Thread: New razor bites

I'm the very beginner but my grandfathers 5/8 Russian razor I can use almost Ok after a month of weekends shavings.
Last week I've been advised to buy "more professional" 4/8 ESPE (NOS by Wacker) and I can not use it!
It bites (catch and pull every single hair!) and then I try to use lighter pressure and bigger angle it does not shave. The hard pressure better not mention (red face for 3 days).
What am I need to change (better not razor) in my shaving process to get normal result?

Sounds like it needs to be honed properly....Check the vendor's corner here on the forum. There are some folks that can do it for you....

Like Rich just said, the razor probably needs to be honed (sharpened). In the meantime stop using that razor. Please let us know where you live. It might make it easier to find someone that lives on your side of the continent.

Actually I'm from Moscow (Russia) and I was told by seller that razor is horned and shave ready.
My finest watersone is 1000 grit (that I think too coarse) but I have strop with 0,8 mkm paste applied.
So you think I need to be patient strop it to death I mean to sharpness?

Originally Posted by kshadr

It bites (catch and pull every single hair!) and then I try to use lighter pressure and bigger angle it does not shave.

1) less angle. I always go lower 1st when I am having troubles. Try laying it flat on your skin and elevate it from there. You may not get the shave you want right away, but you will damage your face less.

2) If the person you got it from didn't say it was honed, it wasn't and needs it.

First of all, you are correct that a 1000 grit stone is too coarse. Most guy would only use that for setting a new bevel. Generally, nobody shaves with anything that has been honed to any less than 8000 grit.

Also, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but 0.8 micron paste is also far too rough for a final edge. I'm not sure about Russia, but there are at least a number of people on the same continent, or in eastern europe who could hone that up for you.

Thank you for advice but 2 way parcel sending to over coutry cost almost as 3000/8000 Kasumi waterstone.
The person who sell it to me offers horning but he asured that it is already "shave ready" and is not trusted by me any more.
By the way my other razor was not used for last 30 years and I use my 1000 grit stone and strop with 0,8 mkm paste to restore it and it shaves without such problems. The only explanation I can see that I'm so bad in horning that I did not damage it enough

Hi kshadr! How about asking Morpheus at britva.ru or trying to find someone who can hone it for you there?

Thank you all. I'll try to srop it on weekend first and if fail look for somebody to horn.

Good luck!