Dove Silversteel 5/8 arrived today

[nimzotech]

I am happy my straight razor arrived today, however I feel it could be sharper/stropped better.
Excited to try out my straight today, I started shaving and noticed a bit of pull and resistance while shaving in the N-S direction straight down. I thought maybe my angle was wrong. I then took out my Parker Shavette style straight. The blade has been used at least one time before and I noticed the whiskers came right off with little or no pulling at all. In comparison I found the Parker provided a more comfortable shave with less resistance .The straight should be sharper than the parker shavette no?

I got it at the superior shave and thought the razors are supposed to be sent shave ready.

Suggestions? Advice guys?

 

[Doc226]

Jarrod does a nice job honing, IMO coticule edges are mellow but lack some keenness-this is specially true in comparison to a Parker with a DE blade.

Saying that, everyone has a bad day honing, it is possible that Jarrod did not max out the edge. This is a good situation where knowing how to do an HHT is nice.

Another option is to send the blade to an experienced straight shaver and have them try it out.

 

[nimzotech]

Thanks for the suggestions Doc! I just perfomed an HHT and to my dismay my wife's hair is not cut in midair but I feel pulling as it contacst the str8rzr. Suggestions?

 

[oakeshott]

Chris,

Did you strop it before shaving? If so, and you're new to stropping, it's possible that you could have rolled the edge. I know I did when I started...also did it a few times long after I started.

 

[nimzotech]

I did not strop it before shaving as it supposed to come stropped and ready to shave. I realize my shaving technique may not be best so I tried the HHT again. The hairs did not eventually cut but it felt more like slicing motion of the razor had to be made. Hairs straight down and perpendicular to the edge did not cut.

 

[Doc226]

Sounds like it needs to be honed.

 

[Gamma]

Could be that your skills with the straight aren't up to snuff yet, or - the blade needs to be stropped, or your prep needs work.
Plus - a Coti edge not fairing well on a HHT isn't unheard of - its quite common actually.
It's also common for new straight owners to think their edges aren't sharp enough.

Jarrod does an excellent job of honing, and while anything is possible, I would consider the other points first.

 

[Kentos]

Could be that your skills with the straight aren't up to snuff yet, or - the blade needs to be stropped, or your prep needs work.
Plus - a Coti edge not fairing well on a HHT isn't unheard of - its quite common actually.
It's also common for new straight owners to think their edges aren't sharp enough.

Jarrod does an excellent job of honing, and while anything is possible, I would consider the other points first.

+1. Coming off a shavette almost any traditional straight will feel dull. To get the most out of a traditional edge you will need to keep the angles low, use guillotine and scything strokes, use a wee bit of pressure compared to the Parker, and need a good lather. It takes time but you will get the hang of it.

 

[nimzotech]

Thanks Gamma and Kentos - your points are definitely on target. After all, my faulty technique and unfamiliarity with the str8rzr is to blame. The blade passes the HHT; key was to hold the root of the hair away from the fingers and use fast straight down motions. It makes sense my angles were not steep enough and perhaps pronounced skin stretching is needed. The full hollow ground edge is just more flexible and provides way more feedback than a DE blade on a shavette/safety razor. I now realize why some claimed shaving with a shavette first, then a str8rzr might be counterproductive.

I'll strop the str8rzr tomorrow before shaving (I read 50 laps - is that about right?)

It still feels kinda intimidating holding a str8rzr to the face ;-)

 

[Chaloney]

I also started with a parker shaverte and i went through exactly the same thing when my straight arrived from jerrod 3 weeks ago. I couldn't get a hair to cut held either way. Stropped it, shaved with it--went fine, so did the next 21 shaves. Today makes 22 shaves with only stropping on linen then leather between shaves. Each shave I get better results I think because I get better at shaving. The learning curve is steep at first, but I think even after the steep part, the curve continues at a more moderate incline for quite a while.

 

[nimzotech]

Thanks Chaloney! It is nice to hear of someone going through the same experience after using a Parker shavette.

 

[life2short1971]

Strop it and try the shave again. If not up to par request a touchup.

 

[chuckr9]

Jarrod normally does an excellent job honing a new razor - I think technique, or your own preparation is more likely the issue.

 

[shakin_jake]

Thanks Gamma and Kentos - your points are definitely on target. After all, my faulty technique and unfamiliarity with the str8rzr is to blame. The blade passes the HHT; key was to hold the root of the hair away from the fingers and use fast straight down motions. It makes sense my angles were not steep enough and perhaps pronounced skin stretching is needed. The full hollow ground edge is just more flexible and provides way more feedback than a DE blade on a shavette/safety razor. I now realize why some claimed shaving with a shavette first, then a str8rzr might be counterproductive.

I'll strop the str8rzr tomorrow before shaving (I read 50 laps - is that about right?)

