My First SR Shave... OUCH!

I must be doing something wrong? As the title says this is the first time I've used a SR, grew up on DE and TE stuff.

I just purchased what I think is a good razor and it claims to be "Shave Ready" It does cut the hair on my arm easily, but beard hair is a different story and I don't know if it's me or the razor. I prepped my beard as best I could, lathered up and started my first pass. It seems that no matter what angle, or touch I use the blade drags and will not shave the coarse stubble without pulling skin and cutting my face. There is a lot of resistance. Nothing like the videos I've seen that make it look not so difficult.

Anyone know what my problem may be?

If it will not pop arm hairs it is as dull as a butter knife. You will need to get it honed.

Any one do any honing in Ecuador?

Sounds like you are going to need a 1k and a 4/8 Norton to get it ready to go. Until then do not shave with it.

Welcome to SRP! What kind of razor is it and where did you purchase it?

The thing with the atraight shave, is that there are a ton of vairables that COULD be the rpoblem. If you grew up with DE, I'm guessing your prep and lather are fine...that's good to know.

The razor: Where did you get it? If it is simply a factory new "pre-sharpened" edge...it is NOT shave ready. it needs to be honed, either by you, or preferrably, a honemeister so you KNOW it is ready to go. Even if it IS shave ready...did you strop it? Poor/inexperienced stropping can EASILY dull an edge.

The shave....oh, did you keep the razr at no more than 30 degrees from your face? Did you use little or no pressure? Did you STRETCH the skin? Did you limit yourself to the easy, flat parts of your face, usually just sideburns down? Also, only go with the grain until you get the feel for it, or , well...OUCH.

There is only one constant. With practice, and a little experiementation for what works FOR YOU....it DOES get better...and the sahves are fantastic and enjoyable.

Welcome, stick with it, and feel free to ask more questions!!

The razor is a Dovo "Bismarck" I purchased from Straight Razor Designs and Don said it is shave ready! I can't see how I could have killed the blade stropping I hardly touched the strop!

If you got it from SRD, it is shave ready, you can pretty much forget that concern (of course, anything is POSSIBLE, but Lynn and Don aren't likely to send out a blade that isn't really nicely honed).
You'd be amazed how easily a beginner stropping can dull an edge. All you have to do is lift the spine a little too much a couple times. If you flip badly, you can nick your strop AND dull your razor.

Honestly, technique is probably the most likely culprit here, as it was for every single one of us when we started.
Give your face a few days' rest, then try again, gently, just sideburns down to jaw...that's it. You won't remove all the hair...and don't try to. Keep the angle right (30 degrees or less), and finish up with another razor. As you get comfortable, exapnd where you shave, then move to cross grain and against grain. The learning curve might take a week or two to really show progress...but once it does...man does it feel nice!!!

+1 on all the variables that smokelaw has mentioned,be patient and reference the wiki and videos gl on the next shave.:)

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!

It is just a POSSIBILITY that there is anything wrong with the edge. As a matter fo fact, as careful as you seem to have been, I'd even suspect that it is fine.
Try again in a few days, being even more careful, and following Lynn's great thread in the Wiki for first time sahvers...I'll try to find it for you. Let yourself become comfortable with it, and you'll be amazed when it all clicks.

Well so much for customer service... I called and spoke with Don again about my situation. He suggested 10 passes with the diamond sprayed felt side of the strop and then 30 passes with the leather. I did the best I could, it took me an hour being extra careful, but the razor still won't cut hair! Not even if I pull the hair across the edge. So I called Don back and found out much to my surprise that nothing is returnable! So now I'm stuck with a useless $230 razor! I obviously know nothing about SRS but I am a very mechanically inclined kind of guy, and I would bet that this razor was never honed properly or tested before it left the shop. The best part is that when I was discussing this with him on the phone, he hung up on me!...lol

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?

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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!

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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

Wow... I want to thank everyone who is contributing to this thread I had no idea I would get this much response! You guys are the BEST!

