Shavette pulls and makes me want to cry

[unshaven]

OK finaly I gave up and surrendered to RAD. I bought a Dovo Shavette. It is the 4th time I use this baby and every time I end up finishing with the Slim Boy. First pass WTG goes well even if it leaves many spots unshaved. Second pass XTG goes fair enough, still much to be desired. Third pass ATG and here comes the pain. My cheeks and sideburns go very well. But in my neck and in the jaws it pulls like hell and it cuts the skin. I have tried the blades that came with the razor and Astra blades. So I finish with my Slim Boy because I want to get done and get out. I don't think is my lather because I prepare it with a lot of love and try the result to match with mantic videos and the photos I have seen here. I also watched some straight razor videos in youtube but there it seems to be so easy.

Any ideas besides avoiding ATG?

 

[Thebigspendur]

I've seen many comments about shavettes and feather type razors however a lack of sharpness is not one of them. Most think they are too sharp and unforgiving. if you are having trouble with one of those its your technique that is the problem. Watch your angle and your pressure. It may just be you need more experience with the thing. It does take time unlike a DE.

 

[Wahh]

Having started with a shevette as well I can say that with that blade holder you have to have a pretty steep blade angle when compared to a regular straight. Since I have gotten a normal straight, I don't see myself going back to the shavette as it gives no where near the shave my 6/8 does and with much less irritation. That steep angle caused a lot of irritation on my neck as well.

 

[Ltltony]

Pulling has certainly not been a problem for me. I have to be really careful to not cut my head off.

 

[mparker762]

Which blades are you using? The full-length ones (black holder), the shorter DE-sized ones (red holder), or the single-edged ones (green holder)?

If it's the full-length black holder ones, then there's your problem - the Merkur full-length blades are for hair shaping not shaving, despite what Classic's description says.

 

[unshaven]

No I use the red holder with the DE blades cut in half. Mine didn't have any green holder.

 

[headdoc]

I started with a shavette in January and never looked back. I now own many str8's and shave exclusively with them.
My shavette performed perfectly with 1/2 Derby blade. It was sharp and provided me with a great learning experience. Like everything else, there is a learning curve.
There should be no pulling with a new 1/2 blade in there.
Headdoc

 

[Perfect_shave]

I too bought a Shavette just to see if i would like straight razor shaving without much expense and yeah, i didn't really enjoy the shave it gave much. Very sharp blades(halved DE) and a bit of pulling made it very hard to get a BBS irritation free shave. Never tried it with a single edged blade but maybe it would be better. I ended up buying a Feather AC and loved it, although the blades on that were very sharp it gives better/easier shaves. Feels alot better in hand too.

 

[PZBarber]

Shavettes are great shavers when you get used to using them. You need an angle of about 30deg to get them to cut real smooth. I found they would tug a little at first but you soon get the hang of it. After a couple of months of perseverence you will get top quality shaves from a shavette. I have found they are a bit skippy and tuggy when you go ATG but I think that is because of the amount of blade that protrudes from the holder causing it to flex a bit and bend away from the hair which alters the blade angle.

Cheers

Mat

 

[Dave-itt]

blade angle? maybe you have it too flat/too low an angle?

 

[unshaven]

Yesterday I tried it again and I realized that if I kept an angle less that 30 degrees then the razor would slide smoothly and it would cut anything without pulling. I kept the razor almost parallel to the skin and I got an almost perfect shave.

I will have to try it again to be sure. Damn, so many experiments and only one face to shave.

 

[swink]

I've been using a shavette for a couple of weeks (my first straight experience). Started with 1/2 Merkur DEs and got some redness and irritation on my neck. Yesterday with Derbys it was better. Of course, my technique is probably improving too. On the technique front, I'm learning to go with an extremely light touch and to watch the blade angle when I'm following a contour, like under my jaw. If I don't keep adjusting the angle to match the shape of my face/neck I can do some damage. All in all, it's an art, like carving or sculpting. I still have a lot to learn. Good luck to you.