Thread: First Shave - Blade pulling

Originally Posted by easyace

You can't have a user name like that, then complain that shaving hurts.

Ace! You did it! Great line! Thank You.

Originally Posted by easyace

You can't have a user name like that, then complain that shaving hurts.

That got a LOL out of me.

To the OP, you've taken the 1st step in the right direction, by asking.
The more experienced members will get you back on track. ( love this forum for that very reason alone )
You'll just need to supply as many details as possible or as they ask you for them, so that they can narrow down the cause.

~Paul

Thanks for all the replies

I bought the standard beginners razor - Dovo Best Quality from Straight Razors so should have been prehoned by Lynn.

I think I rounded the edge when I stopped it. I didnt pull the leather taut enough and apparently that will round the edge. That or they forget to hone the blade before sending it out.

I tried the hanging hair test which it failed. I can run the hair up and down the blade and it doesn't cut it. It does however cut the hairs on my arm.

I think I will send it off to get rehoned and try again

My nads are big, but not blunt straight razor big

You could very well have rolled the edge while stropping but that is not always un-fixable. try stropping 100 laps on the linen strop followed by 50 on the leather this sometimes correct prior stropping issues as long as your stropping is correct.

as a side not SRD recommends that you shave with the new razor before stropping it as Lynn strops them before sending them after honing so they are truly "shave ready"

also the hanging hair test is not always a good indicator of edge sharpness.

the first few shaves are often difficult for people mainly because of blade angle and pressure. try almost laying the spine on your cheek and then slightly raising the angle 20 degrees is a much shallower angle than many people think.

enjoy,
jim

Originally Posted by syslight

You could very well have rolled the edge while stropping but that is not always un-fixable. try stropping 100 laps on the linen strop followed by 50 on the leather this sometimes correct prior stropping issues as long as your stropping is correct.

as a side not SRD recommends that you shave with the new razor before stropping it as Lynn strops them before sending them after honing so they are truly "shave ready"

also the hanging hair test is not always a good indicator of edge sharpness.

the first few shaves are often difficult for people mainly because of blade angle and pressure. try almost laying the spine on your cheek and then slightly raising the angle 20 degrees is a much shallower angle than many people think.

enjoy,
jim

Ok thanks will try that tomorrow. I have some chromium oxide spray, should I use that on the material strop?

i would not add any abrasives to a hanging strop. once they are applied they are always applied. a nice smooth piece of balsa wood is an ok place for a cromium oxide spray or paste.

jim

I would not try the chromium oxide at this point. That would inject an additional variable into your shaving equation. At the point you are convinced that that you may have done some damage to the edge of your razor, I would send it back to srd for the free honing. That way you can start over with a known quantity.
It's nice to have more than one razor so that you experience the difference between edges.

Originally Posted by syslight

You could very well have rolled the edge while stropping but that is not always un-fixable. try stropping 100 laps on the linen strop followed by 50 on the leather this sometimes correct prior stropping issues as long as your stropping is correct.

as a side not SRD recommends that you shave with the new razor before stropping it as Lynn strops them before sending them after honing so they are truly "shave ready"

also the hanging hair test is not always a good indicator of edge sharpness.

the first few shaves are often difficult for people mainly because of blade angle and pressure. try almost laying the spine on your cheek and then slightly raising the angle 20 degrees is a much shallower angle than many people think.

enjoy,
jim

I didn't know stropping could bend over an edge. Will this never happen if you hold the strop taut?

I used to think it was impossible to damage an edge with stropping. Then a new member showed me a razor that had gone dull after stropping. I saw shiny bits along the edge using a loupe.

It turned out he was lifting the spine while stropping.

To the op: try shaving a few more times and pay close attention to prep and angle. Maybe after a couple of tries things will get better.

Michael

Syslight is guiding you toward the Light try what he is telling you


Just for info for others reading this

The HHT is for the person Honing the blade to use, if they want and have Calibrated the test, along with every other test out there they are NOT for a shaver to use or judge and edge with.. The Shave test is designed for that, The simple perfectly prepped stroke from Sideburn line to Jawline using everything as best you can is the shave test.. Until that stroke works suprisingly well, there is no sense in going any farther..

Stropping and rolling the edge - Strop tightness is secondary, to lifting the spine as a cause to edge damage, pay attention to the spine while stropping make sure the spine is moving evenly up and down the strop and the edge should do just fine following... (Michael was typing faster than I was )


Search the term Stroptober for a ton of info on stropping

Good Luck