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I have invested about a year in time.

1. Got a good straight edge Razor
2. Got a good strop
3. I can get the blade to cut a hair in mid flight
4. I have exfoliator, Pre oil best shaving soap.
5. Will shave body hair with it popping off, very close shave.
6. I have tried every type off angle and pass you can try on the face.

I can sharpen all kinds kitchen and pocket knives so they cut hairs. I have background in realistic painting, I have a very steady hand.

So far my closest shave in my life is dry shaving from a over the counter new Fusion razor using multiple passes till my hand only feels smooth skin.

On my body the fusion and the straight are =.

My blade seems to dull on my face with 3 passes. The more I strop during the shave the better the shave. Even with all the work I get a shave that is just ok. Yes I use hot shower before….anything you can think of I have tried.

If I shave chest hairs, it’s so smooth I would be so happy if my face would shave Like that.

I don’t like to give up but I don’t know what to do. My face feels like it has more dry skin that is more bumpy around chin and lower neck. I moisturize my face and exfoliate more than I ever did. If use an electric or fresh reg razor and go over the spots many times they smooth out better than creams.

I can get really close dry shaving doing like six passes with a reg razor. My skin is tough and I have done that for 30 years and don’t bleed. I am not happy with the cost to get a close shave so I tried the Straight edge. After spending 350 bucks and working on this for a year I have nothing to show. I am willing to do A video and post to see what you think I am doing wrong.

Thats what I like no hair on my face like when I was 10 Feel.
I can get that on my arm with a straight edge.
I can get that on my face with and expensive cartridge dry shaving doing multiple passes.
On my face the straight edge causes dry bumpy skin that hides the hairs. I am not dry shaving with the straight, my face is as slippery as a fish soaked in oil. I put on face bump remover. I make the blade as sharp as possible. I strop hone my blade more than the Karate Kid waxes cars. I am really upset I was told this was going to be the best closest shave possible. I even steamed towels. I put my wife’s expensive conditioner on my face hoping that it would soften my beard. I bought 2 more straights so all would be sharp with 60 passes before the shave. All 3 go duller after shaving half my face.
I re strop my best blade. After I am done pretty close. Like if went over my face with an electric razor for a half hour. Is it the best shave ever, not even close.
 
Wow sounds like a huge investment. I can only say, blade sharpness and face angle equals the shave you are looking to obtain. I suggest spending the coin to get your razor professionally honed…this can be a game changer for many. Another trick is using packing tape, the really thin kind on the spline when honing; read NOT electrical tape like the YouTube video guys all use. This slight change in honing angle can make all the difference. Many homers write off synthetic stones, I use them almost exclusively and finish on ceramic to get a really sharp edge that‘s easy on my face. Stropping really does nothing if the edge isn’t perfect after honing. Good luck!
 
Wow sounds like a huge investment. I can only say, blade sharpness and face angle equals the shave you are looking to obtain. I suggest spending the coin to get your razor professionally honed…this can be a game changer for many. Another trick is using packing tape, the really thin kind on the spline when honing; read NOT electrical tape like the YouTube video guys all use. This slight change in honing angle can make all the difference. Many homers write off synthetic stones, I use them almost exclusively and finish on ceramic to get a really sharp edge that‘s easy on my face. Stropping really does nothing if the edge isn’t perfect after honing. Good luck!
What Happens after taking the tape off. You are now stropping at different angle with out the tape?
I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to try and help me.
 
How is your blade angle?
I am not sure on the angle. I looked up the tape thing.

“However, nobody seems to talk about another use for tape, and that’s strengthening the edge. For some razors this is the only way to prevent them from collapsing after 1 pass.”

I wonder if this is my problem and why I am having to strop so much?
 
What Happens after taking the tape off. You are now stropping at different angle with out the tape?
I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to try and help me.
“However, nobody seems to talk about another use for tape, and that’s strengthening the edge. For some razors this is the only way to prevent them from collapsing after 1 pass.”

I wonder if this is why they are going dull after 2 passes.
 
I am not sure on the angle. I looked up the tape thing.

“However, nobody seems to talk about another use for tape, and that’s strengthening the edge. For some razors this is the only way to prevent them from collapsing after 1 pass.”

I wonder if this is my problem and why I am having to strop so much?
Improper stropping and blade angle are two common ways for new users to dull their edge.

Sharpening knives and razors is similar but different. I would start by sending the razor out to be honed. That eliminates one possible issue.

I've never tried shaving with tape, if that's what you are referring to. Can you explain this?

When shaving, pay attention to blade angle. Lay the blade flat on your skin. Then raise the spine one sine width from your skin. This is a great starting point for blade angle.

