Thread: My New Dovo Razor is it blunt or is it me?

I have just ordered an additonal 3" leather strop. I think I went for the narrow strop because Dovo only do the double sided linen and leather one in the narrow width. I feel they are missing a trick there. I've not used the stropping pastes yet as I feel I could probably cause more damage than good. There is something strangely addictive with the whole concept of it though/.

Originally Posted by postmastergeneral

I have just ordered an additonal 3" leather strop. I think I went for the narrow strop because Dovo only do the double sided linen and leather one in the narrow width. I feel they are missing a trick there. I've not used the stropping pastes yet as I feel I could probably cause more damage than good. There is something strangely addictive with the whole concept of it though/.

I would leave the pastes alone , until you have a little more experience . What kind of pastes do you have ?

Originally Posted by dave5225

I would leave the pastes alone , until you have a little more experience . What kind of pastes do you have ?

Hi. I have the dovo white and yellow pastes. I've not used them

Hi Postmastergeneral,

I was just reading in another thread where the poster had ramped up his shaving technique using a shavette w/disposable blades, so he wouldn't have to mess with all the variables around shave readiness. Shavettes are typically sharper than most of us can hone onto a real blade, so might be a little stringent as a reference while learning to hone or even for evaluating a new blade that just came in the post. But that might also help in your plight there.

You've gotten lots of excellent advice from the guys here. Keep at it, go slow, and there's no shame in finishing the tough spots with whatever you used before the straight. I took about four months to transition all the way over. My chin and adam's apple were the last spots to go. I've been at it about four years now, getting good shaves, and still discover some way to improve every month or so. That's what keeps this fun.

Best wishes and happy shaving to you.

Originally Posted by postmastergeneral

Hi. I have the dovo white and yellow pastes. I've not used them

The yellow paste is a strop conditioner , and is not abrasive . IMHO , it's not necessary , all you need to do to your strop is rub it with the palm of your hand every time you use it . The white paste is abrasive , and is used on the linen strop . I would not do that either . You can round the edge of your razor pretty quick if you use a pasted hanging strop , and you're not experienced in stropping . Most guys who use pastes , put them on a paddle strop , and use either chromium oxide or diamond paste , of a known grit . As for myself , I don't use them at all . I tried pastes when I was a noob , and didn't think much of them . I just use my hone to touch up my razor . I have a strop that's linen on one side , and horsehide on the other . I strop 25 laps on the linen , and 50 on the leather .

Thanks for the advice. That does seem like a good idea, at least with a shavette I can learn the technique with a blade that I know is sharp. I had my second straight shave today and it has gone better. Couldnt complete the first pass with it round the chin, so switched to the mutliblade. Was able to do a second pass though. The problem is, its like learning to walk again from scratch. I've no set instilled routine yet and keep having to think how to hold the thing, especially under the neck areas. I'm sure it will come with time. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by dave5225

The yellow paste is a strop conditioner , and is not abrasive . IMHO , it's not necessary , all you need to do to your strop is rub it with the palm of your hand every time you use it . The white paste is abrasive , and is used on the linen strop . I would not do that either . You can round the edge of your razor pretty quick if you use a pasted hanging strop , and you're not experienced in stropping . Most guys who use pastes , put them on a paddle strop , and use either chromium oxide or diamond paste , of a known grit . As for myself , I don't use them at all . I tried pastes when I was a noob , and didn't think much of them . I just use my hone to touch up my razor . I have a strop that's linen on one side , and horsehide on the other . I strop 25 laps on the linen , and 50 on the leather .

Yes, I shouldnt have bought the pastes really. They were very expensive considering the size of the tubes. So the yellow paste is just for the leather side and the white for the linen? I wount use the pastes, at least for now. I've now ordered my third blade, this time I'm trying a TI. The two that I've ordered will be honed and stropped and I'm looking forward to those coming. Thanks for the advice.

In case it's your stropping, use your new blades just as they arrive from the honer or the vendor, then strop them after.

Good luck.

To be honest, it just sounds like you're expecting too much too soon. Better shaves come with time and developing technique.

Originally Posted by postmastergeneral

Thanks everyone for all your help, I was surprised you all got back so quickly and you all seem very friendly.

We are an understanding and sympathetic group, because many of us have shared your experience.

This is stuff we _should_ have learned from our fathers at the age of 14. Only they didn't know it!

. . . Charles

PS -- the circularity of "How do I know if my razor is sharp, if I don't have a previous known-sharp razor to compare it with?" is why many of us give this advice:

. . . Your first razor should be bought "shave-ready" -- that is, honed and stropped by a human.

If somebody says "Oh, it should need just some stropping", he's saying it's _not_ "shave-ready". 'Shave-ready' means it should shave _right out of the box_.

Yeah, once it comes back it should be perfect and I'll know what its like. I wont strop until I've used it to shave first.