Thread: A No ‘pulling and tugging’ razor?

I often read about fellows saying that their shave was great with no ‘pulling or tugging.’ I’ve been using a straight for about two years now, and no matter what, I always get pulling and tugging. I recently got one of my razors, a ⅝” Dovo Blackstar, sharpened by a professional from this forum, and he did a wonderful job. It came back sharper and in better shape than ever, but I still got pulling and tugging. I have come to expect this out of my razors, and thought it was normal. Until today, that is…


I shaved with an inexpensive, ‘Made in India,’ shavette today, and was pretty amazed. It was just like what I often read about - a great shave with no pulling and tugging. I had used this shavette a few times when I first started out, but I had a problem with cutting myself, mainly by the sharp, pointy corners of the blade. So when I used the shavette today, I slightly rounded the corners by running them over a sharpening stone. Rounding the corners, along with using a very light touch, gave me a great shave, with no pulling and tugging whatsoever. BTW, the shavette, with its broken-in-half razor blade, is the only razor I have that passes the HHT. When I try the HHT with my straights, even after being sharpened by an expert, they always fail.


So the problems is, how do I get the same shave with my straights? I know that a straight razor is probably never going to be as sharp as a razor blade (from what I’ve read), but as I said, people are getting great shaves with no pulling and tugging, so, do they just have better razors? Razors that take and hold a better edge? If so, any suggestions for a razor that will work better? A razor that will shave with little, if any, pulling and tugging?


I don’t figure it’s my technique that is the cause of my problems. As I stated above, I got a great shave, with the same technique, using a cheap shavette. I’m equally sure it’s not the keenness of the blade, because I had it sharpened (my Dovo) by a true expert. The pulling and tugging I’m experiencing is significant, not mild or barely existent. So all I’m coming up with is that my razor doesn’t get as sharp as some other razors can. Hence, my quest for a new razor begins. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Could be a number of things, but something like a Feather razor blade is about as sharp as it gets...but at a price. I don't get as smooth a shave out of a Feather. Have you ever met another veteran straight shaver? Have you ever made a razor meet? I ask simple questions like this because a poor shave (tugging and pulling) can be from the beginning of a shave all the way through.

I have some really tough whiskers around my goatee area & even with a perfectly honed razor I can feel a bit of resistance with a lighter full hollow blade. This is why my method of shaving is "beard reduction". I shave with the grain 1-2 passes, across the grain once, and against the grain once. My WTG pass is the determining factor if I need another pass WTG as if I do, my face wasn't hydrated enough...which almost perfectly coincides with me taking a quick shower.

Lastly, if you have been shaving with a straight...why haven't you experimented with different ways until you found a way that works for you? If you had only been at this a few months, I could understand. I really recommend making a razor meet and or finding a "mentor". They don't have to be a "badged" mentor from here, just another veteran straight razor user like yourself. Get together, strop, hone, shave, and of course shoot the bull together...it's always a lot of fun.

My number 1 son complains about pulling and tugging with full hollows. He has an extra thick and extra wiry beard. He has discovered that wedges don't do that in his beard, perhaps you should get a heavier grind and take that for a spin.

Coti and escher edge may well be too soft or dull for you. 20k suehiro edge followed by cbn on hard wool will produce a feather blade sharpness ime. Hard jnats can also . It all depends on the honer though. You can have the best stone but dont know how to use it.

Pulling and Tugging is sort of subjective. What Shooter said about the Feather blade is spot on. BTW, if you have a thick beard you will notice some P&T with a Feather blade on your first pass easily. You don't want your SR to get 'too' sharp. A SR allows you to reach the perfect compromise of sharp and smooth. When it is there you will have 'some' more P&T as compared to a Feather blade but it will provide you with a smooth irritation free shave. Because it's so smooth you can go over the trouble spots with an additional pass and end up with just as close of a shave but without the irritation penalty. Now when a SR truly needs to be re-honed or even touched up then the P&T is actually dramatic. That very noticeable stage is what we mean to say by pulling and tugging.

I like super sharp. So when I hone them I push the limit on it. Everybody has their own opinion but I had the same issues you did regardling blades honed by others that were shave ready yet.dullish. I dont find a highly refined edge whether synthetic or jnat to be harsh at all. The harshness to me was from the tugging. But ymmv as always. I would love to give ypur blade a once over for postage. I think I can get it the way you want it as I like em very sharp as well.

Originally Posted by bill3152

Coti and escher edge may well be too soft or dull for you. 20k suehiro edge followed by cbn on hard wool will produce a feather blade sharpness ime. Hard jnats can also . It all depends on the honer though. You can have the best stone but dont know how to use it.

Please explain this statement on coti & escher edges before you are flogged like a grasshopper who jumped into a chicken coop. The sharpness comes at the lower "grits" of the bevel setter and pre-polishers. I'm wondering if you are talking about slurry dulling, otherwise this statement about coti's and escher's is incorrect to say the least. I have some of the finest stones around and know how to use them...an Escher edge is on over 50% of my edges.

As mentioned above, maybe the OP needs to try out a heavier grind razor for that "squeegee" like shave. Have you tried a heavier razor?

Tugging and pulling are sometimes subjective. One must properly soak and do the proper prep. If you are one that has a really course beard then you will have to soften your beard more than someone that only has a very light beard, of course.

That said, the amount of tugging and pulling is really a subjective thing. A straight will never compare to a DE or a blade that has a Teflon, or other, coating on the blade's bevel. A coating will always make the blade cut easier. No way to get around that. There are things to mitigate that difference, however. I have an extremely heavy and course beard and my demands on a razor are almost extreme.

My first N->S pass is a very light pass in which I just kinda lightly, and without much detail, thin the herd as it were. My second pass is another N->S pass but this time things will be a lot smoother and it is a detailed pass using all the tricks like major stretching and scything. For me, this pass is the foundation of the rest of your shave.

The rest of my passes are XTG from center out, ATG from S->N, and XTG from ears to center. I do a final touch up on two difficult areas that always need a touch up to get BBS.

The closeness of the shave is superior to any that I have ever had from a DE, disposable or any other razor that I have used. I concur with the sentiment that a 1/4 grind can make things easier on your face if you have a heavy beard. It is not that a full hollow will not do the job but it tends to take a bit more technique to do the job.

Later,
Richard

I meant that a great stone wouldn't benefit anybody if they didn't know how to use it. I was not talking about anybody in particular. Regarding the sharpness, I agree that the bulk of the sharpness is reached when the bevel is set. But there is further refinement as the swarf on the stone indicated metal is being removed. I think that Jnats are capable of a keener edge than cotis and eschers as well. No scientific proof, my observation and there are some circles that agree with that. Im sure there are many variations as every stone is different. As well as the hands that use them.

All I will say is assuming your technique is sound if you are getting tugging and pulling you razor isn't sharp enough.