First Straight Razor Blade Hart Steel - Not Shave Ready - My Next Steps?

[Super Mario]

Hi all - I have been interested to try straight razor shaving for yearssss....so I went "All-In" and got following:

• Hart Steel - 6/8 satin finish rounded tip, custom scales Cocobo (really nice wood)
• Apothecary mug and soap
• Boar hair brush
• 2" strop with D-rings
• Brush and razor stand
• Pre-shave oil (Colonel Conk)
• Aftershave - Pinaud Clubman (use to go to a barber who used this, the wife loves the smell)
• Towels

OK, I watched like every Youtube video and read many beginner guides from stropping to shaving....stropping my "shave ready" blade was no big-deal, I did have to clean off a ton of oil that Classicshaving guys put on this blade for shipping - but stropped it just like a beginner

I lathered up with the soap, grabbed the blade, reached over with left hand to pull skin on my right cheek tight and got first strokes in....ouch! I did end up scraping some hairs away....but no matter the angle of the blade it just feels like it tugs on my hair. I did not have such an experience when the barber who I use to see hit my skin with his straight blade (which as I can recall was one of those reloadable ones...so not even a real one, but it cut nice).

I have seen at least one thread on this forum by another member who had poor experience with Hart Steel not shave ready as well as product review that more work needed to get the blade truly ready.

So my question goes as follows:
1) Should I send this blade out for re-honing?
2) Do I need to invest in more than my strop for keeping the bladed straight between honings
3) I am a total DIY guy (build and remodel houses, car maintenance from engine pulls, rebuilds, suspension rebuilds, brake overhauls, timing belts, anything on the car) so maybe I should learn to hone my own blades?
4) Obtain another quality German blade from Solingen, have it professionally honed, and then have one in comparison?

What to do next? I want to leave the world of throw away safety razors behind......

Any suggestions are very much appreciated!

Ciao ciao - Mario

 

[paintflinger]

I won't say the factory edge is the best, but after a decent amount of stropping my Hart is now pretty smooth cutting. I purchased mine at the beginning of January 2017.

Since you are just starting out, I would send your blade out to be professionally honed. When you receive it back, do not strop it, just shave. This will give you an idea of what a good edge is. Feel free to strop it after that.

Are you brand new to wetshaving? I ask because a sharp blade can feel dull as a butter knife if your pre-shave prep, lather, beard mapping, and technique are no good.

My razor

 

[Super Mario]

Oh yes, newbie as newbie gets....I would need some advice, is there a tutorial section or good weblink on prep? My prep was hot shower, rubbed in a few drops of Colonel Conk pre-shave oil, lathered up the soap on the badger brush and then worked it into my beard with lots of round strokes .....a few (15) times on the canvas and then the leather strop as per the Boker "how-to" video on Youtube.....and then first touch as mentioned above did not feel good.....the blade is not clipping the stubble cleanly no matter how I stroked the blade. I added more shave soap to keep the skin wet...pulled it tight as I could and always felt the the blade is just catching on the stubble and not really cutting.

I live 9 hours south of the guys who made my razor, down here in Boise Idaho. Is there a good part of this forum to hook up with professional honers geographically? I am also quite ready to order another blade .....one that is higher quality and likely to truly be shave ready so I can have a comparison as well.

 

[paintflinger]

I'm going to break your post down by parts to answer it.

Oh yes, newbie as newbie gets....I would need some advice, is there a tutorial section or good weblink on prep?
I like reading the forums and developed a lot of routine from that. There are some decent posts in the B&B wiki dealing with prep. Sometimes though, it's almost easier to post up your routine and ask how it could be improved.
My prep was hot shower, rubbed in a few drops of Colonel Conk pre-shave oil,
Hot showers are good prep imo. Make sure you stand with your face/neck under the water for a decent period (1-2 mins) to really get it hydrated. I'm not a huge fan of preshave oil, I've never found it to hydrate my whiskers as good as plain old H2O; however, I don't think it is hurting you at this point. Apply the oil and then work in some water with your hands. The oil will help to suspend the water in your whiskers.
lathered up the soap on the badger brush and then worked it into my beard with lots of round strokes .....
Lather is a finicky thing. People's taste for lather can vary from super airy, to thick and creamy, to a sudsy wet mess. It is definitely something that will come out of experience. What soap are you using (I'm guessing van der hagen)? I personally shoot for lather that looks like this:

Notice that the lather is well hydrated and shiny.

You can see the thickness of the lather in the brush.

