Thread: Too much pressure?

I would like to know the forum's thoughts regarding how much effect the pressure of the razor against the face while shaving has on the longevity of the edge before it requires a touch up.

I recently realized that I was using much more pressure than necessary to get a good shave. No irritation or burning, just more pressure than necessary. I lightened up and I still get a good shave.

How relevant is pressure to the useful life of a shaving edge?

Thanks in advance.

I think the pressure on the sides of the edge might have something to do with it. Darned if I know.

I think the pressure going directly against the cutting edge itself is self-limiting (i.e. the direct same-plane "cutting edge" pressure is either cutting a whisker or your skin ). I'm ignoring bad stropping or other accidental damage.

I think lighter pressure is more comfortable and gives better all around results for me.

VERY relevant. pressing hard (like you are used to doing with a mach3) will ruin the edge in a hurry.

follow the links in my sig to watch a video about shaving and how important the light touch is.

I have managed to make some of my razors "very keen" (I think).
When "my razors" are what "I think" are "very keen", they will "snag" a hair as soon as they come into contact with it and cut it with only the weight of the blade very close to the hairs base. NO pressure at all...................
I think this is how a straight razor is suposed to work.
I can't get all my razors to do this. I think it is triall and error, unless you are a Honemiester or someone with OCD.
I use a dmt 1200. a BBW. a coticule. Cro2 on anything I think may work.and soft leather strops.
I can't guarantee my bevels are going to be even (all over) when I hone anything "heavier" than a full hollow blade.
This is where I'm at, at the moment.
The next stage in my evolution, is to be able to set a nice even bevel on "problem" blades and to rely less on Cro2 to make my edges keen.
I may need an even finer hone and an even stronger Whiskey
M

You only need to use enough pressure to keep the blade in contact with your skin . Any more isn't nessicary , and could be hazardous to your face .

Too much pressure on anything...whether it's a hone, strop, or your face is not a good thing for the edge of a razor...and too much pressure can be almost as bad for your face as it is for your blade.

I'm not convinced that too much pressure in the shave is that detrimental to the edge. Why not use the lightest touch possible for comfort's sake?

Certainly one bad stropping and it's back to the hone.

Too much pressure honing, of course, provides no shaving edge at all.

X

I find when a razor is STARTING to dull that instead of using more pressure I end up doing more strokes to get my face smooth. It seems to be purely instinct, but I wonder if this would dull an edge as much as using too much pressure?

Funny that no one teaches us to shave, not me anyway. Until I got to these shaving forums in my late fifties. I thought I knew how to shave. I had been doing it for 40+ years. My bad, I didn't have a clue. I learned to use the weight of the razor and that I don't try to get all of the whiskers down to bbs in one pass in my DE shaving on another forum. The gradual stubble removal technique and multiple pass shaving in the SRP Wiki here.

I found that after a couple of years of shaving using that technique irritation and razor burn were things of the past. When I switched to the straight a bit over a year ago I applied the same techniques. I did notice that I had a tendency to try and get bbs on the first pass. I had to fight that and eventually stopped doing it.

I have found that with a good shave ready razor I can get a two pass bbs (or close enough to it) shave with the same no irritation or razor burn. Actually I would say my shaves are even better with a straight then they were with a DE.