Thread: Newbie Help - Dulled blade after stropping

Good morning all,

I'm a complete newbie to straights and tried my first straight razor shave this morning and it did not turn out well. I just received a Dovo Silver Steel which was advertised as professionally honed. I don't doubt that for a second as I did a quick pre-strop test on my arm and if felt good. So, when I get ready to shave this morning I stropped using what I thought was proper technique only to find the razor very grabby and unshavable. I tried different angles thinking I may just be using poor technique, but nothing worked. I guess I must have dulled the blade when I stropped it. Anyway, my question is do I now have to go back to square one so to speak and rehone the razor, or can I strop it using better technique to get it sharp enough to shave with? I was hoping to get a few weeks/months of shaving in without having hone since I haven't done that before either.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Best regards,
Tim

I can't tell you what is the state of the edge.
But have you re-done the "quick pre-strop test on [your] arm"?
If the results are similar, then that means the edge is fine and your technique is not (which is likely as a beginner).
If the results are significantly worse, then that means the edge is probably not fine and you indeed may need to find someone to re-hone it.

But don't underestimate how a bad shave can be related to a bad technique (rather than to a bad equipment).


cheers
christophe

Keep in mind that unless you REALLY screwed the pooch so to speak on the stropping, what ever very slight damage you caused with the strop, can most likely be corrected with the strop...

Somethings you are not telling us... And it is rather hard to ask because we have a no vendor bashing policy on SRP..
I assume that you telling us that when you say professionally honed, that means you either paid extra to have that done, or you ordered from SRD...
If that isn't the case, then first I have to emphasize the difference between Razor Sharp, Factory Honed, and actually "Shave Ready"

The hardest thing to learn when learning to strop is the flip, I always suggest placing the hanging strop on the edge of a table and starting slow until you learn that.. Speaking of which we have no reference of what you call stropping and on what????

The more info we have the better we can help you ...

And honestly most shaving problems assuming a "Shave Ready" razor are just that "Shaving Problems" which means that they are more technique then equipment malfunction...

Thanks for the quick replies. Qssixgun, my razor was purchased from one of the advertising vendors here on SRP and both the advertising and packing info indicates it was professionally hone and shave ready. In fact, looking back at the packing info, it said I really didn't have to strop it the first shave and maybe I shouldn't have :-( I just tried the so-called hair drop test I am using a 3" latigo/nylon hanging strop. I'll try restropping, paying particular attention to technique and see if that helps. I sure hope I haven't screwed it up such that it needs to be rehoned.

Christophe, I really don't think it is shaving technique, but I can't swear to that. I'm going to watch some of the vids here and on youtube on both shaving and stropping technique, and give it another try. Again, thanks for the input.

Hello Blitzt and welcome to SRP

Did the razor feel grabby straight away, or was there some time where it was OK before it felt wrong? And to reiterate (or re enquire) what happened when you tried the edge tests (arm hair, drop test) after the shave? Did they work, or were they not so good?

Strop carefully, as you say, and using light pressure. Don't forget to flip with the spine in constant contact with the strop. Lifting the spine at any point in the process will potentially lead to rolling the edge, so make sure you concentrate on keeping that spine in contact with the strop at all times.

Good luck.

James.

Well, I re-stopped the razor and am working on better shaving technique. Things are going much better, but I think shaving technique is my biggest challenge right now. I also think my initial stropping mistake occurred because I was lifting the spine.

Thanks for the help.

I forget the name of the thread, but AFDavis11 posted some great info on flipping--basically if the edge smacks hard or is torqued hard into the leather as you flip, you can also prematurely dull the edge. If this happens, the razor will start to feel smoother as well as duller. I was guilty of this for a long time myself.