Thread: My First SR Shave... OUCH!

I have the same (Bismarck) razor, purchased and honed at the SRD. When I first started shaving, I had the same problems that you described in your post, but with time my skills developed and problems went away too. If you give yourself some time and follow Lynn’s Anticipation thread located in the Newbie’s Corner your issues will subside. Your first shave experience seems to be pretty common- at least it was for me. It just takes some time and experience for hand-eye coordination and muscle memory to evolve to the point which you should feel comfortable with shaving with a straight. Good luck and enjoy.

My issue right now is that my razor is not shave ready. It won't cut a hair even if I pull the hair across the edge, let alone "Popping" any hairs. It is scraping my skin causing razor burn, but not cutting the beard. Believe me I wish it was an issue of bad technique. But thanks for the input!

Honestly, Numi, it sounds like technique. We've all been there. How's your lather?, lots of good stuff in the Wiki on this. What angle are you using? That 30 degrees was much narrower than I thought, try 1 to 1 and 1/2 spine widths of your face. Don't worry about the hanging hair test, worry about the shave. It's too easy to confuse yourself with variables that you don't understand, god knows I do it daily.

Ensure you're using the strop correctly. I'm somewhat new but have found that not using the strop correctly will make my newly honed edge's very dull quite quickly.

Don't stop slow & don't slam 'flip' the edge down hard when you change directions.

Numi,

First off, let me state that I am NOT a honemeister, but I can make straight razors shave-ready to MY standards, and will give me a comfortable shave.
My offer to you is this. In good faith, try ot follow Lynn's anticipation thread in the newbies corner for ONE WEEK. DO NOT PUSH IT. If you feel discomfort, stop. Try the narrow angles, and everything else you have read here...then, if you still feel this razor came from SRD not ready, send it to me, and I will hone it to the best of my abilities, including a test shave, disinfect, and send it out to you. All it will cost you is shipping one way.
What you are describing is not indicative of ANYONE else's here (that has ever spoken up, anyway) experience with Straight Razor Designs. The razors always come sharp. The service has always been phenominal. As a matter of fact, when I had the EXACT same concerns when I started not too many months ago (less than a year), Lynn said he's be happy to rehone the razor free of charge if I wasn't happy with it. I wound up giving it a thorough careful stropping, and that, along with slow practice on technique, all of a sudden, I was getting great shaves.

PM me in a week if your shaves have not improved drastically.

Numi- first, take a deep breath an calm down. This is completely normal. Take smokes advice, and send your razor to him if it doesn't work. In the meantime, if you seriously think it's not sharp enough, go on ebay and buy a shavette and see how you fare with it. If you get improved shaves with the shavette, you'll know your razor isn't sharp enough. And you can always compare edges to the shavette if you ever think your razor is dulling.

There is also a few razors in the classifieds you can buy if you're in a hurry.

My dear Numi,

Without watching you shave in person, I can only assume something is amiss in your stropping as well as shaving technique. A number of gentlemen on this forum have mentioned that.

My experience has been that anything coming out of Straight Razor Designs is shave ready. If Lynn says the razor is shave ready, I accept this.

Your problem was mine with one of my early razors, a plain Dovo. Lynn honed it, but the razor failed to give me a good shave. I sent it to Lynn and he honed it once more. Same thing: less than desirable shave.

Admitting the fault must be mine, I began to study my technique, even with the little knowledge I had at the time, and eventually was able to get a good shave. At the same time, too, I carefully observed my stropping technique.

My advice is this: Do not despair. Relax. Study your technique carefully. Also your method of stropping. Pick both methods apart. I don't know where precisely my fault was. Wherever, my subconscious must have worked on it, in addition to my hands gaining skill. Before long, your hands will master the razor and not the other way around.

Regards,

Obie

A thread from the first of the year that might shed some light for you too...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...-services.html


I hope it all works out for you...

Kudo's to Smokie for the gracious offer...although I bet Lynn will be there too...

shouldn't this go in the Newby section?

Originally Posted by Numi

Thanks for the help... Well I tried to be EXTRA careful when I was stropping and I don't recall making any major mistakes that could have ruined the edge as you describe, I followed all the instructions to the letter, but it is sure enough gone bad! It shaves skin but not hair! Now after 1 day with a $250 investment it looks like I have to send it out again to be fixed....ugh! I picked a bad time to go str8! I can only imagine if it is this easy to ruin a razor how will I ever do this? I can't send the razor out for repair every time I touch it!

First off, every razor that is sold is shave tested before being disinfected and coated in oil so that we are certainly sure it shaves. It is not uncommon for new people to have the problems described and it is "Never their fault". Learning to use a straight razor is just that; learning the process. Some people pick it quicker than other regardless of what you think your skill level is.

This being said, the advise from Don is sound. So whether you have damaged the edge or not from stropping or whether you are just having problems, I am always happy to re-hone the razor. If you send it to me I will be happy to do this and remember you also have an additional free re-honing certificate that came with the razor.

Thanks,

Lynn