First real straight shave and it SUCKED.

[cruise_bone]

My first official shave with a straight edge, after practicing several times with a Shavette.
I did not go nearly as well as expected and I am deeply disappointed.

I did get one deep little gouge out of my chin, total user error.

I used both of my straights which were recently ground to 30,000 grit, and stropped both immediately before the shave and no matter the angle, there was always stubble left behind. There was tugging. Too flat and nothing, which one would expect. Very, very, very frustrating. I went from flat against the face, to 30 percent to 45 percent with the same results - crap.

I get much closer with a shavette. I get much closer with my open comb. I get much closer with everything else.

I feel like I might as well have used a Bic disposable seeing how pathetic this shave was. I'm not blaming the straights, but something is beyond pathetic. I will be trying again this week but just do not understand how it could be such a bad shave. Flat against the face then tilt a little and it cut the beard but not very well and never spotless in any spot.

The good news is that I cleaned up (significantly) with a DE and the result was one of the closest shaves I have had, but the straights left way too much behind. What's the Point?

On the Positive Side - I do notice that the straight is better and easier ATG on the neck.

 

[sfeile]

Your straight is not properly honed. Just clicking and enlarging the first picture I can see a wire edge along much of the blade. There are also some deep scratch patterns that shouldn't be there at a 30K level.

Are you trying to hone yourself? Or did you have someone hone it for you?
If you are trying yourself, don't. Not for your first razor. Get it honed properly and get a second razor to practice honing on.
Learning to shave and hone at the same time is difficult and frustrating.

Honing a razor isn't the same as sharpening a knife. The basic principal is the same, you are rubbing a piece of steel on a rock to reduce an apex, but the practice is quite a bit different.

Get this one honed properly, then you have a benchmark to go by. If you are liking shaves from a shavette, you will definitely like them from a properly honed straight.

 

[cruise_bone]

Your straight is not properly honed. Just clicking and enlarging the first picture I can see a wire edge along much of the blade. There are also some deep scratch patterns that shouldn't be there at a 30K level.

Are you trying to hone yourself? Or did you have someone hone it for you?
If you are trying yourself, don't. Not for your first razor. Get it honed properly and get a second razor to practice honing on.
Learning to shave and hone at the same time is difficult and frustrating.

Honing a razor isn't the same as sharpening a knife. The basic principal is the same, you are rubbing a piece of steel on a rock to reduce an apex, but the practice is quite a bit different.

Get this one honed properly, then you have a benchmark to go by. If you are liking shaves from a shavette, you will definitely like them from a properly honed straight.

I had them both professionally honed by Howard Schechter.

 

[sfeile]

Never used an edge from him, only heard a few things.

These are issues I see from your photo that are most likely causing you issues.

There is something weird going on at the heel causing a bit of a step (won't really cause an issue shaving, but may in future honings if not addressed), and there are two spots in your photo that you can see a bright reflection at the bottom of the edge. These look very much like a wire edge to me. If that is not removed properly, you won't be making contact with the apex of the edge, only that burr.
Also the heavy deep scratches can make your edge like a steak knife.

 

[cruise_bone]

I will post pics of the other Straight late tonight or tomorrow.
Howard surely did an amazing job. If anything got screwed up, I'm sure that it was this newbie that did it.

 

[sfeile]

I will post pics of the other Straight late tonight or tomorrow.
Howard surely did an amazing job. If anything got screwed up, I'm sure that it was this newbie that did it.

As I said, I've never used one of his edges, so I can't and won't make any judgements. That's not what I was trying to do and apologize if I came across that way.
I'm just going from what it looks like to me from a photo. It's also possible I'm misinterpreting things from an angle of the photo. I'm just saying what it looks like your issues could be at this point. To me, it looks like there is a burr that would make your shave uncomfortable and inefficient.

 

[skimonster]

I would have to conclude that if you can provide yourself a satisfactory shave with a shavette, then one could logically deduct that something is up with the razors, especially if they are nowhere close in comparison.

 

[Doc226]

I’m with sfeile, certainly looks bad on the pictures. There is way too much glint off the edge

At this point only way to know is to have someone check out the blade.


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[Alum of Potash]

I'm with sfeile and Doc226. It really pains me to see a seemingly pristine razor handed down from posterity given the apparent attention as shown. IMO, you should send it to the doctor above for diagnosis, if he would be willing, and subsequent treatment.

 

[Christian1212]

I definitely would not shave again with that razor if there was pulling. My guess is you didn't do a great job at stropping. Also just go look at some 12k+ zoomed in bevels to compare to yours. From picture it not looking nice

 

[Slash McCoy]

Everybody has an off day once in a while. Send that nice razor out for honing and your next shave with it should be better. But be aware that a fresh sharp DE blade in a shavette is a good bit sharper than the average straight razor edge. Your shavette did all the work... you just had to keep from slicing your face to ribbons. The straight razor will demand a bit more from you to get a decent shave. Not many honers will put an edge on a razor that compares favorably to a good DE blade. It can be done, but...

 

[cruise_bone]

I definitely would not shave again with that razor if there was pulling. My guess is you didn't do a great job at stropping. Also just go look at some 12k+ zoomed in bevels to compare to yours. From picture it not looking nice

That is absolutely likely! Much more likely I am sure than how the razor was honed. That guy seems obsessive about how well his blades are done before shipping out.

 

[cruise_bone]

I’m with sfeile, certainly looks bad on the pictures. There is way too much glint off the edge

At this point only way to know is to have someone check out the blade.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you do this type of work, as suggested by Alum of Potash immediately following your post?