It still feels kinda intimidating holding a str8rzr to the face ;-)

~~~~Pat yourself on the back for figuring it out as quick as you did....your next step, buy a coticule and learn how to keep the edge sharp. less is more

50 laps is good (stropping between shaves). Try to strop lightly using little if any pressure (downward force on the blade, razor) as possible, and keep the strop taut

FWIW, what I do, when I'm done shaving...I give it 10 light laps on the linen and 10 more on leather, then at least 40 laps before shaving on leather only (right B4 the shave). I use the linen strop to clean the edge before it goes to leather. and the idea of stropping right after shaving, that's to ultimately dry the edge before you put it up. any moisture left on the blade edge after shaving, tends to help micro chip the edge, so dry it (the edge) afterwards before putting it up. others may have better and different ideas



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[Slash McCoy]

There is sharp and there is sharp. Most straight shavers don't look for absolute sharpness, but for a middle ground of comfort and sharpness, and use their shaving technique to make up the difference. Coticule edges tend to be smooth and gentle. Shavette blades are sharper but harsher and you are used to the shavette edge. You can more or less duplicate the edge by honing on film to .3u grade and then finishing with maybe a couple dozen light laps on the fine film over damp paper. That will make for an edge closer to what you are used to I think. For honing on rocks maybe a synthetic progression up to a 20k Shapton.

Another option to try is a balsa block pasted with .5u diamond on one side and .1u diamond on the other. I think at least 50 laps on the coarse side and the same on the fine. Actually just keep going on the coarse until you see a nice improvement and then hit the fine side. This will give a fairly nice balance between crazy sharp and gentleness. For maintenance after every shave just go about three dozen light laps on the fine side. My source for diamond paste is www.tedpella.com and I get my balsa from the local hobby shop but you can get it online. Be sure to lap it flat. Use a whole sheet of maybe 320 grit paper stuck to a countertop with spray adhesive. You want your balsa to be about 3" wide and 12" long or longer. Anyway if you strop on the balsa after every shave and you do it right you may never have to hone that razor again. And you will like the edge. It really just seems to get better and better.

 

[AjaxLepinski]

I never bought a straight from Superior Shave but, I own 12 "shave ready" straights purchased from several other online vendors and on eBay.
All my "shave ready" straights tugged, except for two.

The only straights that came truly "shave ready" were the ones that I bought from Doc226 and the one that I recently bought from Seraphim.
Doc's edge was an epiphany. It mowed down stubble like a hot knife through butter and was comfortable. I studied his edge, under a 60x loupe and it became my honing benchmark.
Seraphim's Caveman Straight came with a super sharp edge that nicked my ear first time out. It was sharp, incredibly dangerous but, what a great shave! I think he was making up for the Thrilla in Manila!

If I had a true, shave ready straight, when I first started, I would have had a much easier experience.

 

[nimzotech]

All great tips thanks gents! I just ordered some sharpening goods:
[li]Norton 4k/8k - will that work for a coticule? ;-)
[li]Norton flatenning stone
[li]Chromium Oxide

I'm crazy about sharp.

 

[Slash McCoy]

All great tips thanks gents! I just ordered some sharpening goods:
[li]Norton 4k/8k - will that work for a coticule? ;-)
[li]Norton flatenning stone
[li]Chromium Oxide

I'm crazy about sharp.

The 4k/8k basically does the work of the coticule but in a somewhat different manner. You probably would not use both but would use either the combo or the Coti. The norton is easier to learn. The Coti is fun and challenging. Either can do a good job of bringing a razor up to where it will shave. Neither will deliver a truly exceptional edge but both will develop the edge to where a finisher can take over and give you some scary sharpness.

IMHO the flattener is a waste of money. I think a whole sheet of wet/dry paper stuck to a glass tabletop with spray adhesive will do a better job of lapping your stones.

CrOx is nice but diamond is nicer. More consistent particle size. More aggressive cutting. A variety of grits.

The CrOx is often paired with FeOx which is much finer. You use the green CrOx first and then the red which is much finer.

Look for Blix's lapping film thread before you buy anything else. If you like shaaaaaarrrrppp you will LOVE film.

 

[nimzotech]

There is sharp and there is sharp. Most straight shavers don't look for absolute sharpness, but for a middle ground of comfort and sharpness, and use their shaving technique to make up the difference. Coticule edges tend to be smooth and gentle. Shavette blades are sharper but harsher and you are used to the shavette edge. You can more or less duplicate the edge by honing on film to .3u grade and then finishing with maybe a couple dozen light laps on the fine film over damp paper. That will make for an edge closer to what you are used to I think. For honing on rocks maybe a synthetic progression up to a 20k Shapton.

Another option to try is a balsa block pasted with .5u diamond on one side and .1u diamond on the other. I think at least 50 laps on the coarse side and the same on the fine. Actually just keep going on the coarse until you see a nice improvement and then hit the fine side. This will give a fairly nice balance between crazy sharp and gentleness. For maintenance after every shave just go about three dozen light laps on the fine side. My source for diamond paste is www.tedpella.com and I get my balsa from the local hobby shop but you can get it online. Be sure to lap it flat. Use a whole sheet of maybe 320 grit paper stuck to a countertop with spray adhesive. You want your balsa to be about 3" wide and 12" long or longer. Anyway if you strop on the balsa after every shave and you do it right you may never have to hone that razor again. And you will like the edge. It really just seems to get better and better.

That's some serious science/technology electron microscopy website you listed
That will take some of my time to fully check it out...
Great advice, seems like there's lots for me grasshopper to learn. In regards to the .3u grade film, will the chromium oxide paste I ordered do the trick when appllied on my linen strop? I sure hope so...
This straight edge shaving is becoming a serious and fun undertaking!

 

[shakin_jake]

The 4k/8k basically does the work of the coticule but in a somewhat different manner. You probably would not use both but would use either the combo or the Coti. The norton is easier to learn. The Coti is fun and challenging. Either can do a good job of bringing a razor up to where it will shave. Neither will deliver a truly exceptional edge but both will develop the edge to where a finisher can take over and give you some scary sharpness.

~~~I don't want to misquote you Slash...are you saying that *you* are not capable of attaining an exceptional edge using a coticule? If so, thanks for spilling your guts and being brutally honest...revealing what many have suspected all along



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.