Thread: Hart steel and tears?

If your shave with the straight doesn't go well, contact me. I will shave with your razor and give you feedback if the razor is shave ready or not & most likely be able to tell you if it was you or the honer. If the razor's edge is good, then I will ship it back to you to try again knowing it's a good edge. If the edge is bad, I will properly hone the blade, test shave, and ship it back...you will know it's a shave ready edge. Just cover return shipping w/ insurance. We just want you to learn what all the hub-bub is all about.

Originally Posted by cubancigar2000

Did you buy the Hart new or used? Hart has some quality issues lately but I have never seen one that was not shave ready from the factory. That's one of their finer points

Thank you for the respond!
I got it new for Christmas! It can shave, it just feels like like tugging any angle or direction...

Originally Posted by MJC

The Wise ones may also weigh in...
And I have to tell you I've talked through the Conventional to Feather transition many times, but this is the first time I've done it the other way.

For me the problem solving matrix is:

Edge - No brainer with the Feather, you pop a new one in. With your Hart I don't have any way of knowing the condition (this is also when we start suggesting that you avail yourself of a Mentor - you would be a very quick study I suspect)
My post strop check (if I do it) is to "tree-top" the hair on my arm. It's not a shave test, but if I can't do this the shave is generally not going to go to well..

Skin Tension A lot of time that "tugging" that the new shaver feels is too much slack in his skin. For me the Feather enforced skin tension practice with Drill Sargent directness - but I'm aware that I use a different process between the two and I'm at a loss as to how to explain it.
I do pay more attention to the direction of the stretch, trying to pull the hair upright by pulling opposite of the direction of growth. From my learning how to shave with a Kamisori days I picked up buffing in between the out-streached thumb and forefinger, one pins the other pulls.

Angle/Pressure For me lower on both with the Feather

Pass Pattern My Feather pattern is a very simple N to S and then S to N - the only creative stuff is the chin (Mo, no upper lip work to do) For the Straight I have actually adapted to part of the Feather 2 pass but I touch up the jaw and side of the Adams apple for a "1/2 pass". I also use more interesting strokes (heel forward, heel trailing, windshield wiper, buffing and chevron) and I do this on auto-pilot.

I suspect that this will "click" for you at some point in the near future and you will understand both the limits and the advantages with the Hart.

When most try to transition to the Feather they have trouble dialing down the pressure and angle (weepers) and they get cuts from either "landing errors" (first contact with the skin) or pattern errors (moving that edge parallel and slicing)
From your posts you are at the other end - having to adapt to the Harts "different kind of sharp"
Understand what you are going through, sorry but I don't have a magic hack for this one....

Smooth Shaving..

Thank you for the respond and all that info! I am OK with all the learning I have to do, really it is a lot of fun...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

If your shave with the straight doesn't go well, contact me. I will shave with your razor and give you feedback if the razor is shave ready or not & most likely be able to tell you if it was you or the honer. If the razor's edge is good, then I will ship it back to you to try again knowing it's a good edge. If the edge is bad, I will properly hone the blade, test shave, and ship it back...you will know it's a shave ready edge. Just cover return shipping w/ insurance. We just want you to learn what all the hub-bub is all about.

Wow Thank you! I will post a reply on the more educated shave later to see how it goes... Then go from there... Really appreciate your offer!

So I did the straight razor shave test gssixgun style! Well the prep was awesome fun. I even used the same soap AOS lavender, two face towel warming sessions one without lather on and one with lather on, lather up pushing in shave soap with fingers and the first pass 2 spine widths from my cheek WTG north to south....was unfortunately not comfortable. I shaved with no pressure, felt the results and there was still stubble left behind. I did the arm hair test hair was popping off with a snag like feeling kind of like pulling the hair first then cutting ouch. I made a video of the shave test, I will try to link it. Again thank you all for trying to help me out so far!

Here is the video sounds good but wasn't cleanly shaved

This may be just me but I'd say that your angle is too much. Try with the blade flat on your cheek then lift slowly until it starts to cut, that's the angle you want. I've also found that after one pass there will still be some stubble remaining the amount depends on how sharp the razor is. This is when you'd then do another pass XTG and finally if you're ok with technique ATG. When going ATG especially from the throat and around the chin the angle needs to really really shallow otherwise prepare for razor burn!
Just had another look try clearing about an inch on the first stroke then move your fingers to the cleared spot and push up this will then stretch the skin further. If you find your fingers slip rub them on an Alum block this will then make them stick.
I'd also get your razor honed, hope all the advice helps, it won't happen overnight but keep at it and one morning you'll find everything drops in to place.

Originally Posted by Anthony1954

This may be just me but I'd say that your angle is too much. Try with the blade flat on your cheek then lift slowly until it starts to cut, that's the angle you want. I've also found that after one pass there will still be some stubble remaining the amount depends on how sharp the razor is. This is when you'd then do another pass XTG and finally if you're ok with technique ATG. When going ATG especially from the throat and around the chin the angle needs to really really shallow otherwise prepare for razor burn!
Just had another look try clearing about an inch on the first stroke then move your fingers to the cleared spot and push up this will then stretch the skin further. If you find your fingers slip rub them on an Alum block this will then make them stick.
I'd also get your razor honed, hope all the advice helps, it won't happen overnight but keep at it and one morning you'll find everything drops in to place.

Thank you for your response and advice I will try them! I have tried shaving at a steeper angle the sensation is the same, kind of a pull then cut feeling. I won't give up.

That one stroke in your vid was about dang well perfect..

That is the test for you and the razor, if it cannot do that stroke and surprise you with how smooth and clear the cut is your are either doing something really off with the angle, or the razor needs Honing/Proper stropping.. Trying any other parts of the face or any other directions are a complete waste of time if you can't accomplish that stroke...

You have to be honest with yourself here, if you feel you did everything right then it is time to send it out to be honed or checked

I find that when people transition from a shavette type razor to a real straight razor, they really almost need to start all over with technique as if they were a brand new straight razor shaver. Usually with the shavette the shaver is using up to a 45 degree angle and the razor is still providing a nice shave, but when you switch to the real straight, no matter how correct you think the angle is, it is usually not. Start on one side of the face at the sideburn and only shave down to the jaw for a couple days making sure the razor is at 30 degrees or less with light short strokes and longer clean up strokes. When you get this area shaving nicely move to the cheek and give yourself some time to progress to where you re learn the face, particularly the mustache and chin areas. Be patient. For most, making this transition is not as simple as you think it should be.

If you can't get just the area under the sideburn after a couple days, definitely let someone look at the sharpness of the razor as stated above.

Have fun.