Thread: First SR shave...not special

I have been shaving with a Dovo Shavette for 2 weeks. I was getting along well with an acceptable result.
My Dovo 'Best Quality' arrived today and was used this evening.
The edge bevel looked surprisingly narrow and a little more narrow in the middle. This was with the naked eye, and may be normal.
I stropped it 50 passes (my first at stropping), then put it to the test.
Two things that I noticed was that it seemed to take a bit of effort, or force, to cut through the whiskers.
It also seemed to want to dig-into my face.
Is that a characteristic of a blade needed a re-refreshing?
There was more shave noise than with the Shavette.
The end result was not a close shave.
I have a Norton 4k/8k on hand, with a Chromium Oxide Paste .5 micron stick on order (should be here next week).
Until the CO stuff arrives, I'll try more stropping. Next will be strop with the CO, and then maybe the 8k Norton.
I see a 12k stone in the future.
Suggestions and encouragement is welcomed.

If the blade was Pro-honed,You should not have stropped it from the gitgo as your first time,JMO

Indeed.. If you purchased the razor from a vendor that hones them prior to shipping, such as Straight Razor Designs, Classic Edge, etc, the last thing you should have done is stropped it, as it's likely you rolled the edge. That being said, a first straight razor shave with a traditional straight is quite different than using a shavette. The proper angle of blade to face is different, so is the weight. If you're experienced at honing a blade to shave--ready, I'd say go ahead and refresh, but, if you are new, you'd be well-served and way farther ahead to send it in for a professional honing. If you do this, when it comes back, just clean the oil off and shave, without stropping.
Good Luck, welcome, and have fun!

As has been said IF the blade came from a vendor who had honed it prior to shipping then stropping was unneccessary, however its done now and you cant do a lot about it. But not knowing where the razor came from its hard to say.
As i understand it the angles required are different between shavettes and traditional straights, and i have seen quite a few comments regarding more force being required, and replies that talk about the difference in cutting area between a straight and a D/E blade, ie a straight cuts twice as much hair on each pass.
It took me months to get a good shave in reasonable time, so if after a couple of weeks you are getting acceptable results with the shavette, you should be fine with the traditional straight after some practice.

I'm pretty sure I have read in many places that one always needs to strop a newly received razor. Even if sold as shave ready, it needs to be stropped .
Well that's behind me now.
Have to figure out what to do next.

If the razor is sold by a reputable vendor, they are stropped after honing, prior to shipping. If you look on SRD or any of the other good ones, they recommend not stropping, as the edge is in perfect condition and nothing will be gained. Some say you can strop it if you like, but it's not necessary. Especially just starting out. Now, stropping after the shave is recommended by some as it helps to ensure the razor is dry and clean.

Hey Neckbone,
Beginning stropping skills are not to be ignored. My stropping usually dulled my edges. I wouldn't claim to have been any good at it. What I notice is absence of detail in your description of your stropping, no indication if the razor was purchased as shave ready or honed before delivery. Why would that be?

What you describe of the bevel is of interest. My bevels are usually pretty thin also & I'm happy when that's the case. That it gets really thin in the center would indicate its not perfectly symetric (straight), which has been my experience w/ 3/5 Dovo Best. I've done about 11. The asymetry would also mean that if you're contemplating learning to hone, this would not be the blade to learn on. Your join date and mention of 2wks experience would indicate that the honing efforts should remain in your future - or don't be surprised at lackluster results. I say that w/out hypocracy 'cause I tried it. It remains something I regret.

Should you want to try a fresh edge, I and likely others would do for just the mailing costs to get it back to you. My edges tend towards the smooth side.

Like most anything that requires skills, this will come, but not overnight.

Originally Posted by Neckbone

I'm pretty sure I have read in many places that one always needs to strop a newly received razor. Even if sold as shave ready, it needs to be stropped .
Well that's behind me now.
Have to figure out what to do next.

I don't think you will read that advice here particularly with a new shave ready razor. That is to avoid ruining a good edge by improper stropping especially by beginners. A lot of us have made that mistake, me among them. Strop it before the second shave and if it shaves worse than the first one you then know your stropping needs work and your razor needs touching up on hones.

Bob

Originally Posted by Neckbone

I'm pretty sure I have read in many places that one always needs to strop a newly received razor. Even if sold as shave ready, it needs to be stropped .
Well that's behind me now.
Have to figure out what to do next.

Don't feel bad I read the same thing. just got my new dovo and proceeded to strop it . Well my strop is all nicked up and so is my face Lol

Originally Posted by nodakjohns

Don't feel bad I read the same thing. just got my new dovo and proceeded to strop it . Well my strop is all nicked up and so is my face Lol

I put my first shave-ready razor to my face and had an "OK" novice experience. After I stropped it the next few shaves were not so OK. It took a while to sort out the difference between stropping and mangling a razor. Like nodakjohns, after my first strop, the leather was nicked, the blade was nicked and my face felt like it has been exfoliated with finely ground glass.

You might want to do some practice stropping with a butter knife or plastic knife to get the feel of a light touch and a rolling blade. It is not hard to do after a little practice.