Believe me, I'm CALM for all those who seem to think I may be upset with SRD. My frustration to all this is simply that I feel a professionals advice to a novice in my particular situation, should be to try a cheap SR or maybe one of those $5 models you find in drug stores etc before making a considerable investment. (for me $230 is a lot of money) Especially if destroying a razors edge is so easy to do, and lacking the experience, almost impossible to fix... And more importantly it should be made clear that no matter the circumstances these items are NON REFUNDABLE! Other than that, I will take responsibility for messing up the blade...

For any other people out there that have no experience with SRS, techniques or principals. Be advised, the learning curve could be long, painful and expensive!!! The difference between DE and SR shaving is like night and day. One wrong strop, and you're finished!

Sorry, but your advice is not correct.

Whether you buy a $1,000 razor or a $10 razor, you still need to learn to use it. Many people who try, do mess up an edge on a strop or have problems because they take on an entire shave without proper beard prep or without ensuring they are using the proper angle for the razor to shave nicely.

We have had many members also frustrated when trying to learn to hone with a similar thought process. They tell us they have sharpened knives and tools their entire lives and yet still have to learn that a straight razor is a different animal.

We have seen many many people who come on the forums with similar concerns and then come back a couple weeks later and are amazed at the difference that couple weeks of practice and learning has helped them. The Dovo Bismarck is actually one of their better shavers.

Thanks,

Lynn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Numi

Wow... I want to thank everyone who is contributing to this thread I had no idea I would get this much response! You guys are the BEST!

Believe me, I'm CALM for all those who seem to think I may be upset with SRD. My frustration to all this is simply that I feel a professionals advice to a novice in my particular situation, should be to try a cheap SR or maybe one of those $5 models you find in drug stores etc before making a considerable investment. (for me $230 is a lot of money) Especially if destroying a razors edge is so easy to do, and lacking the experience, almost impossible to fix... And more importantly it should be made clear that no matter the circumstances these items are NON REFUNDABLE! Other than that, I will take responsibility for messing up the blade...

For any other people out there that have no experience with SRS, techniques or principals. Be advised, the learning curve could be long, painful and expensive!!! The difference between DE and SR shaving is like night and day. One wrong strop, and you're finished!

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That's not true.

My dad just picked up my razor and cut a rag from a shirt with it today (he's not so smart sometimes)

I ran it over a pasted strop and it's just fine. I would put money down that unless you were cutting something other then hair with your razor, the edge is well within your skill level to fix. I'm pretty sure if you damaged it stropping you can fix it by stropping. Give it 100 passes on the linen and 100 on the leather and I'm sure it will be fine.


Other then that, learn to use it.

If Lynn honed the razor, it's shave ready.. Reading through this thread makes me think it's something in your stropping technique. Your described taking an hour to strop? That's pretty excessive. What did you do during that hour? I can imagine stropping for an hour might kill the edge. Let Lynn fix that razor back up for you.

I've also read one of your previous threads and you mention that your not using hot water? I guess it's possible.. But that makes prep pretty hard. And prep is a huge amount of shaving with a straight.

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Originally Posted by dwessell

I've also read one of your previous threads and you mention that your not using hot water? I guess it's possible.. But that makes prep pretty hard. And prep is a huge amount of shaving with a straight.

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Uh, yeah. This might have something to do with it. Hot water is pretty key, I think. There are products that will still alther and lubricate without it, but will the beard be soft and prepped? The skin pliable?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Numi

The razor is a Dovo "Bismarck" I purchased from Straight Razor Designs and Don said it is shave ready! I can't see how I could have killed the blade stropping I hardly touched the strop!

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mine was also shave ready, but i had to run it on a CrO strop and hanging strop to be comfortable for me.
Beard prep is also important.

Numi when you say the blade wont even cut hair being dragged across the blade. This doesn't mean it isn't shave ready. I haven't done any honing with a straight razor. But I use knives every day as a meat processor, your knives have to be constantly sharp or you will damage your wrists,arm and elbow. I have a better understanding with knives. I soon worked out quickly you might have a sharp knife off a stone, but unless you know how to look after it you will have a blunt one really quickly. Stropping is the most important part of keeping something sharp. If the edge on your razor has folded it will feel like a butter knife. The edge is there and its still sharp, but its not facing the right way. You imagine how thin the edge has to be to cut hair easly. So any excessive pressure you place on the edge when stropping won't straighten the edge, it will damage it.

