Thread: Shave Suggestions?

Had my 5th straight razor shave this morning.
I seem to have some difficulty with the first pass. Longer whiskers perhaps, but I think there may well be something else. I read about some guys shaving with a three day growth while mine is but one day. I don't seem to have a tough beard as I can get a week of shaves with a single DE blade with no problem.
I discovered if I do a pass with a DE, then start with the straight that it goes much, much better. I know this because I reverted to the DE for the first pass in frustration. The razor just seems to hang up more on the first pass and I'm uncomfortable with that, knowing I can't just push through without consequence.
I'm using a Lynn honed razor and have been stropping about 20 (slow) passes prior to the shave making sure I turn the razor over correctly on the spine.
I concentrate on the correct angle, but have noticed a tendency toward too shallow an approach and to lead with the heel of the blade or straight down. Also the left hand is coming along. albeit slowly.
I've studied Dr. Moss's essay, and I'm awaiting arrival of Lynn's DVD.
I do my normal prep just as I do for a DE shave, and I make a decent lather using Palmolive Red, but sometimes Proraso or Michell's Wool Fat Soap.
Maybe I am just reluctant to push on through, but from what I read that should not be necessary and could result in bloodshed.
I'm open to suggestions for improvement and any tips. I'm going to learn this no matter how long it may take.

Since the blade was honed by Lynn, I doubt that it's the honing. Therefore, it could have been a stropping mishap or improper blade angle.

I have found with my own experience that when I have what seems like Extra Growth, I will make the angle steeper in an attempt to plow through the length and this causes pulling. Make sure to keep that 30 (+/- a small amount) degree angle, it really is key.

I will continue to have confidence in thid razor and work on the angle. If that doesn't do the trick, I'll try a different razor.

Is that 20 round trip laps, or 20 passes counting each direction as a separate pass? if it's the latter then that's definitely not enough.

I do 50 round trip laps every shave.

I get good results out of 30.

I do between 50 and 60 laps on the strop before each shave.

X

Good that you don't push on through, it took me a couple battle scars to learn that the hard way.

Interesting... I suffered with what sounds like the same problem for a long, long time. I assumed similar things, either a) I couldn't keep a blade sharp with a strop or b) it was just the way the shave was supposed to go and I'd live with it.

Then I sent a razor to Lynn through classicshaving and shaved fresh from the bubble packing - same exact problem. So I experimented with technique. For me what worked was more of a slicing motion at a shallower angle, it was a remarkably small adjustment in my shaving technique that seemed to solve both problems. So don't be too quick to accuse yourself of stropping wrong, if the blade seems sharp you can experiment a bit with your shaving technique, too. Just be extra careful!

I've noticed that when I let my stubble grow out for about two days, it gets much softer, easier, and comfortable to shave. But I still have no problem shaving off one day growth stubble. I can only guess it could be your prep technique or stropping, like the other members have mentioned.

I still feel that I'm sorta new at this but I find that the angle makes a world of difference. Hold the razor too flat and the blade catches, or at best glides over the whiskers. Correct the angle and the razor shaves them clean off. Angle and light pressure always. My 2 cents.
Ernest