Thread: Trying not to hurt myself, Please help!

I started straight razor shaving last week, after getting all of my supplies together. I have a AOS straight razor that I bought for a good price from a friend and I always shave right after I get out of the shower. My experience is very limited and I have followed all of the advice given on this great forum, but I am still cutting myself up like a butcher. I use Proraso shave cream, and I think I have the right angles, but just not getting the beard cut-off like I've seen in all the videos. I have a thick and heavy growth, which I try to shave everyday but Sunday. I had the blade sharpened at a local cutlery shop, but I don't think it is sharp enough. At the rate I'm going, I'll have to buy stock in a alum company.

Using the WTG pass, does not get the whiskers off, ATG does not do much else. I haven't tried the XTG yet. I try to shave the chin area and it looks like I haven't done anything. I hear the blade trying to cut the whiskers, but it is having no luck. Anyone have any suggestions? At this point I am very frustrated and willing to try anything for a good shave.

Anyone know any good honemeisters in Cali?

Very possible you have a factory edge on it. Your angle is the single most important thing IMO to your shave. I don't know anybody out there but I would hone your straight PIF for shipping. PM me if interested. I am in NY.

For starter I always cringe a little bit when I hear that somebody has taken their straight to a local cutlery shop to be sharpened. Unless they have a lot of experience honing straights, very doubtful in this day and age, the edge may not be what it should be. Honing a straight is "not" like honing a knife.

I would have it honed up by somebody that knows what they are doing. I would then shave with it without stropping it first as being new to this sport the is a chance you can dull an edge by improper stropping technique. Strop before the second shave and if the razor does not shave as well as the first time then you might have a problem with your stropping.

You are using Proraso which is a good shave cream but you must be able to make a good lather. If the lather is too dry your razor will not glide as well as it should and even stick. If the lather does not rinse off easily it maybe a sigh it is too dry. A good lather with the right combination of water and cream goes a long way to making a shave enjoyable.

Make sure of you angles, about 2 spine widths between face and spine for WTG and decreasing slightly for XTG. Darn near flat going ATG. You remove the whiskers in stages so don't expect them to all disappear with the first WTG pass. If you are trying to accomplish that you might be using too much pressure.

Sorry for the long ramble, I would just start from square one again with a properly honed shave ready razor. Keep the other points in mind if that does not help.

Bob

The notion of sharpening at a cutlery shop makes me cringe. If it cant take hair off the back of your hand when dry then it doesn't belong near your face. Just my opinion.

The cutlery shop was referred by a friend, so I will definitely get it properly honed. As for the angles, I have tried all angles with no good results. I usually do not use much pressure when shaving. I have experience with a DE razor and use that as my back up, using the same Proraso cream. I think I need to start over with a properly honed blade.

Thanks, Bob.

I would start over using a razor freshly honed by a pro razor honer. Even the finest new razor made will not shave until its edge has been made truely shave ready.

I hope that the knife guy has not damaged your razor. An experienced SR user with a lot of honing experience could possibly help out with your razor and technique.

Try Keeping the spine closer to your face. Raising the spine too much causes scraping, skin irritation and nicks. It also dulls the razor quickly.

Keep skin pressure very light (no pressure) and keep your skin stretched to raise hairs and prevent catching and digging.

HTH

Skin stretching is my friend. The edge and angle are very important. You should be taking the lather off as though not touching the skin. Like shaving a balloon

Yikes, time to send off the razor for a proper honing by a real professional, sounds like the biggest problem right now. Once you get that rectified, try again, probably better results too.

I agree with the others, get your razor properly honed and then re-evaluate your situation. Iz6, a mentor here, is located in California so you could try contacting him. If you don't have any luck finding someone at SRP I believe Classic Shaving is located in CA somewhere too and I'm sure they could help you out.

If I were you I wouldn't use that razor again until it's been properly honed. Like the other have said, if a cutlery store honed it, it's probably not fit for shaving.