Thread: Horrible shave.

For any beginner, please understand that

YOU SHOULD NOT, IN ANY WAY, TEST A RAZOR WHEN YOU GET IT BACK FROM A HONER.

When you get the blade back from the honer, you have the honer's edge right up until you do anything to it. Please, just shave with it. If you did not trust the honer, then you should not have paid him. If you did trust the honer, then just shave with his edge.

Would you like to know why a hanging hair test fresh from the honer often does not work?
Oil.
An oiled edge will not cut a hanging hair.
Don't bother testing the edge, just shave with it.
Don't strop the edge, just shave with it.
Please just trust your honer and shave with his edge.

Originally Posted by whoever

did you try TPT(theumbpad test), also do you have any hones? although maybe to early to use those if your not good at honing, What stop do you have, and do you have Cr ox on on side of the fabric ?
and what does your face prep consist of, also what is your technique for building a lather, and what does it look like ? do you bowl or face lather?

There is no rational reason to TPT a razor that is honed by a proficient, qualified honer. It can only degrade the edge.

There is no rational reason to use crox before shaving with a pro honed razor, or to even strop. A new edge shouldn't, or doesn't need maintenance.

What your lather looks like is immaterial. How does it perform? Whether made in a bowl or on the face it has to have the cushion, glide and proper moisture content.

Read up on prep, razor angles, lather, etc. etc.. Straight Razor Place Library - Straight Razor Place Library

Respectfully,

Howard

Hi!

I've been going through similar thoughts to you, Brian. I've got a couple dozen shaves under my belt, never a full shave though, I always do parts with my DE (learning to use both hands has really been tough). At first I thought my razor wasn't sharp enough, it would catch and feel like it was tugging rather than cutting, it never felt effortless like my DE.

I think, though I can't be sure yet, that it has something to do with the size of the blade. More blade width in contact with skin = cutting more hair at once = more resistance. I think that, combined with the fact that my beard hair is like wires, is what is contributing. Though the more I practice, the smoother it (seems) to be getting, there are good and bad days though!

Keep with it, it will get better

4th shave down! I paid close attention to the angle and the shave quality seemed to improve a bunch. It's not even close to the smoothness of my DE shaves, but it'll get there with time and practice. Thanks for the tips for a newb like me. I'm sure that saying the same thing to newbies gets rather old, so I appreciate the help!

Brian, find a local mentor, to cut your learning curve dramatically, and have the razor re-honed, you no longer have a shave ready razor…

A mentor will teach you to strop the razor to improve the edge, just one errant stroke can ruin an edge, and hopefully it just needs a light touch up and proper stropping.

Stropping is a catch 22, you have to strop to shave, but first you have to learn to strop.

Unfortunately what you are experiencing… is normal.

We all needs the dialogue to get where we are. No prob

Originally Posted by briancorneal

4th shave down! I paid close attention to the angle and the shave quality seemed to improve a bunch. It's not even close to the smoothness of my DE shaves, but it'll get there with time and practice. Thanks for the tips for a newb like me. I'm sure that saying the same thing to newbies gets rather old, so I appreciate the help!

Glad to hear this shave went better!
I would like to add another thing to think about: did you just do a single pass with the grain shave? If you are just starting out this is the easiest cut. I tried to go with and against the grain too soon and the result was very unpleasant...

Originally Posted by Ernie1980

Just another thought: did you just do a single pass with the grain shave? If you are just starting out this is the easiest cut. I tried to go with and against the grain too soon and the result was very unpleasant.

Definitely with the grain! I'd chop my head off if I went against the grain.

Or almost slit your own throat like I did! My wife almost banned me from straight razor shaving after that!!

I think it's all said: preparation, technique (angle, pressure and skin stretch) and proper honed razor.
Also patience and don't give up!!!