Read thru these posts and I don't think this was mentioned-- but when you get your razor back from being rehoned, *don't strop* for your first shave-- that way you'll remove stropping technique from your list of variables... (but you should strop for your second shave). Stropping is easy once you know how, but it is very easy to do it incorrectly and roll your edge, so read the wiki carefully, and you can also find some great stropping videos on this site.

Here's the deal with these straights-- it takes time to figure it out, but once you get it right, you'll wonder why you ever used anything else...

If you decide you don't want to go the straight route, there is a great classified section on this site and I'm sure you would get a really good price for that razor...

-Chief

There is a learning curve here, but you definitely stropped incorrectly, but this is common in the beginning. It's better imho to buy two or three cheap used razors when starting out then relying on one single expensive good razor that you could easily ruin with a few strokes on the strop.

I've never had a razor honed by Lynn he is the expert here not me. I can only say that imho I like to hone my own razors because there is a comfort level that only I achieve with my blades, I guess its a personal thing. I'm 100% positive Lynn's edges are amazingly smooth, but I've never had the pleasure.

I'd say stick with it, I didn't enjoy straights in the beginning, I got inconsistent shaves, the reason: it's an art form. You have to practice young skywalker!

good luck!
D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lynn

We have seen many many people who come on the forums with similar concerns and then come back a couple weeks later and are amazed at the difference that couple weeks of practice and learning has helped them.

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I second that. By now I've got less then 10 shaves of experience, but the difference between the first and last is phenomenal.
I bought a € 15,- blade prehoned by the previous owner and didn't strop the first time I used it. On the cheeks it shaved fine, but everywhere else it pulled like a diesel. My stropping made it even worse the next two shaves, but I gradually got the hang of stropping, prepping and shaving. Seriously, it gets better every single shave. I even got some BBS spots yesterday!

About the quality of your blade. Almost every single experienced member here defends Lynn&Don and vouches for the quality of their blades. That many ppl can't be wrong, right? Either that or Lynn&Don deserve major props for applying Advanced Marketing and using the entire site as a big propaganda machine, but imho that sounds highly unlikely.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lynn

Sorry, but your advice is not correct.

Whether you buy a $1,000 razor or a $10 razor, you still need to learn to use it. Many people who try, do mess up an edge on a strop or have problems because they take on an entire shave without proper beard prep or without ensuring they are using the proper angle for the razor to shave nicely.

We have had many members also frustrated when trying to learn to hone with a similar thought process. They tell us they have sharpened knives and tools their entire lives and yet still have to learn that a straight razor is a different animal.

We have seen many many people who come on the forums with similar concerns and then come back a couple weeks later and are amazed at the difference that couple weeks of practice and learning has helped them. The Dovo Bismarck is actually one of their better shavers.

Thanks,

Lynn

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Hello Numi,

There is one thing here that I believe has not been covered and that is your face also needs to become accustomed to the fact that an extremely sharp blade is being passed over it. It is my belief that your face needs to become as used to the razor as you need to become adept at shaving with that razor. With a sharp edge, which you had, properly stropped, which may or may not have happened, with good preparation, washing/showering with warm water, with good lather, another maybe, and once you learn the movement of the blade on your face, you WILL get a good shave.

Much needs to be learned, none need yet to be blamed . Ask Lynn to re-hone the razor and start again, this time with no additional stropping - just in case, just in case, it may have been your enthusiastic stropping which may have exacerbated your problems.

good luck, good shaving, and careful with the stropping

I second that. Your skin needs to get used to such a sharp edge running down (or up) your face.

I remember my first shave on a straight it hurted like hell! My skin was not used to that much level of sharp, plus my technique was poor. The second shave was painfull as well, but not that much.

Now I can enjoy nice shaves, no pain at all, and I really enjoy the act of shaving. It goes from hell to heaven. You just need to find which is the correct way to shave for you and stick to that (I found out perfect shave for me is to go ATG).

Just keep trying, it is really worth the pain at the very beginning for an extremely nice shave