Thread: Razor Angle Experimentation

I am some what new into straight razor shaving. I just stumbled into an intresting find in seeking out the "perfect shave". My shave is as listed below, I am curious if anyone has tried a similar technique, and with what results?

Normal pre-shave prep (hot towel face wash, pre-shave oil, lather)
1st pass with the grain with a very shallow angle. (my guess 20 degrees)
2nd pass with the grain with a very open angle. (my guess 30-50 degrees depending on the portion of my face.)
3rd pass across the grain with a moderate angle. (my guess 30-40 degrees)

My understanding is that you normally want to stick to shallower angles, yet its also whatever works for you. Anybody else tried this? And with what success?

Whatever works for you. I personally keep the angle so low that many times through a shave the spine contacts my skin.

I find that when shaving with the grain a blade angle of around 30 to 40 degrees works best. Lower than that and the whiskers aren't cut cleanly at the skin's surface but are instead left as shredded stubble, necessitating an against the grain pass.

Same here, except for a few spots under my chin when I increase the angle. For my face, I would get razor burn very badly if I raise the angle very much.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

Whatever works for you. I personally keep the angle so low that many times through a shave the spine contacts my skin.

Gentlemen,

I try not to complicate the shave by keeping the blade overall at a 20-degree angle or lower, sometimes the spine touching my face — the way shooter's does — here and there increasing it slightly, around the mouth and chin using more buffing strokes. I no longer think about it but let my hands and razor do the thinking.

Sethy, I think you're complicating things for yourself by thinking numbers and measurements. Much of straight razor shaving is intuitive. If it works for you, lift the spine slightly on the cheeks, perhaps lower it a bit around the mouth and chin using more buffing strokes, and on the neck relatively low angle in both directions.

if it works don't fix it , but I do find that if I increase the anglke its scraping the whiskers off instead of cutting ,, maybe the blade is not sharp enough ,, when my blade is right it will cut flat on my face ,,, good luck and keep at it tc

Thank you for the response's, its interesting to here to works & does not work for people

As I gained experience my blade angle got lower for some reason. Like others have said, you do what works for you.

Bob

I think I keep mine around 30 degrees except for the mouth area, but I don't really pay attention to the angle any more. If it is digging in, I lower the angle - if it is skipping I increase the angle. I just listen to razor and adjust as needed.

I agree! Shaving with a SR should not be like trying to solve complex equations, but rather should be an enjoyable, cerebral experience. It is kind of like riding a bike you just do it.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

I try not to complicate the shave by keeping the blade overall at a 20-degree angle or lower, sometimes the spine touching my face — the way shooter's does — here and there increasing it slightly, around the mouth and chin using more buffing strokes. I no longer think about it but let my hands and razor do the thinking.

Sethy, I think you're complicating things for yourself by thinking numbers and measurements. Much of straight razor shaving is intuitive. If it works for you, lift the spine slightly on the cheeks, perhaps lower it a bit around the mouth and chin using more buffing strokes, and on the neck relatively low angle in both directions.