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Bismarck 11/16 razor

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Hi, how's it going? I'm new to SE shaving but I've been using a DE for a fair while now. I've always wanted to try the "real thing", so I picked up this Bismarck 11/16 fully hollow ground for a fair price. The guy had 100% positive feedback, and said that the razor was shave ready (being honed through a series up to 1200 grit then stropped), but I still feel it tugging a bit more than my DE. Granted I've only tried it once so far, but could it be my technique that's the problem (angle maybe?), or is it just not shave ready? It seems to be in remarkably good condition given its age, and the birdseye maple scales are lovely!
 

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1200 grit is where we start the hone. It's fine for knives, but that's the point we set the bevel, and start to polish up a usable, tug free edge. Most of us shave from an 8-12k edge, many up to 20k or even off 50k pastes.

I would recommend you find a honer here, and get it honed properly by someone who knows what they're doing.
 

Mike H

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Welcome to B&B. The problem is that you have no way to tell if it your technique, or if the razor is not quite shave ready. Many, if not all new straight razor shavers report the blade tugging or pulling. It is a learned skillset that takes practice. I do not know who sold you the razor, or how "shave ready it is". However, since they went to the trouble of installing new scales, I would imagine they know how to hone. I also assume they honed to 12,000 grit, not 1200. If they said 1200, then you definitely need to send the razor out for rehoning.
 
I skipped a zero, sorry, it was indeed 12k. Here's what he said:

"Shave ready vintage 11/16” Bismarck hollow ground straight with hand made bird’s eye maple scales and a ebony wedge fixed with new brass pins and washers. The blade has been mirror finished and re-honed the bevel was set on a 1000 grit stone and then through a progression of 3K, 8k and then finished on a 12000 grit stone and stropped on a balsa paddle strop impregnated with green chromium oxide then on a heavy wool felt paddle strop with red oxide and finally well stropped on leather so it will easily pass the hanging hair test."
 
Then it's probably on you and your technique. It happened to all of us, most likely. Shave angle should be about a spine's width, not 30 degrees. Take your time stropping, and don't lift the spine when you strop. If you know you make a good lather, maybe a bit wetter will help as well.

As you progress, they'll get better.
 
Then it's probably on you and your technique. It happened to all of us, most likely. Shave angle should be about a spine's width, not 30 degrees. Take your time stropping, and don't lift the spine when you strop. If you know you make a good lather, maybe a bit wetter will help as well.

As you progress, they'll get better.

+3
 
Ok, thanks, I'll keep at it and see how I get on :) KW Driver: I was using a 30 degree angle as I thought that's what was usually done... maybe that's the cause then.
 
Ok, with a smaller angle it's been a lot better. I'm also getting more comfortable wielding it with time. Thanks for the advice!
 
Then it's probably on you and your technique. It happened to all of us, most likely. Shave angle should be about a spine's width, not 30 degrees. Take your time stropping, and don't lift the spine when you strop. If you know you make a good lather, maybe a bit wetter will help as well.

As you progress, they'll get better.

+4

I'm new at this, as of about a week ago, I spent the better part of a couple hours discussing this with Larry at Whipped Dog. It feels like it's pulling because it is, if your stubble is long. Larry has a big blurb about it that I'm going to put in my "diary" about this issue. As a test, take the first pass with your DE, and finish out with the straight (after you work on technique). I bet you'll notice the difference.
 
It should not pull if your stubble is long. I shave often with 3 or more days of growth and there is no pulling. If it does pull, either the technique is suspect (often the case with new straight users) or the blade is no longer sharp and has been dulled.
 
Attila,

Agreed. Stubble is long, technique is off. This is what Larry and I were discussing, I'll post it here for posterity. It feels like it pulls when the blade hits the SIDE of the whisker perpendicular to the blade. If I shave with a straight the same way I did with a DE, it pulls. My technique was off (and for the most part still is, but I'm learning).

Let me explain differently. Think of whiskers as a forest of trees standing vertically. Think of a razor blade cutting the forest of trees. Where should the blade make contact with the tree trunks? When shaving WTG, I am saying that the blade should not contact the trunk at ground level. At skin level. Rather, the blade should be laid flat, forcing the tree trunks to bend over diagonally, with the blade now lying on top of the sides of the trees.

Got the picture?


Now, moving the analogy back to shaving, when the blade moves on the top of the whiskers, the blade cuts into the tips of the whiskers at a diagonal angle. You are cutting thru twice as much, if not more, of the whisker than later when you have shaved down to skin level. No wonder there is pulling, even with sharp razors!


The blade slices off the tip of whiskers at an exaggerated diagonal, but the length of the whisker is reduced. Do it again, and it reduces slightly more. Do it again, still flat, and nothing! No whisker reduced in length. Do it again, but with spine slightly raised to nip off the tops of whiskers.


The above technique safely reduces whiskers to skin level without damaging your skin and giving razor burn.

I added the following as a visual reference. I know its a corny reference, but hey, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqOnA-kbNpI
 
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Hi, how's it going? I'm new to SE shaving but I've been using a DE for a fair while now. I've always wanted to try the "real thing", so I picked up this Bismarck 11/16 fully hollow ground for a fair price. The guy had 100% positive feedback, and said that the razor was shave ready (being honed through a series up to 1200 grit then stropped), but I still feel it tugging a bit more than my DE. Granted I've only tried it once so far, but could it be my technique that's the problem (angle maybe?), or is it just not shave ready? It seems to be in remarkably good condition given its age, and the birdseye maple scales are lovely!

Gorgeous razor, by the way. When I learn the SR ropes, I'm going to get something cool. The scales are cool and I love the blade pattern. Reminds me of an organized pattern-Damascus blade.
 
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