Thread: Whats wrong

Evening Gentlemen.
Tried my first shave day before yesterday and need some help please!This was a less than wonderful experience but am certianly no going to give up.I'm in it for the long haul. My razor is 5/8 stainless
steel. It was supposed to be prehoned.It's like the razor is not sharp.
Stropped about 20 on linnenside and 50 on leather. Should It be more than this or not enough. Through my inexperience and ignorance because I am so new to this i hope I have not ruined the edge on the razor.The razor is not cutting whiskers.Any light you could shed on this situation would be greatly appreciated, or any thing I could try?

Thanks Jim

We have similar issue everyday on here. Without looking at the blade its a tough call.

When you say "pre-honed"; you paid extra for the honing service specifcally, and this is something actually visible on the reciept?

And assuming you paid an extra, oh say, $20 for this service, whom did the vendor say was the name of the person that was going to hone your blade?

Keep in mind that your first few shaves will almost always
feel like the razor isn't sharp enough, it's just a matter of
technique and getting used to the razor. That being said,
it's certainly possible that your razor isn't sharp but that's
almost impossible to determine remotely.

If you didn't have it honed by an individual (probably some-
one from this forum) after it was received by the vendor
from the factory, it's almost guaranteed not to be up to
shave-ready standards. Like Alan said, this is usually the
$20 honing service that you add on.

- Scott

Hi, What Scott and Alan said and,,,
I don't think it's your stropping (20 linen 50 leather doesn't seem too unreasonable - I use 30 - 40 each) unless you're applying too much blade pressure on the strop. I use just enough pressure to keep the edge against the strop and that works. I used to bear down on it like when honing, and wreck the edge, but thanks to this forum learned that being real gentle was what it took.

The angle that you hold the blade to your face may also be off just enough to not cut properly. IIRC it's about 30 deg (don't know if it's Farinheit or Celsius) but you may find the right (correct) angle by putting more or less angle on the blade. Remember to just let the weight of the blade do the work, stroke with your whole arm as opposed to getting blade movement from just wrist action.

Regards, Zig

Originally Posted by Zig

I used to bear down on it like when honing, and wreck the edge, but thanks to this forum learned that being real gentle was what it took.

Do you get a sharp edge by bearing down on the hone? Is it a different hone than most? Everything I've read suggests using varying degrees (not sure if Fahrenheit or Celsius) of light pressure. Maybe you'd want to bear down with a really rough blade at first in order to try a reverse double bevel

I also have to be aware while stropping that I'm letting the leather do the work rather than my wrists.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Do you get a sharp edge by bearing down on the hone? Is it a different hone than most? Everything I've read suggests using varying degrees (not sure if Fahrenheit or Celsius) of light pressure. Maybe you'd want to bear down with a really rough blade at first in order to try a reverse double bevel

I also have to be aware while stropping that I'm letting the leather do the work rather than my wrists.

Sorry I'm going to respond to this first... Do NOT bear down on any hone. bearing down will damage your edge.


Okay, now back to the topic.
Depending on where you got your blade, and weither it was supposed to be shave ready or not, sharpness is a big consideration.

I norder to evaluate your situation, we really need to know a bit more about what you are experiencing.
1 is the blade pulling hair?
2 does it feel smooth or rough against your skin?
3 Does it look sharp? (don't laugh) look at the edge, are there chips, does light reflect off the edge in an odd way?
4 What is the general condition of the razor? (rust, pitting, etc...)pictures do help.
5 did you try shaving, or test it's edge before stropping?
6 where did you get it from, online shop, Ebay, local shop?

Gentlemen: let me re-phrase-

There must be some pressure on the hone for it to work. The pressure on the strop, however much, is much less than the pressure on hone.

regards,
Zig