on my pasted paddle and I got a great shave! It was really exciting! It is amazing how much easier, more comfortable and faster a shave can be when the blade is even just a little bit sharper. However, the toe was still pretty dull - it was better than last time but not exactly shaving sharp. The other 2/3 of the blade were much sharper though, which made me very happy.

So, how do I go about fixing the toe on this blade? Is it safe to use the pasted paddle with only the toe on the surface or will that just cause more problems?

Thanks again for everybody's help, especially Josh. Its an amazing feeling when you can 'bring a razor back to life' with your own hands. The shave may have taken me 4 passes but it was the first time I did not have to finish with my DE!

Shay,

Glad to hear it.

If the toe is dull, there's a chance it wasn't getting stropped as much as the rest of the blade. You have to keep your strokes slow and very even. (Or it could have been duller to start out...)

If you can live with it, you might want to let it go for the time being. You'll probably want to do another touch up in five or six shaves anyway, and you can try to fix it then.

It's possible to go too far with the pastes, which will make the edge worse. Maybe do another 1-5 or two... More than that and I think we'd be getting into risky territory.

Good luck,
Josh