Bad shave

[s&g'sdad]

A while back, I posted about 2 str8's I bought at an antique store. Wanting to try a straight, I brought them to a local barber, who has been around for a long time, for honing. After 3 days, I picked them up and the shave was horrible. Any advice on who to send them to would be appreciated as I would like to give this another try.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[Maximilian]

Aaron,

you're saying you wanted to try a straight. If that means you never shaved with a straight before and this was your first time I would first look at your technique before pointing the finger at a supposedly bad honed razor. Besides technique there's many other variables involved that can lead to a bad or horrible shave.

 

[s&g'sdad]

O.K Max, I read the interactive straight shaving guide again. I tried shaving again. The results were not any better. Perhaps I should stick with my superspeed. Maybe the str8 thing isn't for me. Anyone willing to trade a DE for a couple a straights?

 

[papasmurf]

O.K Max, I read the interactive straight shaving guide again. I tried shaving again. The results were not any better. Perhaps I should stick with my superspeed. Maybe the str8 thing isn't for me. Anyone willing to trade a DE for a couple a straights?

Aaron dont give it up .

did you or the barber strop the razors before you shaved ? Did you strop them enough . even a freshly honed razors needs to stropped . what kind of razors are they ?

And lastly if you want send me one of the razors I will hone it up for you for free all you need to do is pick up the shipping both ways .


It very well maybe he did not hone them properly .

 

[Kees]

Aaron don't give up yet! Not all barbers were honemeisters. Read Mark Twain about the awful shaves he got from barbers. Most barbers will not have used a hone for yonks as they use disposable blades in their straights for convenience and hygiene.

Does the razor shave the hairs off your arm without applying pressure? If so it is probably your shaving technique that needs improving (read experience). If not it simply is not shave ready. I found the arm hair test more reliable than the hanging hair test which is a semi-gold standard sharpness test.

http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/mtwain/bl-mtwain-barbers.htm

and:

http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/mtwain/bl-mtwain-innocents-12.htm

 

[s&g'sdad]

Well Gents, since you think I should give it another go, perhaps I will try again. I appreciate the encouragement. Okay, Papasmurf, the razors are a W&B with the word INVINCIBLE on the blade and a Wirecutter manufactured by C.F. Schwartz and Co. from Hamburg. I have no knowledge of razors except from what I've learned on B&B. The scales are ivory in color on both razors and in very good condition. The barber who honed them used what he called a "swaty" and a carborundum to hone them. If you PM me, perhaps I can send both to you and you can decide which is the better razor to hone for a noob. Also get me the info for shipping etc. Oh, one other thing, he also gave me a horsehide hanging strop which is in good condition with on gouges or large nicks in it.

Appreciate the offer for help,
Aaron

 

[Thebigspendur]

You need to realize straight shaving is NOT DE shaving. DE shaving your an expert after the 3rd or 4th shave. A straight takes many months to really learn. Most start to get decent shaves after a couple of weeks and that assumes you have a properly honed razor. At this point there are so many things that can be wrong its hard to give advice. Also you can read about straight shaving and watch videos for 5 years but its like watching someone ride a bike. Its when you get on that you learn.

So, first I would determine if your razor is truly shave ready and if it is then its your technique that needs work. Things like blade angle, pressure, also stropping technique. Manybe your razor was shave ready and you rounded the edge on the strop. Many things to consider.

 

[usqview]

aaron-

what exactly is 'horrible'?

my first few shaves with a striaght were not too good either. i thought perhaps the razor wasnt sharp enough or that i might have messed it up while stropping. i finally figured out that i was attacking my face with too much angle (spine held too far from my face). once i corrected the problem my shaves became much better.

you might want to have an established person hone it for you and have another go at it. i switched to straghts soon after using a de because the learning curve of the de was too shallow (i like a good challange). i still use my des but i much perfer to take the time and really enjoy a nice shave with a straight, nothing quite like it.

cheer- keep at it,
ryan

 

[s&g'sdad]

Hello again,
By horrible, I mean painful and bloody. The razor popped hair off my arm, but seemed to drag and scrape on my face. I realize whiskers are tougher than arm hair. I tried multiple angles and the only sweet spot was with the spine roughly 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch off my face. I assume this is the ~30 deg recommended angle from the guide on B&B. This did not produce many whiskers on the blade and my beard barely shaven. This is why I think the hone was bad or my stropping was bad. I really like my switch to DE's, but would like to continue trying str8's. I'll keep trying. After a pro honing and stropping. Maybe. I'm scared.

 

[devnull]

If it's popping hairs on your arm and not dragging there then I would say

1: Make sure your using a nice and lubricating lather
2: Try varying the angle while test shaving on your arm to get a feel for it
3: Try stropping it again. Remember, taunt strop and light to no pressure on the razor.

Worst case it needs to be honed by a pro but if it is popping hairs I doubt this is the issue...

 

[usqview]

Hello again,
By horrible, I mean painful and bloody.

painful + bloody= horrible

that is no good- no good at all.

have you tried taking a chest hair and check if the blade pops it when you pass the hair perpendicular to the blade...

hanging hair test...

even if the blade is sharp enough you could still be having the horrible shaves.

to help eliminate a variable just have someone really known for it hone it for you. if you still have horrible shaves... then you know exactly where the problem is.

cheers,
ryan

 

[lexsportsman]

I know this thread has been dead for a few days, but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

I like the comment about the learning curve. I think a lot of my excitement is taking on a greater challenge.

Here is what it think has contributed to my success so far..... Lynn Abrams Video and a well honed razor. Like I have seen many times, a person can't know what a properly honed razor feels like until they actually use one. Even with my success, I still can't help but to wonder if my razor is in that sweet spot. (Disclaimer: I do have confidence in the person that honed my razor!)

I've shaved with a straight 3 times now. The first time, my shave was somewhat poor, but I made it through the shave with only one nick. Just a little bit more than what a weeper would be. I used a Wapi with a stainless scale. I think the scale is a little heavy and awkward. But, then again, I was probably the awkward one. Anyway, holding the razor during my first shave and trying to get my face stretched, while getting the right angle, and managing to keep my hands out of the way of my sight into the mirror, etc. was quite the challenge. I bet I looked like a one year old boy trying to dig into his first birthday cake!!!!
1st shave = Success!!

When I started my second shave, I started holding the razor this way, then that way, OH NO..... I had to go back to the video and watch a pro once more. I saw a few things that I missed the first time and ended up having a very good shave. Not the smoothest, but in two passes with the str8 I was near what I would get on two passes with a DE.
2nd shave = Success!!

My third shave.. Well, my face just needed a break. I did notice that I was concentrating on my technique so much that I was using pressure. And yes, I don't think I can say "using too much pressure," rather I was using "pressure." I think you know what I mean with that.
Though my results were iffy, I learned from the experience.
3rd shave = Success!!

I say embrace the challenge, get the video, and learn to enjoy pain. I think that's what everyone else has done!

Good luck!

Carroll

 

[s&g'sdad]

Thanks all for the advice. I am awaiting the arrival of a Feather AC to give it another go. I read Joels review of his Feather and rather than leave me to my own improper(more than likely) stropping technique, I would take my chances with a Feather. I will let everyone know how it goes.
Aaron