Thread: Having Trouble Shaving and Need Some HELP!

First things first; I am new at shaving with a staight razor but I am having some trouble. I watched the informative video and I have honed and stropped my razor to where it will cut (pop) the hair on my leg before it even touches my skin but when I shave my face WTG or ATG it doesnt seem to cut the hair at all. I am using canned shaving cream and hot water. Does any body have any pointers?

Thanks,

Ryan

I guss you can always go back to your mach 5 little easyer to understand lol
J/k make use you use a 30* angle

This is why it is good to start with a pro honed shave ready razor. It eliminates one possibility. namely that the razor isn't sharp enough. You've honed it to the point where it will pop leg hair which is one indication that it should shave but you haven't been honing for long I take it ?

It may be sharp enough and the problem may be one of shaving technique. Aside from good prep skin stretching and blade angle are very important. With proper blade angle and a sharp razor pressure is not called for. Hard to say what the problem is exactly. If you've got a quality pro honed razor to compare to that would help sort things out.

JimmyHAD,

It was my angle. I havent been honing razors long but I have been sharpening knives for over 25 years so the honing wasnt as hard as I thought it would be. You were right that it was all in my technique. Thanks for the help.

Ryan

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

This is why it is good to start with a pro honed shave ready razor. It eliminates one possibility. namely that the razor isn't sharp enough. You've honed it to the point where it will pop leg hair which is one indication that it should shave but you haven't been honing for long I take it ?

It may be sharp enough and the problem may be one of shaving technique. Aside from good prep skin stretching and blade angle are very important. With proper blade angle and a sharp razor pressure is not called for. Hard to say what the problem is exactly. If you've got a quality pro honed razor to compare to that would help sort things out.

at first welcome to SRP.
Please always try get your first blade honed by Pro's. this will help you a lot in long run.
you can see how properly honed razor should act and learn from it.
Popping hairs is not sign of the shave ready blade. OPPOSITE it is sign that your blade is not shave ready yet.
After getting shave ready razor you are eliminating most common problem. then you can figure out angle, soap, pressure, stropping mistakes.
hope this helps.
gl

I'd start with prep. Make sure your bead is nice and wet, and SOFTEN it with a hot shower or a hot towel. Then, you might consider a good brush and cream instead of your foam...but if that's out of the question, try a slick shave gel.

JimR,

Thanks for the help. The hot towel works nice.

Ryan

Originally Posted by JimR

I'd start with prep. Make sure your bead is nice and wet, and SOFTEN it with a hot shower or a hot towel. Then, you might consider a good brush and cream instead of your foam...but if that's out of the question, try a slick shave gel.

gl,

Thanks for the pointers and the warm welcome. It was all in my technique. Razors are shaving nice now.

Thanks again,

Ryan

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

at first welcome to SRP.
Please always try get your first blade honed by Pro's. this will help you a lot in long run.
you can see how properly honed razor should act and learn from it.
Popping hairs is not sign of the shave ready blade. OPPOSITE it is sign that your blade is not shave ready yet.
After getting shave ready razor you are eliminating most common problem. then you can figure out angle, soap, pressure, stropping mistakes.
hope this helps.
gl

Razortrader,

LOL I figured it out, it was my angle. Thanks for the pointer.

Ryan

Originally Posted by Razortrader

I guss you can always go back to your mach 5 little easyer to understand lol
J/k make use you use a 30* angle

Welcome to SRP from another newb, Ryan,
Starting out with a razor that is honed shave ready by an experienced honemeister is excellent advice. It gives you a known baseline to evaluate your budding technique & prep. Learning how to hone and learning how to shave (with the same razor) at the same time makes it difficult for you to evaluate either skill.

I bought my first three razors shave ready from SRP members selling them in the Classifieds. If you don't want to do that, then I would suggest sending your current razor to one of the homemeisters in the "Member Services" section of the Classifieds.

Good luck to you!
Namaste,
Morty -_-