Sharpness Vs. Technique

This is something that I am sure has been covered dozens of times, but I wanted to add one more.

There were about a half a dozen razors in my rack that I had targeted for re-honing or touch ups. But lately, my techniques have improved in stropping (doesn't hurt that I now have a Premium IV), lather building, and especially shaving.

I went back to those razors that were scheduled to go to the hones, and low and behold, they shave great. It was me and not them!:(

As a side note, for me, the Holy Grail of shaving techniques is the angle of the blade to the skin. When the angle is correct, no pressure is needed and the shave is great. But angle is relative to WTG, XTG and ATG. So that means, right from the start - beginning mapping out beard direction so WTG, XTG and ATG and thus the angle can be determined.

Having said all of this, I am not saying that good technique will overcome a dull razor, I am just saying that a sharp razor and poor technique can result in an incorrect conclusion.

You are so correct my friend. If I had nickel for every new guy that got a new razor and said, "I think this razor is dull" I'd be a rich man. Technique is everything. Welcome to the world of great shaves...Congratulations...

Took me three months to figure it out. I knew in my head about the angle thing, but only recently have I been noticing how I let the angle get sloppy and then compensate by applying more force! Bad Angle+More Force=BURN but no Shave.

So for now, the angle is the thing I'm attending to over everything else.

Right up there, I "knew" to use a light hand on a tight strop, but somehow was bearing down really hard on the strop and dulled couple razors. Feather touch on the strop does the trick.

Yes, you're right, the angle is a huge part of finding the key to good shaves. Enjoy!

That is something I discovered too. Not only the angle but the scything stroke also makes a big difference once it is mastered.

right on right on...

And I agree with jimmy... adding the scything style to my strokes, or a bit of a guillotine helped a lot too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

That is something I discovered too. Not only the angle but the scything stroke also makes a big difference once it is mastered.

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+1 Jimmy - Yeah - you really need a good bag of tricks that you are comfortable using to get you out of tricky areas. Scything and Guillotine are must master techniques.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

That is something I discovered too. Not only the angle but the scything stroke also makes a big difference once it is mastered.

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+1 on Technique. I’m still working on the scything stroke. Being right handed, the right side of my face is great WTG scythe. The left side, well that's another story and I have a good nick/ slice to prove it. Not only blade angle but continual contact with your face once you start the stroke. Like you say in your footer, light touch.
Maybe I’ll start another thread regarding blade shape and WTG Scythe motion. Stay tuned.

You are oh so right. Although razor sharpness is certainly important, it is not the key determinant for achieving a close, smooth and comfortable shave.

Absolutely bang on David!

You're totally correct, and I really wish thats something that we could demonstrate to newer guys who often think that its the razor and not them thats the problem.

Poor shaving technique will result in a poor shave, razor burn and cuts, but once you nail it theres a world of difference in the feel of the shave.

Alembic,

You're quite right, but I would rank stropping technique right up there with shaving technique in order to prove your point. Chances are your stropping has improved since you last shaved with those razors. It's happened to me before as well; just before you dig out the hones you decide to strop n' shave one last time and voila - great shave from a razor thought to be dull.

In the end though your point is still valid - sometimes it is you and not the razor.

You really hit the point here.

To me it is all about learning multiple skills before it is possible to get excellent results. Even the best razor (i do not believe there is such) will give you poor shaves if you haven't find the technique that works for you and your face.

As Mr Gillette would say you buy the system.

Straight shaving is a system and for it to run like a clock the entire system must be mastered. Is one component more important than the others? Maybe it is but like with a fine watch mvmt sometimes a tiny hair in an out of the way place can stop the mvmt.