Thread: Relaxing & smooth shave?

One thing I make sure of is that I allocate enough time so that I am not rushed at all. That way, I am not pressured into rushing my shave so I can enjoy it.


Mike

Shaving with a straight razor and stropping a straight razor appear deceptively easy to do, they're not. You will likely need to get about 100 shaves under your belt before your technique comes together. If you bungle the stropping, what beginner hasn't, you can dull a blade easily. Shaving with a freshly honed razor without stropping it first will tell you what the fresh edge feels like. When you strop before the next shave and the blade feels duller you will know it is your stropping that needs improving.

As mentioned previously, the right lather really helps. You don't want it thick and pasty. Make sure your lather has enough water in it which is a great help to getting a smooth shave.

Sounds like you are having normal beginner issues that only time, patience and experimenting will overcome. Once you persevere through that stage you will get smooth shaves.

Bob

I sometimes apply shaving oil, then lather-up. The oil helps my shaving become very smooth. And as mentioned, a common mistake is to produce a lather that is too dry. You need plenty of water in the lather for a smooth relaxing shave. Make sure you are wetting the end of your brush enough to put enough water into the lather as you apply to your face.

I second the fact that it takes a while to be proficient with a blade - and stropping. However, once mastered, you should find it a very smooth and enjoyable shave. Many barbers will tell you that you actually stand a far greater chance of cutting yourself with a DE than you do with a straight edge, once you refine your skill with the blade. I have found that to be true. Every time I use my DE, it seems I slightly nick myself. Nothing serious (no Styptic pencil needed) but there is that errant little nick with a DE no matter how careful nor how proficient with form and function I am. I hardly ever cut myself with my straight razor.

I have used a straight about 2150+ times. It is the best part of the day. The more you do it the better it gets

Originally Posted by bvais

I shaved with DE Feather for years
.....

So.. question for the group? Is your shave a relaxing & smooth one? Do I need to reset my expectations, i.e. shaving with a straight blade won't be as smooth as a DE one?

tnx!

The DE feather is a difficult shave to follow. I find the Feather harsh and unkind for the first two shaves on a new blade.

The bit to remember is it is your face, your whiskers, your Latherin, your blade, your opinion.

Do not reset expectations, anchor them with experience.

Settle on the one set that works for you.
If I get my "Latherin" right almost any blade shaves well.

Get your Dovo and Toledo rehoned at least one more time.
Shave without stropping the first time and see what your opinion is.

Pick-up an assortment of DE blades and see if there are blades you like better
than others and ponder why. Revisit your "Latherin" with your #2 or #3 favorite DE blade
and see if you can improve them to a first class shave with improvement to your pre shave
game.

In the end it is your skin, your whiskers...

You're not that far away from me. Just say the word and we can meet up. Up norf der, ey or down there. Doesn't matter, I'm always looking for an excuse for a roadtrip.

A second set of eyes on stropping etc. Is always helpful.

Shoot me a PM if interested and we'll sort out the details.

OP

I'm with you on this. I have a Feather Kamisori - gives me perfectly smooth, irritation free, comfortable shaves every time until I need to swap the blade. By comparison, I have yet to experience a shave with all of my straights that even comes close. I've been straight razor shaving for a year and a half, and have honed every one of my straights...perhaps that is the problem. I'm setting bevels on my 1K King, then 4/8 Norton and 12 K Naniwa for final polish. After setting the bevel on 1K King, I'm ensuring the blade cuts hairs at every point along the edge. Then off to 4K to reduce striations to a satin appearance. Then to 8K for a nice polish and further refine striations. Then 12 K for a mirror edge (with some striations still visible). My straight edges will pop hairs and pass the HHT before I'll even try shaving with them. Nevertheless, I have yet to experience a straight edge that matches the shave from a feather blade. With the grain, I experience very little resistance with my straights. It is against the grain where the grabbing and pulling is evident. With a feather blade, it simply glides right through an AGT pass no problem.

It is disappointing to me as I've always wanted to experience the hype from a straight shave - perhaps I need to just bite the bullet and send a straight out for a professional honing and see the difference between what I'm able to accomplish with my honing skills, and what a hone meister can do. Then make an assessment...

I'm using Stirling Soaps, hot water and a boars brush directly after a hot shower. I do enjoy every shave, it is just that a feather simply out performs my straight razors every single time.

Originally Posted by relli1130

OP

I'm with you on this. I have a Feather Kamisori - gives me perfectly smooth, irritation free, comfortable shaves every time until I need to swap the blade. By comparison, I have yet to experience a shave with all of my straights that even comes close. I've been straight razor shaving for a year and a half, and have honed every one of my straights...perhaps that is the problem. I'm setting bevels on my 1K King, then 4/8 Norton and 12 K Naniwa for final polish. After setting the bevel on 1K King, I'm ensuring the blade cuts hairs at every point along the edge. Then off to 4K to reduce striations to a satin appearance. Then to 8K for a nice polish and further refine striations. Then 12 K for a mirror edge (with some striations still visible). My straight edges will pop hairs and pass the HHT before I'll even try shaving with them. Nevertheless, I have yet to experience a straight edge that matches the shave from a feather blade. With the grain, I experience very little resistance with my straights. It is against the grain where the grabbing and pulling is evident. With a feather blade, it simply glides right through an AGT pass no problem.

It is disappointing to me as I've always wanted to experience the hype from a straight shave - perhaps I need to just bite the bullet and send a straight out for a professional honing and see the difference between what I'm able to accomplish with my honing skills, and what a hone meister can do. Then make an assessment...

I'm using Stirling Soaps, hot water and a boars brush directly after a hot shower. I do enjoy every shave, it is just that a feather simply out performs my straight razors every single time.

If you are getting tugging and pulling going ATG I'd look at your edge for sure. Mirror like bevels can be deceiving if they do not go all the way to the edge. Angle on the blade is critical too going ATG and for me that is the blade almost flat on my face.

A blade passing the HHT may or may not indicate the edge is shave ready as many threads on the subject over the years seems to conclude. Believe what the shave is telling you.

Bob

From the looks of it I've been shaving with dull blades. It's quite possible that my stropping technique was so horrible that I killed them.
I'll send the Bismark to Lynn so I can compare with the Toledo.

Originally Posted by bvais

From the looks of it I've been shaving with dull blades. It's quite possible that my stropping technique was so horrible that I killed them.
I'll send the Bismark to Lynn so I can compare with the Toledo.

If you do that do not strop the Bismark after you get it back from Lynn for the first shave. That takes stropping out of the equation. Do it before the second shave and if the edge feels duller it may be because the stropping is off a bit.

Bob