Thread: Straight razor is pulling on my beard

I am a new starter with the straight razor but I am having some difficulty in the cutting area. Basically what is happening is when I glide the razor accross my face the razor is pulling on my har and its not cutting it. I've tried stropping it before each shave but still no joy. I know it has nothing to do with how a lather or lubricate the hairs because when I then switch to my disposable razor, which has been re-used about 11 times, the hairs cut without any problems. Ironically I've had more cuts using my disposable Bic razor than I've had with my cut throat one. Any ideas of what could be the problem.

Welcome to SRP.

If the razor is gliding over the whiskers and not cutting at any angle it is likely either a rolled edge or an unhoned blade. If the razor was purchased shave ready it will be the former. Either way some more time on the hones will be required to fix it.

Hi. Thanks for your welcome. Well I bought the razor recently and I assumed the razor was ready to use straight out the box but that doesn't seem to be the case. It didn't say anywhere from where I bought it wether it can be used straight off or not. I have tried several different angles but at each angle it's pulling on my hairs and not cutting. I will do what you said and hone the blade.

Originally Posted by gsingh13

Hi. Thanks for your welcome. Well I bought the razor recently and I assumed the razor was ready to use straight out the box but that doesn't seem to be the case. It didn't say anywhere from where I bought it wether it can be used straight off or not. I have tried several different angles but at each angle it's pulling on my hairs and not cutting. I will do what you said and hone the blade.

Not to be rude or to state that whoever sold you the razor is wrong per se, but I have never pulled out a blade from the box that was ready to go. That said, I haven't done it all that much, but having been on these forums for a while - it seems to be the consensus.

I wish you all the best of luck and welcome to SRP! Shaving with a straight once you have it down (and honed lol), is a fantastic skill, and a fantastic shave!

What type of razor is this?

It's an ENZO razor.

There are a couple places you can by a good razor under 100 or even 50. Try the classifieds here, or the vendors corner. You can also try whippeddog.com

Those are your best bets for entry lvl blades that will be shave ready.

There are some of the chaps on your side of the Pond that can guide you better then us over here

Neil Miller and Jamie aka celticcrusader here on SRP send them both a PM that says "HELP"

I only am guessing that you are in England from the monetary reference it really helps if you put yer location in your profile so we don't send you off in the wrong direction

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I only am guessing that you are in England from the monetary reference it really helps if you put yer location in your profile so we don't send you off in the wrong direction

Of course. I've updated my profile now and I will a PM to those people who you have mentioned. Thanks.

I inderstand you want to start cheap but, I got my shave kit from this place:

http://www.theinvisibleedge.co.uk/starterkits.html

I got the first one. It comes with pretty much everything you need to get started. I've been at it for about 9 months now and still have everything that came with it (lots of soap left,strop in working order, etc) So you get your money's worth. IMO, I would get something of quality so that instead of getting turned off by this hobby, you start out loving it as much as I do and every other member here. There also sites like whippeddog.com I would check out. They sell quality razors and strops. The razors are vintage that have been restored some what, but will shave good and are cheap if your really that set on doing it on the cheap