Thread: Tape while stropping ?

If the razors have come back from 2 different reputable sources who also shave with straight razors, i would imagine that they are indeed sharp.
I have only heard tape for stropping suggested if your razor has filework on the spine that might scratch a strop, however i dont have such a razor so cant comment, i would imagine that it is more an issue with technique and prep, i have onlyused oil a few times and really didnt like it, also some guys say that it will break your lather down. Speaking of which what sort of lather does the goats milk soap provide? Maybe try something like palmolive cream instead. As a preshave i used to use vitamin e cream, i dont know if it really helped but it certainly didnt harm.
Have you figured out your beards directions of growth, and how best to shave with/across and against it?
I also believe the angles are different when using a shavette or traditional straight

Baby oil can be sticky/ tacky. Goats milk soap? Maybe from a local person or someone on etsy? My guess is you're not getting a good lather and no cushion.

Originally Posted by BobH

Yea, stropping is a double edged sword. I have buggered up perfectly good edges by improper stropping.

There is enough deflection in a strop when stropping that taping a spine is not necessary.

Bob

Thanks Bob. I figured that was the case but I wasn't for sure as I don't know all the ins and outs of razor sharpening. I appreciate the clarification.

Originally Posted by Foxfire

Hmmm, Just had two of my razors honed by 2 different honers. Both shaved with them and said they were scary sharp. I am new to this but have been using a shavette till I got my razors in. Both of them pulled my hair and didn't cut it like the shavette does. I stropped them 20 times and tried again and again and again. Yes they get a little better but not much. I do know the one honer uses tape when honing. Does this throw the stopping off? Or do I need to tape the spine when stopping?

The technique and angles used with a shavette are slightly different than with a straight. Try switching up the angle and see what works.

Originally Posted by BobH

OK, then it is another aspect of your shaving routine that has a hitch in it. Never used a shavette but from the little I have read on them a straight will not feel the same and needs a little different technique WRT to angles. Is the goats milk soap you are using an actual shave soap?

Bob

Yes, I am trying different angles and trying to be patient. The goats milk soap is not a shave soap per se'. It is known for moisturizing the skin and helping to hydrate it. I am going to talk to some of the soap makers that I know and ask them to do the research to make an actual shave soap. Some of the soap makers do make a home made shave soap but it is not goats milk based. It produces a stringy dense lather but not a lot of thick lather, that dissipates fairly quickly. I have to re-lather 3 times or so.

There are a lot of inexpensive artisan and large manufacturer soaps out there to use.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

If the razors have come back from 2 different reputable sources who also shave with straight razors, i would imagine that they are indeed sharp.

I concur. I believe they are both sharp, even though they seem to cut a little better after stopping. I am working on technique and prep to see if I can improve the situation. Will keep you posted.

I think, as others have said here, what you're experiencing is a combination of your technique, i.e. blade angle, and your soap. Also, my experience has been that a shavette gives feedback differently than a proper straight. You may have been able to shave fine with the shavette and poor soap because the shavette is so keen it made up for the poor quality lather. Now that you have started using a proper straight, the angle may need to be different, which if not corrected causes you to feel the effects of the poor quality lather.

I would suggest changing the angle of the straight (play with it a bit, making small adjustments to find the optimal angle) and see how that turns out. If you find the proper angle and get a good shave, you may then want to see what a different soap will do (my prediction is that it will improve your shave).

The key, though, is only change one variable at a time to find out what's causing your discomfort. Once found, eliminate it and start enjoying your shaves!

I remember a thread about the goats milk so and it was not very well represented for shaving soap, like was suggested try one thing at a time ,but from all I've seen change soap along with the technique, there are plenty of good shaving soaps out there. Good luck
Tc