How is a straight razors shave supposed to feel?

**thecornerbooth** · 03-19-2010, 06:36 AM

I have been shaving with a DE for almost 2 years, but now i am trying out straight razor shaving. I purchased a Dovo Best Quality 6/8 which was sent to me shave ready from straightrazordesigns.com. I stropped it as best as i knew how and have done two partial shaves with it so far.

The razor has a much different feel to it than my DE. The DE gives me a very smooth shave and the blade just slides around my face. I can hear the blade cutting hair, but mostly i can't feel it at all.

I can definitely feel the straight razor cutting my hair. I assume this is mostly due to a lack of fundamentals (angle, pressure, movement) on my part. So, the question is, how would you describe the feeling of shaving with a straight razor correctly?

**O.G.** · 03-19-2010, 06:59 AM

Squeaky clean.

**ozzy_scl** · 03-19-2010, 07:14 AM

I have though beard, so what I experience may be different to what you're feeling right now...

What I have noticed is that the straight, "makes more noise" when shaving. However there's a similar feeling as when I use a feather blade.

When I really see or feel the difference, is when I'm going ATG, then there's just a tiny bit of hair left (and if I pass a DE, it may not even cut any, but the straight still manages to do so).

Also, I've noticed whenever I shave with a straight, I'm left with a "glassy" smooth feeling on my face.

That's about what I can say. I guess it all depends on type of beard, blade and razor you use.

**Thebigspendur** · 03-19-2010, 07:26 AM

I wouldn't be worried about feel. The bottom line is there should be no pulling while you shave and after you finish your face should be smooth and there should be no irritation.

**thecornerbooth** · 03-19-2010, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Thebigspendur

I wouldn't be worried about feel. The bottom line is there should be no pulling while you shave and after you finish your face should be smooth and there should be no irritation.

How do you reduce pulling? I notice a little bit of pulling, but i don't know if that is a function of an improperly stropped razor or bad technique.

**Chimensch** · 03-19-2010, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by thecornerbooth

How do you reduce pulling? I notice a little bit of pulling, but i don't know if that is a function of an improperly stropped razor or bad technique.

Try lowering the angle of the razor against your face, spine almost touching. Also, try and start the movement before the blade actually touches your face.

**richmondesi** · 03-19-2010, 07:44 AM

If it is tugging, reduce the angle. Feeling the hair being cut isn't necessarily a problem though (as long as it doesn't hurt). Luckily, you almost assuredly got a well honed razor, so we know it's a stropping or technique issue if there's a problem.

**thecornerbooth** · 03-19-2010, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by richmondesi

If it is tugging, reduce the angle. Feeling the hair being cut isn't necessarily a problem though (as long as it doesn't hurt). Luckily, you almost assuredly got a well honed razor, so we know it's a stropping or technique issue if there's a problem.

I suspect it is mostly a technique issue because i get a great shave in the 1" patch of my sideburn where it is easy to stretch the skin and figure out the angle. ;)

**alabamalawyer** · 03-19-2010, 08:22 AM

I still find a very different "feel" between a DE and straight. When I began my foray into traditional wetshaving, I switched from a Mach3 to straight. I tried this for a little while until I found this site and got a DE. Got much better results right away with a DE. After a year or so, I went back to straights and spent about 4 months just using a straight razor. That was about 2 years ago. I have alternated between straights and DEs since. Right now, I'm just using a straight. Having spent all this time using both, I still find a very different feel on my face. I have a very tough beard. I say this based on my own experience with my beard, but also based upon a comment from an old barber who shaved me about 17 years ago (when I was in my early 20s). He noted then that I had "a very tough beard for such a young guy." I shave every morning and get a smooth, BBS result. However, by the afternoon, my stubble is beginning to come through. By the next morning, I'm blessed with a face full of tough, course stubble again.

I notice more of a "pulling" sensation in using a straight. It has taken quite some time as I have fiddled with blade angles in different areas of my face, to get the most comfortable shave I can with a straight. However, I certainly "feel" the straight shave more than the DE shave. I do think there is an adjustment period for your face when moving from the DE to straight. After a couple of months, my face seemed to adjust to the straight better. Expect some transition in feel and technique as you move between the DE and straight.

All of this being said, I prefer the straight shave. It tends to do a better job at removing my facial hair and the BBS result I get tends to last longer into the day. For me, it took at least 4-6 months to truly get the hang of the straight and really around a year before it all seemed to click. The learning window for the DE, at least for me, was much shorter.

**Barbash** · 03-19-2010, 08:27 AM

I am only a few weeks into using a Straight, but shaving with a straight doesn't feel the same to me as a DE.

I don't get a pulling or tugging sensation, but I do feel it cutting the hair more with a straight than I did with a DE. It also seems to be a lot "louder" of a shave.

Again, I am new to the world of straight shaving, so my shaves might be completely wron due to my technique.

**Seraphim** · 03-19-2010, 08:30 AM

DE blades are caoted with PTFE (teflon) which make them glide and slide effortlessly.

There is also more surface area to a straight, so more resistance is inherent by virtue of that.

However, as said abbove, there should be no tugging, yanking, or pulling felt while shaving.

Keep the razor almost flat against your face, don't try and use the entire length of the razor all at once. Use the front half, or the back half, depending on where you are shaving. Skin stretching is also key to getting good results. If the skin is not stretched it will bunch up in front of that nice sharp edge, and that can't be good....

Keep at it!

**Luc** · 03-19-2010, 02:33 PM

Don't worry too much about the feeling for now. It wasn't that good at first (compared to a DE) but now, it's better and I'm using the same straights... Experience will get you there!

Good advices above!

**Ru4scuba?** · 03-19-2010, 05:18 PM

This is good to know...I wondered the same thing as a newb at this...

**Alacrity59** · 03-23-2010, 05:38 PM

Seraphim made a comment I very much agree with. It is very different to shave with such a wide blade and cover such a wide area so quickly. I think I'm into week nine of shaving only with a straight. Somewhere over the last two weeks I've hit the point where I'm getting better shaves than with a DE. (Had a meeting and went back to the DE for safety) What seems to be working for me is when I feel that I'm pressing just hard enough to be cutting my beard.

**ScooterCrunch** · 03-25-2010, 11:44 AM

No matter how many times it's said, it never gets old for us new guys to hear you experienced guys talk about understanding what we're going through but getting through it. Very encouraging! I'm almost there...

**professorchaos** · 03-25-2010, 02:15 PM

You shouldn't feel any pulling. A good straight shave is like wiping your face with a velvet squeegee.

If you are feeling pulling, first check the angle of attack. The angle should be as shallow as possible while still allowing the edge to engage and cut the stubble. So play around with different angles. Too shallow and the edge will skip over the stubble.

If you are confident that your angle is in fact shallow enough yet still experience pulling, the edge likely needs a touch up (or more). Which is nothing to worry about. When I learned, I dulled razors much, much quicker than I do now.