Newbie needs help

Hey guys.

It's my first post here so well yeah.

Anyway, i've been shaving with a shavette for a while (making sure I get the proper technique, making the lather and whatnot) and I thought since it was my 18th a while ago, i'd buy myself a proper straight razor.
Anyway, I did my research about it all, yet when I start shaving after applying the lather (I shave fresh out of the shower), it feels as though the razor isn't cutting the hair, but more like its tearing it. This results in pain, so I put down the straight razor and pick up a gilette cartridge razor (i know, shame on me) just to get the hair down. After that, I proceed to finish off with the straight razor and get my face nice and smoothm

My question is, how do I stop the razor from tearing at the hair (if that is tha case). Do I need to go and get it sharpened or is it something on my part causing it?

Many thanks

You are better off buying the sharpening gear yourself and watching youtube vids how to do it. It can be expensive but its much better than paying someone to sharpen it all the time. You can buy natural tan leather offcuts on ebay and make homemade strops and put polishing compounds on them. Use sharpening stones first and then strop with the leather and it should cut the hairs effortlessly

I would have stuck with the shavette. Unless you just want the hobbie of honing, and stroping the straight. Or sending it out for honing when it needs it. Just think, a shavette will allways be ridiculously sharp and ready when you are. If it starts to pull, pop in a half blade and good to go for a few more shaves. If you look around, there are nice shavettes for sale also with custom scales if your in to that sort of thing. Or the feathers that have a longer blade more the size of a normal straight. The only thing with shavettes, is they really are less forgiving than a straight, but get the right technique and blade for your face and they are a cake walk to a comfortable shave.

It sounds like the straight might not be shave ready. A shave ready straight will not have that kind of problem. So perhaps getting it properly honed is the answer. Also when starting with straights, you should probably keep a little more shallow of an angle. Just like other razors it will take multiple passes to remove all the hair. I would definitely recommend popping down into the straight razor subforum with this question. They are a good group of folks who will be more then happy to help. They got me into it after all. And welcome to B&B, we are glad to have you, and don't worry we'll get you all sorted out.

Dachshund63 said:

It sounds like the straight might not be shave ready. A shave ready straight will not have that kind of problem. So perhaps getting it properly honed is the answer. Also when starting with straights, you should probably keep a little more shallow of an angle. Just like other razors it will take multiple passes to remove all the hair. I would definitely recommend popping down into the straight razor subforum with this question. They are a good group of folks who will be more then happy to help. They got me into it after all. And welcome to B&B, we are glad to have you, and don't worry we'll get you all sorted out.

Click to expand...

+1 Agree wholeheartedly with this assessment. Sounds like the straight isn't sharp enough. I'd get a good hone on it, it might be sharp, but not shave ready sharp. You can send it out, or get a couple Whetstones ranging from 4000-10,000 grit. And work progressively up until you finish on the highest no# grit. And give it a good strop, aluminum oxide paste and go. Not for the faint of heart, you can damage the blade if not done properly. Look up the straight forums here and read up. Some good stuff in there. I've been straight shaving for over 25 years, and I always find some good info in there and videos online. (YOUTUBE). Good luck amigo, and welcome to the forum. Your in the right place....

Straight razor shave forum at B&B may help too
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php/79-Straight-Razor-Shave-Clinic

As most of already pointed out here your razor is not shave ready. Starting out with a dull razor has to be one of the top issues a new straight razor shaver faces, that can turn them away from straight razor shaving.

I'd recommend getting it honed by one of the vendors on B&B. It will come back to you ready to use.

Like GlazedBoker said, get a few hones and some paste to touch it up from time to time.

When setting a new user I suggest a strop with leather & linen and a barbers hone. Usually you can keep the bladed tuned up with that after getting a professional honing service for the blade. You should only have to hit the hone after about 5 to 10 shaves. Don't wait for pulling you want to touch up the blade before it pulls. It less work than getting a pulling razor back in line.

With that all said, Welcome Straight Razor shaving. It is a learned skill.

here is my two cents worth, just my humble opinion, I have a shavette that I bought before any of my safety razors, I couldn't get the hang of it so I went on to Safety Razors ... point is, I went with a Dovo shavette because I wanted those nice, wickedly sharp Dovo blades available .... no hassle. Second, I have seen people get into honing there own straight razors and end up spending thousands, on stones, paste, etc,etc ... just on and on with new better, more accurate equipment, basically they became obsessed. Not worth it. I would just spend the $25 and send it out to a pro for sharpening .... just my opinion ..

meister0808 said:

Hey guys.

It's my first post here so well yeah.

Anyway, i've been shaving with a shavette for a while (making sure I get the proper technique, making the lather and whatnot) and I thought since it was my 18th a while ago, i'd buy myself a proper straight razor.
Anyway, I did my research about it all, yet when I start shaving after applying the lather (I shave fresh out of the shower), it feels as though the razor isn't cutting the hair, but more like its tearing it. This results in pain, so I put down the straight razor and pick up a gilette cartridge razor (i know, shame on me) just to get the hair down. After that, I proceed to finish off with the straight razor and get my face nice and smoothm

My question is, how do I stop the razor from tearing at the hair (if that is tha case). Do I need to go and get it sharpened or is it something on my part causing it?

Many thanks

Click to expand...

What kind of straight is it? Shave ready? Dovo? Gold Dollar? ZY...? It may just be your technique, as a straight & shavette are different, and it takes time to learn to go with the weft of your beard (plus, straight shaving with a three day beard is not recommended as a beginner).

My best advice would be - If you want to comb your hair, try combing the hair, not raking your scalp. Try to see similarly with shaving - Your aiming to slice the hair, not scrape your skin

If you wanna learn to hone, 5 bucks worth of lapping film + a 5 buck granite tile will do the trick. There is nothing inherent in honing that means "money spent", beyond the desire to do the best job possible. Having said that I have spent A LOT of money But tomorrow I'm gonna hone a beautiful old early 1800s wedge, which cost me less than ten 10 dollars, using 2 dollars worth of lapping film and stropping it with a strop made from 3 bux worth of leather.

Joe blow said:

here is my two cents worth, just my humble opinion, I have a shavette that I bought before any of my safety razors, I couldn't get the hang of it so I went on to Safety Razors ... point is, I went with a Dovo shavette because I wanted those nice, wickedly sharp Dovo blades available .... no hassle. Second, I have seen people get into honing there own straight razors and end up spending thousands, on stones, paste, etc,etc ... just on and on with new better, more accurate equipment, basically they became obsessed. Not worth it. I would just spend the $25 and send it out to a pro for sharpening .... just my opinion ..

Click to expand...

Honing can become a rabbit hole. My feeling that the reason this occurs is the lack of proper face to face guidance and instruction from a capable honer. I willingly went down the rabbit hole path and while I don't regret it, it was a rather costly endeavor.

It sounds like you just need to send the razor out to have it honed. After that get a pasted paddle strop and you can maintain that edge for a long time.

I never liked shavettes. No vibe and IMO actually harder to shave with than a straight.

Honing isn't that bad. I got a set up for under $250 that will take care of anything from removing pitting on the edge to just fine tuning. You could always try lapping film as well. For under $30 you can get a setup that should last a while. Once you have that razor honed by a professional, touch ups can be done in like 5 minutes. It takes hardly anytime. Welcome to B&B!