Thread: Is The Blade Dull Or What!

Originally Posted by JoshKincaid

I have a Dovo 5/8" that I ordered from Lynn at Straight Razor Designs and I feel I do all of the required techniques well. I strop lightly with the spine leading, I keep the hinge pin and the scales completely dry, skin stretching etc etc, but I can't help but notice the elephant in the shave.

I feel like my blade is getting quite dull, because my DE razor with Feather blades will just glide against the grade. But with my Dovo, it is a real battle to get an ATG pass for the BBS shave. While I do get a closer shave with my SR, the DE is a "smoother" shave. Could it be my stropping technique. I will say, my strop could be very subpar. Here is a link to it:
Amazon.com: Professional Leather BARBER STROP Straight Razor Sharpener 2" X 20": Health & Personal Care

Any tips fellas?

I do have a free honing cert at SRD but I don't want to send it back unless I need to.

Best,
Josh

When you say "Its a real battle" what do you mean by that? If you mean it seems to have resistance or gets hung up it is probably your angle/pressure. If you mean that it pulls on the hairs in your face and is painfully ripping them out then probably a dull razor.

It does take some time to learn this whole thing as there are a few more aspects to straight then with DE such as stropping, grip, and you have more options for angle.

I recently switched over to a straight too. If I understand your question correctly, it's something I noticed too. Even if it's just as sharp, there is more drag on the straight because the edge is twice as long. Plus you've got less leverage because of where the handle is. The better the first two passes are, the less drag there will be on the ATG pass.

You might want to try stropping with a little more attention to keeping the [I]edge[I] of the razor in firm (not heavy, but not light) contact with the strop's surface. The goal in stropping is to polish the edge smooth and also straighten the edge. After stropping, you should notice a big increase in sharpness. Don't worry about going fast; slow and careful works just as well. Only a few laps (around a dozen or so) are needed.

I also would say it's all about the angle. I kept on accusing several razors being dull then I sent them to professionals that swore they're perfect don't need honing etc.

Then I changed the angle, nearly flat. And they started gliding.

Possible that your razor might need honing, but exhaust all angle possibilities first.

I had same problem with DOVO best 5/8 and even honed second time by Lynn. I brought a Ralf Aust it is like magic, much better shave. Wonder about the quality of DOVO.
Bruce

Originally Posted by brucem

I had same problem with DOVO best 5/8 and even honed second time by Lynn. I brought a Ralf Aust it is like magic, much better shave. Wonder about the quality of DOVO.
Bruce

No. barking up the brand tree will get you no satisfaction in SR's The ultimate edge is a magical trilogy between alloy, heat-treatment, and honing. Brilliant edges come from nearly every make.

Most brands who have been in biz for 100 years or so, have that part fairly well sorted.

Originally Posted by WadePatton

No. barking up the brand tree will get you no satisfaction in SR's The ultimate edge is a magical trilogy between alloy, heat-treatment, and honing. Brilliant edges come from nearly every make.

Most brands who have been in biz for 100 years or so, have that part fairly well sorted.

Understand Wade, I just brought a DOVO Bismarck and boy does it shave better than the best quality and shaves as good as the Ralf Aust. I have tried every angle possible and still leaves most of the hairs behind. Just don't really know whats going on.

Originally Posted by ffarouki

I also would say it's all about the angle.

I kept on accusing several razors being dull then I sent them to professionals that swore they're perfect don't need honing etc.

Then I changed the angle, nearly flat. And they started gliding...

THIS bears repeating. We see this exact (nearly situation) here all the time.

This is probably the 10th thread i've seen in less than two years where some new shaver (new to SR) can't figger out how is professionally-prepped blade isn't sharp enough.

They usually are sharp enough for proper technique. They are not sharp enough to cover improper angles new fellas often try to use/carry over from their DE or shavette-type shaving experience. They never will be.



Also, XTG with a straight is _advanced_ technique only advisable for 100+ shaves experience and a _known_ sharp edge as we covered nicely in a thread just the other day. right here.