If your blade angle is too high, you scrape the hair off instead of cutting them. I hope this makes sense. Scraping hair off dulls your edge very quickly.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
@Hair made of metal, first off, stropping on clean leather does not sharpen an edge. It only realigns deformations that occure to the edge during shaving.

Your problem with face shaving is probably caused by one or more of the following:
  • Too obtuse a shave angle. Start with the blade flat on your skin. Raise the spine until it starts to cut whiskers. That will probably be at about ½ to 1 spine thickness off the skin. The duller the edge, the greater the angle required.
  • A dull edge. Knowing how to get a "razor" edge on a knife, normally means that you don't know how to get a truly shave-ready edge on a SR. This is common with knife sharpeners. Send it out to a honemeister.
  • Map the growth direction (grain) of your beard. It has many directions on an individual's face and is not symmetrical.
  • Too much edge pressure against the skin. It sounds and feels counterintuitive but the lighter the pressure, the closer the shave. Use just enough edge pressure against the skin to just remove the lather. Forget about trying to cut whiskers. That will happen whether you want to or not.
  • Skin stretching can make a big difference. Everyone's face is different so you need to work out what is best for you. Stretching against the grain helps stand the whiskers up for closer cutting.
  • SR shave daily and try and learn something new with each and every shave.
  • The final thing is to stop trying for a BBS finish. That will come automatically as you develop the technique for shaving your individual face.
The first thing for you to do is send the razor out for proper honing.

Honemeister - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Honemeister

While it is away, read the instructions.

 
Likely a sharpness, or lack of sharpness and possibly a stropping issue. All normal for new honers, especially if you try to teach yourself. Not saying it can’t be done, just a longer learning curve.

Yes, which razors are you honing, post photos and which stones and strop are you using, and what is your honing process?
 
Improper stropping and blade angle are two common ways for new users to dull their edge.

Sharpening knives and razors is similar but different. I would start by sending the razor out to be honed. That eliminates one possible issue.

I've never tried shaving with tape, if that's what you are referring to. Can you explain this?

When shaving, pay attention to blade angle. Lay the blade flat on your skin. Then raise the spine one sine width from your skin. This is a great starting point for blade angle.

If your blade angle is too high, you scrape the hair off instead of cutting them. I hope this makes sense. Scraping hair off dulls your edge very quickly.
Not shaving with tape. Honing with tape.😄
 
“However, nobody seems to talk about another use for tape, and that’s strengthening the edge. For some razors this is the only way to prevent them from collapsing after 1 pass.”

I wonder if this is why they are going dull after 2 passes.
You tape the splines only for honing, so you get the correct sharpening angle.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
You tape the splines only for honing, so you get the correct sharpening angle.
Not necessarily the "correct" sharpening (bevel) angle but rather your preferred bevel angle, if the default bevel angle is too acute for you.
 
Not shaving with tape. Honing with tape.😄
Read post #6. It sounds like he is shaving with tape. Since it is in quotations, I assume he got that information from somewhere.

Post #6 by OP.

"However, nobody seems to talk about another use for tape, and that’s strengthening the edge. For some razors this is the only way to prevent them from collapsing after 1 pass.”

I wonder if this is why they are going dull after 2 passes.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
If budget is a problem in getting a shave-ready SR, you might be eligible to receive this PIF:

 
I forget how long it took me to get competent with a straight razor but it took me even longer to become self-sufficient on the stones (notice I didn't say competent though lmao).

Keep changing things and learning, but don't change too many variables at once. From here, get a fresh edge put on by a competent reputable honer and keep at it, if that's what you want to do.

Props for sticking with though. A fresh edge will do ya good.
 
Not necessarily the "correct" sharpening (bevel) angle but rather your preferred bevel angle, if the default bevel angle is too acute for you.
This gets many new honers in the right ballpark where they can produce a shaving edge. Trying to hold an angle on a stone with a SR is more challenging than a knife or garden tool.😉
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
If sending your SR out to be properly honed is not an option for you, you can use the B&B Method. It's a long read. Take notes as you go as the Method develops during each thread. Then read it all again to correct and amend you notes. Once all that is done, then and only then start.

 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
This gets many new honers in the right ballpark where they can produce a shaving edge. Trying to hold an angle on a stone with a SR is more challenging than a knife or garden tool.😉
The bevel is created by laying the spine and edge flat on the stone. I’m not “holding” the angle, rather letting the geometry of the razor do the work. Unless I’m misinterpreting something here? Tape, no tape and shaving arm/body hair don’t mean much if the razor is not truly shave ready. If my shave is rough, I’ve got work to do, no matter how much arm hair I can mow down. As for the OP, as stated several times, perhaps a fresh, shave ready edge by an experienced honer who shaves with straights can give you an idea of how sharp your razor needs to be.
 
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