Noobtastic question & hello

[mattbarber]

Hey All,

Just signed up for the forum, amazed at the amount of info and help you all freely share. So I figured I would ask a question along with my hello. Thank you in advance to anyone who cares to respond to this.

I am 3 painful shaves in with a new "shave ready" DOVO 504 Straight Razor I purchased from an online retailer who seems to have been getting poor reviews on the forum. Anyway, as they stated this was shave ready, technically it DOES shave with quite a bit of work. Now I thought I was likely doing it wrong, and I still likely am doing it wrong, but I just feel my blade is a little lack-luster. I have been getting a shave at my barber for the past year or so, I know how a professional shave feels, and my attempts with this blade are far from that.

After scouring youtube, I found the "hair drop test" and figured I would give it a go. Basically, it is just pull a hair out of your noggin, pinch it between your fingers, and lower over a open blade. Now it may be my hair is just too fine to catch and cut, but as i bring it down onto the blade, it just slips over the edge, no cut, no snag even.

Regretfully I did not find this site before I made the purchase. Anyway, I live in NYC and have found a store close by that claims to have a sharpening service for $30 USD (http://www.nyshavingcompany.com/sharpening.html). As I am already in the hole I would at least like to get this puppy up and running, and know that someone with experience has looked it over to confirm yes it is dull, or no and I am the reason for the poor shaves. Has anyone had any experience with the New York Shaving Company? Look forward to getting to know fellow SR folks. Thanks again.

Cheers

[Sledgehammer39]

Welcome Aboard!

[Vlad]

Welcome to B&B! We'll get some straight razor guys in here to answer your question.

[dpmtherrien]

Welcome to the forum.

[ackvil]

Welcome to B&B.

You may want to post your straight razor questions here in the straight razor clinic since you may get a better response.

[mattbarber]

Thanks guys, I will certainly try the straight razor clinic later today.

[mistervee123]

Welcome to B&B. It is truly a repository of shaving wit and wisdom. If you haven't already, post the questions you have on the straight razor forum, and you will definitely have an answer in minutes.

[Oblique Human]

Welcome to B&B!

[superbleu]

any followup on this Matt? Did you get your razor looked at/honed?

[shakin_jake]

Hey All,

Just signed up for the forum, amazed at the amount of info and help you all freely share. So I figured I would ask a question along with my hello. Thank you in advance to anyone who cares to respond to this.

I am 3 painful shaves in with a new "shave ready" DOVO 504 Straight Razor I purchased from an online retailer who seems to have been getting poor reviews on the forum. Anyway, as they stated this was shave ready, technically it DOES shave with quite a bit of work. Now I thought I was likely doing it wrong, and I still likely am doing it wrong, but I just feel my blade is a little lack-luster. I have been getting a shave at my barber for the past year or so, I know how a professional shave feels, and my attempts with this blade are far from that.

After scouring youtube, I found the "hair drop test" and figured I would give it a go. Basically, it is just pull a hair out of your noggin, pinch it between your fingers, and lower over a open blade. Now it may be my hair is just too fine to catch and cut, but as i bring it down onto the blade, it just slips over the edge, no cut, no snag even.

Regretfully I did not find this site before I made the purchase. Anyway, I live in NYC and have found a store close by that claims to have a sharpening service for $30 USD (http://www.nyshavingcompany.com/sharpening.html). As I am already in the hole I would at least like to get this puppy up and running, and know that someone with experience has looked it over to confirm yes it is dull, or no and I am the reason for the poor shaves. Has anyone had any experience with the New York Shaving Company? Look forward to getting to know fellow SR folks. Thanks again.

