Ever had a sharp razor that just wasn't pleasant on your face?

Got a beauty of a Robert Wiliams custom razor a few weeks ago from Phil and Jane at The Classic Edge. As promised, it had a fine edge, and the advice on their site said to shave with it 2 or three times without stropping. I did, and although it was sharp and I got great shaves, it felt harsh...more with each shave.

Relying on the advice I've been reading here and watching videos about, I took it to my SRD Modular Paddle strop, using the Chromium oxide pasted felt for 10 round trips, with only weight of the razor pressure. I then wiped it down of CrOx took it to my SRD 3" strop, 20 on the premium fabric and 80 on the Roo.

Shaved this morning and what an improvement! Very bit as sharp and as clean a shave, but felt so smooth it was like nothing was touching my face. I love a good learning experience almost as much as a good shave!

That is a good reminder of what we get from stropping. Great story too.

It could have been any number of things.

Did you look at the edge, straight down with magnification?

It could have been as simple as the edge could have hit the scales in transit. Which is why I always ship in a well packed cardboard box, just assume your package is going to get thrown around.

That, it straightened right up, is a testament to a well honed edge, proper stropping most probably brought the edge in line.
There are few edges that a hand full of lite laps on Chrome Ox will not improve.

+1 to what Shaun and Marty said...a little extra proper Stropping will more often than not quickly correct a host of perceived problems.

Maybe there was a problem with the edge. Or maybe you just like your edges different from the way that that one got honed. Never can tell...

Reminds me of hearing from people "I love the edges that X puts on razors, and I don't know why everyone loves razors from Y." And then you hear the opposite from the next person...

This interesting point raised by holli4pirating always brings me back to wanting to know the honing regimen of the honer from which the razor comes(I only have one to compare it honed by a well-known uber honer).

This has an impact. For me, I know only synthetics and barber hones of a variety.

So, to hear from a honemeister that they'd finished on an Escher and sent it to me, I'd be *very* interested in comparing the shaves. Not that I'm comparing myself to a honemeister, but I know what a blade feels like coming off my equipment at my current skill level.

IME 10 round trips with the weight of the blade on Chrom-Ox is a good thing to tame a harsh feel to an edge. The kind of thing you may not need often, but sure nice to have in case you do need it. :)

I stropped a razor once with 0.01 diamond paste and got a very unpleasant shave. The blade was definitely sharp and cut hair without any effort, but it was just too harsh for me. Did a few laps on CrOx to "dull" it down and it was back to a wonderful shave.

Interesting points raised by both holli4pirating and Siguy, and a good reflection from JimmyHAD. In retrospect, I maybe should have tried just stropping before the CrOx, but didn't think of that. The truth is that I could have lived with the edge as delivered, it shaved very closely, and I was not unhappy at all with the degree of sharpness, but I was perplexed by the fact that I could "feel" that sharpness, if that makes any sense.

I don't know what was used to hone it...could have asked, but didn't.

I guess my point of the thread was to confirm that as others have said, if and edge feels a little harsh to the shaver's face, some short time on CrOx can, in fact, smooth it out. I'm not a scientist on this and have not really honed myself yet in spite of having stones (chicken), but I do know what my face likes and doesn't. Same is true with DE blades. So as usual, YMMV.

Yes I have, like many others I have an opinion too. I would bet your razor was finished on synthetic stones. Do 50 laps on canvas then 50 leather, report what you find. Do not use any pastes. I think your edge will improve.

That's why we always say sharp and comfort are two different qualities and one doesn't automatically go with the other. Often times there are two distinct honing skills required.

The worst razor I own for being sharp & harsh was my Thiers evide sonnant carbon song 5/8.
I took Lt back on my coticule then finished on Chinese 12K. Further 100 laps on linen, then 100 laps on leather
Further use &post shave stropping has improved the edge &shave quality . Cheers Paul

As everyone before me stated, a few passes on Chrom-Ox removes the harshness

Shaving with a SR can bring about strange things. happens to me all the time. This morning I decided to use a Hess 99 that previously left me thinking it needed to go back to the hones when last used. It shaved but just was not there. Today I decided to try it again carefully stropping on a rough linen 40 times, smooth linen 50 and shell cordovan leather 50 and the shave was perfect.

I recently purchased a Thiers Issard 7/8 Dominator that was sharp but not giving me great shaves. Reading this thread inspired me to hit the chromium oxide and strop and try it. This was the first really awesome shave I have gotten from this razor. Thanks for sharing your information and experiences, they do help others. :tu

yes, a person can learn volumes on here. I have for sure. Just keep in mind that the Cr Ox is not always a fix but it is the first place I turn to, then to the stones..

I have used CrOx before but had not really considered it on this one as I was still trying to figure out the differences in the 1/2 grind, as it was the first razor with that grind for me. I was not completely sure how it should feel. Now I know. :-)

I have found that stropping makes a world of difference too! I finish honing with diamond paste, which left a slightly harsh edge when I shaved right off the pasted strop. I started to finish with a plain strop and it made for a huge improvement!

In my experience, not only sharpening/stropping matters. My skin just weirdly reacts with my Toyo Ragubi razor, don't know why. It is settled, honed and stropped just like any of my other razors, but this damned japanese steel just raise an unpleasant rash on my skin, don't matter if in my face or my arm, where I tested it too.

I think stropping has a learning curve. I can sharping a Buck Knife with a Honing Stone, I can get it sharp enough to shave with. Years ago I was sharping my Buck Knife on a Honing Stone that was in my Uncle Garage, he walked in and almost Vapor Locked on me. (I was using the Honing Stone he used on his Straight Razor) He showed me how to Strop a Razor and how to Hone a Razor, but that's many years ago . I need to learn how to do both Strop and Hone a Straight Razor again.

I thought since you guys woke up my original post from 5 months ago, I'd give an update.

I've been using his razor about once/week, always being careful to use my best lathering technique. So now about 20 shaves in it has been doing a good job. Each use it gets its fair share of stropping... 20 fabric and 50 leather before every shave and 10 fabric 30 leather after each shave.

Today's shave was unbelievably good! So smooth I couldn't hardly feel it, so sharp I only needed 1 1/2 passes, and no burn or irritation. It has been damn fine with every shave since that second one, but today was AMAZING. Just goes to show you, it just needs a good lather, some quality stropping some getting used to and some TLC to do a good job.

I don't think it's an issue with Robert Williams razors, but I have two razors that used to give me irritation after shaving with them. Turns out it was my shaving technique, I exerted ever so little excessive pressure, plus my angle was most likely off too. My technique had so much influence because these razors were very hollow razors (as in very hollow). A good result with these razors has much more to do with a flawless technique than the type of steel or the means of finishing (providing they are honed well, which mine are).