Quote Originally Posted by shallard View Post
There are so many different variables that it is difficult to pinpoint a direct cause-to-effect when it comes to straight razor shaving issues... However, in my 3 years of straight razor shaving, here are the few trends that I've noticed regarding less than stellar outcomes from my morning shave.

Wheepers - Blade needs refreshing on the stones
Razor Burn - Too many passes. The only time I get a burn-free 3-pass shave is when I haven't shaved in a few days. If I've been shaving daily for a week and I try a 2-pass shave on Friday, I'll likely get light burn.
Cuts - Blade angle not shallow enough. Need to be especially careful near round parts of my face, as the angle needs to be constantly adjusted. I have more cuts on the chin and cheekbones than elsewhere.
Dry Skin - Try a different type of soap.
Razor Bumps - I always get a couple at the base of the neck, not sure how to get rid of them
Razor Lines - Not familiar with this term... What is this?

Again, there are so many variables, but this is what I noticed with my face. Someone else may have different correlations.

Hope this helps!
Razor lines, which I've also heard referred to as "cat scratches", can occur when you've got some mirco-chipping on the blade edge. So when you shave, you'll get these scratches / lines down your face pretty much exactly in the line where the little chips are on your razors edge....I've had it happen a few times when I started honing...too many laps on the CROX or diamond can collapse part of the bevel and boom...you'll bleed and have some nice lines on your face.