Thread: Ode to the Christmas DOVO :-(

I agree with Robin, the razor alone seems unlikely to be the issue. One thing that may contribute to the difficulty is your angle of attack. I struggled getting the angles right for a bit when I started.

Another issue may be that you aren't using the canvas part of your strop enough (from your post, I gathered that you were primarily using the leather except when the edge had shown signs of deteriorating; is that right?). I've found that daily linen/horsehide stropping has made a tremendous improvement in my edge maintenance (I do 30 linen/horsehide before and 15 linen/horsehide after every shave).

Best of luck with figuring out the issues. Enjoy the journey, Sir.

Originally Posted by richmondesi

I agree with Robin, the razor alone seems unlikely to be the issue. One thing that may contribute to the difficulty is your angle of attack. I struggled getting the angles right for a bit when I started. ........

I have tried varying the angles. Actually I use different angles in various areas and passes. I know that affects things but I don't know if that would help in this case. My stropping has been 20-30 passes on the woven side (Vintage Blades strop) and then 50 light pressure and 30 or so no pressure laps on latigo leather. Have tried scything motion here and there but it doesn't seem to help much.

I have managed to get some of my blades in the "scary sharp" range with diamond paste and they feel GREAT to me.... Just don't last very long. However my current method isn't lasting very long either so maybe I should just try sharper????

I know I have rapid facial growth..... Longest BBS shave is about 12 hours before stubble shows up. I don't know if I have coarse facial hair (Never compared ;-)) but I do know I like a sharp blade.

Barry

My personal thoughts, I think you are trying to do too much at once, Barry.

I didn't start honing for months. I still don't strop on canvas or use pastes regularly. I don't do anything with varying pressures during stropping. I don't "play with angles" while shaving. I don't do scything (unless it's something that natrually evolved from my technique - what I mean is I don't try to imitate advanced techniques that others post about).

I think it may be benificial to you to put off all that stuff until you can consistantly get good shaves with shave ready razors that have been honed by people you trust. If edges are not sharp enough after 3 shaves, that is not a good sign. It makes me think either your technique (prep, stropping, shaving, razor care, or any combination therein) is not up to snuff OR you have very very high standards for what "shave ready" means.