Quote Originally Posted by ace View Post
... For me, it took 10 shaves before the bloodletting subsided, and then it took 20-30 shaves before I was getting a passable shave. Now, if I take my time, I can get pretty close to BBS, but it takes work, patience and improvement of my technique. I'm probably one of those people who will take 6 months to get it right, but I'm willing to put in the time. The shaves may not yet be as good, but the shaving itself is much more enjoyable.
Thanks Ace! I shaved tonight, after light honing and some stropping and although it wasn't wonderful it wasn't entirely "gut wrenching" either. It was improved. I have had close shaves for the last 5 shaves no. Close! I practiced with my dulled "Pakistani" razor to get down hold and technique and "imagined" myself getting good shaves without nicks. I'm only into it a little bit more than 2 weeks. I looked back and the first 2 razors I actually bought were at the local antique store on the 10th of Feb., and I didn't shave with them for a little while. They cost me about 16.00 each and are the Wadsworth and WISS. Then I got an ebay win of a J.A. Henckels, which is a beautiful razor of condition, but it's about a 4/8 or 3/8 and I even shaved with it tonight, but it handles a lot differently. Nice for under the nose. Then I bought some cheap razors at another antique store, a 2 for $7.00 thing, and one of them, the Gold Bug by A. Witte (Germany) is one I used tonight and seems to have a fairly decent edge.

No blood letting since the first 2 times (THANK GOD), so I guess I have nothing to be discouraged about. Just was hoping that I could get it down so that I can tell my boss that the shaves are close and more comfortable than the disposables. It takes me about 15 minutes I guess to shave, so someday I'll probably shave that down a bit (pun intended).

Is there much variability between the steels of the razor manufactures? Dovo, Thiers-Issard, Böker, Revisors and some of the older vintages? In other words, are there some that are just better at getting and holding a keen edge? Are the very thin "singing" razors close to the comfort of the disposables in their ability to get and keep an edge?

Learn by asking, doing, and practice.

GRAB YOUR GEAR!