Left over lather squeezed out of the knot. Distinct lack of bubbles (some bubbles are ok when squeezing lather out of the knot).
a few (15) times on the canvas and then the leather strop as per the Boker "how-to" video on Youtube.....
I'd skip the canvas for now and just work the leather. Make sure you are rubbing the leather down with your hands prior to shaving to warm it up and condition it from the oil on your hands (or your hair is good). The Boker video shows good technique imo, so as long as your not using lots of pressure and you are not flipping it onto the edge you should be fine. Be aware that I've probably made 200+ laps (not in a row) on leather before I felt my hart edge was keen.
and then first touch as mentioned above did not feel good.....the blade is not clipping the stubble cleanly no matter how I stroked the blade.
Not 100% sure what you mean by clipping. The best edge will feel like you are wiping whiskers off your skin. A shaveable (but not ideal) edge will tug a bit, but still cut. How many razor spine widths are you from your skin? I try to stick to no more than one, but it is worth experimenting.
I added more shave soap to keep the skin wet...pulled it tight as I could and always felt the the blade is just catching on the stubble and not really cutting.

I live 9 hours south of the guys who made my razor, down here in Boise Idaho. Is there a good part of this forum to hook up with professional honers geographically? I am also quite ready to order another blade .....one that is higher quality and likely to truly be shave ready so I can have a comparison as well.
The hart is a good razor. I think you will be very happy if you send it out to be honed.
I wouldn't be afraid of purchasing a back up razor, but I wouldn't be too hasty to ascribe all of your issues simply to the edge. You're new and you're still learning, it's probably going to take some time.

 

[Super Mario]

Hi - thanks for the time to answer! I am in a bunch of boards for car repair, mostly contributing these days to the newbies. Now I am on the begging side here. So, no my soap is not Van der Haagen....wifey insisted I stay Made in USA on this new hobby and got some Henry Cavendish Himalaya shaving soap.

When I said clipping, I meant cutting - and yes I remember that a couple of guys on Youtube videos said about one thickness of the spline space should help set the correct angle. Perhaps before looking for a re-hone I will give the leather side of that strop a good workout and check the feel on my face if any improvement.

I am quite happy to begin this new hobby in life.....have always felt like the plastic safety razor and goo from a can is just not the right way to remove hair from the face.

 

[paintflinger]

Pretty sure the Henry Cavendish is similar to Van der Hagen, so lots of water is generally the ticket. Load the brush till you have really good lather in the tips and then proceed to add water slowly. You're trying to mix the water in, not whip air into the lather. You'll know when it is ready when you can rub the lather between your fingers with some pressure and it stays nice and slick.

 

[Super Mario]

Hi, I feel real stupid to recall and admit this fact. I did not try to shave with this blade immediately after wiping down the packing oil...I went to the strop....and at one point I was not paying attention and in-between a lap a the turn near the top I did not rotate on the spine.....yup I rotated over the blade edge... It did not scar the strop....but would that have been enough to dork the edge? I will give the blade a bunch more laps on the leather....but I am thinking that one turn was a turn for dull.

 

[GlazedBoker]

Welcome aboard amigo..... Some good advice above. It's a new skill you're acquiring, so just take your time. If you can, send it out to be re-honed. You should get it back with a good bevel and edge. Before using it, test it on one of your arms, it should take off the hair on your arms effortlessly. Just a quick stroke or 2. Go from there. Strop your steel before every shave, leather side only. No need for the canvas side unless your cleaning your edge from a hone. Patience and practice friend, it will come to you.....

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard! I suggest you check in with the guys on the straights forums.

 

[Super Mario]

Great replies all the way around! This morning I used silly plastic razor blade but improved the pre-shave prep and lathered up with the soap on the brush - made even that shave much better. Not sure if my novice-strop event has hurt the edge too much....but looks like this strop will take some abuse until I get the skill.....and yes have one nick near the bottom already....so will butter knife practice and then go a bunch of laps and check the edge pre/post on my arm...and maybe one more try on the face. Still open to suggestions on West coast area Honemesiters.....Classic Shaving who sold me the blade has a $25 service....guess I could just go back to who made it...but would prefer to rehone with a trusted forum Honemesiter....is Nobody in AZ good to go with?

 

[paintflinger]

I would post a separate thread in the honing sub forum asking that very question. I did note a couple people that would hone it for you that are known to put extremely good edges on razors. Cost would likely be the same as Classic Shaving, but you would know you area getting a great edge.

 

[alex2363]

I would post a separate thread in the honing sub forum asking that very question. I did note a couple people that would hone it for you that are known to put extremely good edges on razors. Cost would likely be the same as Classic Shaving, but you would know you area getting a great edge.

+1

 

[sidpost]

Welcome! I got into this sort of like you but, opted for the DE Safety Razor route. I don't see straights in my future but, maybe one day.

