Thread: 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.