Thread: Dull Razor, or Technique?

I have been straight shaving for a couple of months, using two pre-honed razors honed by a honemeister on this forum. Up until last week I have had a full beard and only shaved the top of my cheek and my lower neck, and that only every other day. Each razor was only used about once a week. The straight razors worked well after I improved my technique.

I usually strop the night before (to save time in the morning), put on my hot lather and shave a few minutes later.

Now that I took off the beard, my razors won't cut the tough stuff on my jaw and chin. It feels like I'm scraping my face with a piece of broken glass. Something is obviously wrong. Either over the last couple of months my razors have become dull from the occasional use, or I am doing something wrong.

I keep an eye on angle throughout, and keep the lather hot, all to no avail.

Is there a problem with stropping the night before? Should I keep lather on for more than 5 minutes (I saw a recent post where someone is stropping with their lather on and that made a big difference for them)? I can hardly believe that my razors are dull after only two months of very light use.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Maybe angle. Try shaving just the spots you used to, do those go well like before? If not maybe the edges are rolled or something. Pass HHT? Have you tried slidin over thumbnail?

If it goes smoothly where you are used to shaving when you had a beard, then its probably technique since you arent used to shaving those areas as well.

Just my thoughts, but I'm pretty new.. just tryin to help

I know what you mean. I also had a full beard, much like yours until my straight arrived. Af first I only shaved the cheeks and the lower part of the neck (with some irritation due to the strange way my hair grows...). I then decided to sport a mustache... looked great and I loved it. But I was threatened with no conjugal contact unless I sent it down the drain. I resisted... but only so far!...
Back to topic: I experienced the same kind of trouble. It seemed like my beard was a lot tougher where the full beard once existed and questioned the sharpness of my razor. But practice makes perfect... My hair is tougher on that area, but not much tougher. It was just a question of angle, patience and my sking getting used to the blae after months without any sunlight...
I also found out that some of the things you question are quite relevant:
1) stroping the night before
2) letting the lather "sink in"
I found out (and many of our comrads in shaving agree) that stroping before the shave is better. The blade is "fresher" than otherwise and absolutely ready for action.
I also found out that letting the warm lather "sink in" for a while will soften the beard enough to make a difference.
So... combining the two, this is my method: shower and wash the face with an exfoliant (mild one...) so the skin is clean; sink the brush in hot water and wet the face with water just as hot... no need to cook your hands and face, though (If you want to do so, I advise to using a bit of black pepper and maybe some fresh herbs...). Sometimes I use the hot towel technique (it makes a difference...). Then, I apply the lather and strop with it on my face. When I am done stropping, the lather as soften my beard and all goes smoothly as intended.
It now deppends on your stropping technique and your shaving skills. But this works for me... and there is no time spent on doing nothing or just waiting for something.
Try it out, I say... it can't hurt and I suspect you'll save time in the end.
One other thing I found out just this morning: stropping in a room other than the bathroom (because of the lack of moisture in the hair - thus a dryer strop) provides a smoother stropping action that I suspect is a better one...

Hope this helps!

I would examine your stropping closely. As you get more experienced and stropping comes more naturally to you, you may get sloppy and roll the edge while stropping, leading to an unpleasant shave.

I do this ALL THE TIME. I'll get stropping, pick up speed, and then stop paying attention, invariably resulting in poor stropping technique and a dull razor. you may be stropping correctly, this is not an accusation, just saying it's a trap I find myself falling into sometimes.

Additionally, stropping the night before will not have an appreciable disadvantage over stropping right before shaving. If anything, I've found it better, because I'm usually more awake at night and will do a better job than if it's first thing in the morning.

They could be getting dull. If you shave daily and use the same two razors for a couple (or few) months they may need a light refresh. I give my razors a few passes over some chromium oxide every month or so to keep the edge fresh. Do you have a pasted strop?

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions so far. I will try stropping with lather on my face to let it soften the beard, and pay more attention to my stropping. I know that sometimes I find myself rolling on the edge and know that is a no-no.

No, I have no paste for my strop, I just use it dry. I know I've read various opinions on paste on this forum, so I opted out of using it.

If you have rolled over the edge while stropping, it will need honed to bring it back, or a progression of diamond pasts for a mini hone.

If the thread members would be so kind as to let me disagree:

I think after two months of even light use they should be ready for an update honing. I think you did great to get that much out of them.

Okay, I'm going to slink back in my hole, don't shoot!

If you are leaving lather on for few minutes before shaving, why aren't you stropping then? If you strop right after you apply the lather, the time taken to strop can be the time for the lather to soften your whiskers.

I have to agree with Alan here. A few months of even light use can certainly start to dull the blade. I would try a refresh either on a pasted strop or a FEW strokes on either an 8K or higher hone and then see what happens.