 

[Jnatcat]

I have honed several Hart razors, they do come from Hart pretty close but the ones I have honed for members here on the board and not on the board have been lacking for my taste in what I consider "Shave Ready" to me a sahve ready razor should not tug/pull, you might trying stropping but if you are very new to straight shaving you could make the edge worst by rolling the edge, I tell everyone that gets a shave ready razor to not do anything to it prior to there first shave so they can get an idea of what a good edge is supposed to feel like, shave ready is very subjective so what feels smooth to me may not to you but a good edge should not pull/tug on hair alot had to do with a good prep to, before I send an edge out thats been honed by me if it's not a HHT4 by my standards it does not go out to the buyer.

 

[Super Mario]

Let's close this one! I ended up buying Böker 5/8 Edelweiss with pro-honing from Straight Razor Designs store in OH. I have worked with the Böker for about 2 weeks and following the Lynn Abrams Youtube video face have finally completed my whole face once on the straight razor (gradually working in new areas of face on each shave). Then I picked up the Hart razor and tried again....ouch, man does it pull and tug! So, off to gssixgun who is up in Sandpoint ID to do the rehoning on the Hart. Not convinced the soap I have is the best one, so I will need to try out different soaps and/or creams until I find the best/better one. Idaho is high dessert and it is DRY here with little to no humidity - so it is tough keeping the soap lather wet on my face. I still like the Colonel Conk pre-shave oil. Got a lot better on the strop, including some practice laps with a butter knife.....woo hoo! Thanks all for replies and suggestions.

 

[Super Mario]

Did I say close? Well Glen worked the Hart to shave-able; but it won't pass AHT or HHT...the bevel looks better, also I picked up a 20X triple loupe with LED lights .....wow, nice to see the bevel and edge up close. On a separate forum found a gent who back in 2015 tried my route and became very frustrated on the Hart. He had it rehoned, and eventually found that much shallower angle improved the shave. I gave that a try and yes, less tugging but left a golf green high stubble/meanwhile the Boker knocks it down in first pass WTG no problem...but still the Hart is like a dull butter-knife compared to my Boker. So, the folks at CS said due to my dissatisfaction they will sharpen it again free of charge. I am also now aware that the Harts are quarter-ground while nearly all the German blades are full ground.....and I am guess this will change the feel of the blade during a shave considerably.

I really do like the Hart, looks great, feels great, shaves not so well. I know I am still new....but this only means Hart is probably worse choice for new shaver based on many easy to find threads concerning their edge not being great out of the box. @Jnatcat - after the guys up in Sand Point give it another go, maybe I will try your honing....and how did I get them to agree to sharpen again?

Not sure why customer service at The Grooming Network not high on their list - for example, sent two emails no reply about the blade condition - so it took me filing a Paypal resolution request to get their attention....so tomorrow, per their instructions will pack up the Hart and send it back. Until then more work on the Boker, and have nearly used up first soap puck so will grab some more after spending time in the forums looking for feedback about different soaps.

Making progress!

 

[Jnatcat]

@Super Mario you can send it my way and i can see what I can do, a good friend of mine @Doc226 has told me over and over it's only rubbing steel to a rock, but it's gotta be good steel thats ground properly for that to work, i have had problem razors that took forever to get a good edge but alot of them were improperly ground or no tempered correctly and the latter cannot be easily corrected and neither should be an issue with a new quaility produced razor so it's a shame these guys care more about the $$ than quaility.

 

[Super Mario]

Hi Jnatcat - after getting the Hart back from the seller with a rehone, it is "sharper" but will not move any hair off my arm like the Boker will just slice through hair on the arm.....

I have shaved half and half twice over the week or so since Hart came back, right half with Hart and left half with Boker. OK a little better technique with the Hart helps....but it is not as sharp as the Boker and leaves a lot of stuble WTG that Boker just does not leave..it is too inefficient with me driving. It is reducing beard growth...and compared to Boker still feels like it tugs a lot more than cuts.

So - the dilemma is whether to invest any more $$ chasing down more honing. I dropped $35 to have it honed by gssixgun, $10 to ship back to seller for their trade secret honing....um I am nearly the third of a decent new Dovo already and not one good shave off the Hart.

This is starting to sound like a bad break-up where to keep from hurting the feelings of the Hart, I say something like - "It's not you, it's me - really, we were not meant to be together...."

I think gssixgun had it when he emailed me to give up! He made a quick read on the relationship developing between me and Hart....I am thinking he is spot on. Watched my son in his first puppy love....you know it will not end well, you don't want to say directly what is obvious, so you relate....Glen mentioned there is a brand he could never get to work on his face. He mentioned he tried different grinds and styles from this particular brand, but no matter they never shaved well for him.

Come on now Hart, don't tell me you have a broken....heart? Talking to my straight razor....got to stop inhaling the after-shave fumes......