Thread: Advice for a 1st time straight razor user

I have just started straight razor shaving and I have an antique Wade and Bucher blade that I've gotten really sharp. When I try to shave though, I don't seem to get any hair off. I use williams shave soap and a brush to put on the lather and I let it soak in for a couple minutes, strop the razor and reapply lather before I shave like I've read. I try to stretch the skin though I find it difficlt with the slippery rather. I just can't seem to shave any hair off when I try to shave. Any pointers on what I might be doing wrong?

It sounds like the razor is not shave ready. Your
prep seems to be fine and Williams soap works
quite well, it is in my line up.

What you might do is put out an appeal to the
expert honers on this forum for assistance
( despite the title honemeiser I have never
honed a razor ).

Did you sign up for the razor drawing? if not you
should do so.


Terry

Really sharp is a relative term. Ideally, a shave ready razor will cut a hanging hair with absolutely no resistance. You'll need 2 waterstones or a combination stone, 4000/8000 grit to hone it properly. Most guys here use the Norton 3" 4k/8k stone. Then you need a strop to properly align a well-honed edge. Take a better look at the archives and also the help files. You'll learn A LOT about what you're doing wrong. Good luck and welcome to the forum!

Friend,

It sounds like your razor is not sharp enough. They have to be insanely sharp to work properly. I remembered when I first started I tried using a Arkansas stone, and feeling flusterated that I could not get it sharp enough.

There are different sharpening methods you can use:

1) The waterstone route, you can get from Classic Shaving. You want a Norton 3"x8" 4000/8000.

2) Barber Hones. You can get them from Tilly at www.redtrader99.com

3) Pasted Strops. You can get them from Tony at http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com

I have personally found that different razors respond better to different sharpening methods (it could be the honer... ) My Wade and Butcher wedge reponds better to the paste method than the other methods. In addition, I find that the pasted strop method is easier to master for beginners.

I use the following method for my Wade and Butcher:
Green paste - to obtain the initial bevel
Red Paste - to establish a keen edge
1 micron diamond paste - to refine the edge
.5 micron diamond paste - to finish the edge
Strop on a good strop

Once the edge is establish you can skip the green and red paste steps and do a occasional diamond pastes touch up.

I am sure that there are some who would disagree with my methods. It is really a personal choice. And remember proof is in the puddin, if it shaves well it works...

Talk to Tony at http://shop.thewellshavedgentleman.com he is a very nice guy, and his products are superior to most of the other products on the market. He will give you good advice for what you need, and not try to sell you what you do not need...

What ever method you choose, be patient, it takes time. Once mastered, gives great satisfaction!

Good luck friend, and happy shaving,
Mark.

Originally Posted by filmecyan

I have just started straight razor shaving and I have an antique Wade and Bucher blade that I've gotten really sharp. When I try to shave though, I don't seem to get any hair off. I use williams shave soap and a brush to put on the lather and I let it soak in for a couple minutes, strop the razor and reapply lather before I shave like I've read. I try to stretch the skin though I find it difficlt with the slippery rather. I just can't seem to shave any hair off when I try to shave. Any pointers on what I might be doing wrong?

It would be interesting to hear what you did and what equipment you used to hone it. Sometimes a blade just passing over the face easily with out any whisker removal, can mean it is not sharp enough although most of the time there is some pulling when this happens or it may be over honed. Let us know. Thanks. Lynn

This probably is not what you want to hear as you are excited and ready to go! BUT I agree with the concensous that your razor is not sharp enough...Instead of trying to hone it yourself, send it to lynn let him hone it for you...If you dont have the patience to wait to get it back properly honed, buy a 2nd razor already honed and shave ready from lynn or tony or another member of forum...not ebay or from store vender(typically they dont arrive shave ready) you will end up owning many razors anyway...Learn to strop & shave with it...you will feel what a sharp razor shaves like...when you have mastered shaving and stroping, you have lots of time to learn proper honing tech...not everyone hones their razors, thats why lynn has honed thousands of razors...To help stretch your skin wring out wet washcloth that you used to moisturized your beard with hot water, fold it over several times and use your semi dry edge to stretch your skin down...I learned this from alex at trumpier in london 13 years ago...washcloth will grab skin where soapy fingers slip... good luck

Yup I have to join the crew on this one. It is not sharp enough. What is sharp enough to severely damage your finger might not be sharp enough to take a single hair off.

Originally Posted by filmecyan

I have just started straight razor shaving and I have an antique Wade and Bucher blade that I've gotten really sharp. When I try to shave though, I don't seem to get any hair off. I use williams shave soap and a brush to put on the lather and I let it soak in for a couple minutes, strop the razor and reapply lather before I shave like I've read. I try to stretch the skin though I find it difficlt with the slippery rather. I just can't seem to shave any hair off when I try to shave. Any pointers on what I might be doing wrong?

As much as you think your razor is sharp it probably isn't. I would send it out to be done by an expert so you know it's really sharp.

I was using an Arkansas stone with the basic technique I've seen in barber textbooks and online, gliding it across at a small angle without hardly any pressure. After being turned on to the help files, I've found I need the 4k/8k waterstone. If anyone would like to hone it, let me know. I also have ordered a new DOVO 5/8 carbon razor from classic shaving, do I need to do any honing to it to make it shave ready?

Originally Posted by filmecyan

I was using an Arkansas stone with the basic technique I've seen in barber textbooks and online, gliding it across at a small angle without hardly any pressure. After being turned on to the help files, I've found I need the 4k/8k waterstone. If anyone would like to hone it, let me know. I also have ordered a new DOVO 5/8 carbon razor from classic shaving, do I need to do any honing to it to make it shave ready?

If it's not too late, have Classic send the Dovo to Lynn for sharpening. $20 bucks well spent.

RT