Thread: It finally happened

I just hope that it continues.

I was planning to post earlier to discuss my morning shave experience, but as I was reading I came upon the "Smooth vs. Sharp" discussion and it set my mind to racing.

First things first... I have been reading for many weeks about what to expect from a "Shave Ready" razor with direct reference to the experience of having the razor just glide across skin effortlessly shaving down every errant whisker in it's path. Having experimented with 3 or 4 "shave ready" razors in my short (maybe 100 shave) straight-razor journey, I had not yet experienced this storied brush with shaving bliss.

I hone my own razors using a 4K, 8K, 12K progression depending on what I am trying to work out, whether it be tiny nicks, a burr, or just routinely touching up an edge after an occasional drop into the wash basin.

In the learning process, I have endeavored not to get too aggressive with my shaving razors because I want them to last and I don't want to damage them beyond my own ability to repair. Except for the cheap Kriegar... I hone the hell out of that thing, and don't have a decent edge yet. Yeah, I was told. LOL.

Anyway, I'd been touching up on the 8K and 12K... Oooh... seems like at about 3-week intervals, or whenever I dropped one. Well, the time came again, and last evening I was once again honing my daily shavers, which are 2 Dovo BQ 5/8 FH. I decided to start on the 4K because I had detected a burr on the toe of one of the blades (it was leaving tracks on my strop). It was a simple process. 4K, 8K, 12K, linen strop, leather strop, clean, and shave test.

The shave that I have been getting off of my "shave ready' blades have been good. I was happy with them. They weren't (tremendously) uncomfortable and I wasn't having to resort to a cartridge to close every shave. As I said, I was happy.

So I honed these blades and went to shave this morning on a two-day growth, and OMG...

The razor that I was using just slid across my cheek like a hockey-puck on ice. Smooth. Easy. I had to stop and do the silent "Holy Shit" thing.

I usually do a 2-pass shave, and I'm OK with a bit less than BBS, but this morning I could have stopped with 1-pass and still gotten a shave that was noticeably better than days previous. I did a light 2nd pass and ... viola... I has my Baby Butt (which usually requires the Atra for the 2nd pass.) LOL.

Now to the "Smooth vs. Sharp" discussion... My razors have been sharp for months. Hell... I've been shaving with them. But this morning's shave was smoooooothe...

Congratulations! It's a great accomplishment.
I hope all of your future honing sessions yield the same results.

Undoubtedly, it gives the shaver a sense of achievement when at last the three skills, shaving, stropping and honing, come together and provide that close yet comfortable shave that we are all after.

All that work and effort finally paid off....



B.

Congrats on achieving a "smooth" shave. Those really feel good.

Have you asked yourself why it happened this time and not the others? Knowing why might help you going forward.

The difference this time when you touched up the razor was that you dropped back to 4K. It could be that by doing that you really got a good reset on the bevel. It is quite possible to have an edge that you can shave with but isn't just quite there as far as the bevel being totally set is concerned. That is just a thought and I could be totally wrong.

Hope you have continued success in the smooth shave department.

Bob

One other possibility could be your now getting the hang of shaving with a straight, I've gotten great shaves from a razor I thought was dull after I learned, ntechnque really has a lot to do with this hobby, that's why it so hard for new guys to get right away and blame the equipment, but like Bob said what di you do different or are you just getting better with the hones. Tc

As so many have already said, there are a lot of variables. It may have also been an alignment of the astro bodies. I am happy to hear that you have arrived for the first time, to a point of amazement and shaving bliss. It is the target for every shave. It is quite likely that from this point forward they will became quite regular. Congratulations is in order.

Congrats!!!

That long awaited first great shave is quite the accomplishment.
It brings some joy to the hobby that's for sure. My you stay on that path from here on out

Congrats on the shave! I've been shaving with straights for several months - and with moderate success. I haven't gotten into honing yet (let's face it, knives are different from razors). But I have gotten much better with my stropping. All I had to do was relax a bit. Like you, I have been doing a two pass shave. Three passes are just a bit harsh on my skin. Anyway, I now feel that there is hope for my shaving to move forward.... eventually.

Congrats man!
I am still working my way toward that objective.
So far, my shaves have been what I would call "Really really good!". Still, I haven't archived the "razor gliding" effect that so many people talks about.
I use a guillotine/slicing movement to get a comfortable shave (No irritation, no pulling, slight tug but I don't get the feeling of "is not cutting the hair, it's ripping it" you get with a dull razor) and I feel happy with it... still looking forward to make it even better but I'm happy ATM; at the risk of being called heretic for making this comparison: My SR shaves feel almost (if not the same) as the ones I have with my Merkur HD safety razor + Derby blades

Compa - if your shaves are matching a safety razor with Derby blades, then you're doing pretty good in my book. One of the best shave of my life was done with a safety razor. Nothing wrong with that, though I do like my straights better.

FWiedner - congrats on the success! May it be the first of many.