 

[Ice-Man]

One thing I have noticed your blade is resting on the scuttle, that wont help if any it will knock the edge even a light rub on glass kill's the edge.
+ 1 on Doc226.

But you do have a nice looking Razor for sure.

 

[Chuck McCall]

My first official shave with a straight edge, after practicing several times with a Shavette.
I did not go nearly as well as expected and I am deeply disappointed.

I did get one deep little gouge out of my chin, total user error.

I used both of my straights which were recently ground to 30,000 grit, and stropped both immediately before the shave and no matter the angle, there was always stubble left behind. There was tugging. Too flat and nothing, which one would expect. Very, very, very frustrating. I went from flat against the face, to 30 percent to 45 percent with the same results - crap.

I get much closer with a shavette. I get much closer with my open comb. I get much closer with everything else.

I feel like I might as well have used a Bic disposable seeing how pathetic this shave was. I'm not blaming the straights, but something is beyond pathetic. I will be trying again this week but just do not understand how it could be such a bad shave. Flat against the face then tilt a little and it cut the beard but not very well and never spotless in any spot.

The good news is that I cleaned up (significantly) with a DE and the result was one of the closest shaves I have had, but the straights left way too much behind. What's the Point?

On the Positive Side - I do notice that the straight is better and easier ATG on the neck.

View attachment 831522 View attachment 831523

I had EXACTLY and I mean exactly the very same experience with my first real straight razor shave!
I had it sent off to a very reputable and highly trained master sharpener who sent it back to me (Dovo Solingen Bismarck Straight Razor) at .08 microns sharpness, and he even checks the edge under a microscope.
I'm not blaming him at all.
My first shave was very disappointing.
The cheeks went ok, with tugging and pulling, and having to go over and over again with the blade to cut the whiskers.
The mustache and chin area was terrible, with razor burn and some small nicks, and my sensitive neck got the worst case of razor burn I've ever had.
I showered, with hot water, used hot towels on my face, used a pre shave oil and cream (Proraso), a little Cremo, and then whipped up a mug of KLAR and WSP Barbershop.
Yes there is a learning curve associated with the grip and the angle, but I have had barbers shave my face and scalp before, and I asked all the questions and got all the great advice.
My second straight razor shave was much worse, even AFTER a very meticulous stropping on a leather strop and a canvas strop.
Very disappointing!
I'm not giving up.
I'll do more research on Google and YouTube until I get it right.
There's still no comparison to a near perfect double edge safety razor shave.
Any suggestions?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[AZBronco]

I sent my first straight to someone extremely reputable. My first shave was painful—and like you, I was previously doing ok with a shavette. Because my shave was so poor, I figured it had to be me and not the razor so I kept practicing and trying different angles and better skin stretching. I ultimately figured it out—and once the stars aligned the razor worked beautifully. I did return it for a refreshed honing after I got better at stropping and it’s been great ever since.

Take your time and recognize that a straight razor requires different techniques than a shavette. Good luck!

 

[cruise_bone]

I had EXACTLY and I mean exactly the very same experience with my first real straight razor shave!
I had it sent off to a very reputable and highly trained master sharpener who sent it back to me (Dovo Solingen Bismarck Straight Razor) at .08 microns sharpness, and he even checks the edge under a microscope.
I'm not blaming him at all.
My first shave was very disappointing.
The cheeks went ok, with tugging and pulling, and having to go over and over again with the blade to cut the whiskers.
The mustache and chin area was terrible, with razor burn and some small nicks, and my sensitive neck got the worst case of razor burn I've ever had.
I showered, with hot water, used hot towels on my face, used a pre shave oil and cream (Proraso), a little Cremo, and then whipped up a mug of KLAR and WSP Barbershop.
Yes there is a learning curve associated with the grip and the angle, but I have had barbers shave my face and scalp before, and I asked all the questions and got all the great advice.
My second straight razor shave was much worse, even AFTER a very meticulous stropping on a leather strop and a canvas strop.
Very disappointing!
I'm not giving up.
I'll do more research on Google and YouTube until I get it right.
There's still no comparison to a near perfect double edge safety razor shave.
Any suggestions?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I have purchased a better strop with a second linen piece for a better stropping experience, hopefully. It's nice to hear that I am not alone.
Will keep at it and get it figured out, 'cause it's a bad *** way to shave and there are many more razors that I want to buy.
Did someone say this is an addiction?

 

[cruise_bone]

I sent my first straight to someone extremely reputable. My first shave was painful—and like you, I was previously doing ok with a shavette. Because my shave was so poor, I figured it had to be me and not the razor so I kept practicing and trying different angles and better skin stretching. I ultimately figured it out—and once the stars aligned the razor worked beautifully. I did return it for a refreshed honing after I got better at stropping and it’s been great ever since.

Take your time and recognize that a straight razor requires different techniques than a shavette. Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[skimonster]

My first few experiences seemed to go better for me, but the initial results were less than desirable. I knew there was a learning curve, and what I found that seemed to straighten things out was how important skin stretching is, and face mapping. I was having a tough time on the area between my lower lip, and chin, and finally realized that there were areas that the whiskers were growing sideways, instead of North/South. Neck is even more convoluted, but after you figure out how the hair grows, you can adjust accordingly, and the shaves improve dramatically.

Of course, this assumes one is using a shave ready razor.

 

[Chuck McCall]

I have purchased a better strop with a second linen piece for a better stropping experience, hopefully. It's nice to hear that I am not alone.
Will keep at it and get it figured out, 'cause it's a bad *** way to shave and there are many more razors that I want to buy.
Did someone say this is an addiction?

It is definitely an obsession for me!

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