Cheers

~~~there are a couple of fellas living/working in NYC that know their way around a straight razor. I'd suggest you title a post in the straight razor honing forum http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdi...0-Hones-Honing with words in the title like "Any straight razor honers in NYC?" or some such and explain in the body of the post you'd like a more experienced member (or any straight razor user w/honing exp.) meet up with you at *their convienence*...that would work with your schedule as well

now about your barber and the great shaves you got from him vs. what you can do on your own with a straight razor starting out...it's a learned experience. it will take you a certain amount of time to shave yourself as effortlessly as he shaves you and anyone else that sits in his chair. Remember, he's a pro, you're not, yet=:-)

here's a good video to pick up some str8 razor shaving tips from-

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6502106680110094707&ei=qZFMSc2YFoS4-QGs7ZW-Cg&q#

I suggest you watch it multiple times

Here's some more info on HHT (hanging hair test) http://www.coticule.be/hanging-hair-test.html it's worthwile becoming proficient learning how to perform this test for yourself but as you indicated using your own hair for testing, how do you know if it's more or less reluctant than what others have to use? I'm talking about hair quality yet knowing how to do this test and being able to do it consistently, your HHT2 may be someone else's HHT3, and that's okay, consistency is the goal

there's quite a few guys that only want to get HHT3 off the hone before going to the strop where they'll pick up another point or at the very least, a 1/2 of an HHT point. I myself with the hair I have to use often will only see HHT2 off the hone and then HHT3 off the strop, but that very well could be HHT3 and HHT4 using someone else's hair stock. Again, it's all relative and why you'll read where some on this forum don't bother with HHT...but they've been down that road and know how to perform this test

one last thing...don't beat yourself up buying the straight that you did...it very well may be a good blade and all you need is to tune it up. For sure, your ability to wield the straight is lacking due to inexperience so some of your frustration is what all of us go through starting out. Trust me, everyone that begins using straights has the same problems. Just keep at it and it will all fall into place




Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

[linty1]

Hi and welcome to B&B!

[Whilliam]

Welcome and enjoy!

[Straight Rasier User]

Welcome to B&B.


Everything boils down to personal preferences.


“Best Brush”

A Brush is a Brush and they perform differently and they are different. Boar, Badger, Horsehair, Horsehair/Boar/Badger Combos, or Syns. Get a Boar (cheap or expensive) or a Good Badger Brush.


“Soap/Cream/Stick”

Soap or Cream or Stick ... Stick or Cream or Soap ... cheap or expensive ... expensive or cheap ... glycerin based, cold processed, tripled milled, or tallow. Get a couple of each and see what works best for you.

“Safety Razor”

Safety Razors ... determine what you want and how much you are willing to spend - Open Comb, Closed Comb, TTOs, 2-Piece, 3-Piece or an adjustable. The Merkur HD or Edwin Jagger 89 are both good beginning Safety Razors. Or get an Old Gillette (SuperSpeed or 3-Piece).


“Razor Blades”

Blades ... Get a Sampler Pack and then ... Good Luck. The differences between whether a Blade is Good or Bad for any individual is because the Hand of God is at work. Maybe it is the shave preparation, or maybe it is the type of hairs being shaven, or maybe it is the patterns on the face being shaven, or the type of Razor being used (different angles or blade gaps are created by the different razor head being used), or the shaving technique being used (wrong angle, too much pressure being used and pushing down on the razor to "cut closer", or even not using multiple-passes to reduce hair growth first and always), or maybe there is one or two Bad Blades in the pack being used, or maybe for whatever reason it is a Bad Blade to you.


”Best Blade”

At first use only One Razor Blade ... use this blade only for a few weeks ... changing when dull.

The First Razor Blade you use is your “Best Blade.”

Get several of your First Best Blade.

Get down the Basics of Shaving – Preparation, Lathering, Shaving with the Razor – light touch, proper angle and little pressure, Multi-Passes – WTG, XTG, and Reverse-XTG.

Get more information and look at the Mantic59 Youtube videos, the GeoFatBoy videos and read the Wiki.


“Finding Your Best Blade”

After you have everything down ... then use a different blade for a week and see if it becomes your new "Best Blade".

If not go back to the other blade for a week then, use a different blade for a week.

Your Best Blade is your base line blade for your tests. When you find your “Next Best Blade” then, that is your “New Best Blade”. Continue working through your sampler pack looking for a “New Best Blade”.

Please note that Different Safety Razors may have a different “Best Blade” and if you have poor technique then it will also affect your choice of a “New Best Blade”.

“Map Your Face”

Make Sure you have Mapped Your Face because that is the only way to know which way your hair grows.

“Technique”

Also make sure that your preshave preparation is down.

Then shave WTG, XTG and Reverse-XTG.

Rinse, Lather, WTG
Rinse, Lather, XTG
Rinse, Lather, Reverse-XTG
Rinse, Lather, Buffing.

No Rinse, No Lather, No Shave.

For the first few weeks ... Do not do ATG ... Wait until you have your technique down because you could and usually will be holding the safety razor upside down when shaving your neck and this may cause you some problems when trying to maintain the correct blade angle while applying a light pressure.

Be careful of Feather blades as they are super sharp and unforgiving make sure you are confident of your technique before using them.

Have Fun Shaving and May All Your Shaves Be BBS.