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Tugging. What is likely the culprit?

I have a few straights that I shave with occasionally. I had them honed by the folks at Straight Razor Designs, who by all accounts know how to hone a razor. Yet every time I shave, I get a lot of tugging, and a very uncomfortable shave. I don't get razor burn, mind you, it's just not a pleasant experience at the time. Is this the nature of the beast? Is my angle off? Am I ruining the edge by stropping too aggressively? Any idea what I can do to get a more comfortable shave out of a straight?
 

Mike H

Instagram Famous
How many straight razor shaves have you done? The most likely explanation is that your technique still needs improvement. Your shaves should improve with time. If they are not, then you may have somehow prematurely degraded the edge. How aggressively are you stropping?
 
Assuming a sharp razor, could be bad angle/technique or bad prep. Have you tried shaving with a razor that you haven't stropped? Most sellers, including SRD (I think), strop them before shipping.
 
You should not get tugging. Either your technique is off or the razor is. It takes a deliberate stroke to use a straight, if you go too slow you will get tugging no matter what.

The only way to know is to have someone else try out your razor. If you like send me your razor, I will barbicide it and try it out and let you know. I will hone it for you, try it out again make sure the edge is where it need to be, barbicide again and send it to you. If the razor pulls then it is your technique, if it does not then it was the edge.

Send me as "fresh" a razor you have from SRD that way there are fewer variables (your stropping, your beard, etc)

Just pay for the postage.

PM me if interested.
 

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
My tugging is down to poor technique, no doubt whatsoever. I know the razor is sharp enough and I have the "cat scratches" to prove it :oops:
 
Could be a host of reasons. If I were you, I'd take Doc up on the above generous offer for evaluation.
 
That is a kind offer from Doc I would take him up on it ASAP

Oh look at that my 600th post Congratulations!
 
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rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
Sharp enough? It needs to be sharp.
What do you mean cat scratches?

Nice little scratches on my face where I goofed and most likely touched the blade to my face without having started a stroke. Have 3 or four mini-cuts from doing this. I chalk it up to "user error."
 
Nice little scratches on my face where I goofed and most likely touched the blade to my face without having started a stroke. Have 3 or four mini-cuts from doing this. I chalk it up to "user error."

Got you, scratches running parallel to the edge.

I though you meant perpendicular, I would have said you have some chips.
 
How many straight razor shaves have you done? The most likely explanation is that your technique still needs improvement. Your shaves should improve with time. If they are not, then you may have somehow prematurely degraded the edge. How aggressively are you stropping?

Eh, it's hard to estimate how many straight shaves I've done. No doubt part of my problem is that I only pull the straight out every so often, rather than practicing regularly.

Assuming a sharp razor, could be bad angle/technique or bad prep. Have you tried shaving with a razor that you haven't stropped? Most sellers, including SRD (I think), strop them before shipping.

Unfortunately, I eagerly took my razors straight to the strop as soon as I got them back. :001_rolle One point to me for trying to build good habits. -2 points for not thinking it through.

You should not get tugging. Either your technique is off or the razor is. It takes a deliberate stroke to use a straight, if you go too slow you will get tugging no matter what.

This is probably a good part of my problem as well. I'm still a bit cautious with a straight.

The only way to know is to have someone else try out your razor. If you like send me your razor, I will barbicide it and try it out and let you know. I will hone it for you, try it out again make sure the edge is where it need to be, barbicide again and send it to you. If the razor pulls then it is your technique, if it does not then it was the edge.

Send me as "fresh" a razor you have from SRD that way there are fewer variables (your stropping, your beard, etc)

Just pay for the postage.

PM me if interested.

Thank you very much for this generous offer. PM forthcoming.

That is a kind offer from Doc I would take him up on it ASAP

Oh look at that my 600th post Congratulations!

I definitely will. Congrats on your 600th post. :biggrin1: Oh, look! And there's my 700th. :001_cool:
 

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Nice offer by Doc. Just don't let him sell you any of that silly "mojo" nonsense! Seriously that offer is a keeper.

I will guess that it is mostly too high a shave angle and not a brisk enough stroke. Try leading with the heel, too, so that the stroke has a slight slicing component to it. This increases cutting power. And STRETCH the skin! Loose skin just begs to be abraded, scraped, and cut! The razor should be in motion as it touches the face. Think of a plane landing on your face. It doesn't drop, bounce, and scoot down the runway to the terminal. It glides in, touches down, and coasts a ways.
 
Disclaimer: I have shaved with a straight exactly three times.

However, in that short time I discovered that my lather was a major factor in the blade not gliding smoothly & effortlessly. The first two times, I did what I always do with a new razor/blade: I face-lathered with Arko. Both times, the blade seemed to stick, tug, get caught on extra-thick whiskers, and jerk along rather than moving smoothly WTG. The third time, I grabbed my bowl and whipped up a batch of Proraso lather that was much, much more watery than I ever would for a DE shave. I normally aim for thick, luxurious whipped cream consistency, but this time I went for slightly runny, over-whipped egg whites consistency. I slapped this soupy lather on, and had a much, much easier & smoother straight-razor shave with no tugging.
 
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