Originally Posted by
LarryAndro
I don't think we can say that there will never be any pulling sensation with straight razors. I have received straight razors honed by two of the top honemeisters on SRP, and in fact both have responded on this thread. And, for both razors, even using good technique, they pulled to some degree with the initial WTG pass. Using the best technique, with the best edges possible, they don't always "slice like butter." (For most of my face, they did slice like butter. But, the toughest areas... not quite.)
Someone posted a link here several months ago to an old barbers manual that for the first WTG pass, the blade should be laid flat on the skin. I read it twice! While I still don't lay the blade flat on the skin, I do use a very shallow angle with my initial WTG pass, similar to what the barbers manual said. And, with that angle I am slicing thru whiskers at an exaggerated diagonal angle, which means that there might be a little more pulling than otherwise.
After that pass, I repeat the WTG pass at a 30 degree angle. At that point, and thereafter, there is very little pulling, etc, etc.