Thread: Blade felt draggy and my first "cut."

Does my blade need a refresh? I've been shaving exclusively with my Dovo since about a month ago. I shave every 2 or 3 days. I stropped 60 strokes before this shave (20 on cotton and 40 on leather).

The blade felt like it was "dragging" along....like it was scratching my face. I still got a good shave but I did get my first "cut." Not bad but definitely more than a "nick."

I'm going to get some compound and "refresh" the blade. If that doesn't help, I'll send it off for a honing.

Thoughts?

That sounds like a good idea.

I use Theirs Issard strop paste from The Art of Shaving on the canvas Strop. It helps maintain the edge. Make sure your strop technique is correct.
Most important. Was the razor professionally honed when you got it? Do you have another razor to use if you need to send it out for honeing? It's good to have a spare. Where are you located? There may be a member near you that hones.

Originally Posted by AnglesMatter

... but I did get my first "cut." Not bad but definitely more than a "nick."... Thoughts?

Now you're obliged to provide photographic documentation.

"Cut of the Day"...

bouschie,

I think my strop technique is correct, working off a Lynn Abrams youtube video on the subject.

I bought the Dovo from The Superior Shave in 2009, I think (99% sure) it came honed.

No backup SR for shaving.....might have to use the electric for now.

A member offered me a free honing....very nice gesture and I will take it!

FW: LOL If it was easy for me to do pics I would. "Cut of the Day" would be a funny thread.

cant be to tough to post a picture for a guy with so many degrees. hell i figured it out and high school was as far as i got plus i,m almost 66 years old. so not difficult man up and get with it Tc

The length of time you get between refreshing an edge depends upon many factors: the quality of the steel, the quality of the original grind and honing, the toughness of your beard, how often you shave, the sensitivity of your face, your stropping equipment and technique, the quality of your lather, etc. Some people claim to get several months from an edge between honings. I am so critical of my edges that I keep a finishing hone on the counter of my shaving sink to touch up the edge anytime I notice the slightest tugging or irritation that can not be corrected by stropping alone. For me, that occurs every 4-6 shaves on a razor. I rotate among 25 razors, so a razor only gets a touch-up every 3-5 months, but I am touching up at least one razor every week. I could still shave with the razor beyond the 4-6 shaves, but the shave would not be up to my standards.

You indicated you have only one straight. Thus, you have several options:

1. Purchase another straight razor as a backup. The razor need not be expensive as long as it is properly honed. But if you really like shaving with a straight, now may be the time to start your collection.

2. Purchase a finishing hone for refreshing the razor edge. You do not need a full set of stones unless you need to reset the bevel. Some smaller hones can be purchased at a reasonable price for those on a budget. There are those who prefer honing using a small, hand held stone rather than a bench stone.

3. Send your razor off to be honed and use a DE razor until the straight returns to your shave den. As a last resort, you could use disposable cartridge razors. In the short term, this might be the best option, but in the long term one or both of the other options will prove better.

Actually, Jarrod from the Superior Shave insists that Dovos are shave ready from the factory and so he does not hone new Dovo razors before selling them.

His razor videos are interesting, if you want to learn a lot about alcohol.

TC,

Not about figuring it out, it's that the camera and the computer no longer work together and I don't have a smartphone. So at least until I can get the computer worked on, there will not be pics.

Ray,

At some point I need a backup razor and to get this thing honed.

Utopian,

So this thing may not have been honed other than what the factory did? I have read on this forum that Dovo is "hit and miss" in the area of honing new units.

Originally Posted by AnglesMatter

Utopian,

So this thing may not have been honed other than what the factory did? I have read on this forum that Dovo is "hit and miss" in the area of honing new units.

Given what Jarrod has repeatedly claimed, to the best of my knowledge he believes that all Dovos are shave ready from the factory. For that reason he claims that there is no need for him to hone them before selling them.