Thread: pulling

I'm having a problem I just got my first straight razor.
it doesn't feel as comfortable as I've read about.
The feeling is almost tearing and pulling of the hairs.
on the plus side I have shaved my face twice and head once
And haven't cut myself yet although I did the finish work around my ears
, nose and hair line on top of my head with a disposable until I get my handling
skills up to participate thank you in advance for any help you can give!

First, find a mentor. They don't have to have the "badge", just someone who is nearby you that has been wet shaving for a while and is proficient. To do this, complete your profile and at least give a nearby city & your state.

There are a lot of things going on with straight shaving that I don't know where to start. Was your razor professionally honed? Do you have a strop? How do you strop? What is your "prep"?

A head shave will pretty much kill a edge, so I plan on shaving my head and touching the blade up.

Just so you know, most folks don't have it all to come together until they have about 30 shaves under their belt. "All together" is shave prep, stropping, blade angle, pressure, and the such.

live in Lewiston new york its near Niagara Falls and buffalo
I bought a nearly new / restored boker red injun 101 that was made
between 1924 and 1935 and it was honed, stroped by.
Home - Our Online Shop I hope some of this info is helpful
p.s. I have a 3 inch strop and a new boker silver steal tortoise shell straight
that should be here this week or early next from. The Classic Edge Shaving Store Your Straight Razor & Knife Specialists.
thank you again for any help

When Boker arrives from The Classic Edge do NOT strop it before use. Phil does put a very nice edge on the razors he sends out and by not stropping it before first use you eliminate the very good chance of killing the edge stropping it. If it shaves well for you then you may have killed the edge on your first razor by improperly stropping it causing to pull and tug.

Bob

Scott (shooter) said it all. Almost exactly what I was going to say. I'm pretty sure your edge is done right now, but this provides you with an opportunity.

Don't get fed up. Get read up, post up! Oh, and watch up. *Lots* of shaving videos. Here's a good place to start the watching:

https://www.youtube.com/user/LynnSAbrams/videos
Videos

Videos

Oh, and WELCOME! Each experience is a journey and all do not take the same path, though we have one united goal: To obtain the best shaves a man can possibly get using the finest method know to mankind.

Oh man... that sucks!

But you are at the right place if you don't intend to give up. And I hope you don't.

If it helps at all, I didn't get good feeling shaves for some time. Looking back, I think it was my stropping. But because I was determined, I decided that I would shave with nothing but my straight for a year. With the help of the gents here, I finally got it done - but it wasn't overnight.

Keep at it! If not for what you'll find are great shaves, but because it puts in in the category of win and small minority of men!! I hated having the blade but not knowing how to use it - hence the one year thing!

Sorry about the rough start, but congrats on getting started. Most importantly, welcome to SRP!!

Originally Posted by earcutter

If it helps at all, I didn't get good feeling shaves for some time. Looking back, I think it was my stropping. But because I was determined, I decided that I would shave with nothing but my straight for a year. With the help of the gents here, I finally got it done - but it wasn't overnight.

Keep at it! If not for what you'll find are great shaves, but because it puts in in the category of win and small minority of men!! I hated having the blade but not knowing how to use it - hence the one year thing!

Sorry about the rough start, but congrats on getting started. Most importantly, welcome to SRP!!

Amen, brother. I was also in the "rough start" category. Where there is a will there is a way. The steep learning curve smoothes out after the basic concepts sink in... The "Aha!" moments.

It's not an instant thing. (That's why it will never have a super-majority following.)

No matter how much you read. But the information is all here.

Even if you started with the best razor honed by the greatest gift to sharpness and comfort on a properly prepared beard, you won't get a good shave the first 14 tries. No one does.

Keep after it. Every few months you'll realize it's getting way better.

good luck

I have no intentions of quitting and I have been looking into this for about 8 months
I'm also very confident in the people I've made my purchases with are quality people
from my reading as well I think the equipment I bought are of top quality
so far I'm just happy that there has been no blood (lol) and I'm sure my technique
leaves a bit to be desired I'm going to stop by a store that I just found out is near enough to go to.
Experience The Art of Shaving - Straight Razors . I'm going to see if they will touch up the blade I
have now and have at it again

just wanted to post an update