RondeB's entry into Straights

[RondeB]

I bought a Dovo best and 3" strop from a retailer a year ago and tried it out a few times. Didn't really work out for me. Long story short had a member hone it and am trying it again.

Today was my first time. Shave was done with 3 days growth after shower.

Prep was warm water rinse and proraso preshave cream. I used vintage blades sandalwood cream and a Rooney brush with what I count as a reasonable lather.

The shave was ok. I went WTG first. Short strokes. Started with a pretty flat angle and increased it until I heard it cutting. I do have to say I'm deathly afraid of cutting myself badly. That pass felt like it tugged a little. Mustache and cheeks were ok. Neck was hit and miss.

Second pass was XTG. It felt ok. A little less tugging but did manage a few weepers. I have to say that blade feels huge when its on your face.

Final pass was ATG. Cheeks and neck were ok. Didn't try chin.

I finished up with my cobra to get it all cleaned up. Alum block stung quite a bit. Finished up with some captain's lime.

Overall I achieved good reduction and my face is still attached to my body. I don't plan on giving up but would appreciate any advice. I will try to post my shaving results. Initially I will only be able to do this either at night or on days that I don't work since it is taking so long to use the straight.

 

[smalltank]

+1....takes about a month or so before your face "adjusts" to an open blade (no bars for blade protection).....slow n steady will get you ahead of the "learning curve"...

 

[gash]

My advice is to make your lather as slick as possible. That will probably mean adding more water, and many people prefer wetter lather with straights. Also, try some test lathering, and see how far you can push the lather before it becomes soup. If the lather won't come off the blade easily under a gentle stream of water, then it's probably too thick (that's a common rule of thumb).

 

[RondeB]

I will do that. It did seem that my lather was on the thicker side. More water it is.

 

[Slash McCoy]

A pasted balsa block for edge maintenance is a great thing to have. A lot of shave ready edges can actually be improved by stropping on the balsa. I hit the fine side about four dozen light laps after each shave and this is usually enough. When it is not, and I notice the razor getting a bit dull, I hit the coarse side until I see major improvement and then the fine side as usual.

Basically you get a piece of balsa 3" wide x 12" long or a bit longer. Lay a whole sheet of 320 or 400 grit sandpaper on a very flat and smooth surface such as an old glass coffee table top or a polished marble 12x12 tile. Work the balsa corner to corner keeping it mostly on the paper until you have made a perfectly flat surface on the balsa. Then do the other side. Apply a couple of BBs worth of diamond paste to the fine side, then the coarse side. NOT the coarse side first! You must not let the coarse diamond contaminate the fine. Getting a trace of the fine onto the coarse side is not a problem. For a newbie I recommend 1u for the coarse side and .25u for the fine but I use .5 on the coarse side and .1u on the fine. The 1u brings back an edge a lot faster and can often perk up an edge honed by someone else. YMMV. My paste comes from www.tedpella.com.

You can also cut a piece of glass that size and glue thinner balsa to it for a very flat and stable balsa-topped strop. You might not need to lap it on sandpaper if you do it that way.

Technique is extremely important with the balsa. Don't let the shoulder of the razor ride up onto the balsa. Use a slight x stroke even though the balsa is nice and wide. Light pressure. Very light. Don't lift the spine off the stropping surface. Flip the EDGE out and over to go the other way.

With proper use a pasted balsa strop can practically eliminate the need to ever rehone.

+1 on slick wet lather. Watch your angle. A high angle will dull your edge just like improper stropping. Stretch the skin to be shaven. REALLY stretch it, unless you are troubled by ingrowns.

If you pass the razor about 1/4" over your forearm, does it lop off the tops of any hairs? If not then it would definitely improve on the balsa. Also watch your leather stropping. You can dull an otherwise sharp edge with just one or two bad stroppings.

Good luck and happy shaves!

 

[RondeB]

Today was better. Still a few weepers but I used wetter lather and it seemed to work better. WTG was ok. XTG was where the weepers occurred. I did not try ATG. after I was done it was ok but just so. I finished with my cobra.

After I was done the razor got 50 passes on the linen and 50 passes on the leather. I will try tomorrow if I don't get home too late as this takes longer than I have time for in the morning.