Thread: Straight Razor Ain't Cutting It

That's actually what I was getting at--the problem, assuming the razor is sharp, has to be technique. What I'm doubting is whether the OP is applying what he's reading online as consistently as he thinks.

I'm still a newbie as well, having only started in April, and if I've learned anything, it's that I never am doing things quite as correctly as I thought I was. After 4 months I am finally feeling like I get it.

I wasn't trying to be unkind, just pointing out that the original post seems to pose an unlikely scenario: a sharp razor and correct technique producing no results of any kind. One of those has to be incorrect, either the razor isn't sharp or the technique needs to be examined.

I could not agree with Lynn more as a newbie myself (about 2 months in) I still have not been able to do a successful HHT and I've completely written them off at this point. If the razor shaves well I don't care what it does to my hanging hair if it doesn't shave well again don't cate about my hanging hair. That said for my first couple shaves I couldn't get the razor (honed by Lynn) to cut. It just wouldn't do it, I didn't go so far as to say the razor wasn't sharp I was smart enough to know that odds were against my razor being the one that slipped through the cracks. It was me so I stuck with it and asked for help, and that's just what I got. I listened to it and used it all some worked some didn't but the biggest help was angles. Countless people told me this and it is the biggest thing for me, the 30 degree angle is a guide. Every razor I own is different vary your angle till you find one that works. Just keep trying and it will get better if you truely believe the razor is dull send it off to one of the professionals here. I suggest Lynn just so that you know you have a working razor others might be just as good or better at honing IDK but experiance=consistency and right now you want to limit as many variables as possible. If you still have problems you know that it is your technique. GL

I think we're off what the OP said. His first post was pretty strong.

He said that (a)he had a shave-ready razor, (b) had exhaustively studied the material on this site and (c) had followed al these instructions "to a T" for three full weeks, shaving WTG, XTG, ATG but (d) was not cutting any hair.

I wasn't saying newbies don't have problems. I'm a newbie, I have problems. But nearly always, I would not say I'm following all instructions exactly--I nearly always end up mistaken on that point and someone thankfully corrects me or gives me an idea to try because I've described specifically what I'm doing well enough to get a "diagnosis" of my problem.

My little brain has trouble seeing how everything the OP said could be accurate, though I'm sure he's trying his very best. Something there has to give, and I imagine it's technique. If the razors were bad, 3 weeks of shaving all those directions would produce more than a question on a bulletin board, but a 9-1-1 call!

He needs to give us more information about his razors, strop, lather, technique, etc. Something here needs to be clarified.

I hope I'm not being obnoxious here, but this just seems odd.

OP post the razors you use and the strop as well. Can you tell us the technique you use for shaving as far as angles and strokes? It's cool to see that there are so many people willing to help! *kudos to best straight razor forums!*

Originally Posted by LawsonStone

I think we're off what the OP said. His first post was pretty strong.

He said that (a)he had a shave-ready razor, (b) had exhaustively studied the material on this site and (c) had followed al these instructions "to a T" for three full weeks, shaving WTG, XTG, ATG but (d) was not cutting any hair.

Well, he also didn't mention that he was cutting his face either. I just can't believe that you can run a blade down your face, across your face, and up your face and have nothing happen. Unless it's a titanium beard.

Try seeing if the razor or razor's will shave arm hair or not. If they will cut arm hair they will at least cut whiskers, not saying it will be comfortable but it should cut them. How much growth are you trying to shave?

I almost gave up myself after a few weeks but as others have said, the face needs to get used to the new "going w/ the grain" tecnique req'd of straight razor use. Also, wetting the beard and allowing ample time for the whiskers to soften is essential. That being said, there is a certain "english" in your technique that you must acquire that no reading of diagrams will replace. Once you get that "feel" of holding the razor at the proper angle, @ 30 degree's, and stretching taunt the skin properly, you will attain your goal. This, assuming the blade is, in fact, sharp enough.

Originally Posted by Lynn

The hand has a natural tendency to bend back with a razor in it producing from 45 to 90 degree angles. I have to watch this myself after all these years when it comes to the chin area.
Lynn

A keynote speaker at a recent medical convention reported the results of research about the way a radiologist examines a radiograph. Using sophisticated equipment researchers tracked the eye movements of the radiologists as they examined medical images. When one radiologist missed an abnormality in the image of a patient his response was "I always examine that area in patients" with this given malady. He insisted that he'd examined that area closely in the image at hand despite the fact that the tracking equipment showed that he NEVER looked at that area.

While this may seem an obtuse analogy, the reality is that despite our best efforts/intentions, we often do not do what we would swear we are doing. It's easy to think we have the proper angle, an another thing entirely to actually have the proper angle. Although I've only been str8 shaving since May 1st, I find that angle makes a huge difference in the quality of my shave. Like Lynn, I find that maintaining a proper angle on the highly curved surface of the chin is challenging.

My advice is to be patient and constantly be cognizant of your angle.

Yes, straight shaving is not rocket science, but as with any new endeavor there is a learning curve.

Good luck. It will get better. For me, what once was drudgery now is one of the highlights of my day. (OK, it doesn't beat getting a hug from my 6 year old daughter, but it's close)

Originally Posted by LinacMan

Good luck. It will get better. For me, what once was drudgery now is one of the highlights of my day. (OK, it doesn't beat getting a hug from my 6 year old daughter, but it's close)

My daughter turns 10 months old tomorrow, and seeing her smile when I walk in the door is divine.

More often than not, I believe that your first WTG pass should be with blade less than 30 degress. In fact, placing the blade almost flat or flat on your skin works well, and is often recommended by old time barbers manuals. Even with a somewhat less than sharp razor, the "almost flat" approach will result in some shaving off of whiskers.

After the first "almost flat" pass, relather and continue shaving. But, this time with the typical 30 degree angle.