Thread: questioning my technique

hey everyone, i got into straights a few years back. Bought a couple new razors and some used ones.

Met up with lynn one afternoon - and he showed me the ins and outs of honing. which was amazing and i still remember watching him show me his little tips.

Unfortunately my busy life kept me away from shaving with straights for the last few years - but i recently picked them back up and began shaving with them again.

Never been the best at honing, but i think my stropping technique is fine.. just use a tight strop - and very light pressure, if none at all.

I lather well - and strop 25-50 passes - i shave three times - once with grain, once across grain, once against grain.

THe biggest problem area is my chin. The stubble there is its thickest - and i start questioning if my razor is sharp enough.

Im going to send this one out to get professionally sharpened. SO i can eliminate that variable.

I also ordered a Boker Edelweiss - and a DOVO Grey Bone 5/8 - both professionally sharpened via Straight razor designs. So those should give me a good idea if its the razor or not.

The one im using was sharpened 5 years ago? but ive only used it shave 3-10 times...

anyway - when i get to my chin - it pulls and hurts pretty bad to fully shave that area-- ill try and lower the angle see if it helps - but i stretch it taught and try to shave it in one pass - but the razor seems to catch and pull - and it just doesnt get it close.

Any tips for shaving the chin area?

FWIW I have all kinds of 'trouble' with the chin area too and I find that I have to use many and varied angles to get it just right.
I noticed in the early stages of this wonderful journey that I had to keep a close eye on the pressure I was using when shaving my chin too.
The old habits from using multiple blades came to the fore and I was pressing too hard.
I would suggest that you may be using too much pressure to compensate for a (maybe) not so sharp razor or an incorrect angle.
Maybe the prep for that area is lacking something too.
Keep trying, changing one thing at a time, and it'll get better

Try dividing the chin into three areas. Under the lower lip, the sides and then the round part. The first two areas should only require some face contortions and or stretching and can be handled with a downward or with the grain stroke. The round part should be taken with small strokes as you try to keep the blade angle correct for cutting as you go around the chin. With the grain should be all you need here too. This definitely takes some practice. As already stated, light pressure is key. If your razor has been sitting for 5 years, you might want to try 5-10 no pressure X strokes with some Chromium Oxide or .5 diamond and then 40-60 strokes on the leather strop to see if that helps.

Have fun.

So I watched a few more videos on shaving. Also put up a video on my honing/stropping though I'm not sure its the best- to see if I'm doing something wrong.

In the mean time I ordered 2 professionally honed razors from SRD to check my old razors sharpeness and boy what a difference the new razors made.

I stripped it up and had the best shave ever yesterday, it literally cut through the beard like butter (I've never experienced that) it was eye opening. I barely used any pressure and it cut my normal trouble areas with ease. The new one was a dove, grey bone-- - and I can't wait to shave again!

So it confirmed my beliefs the old razor was ot sharp enough, so I will begin again honing it.

Should I "dull" the old dovo first? I'm worried it might be over honed from all the practicing I've done.
Then start the bevel with the circle technique on 1k- 30 circles each side...
Mve up to 4k. 25 x strokes. Light pressure.
8k 25 x strokes light pressure
4k x strokes 15 no pressure
8k x strokes 15 no pressure
15k x strokes 10 no pressure
8k x strokes 5 no pressure
15k x strokes 5 no pressure

Strop on canvas 50 x strokes
Strop on leather 50 x strokes

Think that will be a good honing session?

When do you switch from 4 and 8k to 8 and 15k??
Is pressure constant the whole time?

Unless your bevel is bad I would start with the 8K. Start as high as possible and if need be fall back.

I was going to say, the chin is a tough area and it's a test for razor sharpness. Your symptoms were classic dull razor syndrome.

Originally Posted by mbuemi1577

The one I'm using was sharpened 5 years ago? but ive only used it shave 3-10 times...

How was your razor stored during your hiatus? Was it oiled and periodically reoiled? If not the edge will naturally degrade without even using it. But if stored correctly, then yes, even after a few years you should be able to wipe away the oil, strop and shave.

Anyway, glad to hear you're getting some good shaves with your newly honed razors

The old one is definitely dull, after comparing to the new professionally honed one.

I need to just get a honing technique down I think, spent some time on it but still wasn't sharp. Reading and researching some before I try again

In regards to shaving the chin, I'm in the same boat with you. A razor that is perfectly sharp will seem to stop hard when it hits my chin stubble. The key for me is good lather, tight skin and really short strokes. When it comes to my chin, the whole WTG XTG ATG stuff goes out the window - I just shave in the direction that's easiest (which usually ends up being diagonally on the sides, and sideways across the front).