What is the trick?

Guys, what is the trick in the perfect stroke?

Can you shave by going realy slow?

I am a strait razor newbie, tryed to shave my self only twice, the hair was crackling, pulling, and hurting. I somehow managed to finish the shave, got the mother of skin burns, havent cut myself (bad) and i am now getting the shavette style razot to try, since i am not shure if it is the razor's or my fault.

Any advice is welcome.

I forgot to mention, the razor is DOVO Micarta SS blade, brand new from classicshaving. Thanks Ray.

It sounds like your razor is not sharp enough. Contact Lynn about honing your razor. All my razors I shave with are Lynn honed.

I will have to learn to hone myself eventually...

I also think that my razor isn't sharp enough. What is the standing hair test? Is the razor supposed to cut the hair when you touch the hair with it? or you have to hit the hair? Or do some slicing motion?

I tryed to cut the hair from my leg, tightening it with my hand, and doing the slicing motion, but the razor won't cut it?! It sounded and feel like i cut wit a mini handsaw, jumping and crackling...

I don't use the hair test, I test them by shaving with it. If you get it honed by Lynn, that will give you a benchmark of how a razor should be.

I can't get the razor honed by Lynn, I live overseas, Europe.

I have three on the way from Scotland as we speak......lol. 8)

I think that safetu razor blade is good example, but i think straith razor can be sharpened more, because of the leather polishing.

Hey Superfly,

Do you have a pasted strop or a razor hone?

I do, DOVO 2"x24" and Norton 4000/8000.

I have tryed to hone and strop my razor twice, but i am afraid that I am gonna ruin the blade. But i think that wont hapen. I hone it twice, and i thik it mu stroping technique. I cannot get the razor to move with the whole blade width, and after i saw the Lynn shaving video, i don't know if i am holding the strop corectly. Lynn's strop is hanging too loose, and the razor is making way too much noice (grininding).

Is this the right stroping technique?

I have stainless steel blade, i think that is the problem. I have heard that they are more dificult to hone and strop, especialy for beginners

I just had my first shave with a real str8 after using a shavette type razor for 3 years. There is a different feel to the two. For me there is no way I'll ever go back to a shavette. It feels like a toy after shaving with a real razor. Do whatever you must to get it shave ready. In the mean time try the shavette, but expect a difference in the feel. With the real str8 I can feel the position of the blade in relation to my face without looking and before placing the balde to my face. With the shavette I had to look and double check the angle as the blade had no weight. I also had to apply more pressure to the stroke with the shavette, whereas the weight of the other razor made the stroke for me. (not really, but it helps) I found a nearby barber that has the equipmenet but no longer gives shaves to help me out as I have no strop of my own. Hope this helps.

You have to remember two things, first, most razors out of the box don't shave all that great they require honing. Its a real crap shoot some are pretty good and some are pretty bad. It sounds like you got a bad one.
For me when I hone I try shaving my arm hairs, if it won't do that it will never shave the face but if it does it doesn't mean it will shave your face properly. it just means your on the right track.

The other thing is to keep in mind that it takes many months to be really proficient in shaving. It doesn't come overnight. When I started I didn't get a decent shave for many weeks and the shaves continued to improve throughout the first year.

So the keys ppints are honing and experience. Just stick with it.

My biggest problems starting were figuring out what the best angle was to shave at, then how to keep that angle or how to modify it for trouble spots. Once I figured out that it was best to switch hands it was gravy as long as I paid attention to where the blade was before I put it on my face, otherwise I made cannibal gravy.

Superfly, it is the general consensus of the members of the SRP group that a SS blade will take longer to hone and the primary requirement is patience. It does take awhile. Be sure that the initial bevel is created before you move on to the 4000/8000 stone. If you have a doubt then perform 25-50 laps on a sheet of 600 or 1000 grit sandpaper to start. Then move on to the 4000/8000 hone.

Hope this helps, :)

Thanks guys.

My razor is brand new, so i dont know is there a need to establish an edge on a new razor. It shaves my arms, but not with ease, besides mu left arm has amost no hair left on the underside to try on:)

randydance, i will try to hone first on the N4k/8k, 1000 seams to coarse for me, i don't wanna ruin the beautiful blade.

Well, I guess ill have to try and see

You may be getting confused about the various grit numbers. There is the US standard called either CAMI or ANSI, then there is the Japanese standard called JIS and also the European standard called FEPA. For purposes of this discussion we will focus on the US and Japanese standards. The Japanese standard roughly corresponds to the US standard up until past the 1000 grit marker. The US standard has not included the higher, finer grades of grit. The Japanese has become the defacto standard for the finer grits. In terms of micron size the Japanese 4000 is roughly equal to the US 2000 grit. So when I say go to the 1000 grit it is not 4 times coarser but rather twice as coarse. Just as the 4000 Norton is twice as coarse as the 8000 Norton.

You can try starting with the 4000 Norton But if after a period of time there is insignificant progress then you may want to step back to the 1000 grit.

Hope this helps,

I didn't realize there were different standards for grits. I think the name standard means just that, standard:)

Thanks for the help.

Superfly,

When I got my Dovo it was new but not what is considered shave ready. It pulled a bit and I got razor burn. With Lynn's help and a Norton 4000/8000 I got it nice and sharp. Now no pulling or burn In fact it now passes the hanging hair test.

Will try to hone monday... This Sunday i am best man at friend's wedding, i don't want to ruin my face:)