I post this because, for us newbies, the assumption when we're having trouble with a straight is that it's technique.
Received a straight as a very generous PIF. It came honed by someone who knows what he's doing so I want to make clear that I no doubt ruined the edge when it first arrived, probably by opening and closing it a bunch of times. The handle doesn't line up properly with the blade so I probably messed up the edge in this way. But I didn't know it because there was no obvious event where it happened.
Anyway, after getting really good with DEs, I figured I would pick up where I had left off when using the straight. But the first shave out was horrible. No matter what I did, the razor pulled and tugged, hardly cutting at all. On the second try, I was able to manage a WTG pass that accomplished something, but what a struggle. I was thinking maybe this straight thing wasn't for me.
Fortunately, Doc PMed me and said he was quite sure the razor wasn't sharp enough. He generously offered to hone it for me. So I sent it packing cross country and, upon arrival, he not only honed it but sent me a video of hairs falling onto the blade and getting sliced in half to the sound of a high pitched "ping." He also told me that, when it first arrived, it pulled and tugged for him too.
Received it back yesterday and gave it a whirl this morning. Sure enough, was able to pick up where I had left off with DEs in terms of technique. After getting to a point where I routinely shave with a Futur set to 6, the straight wasn't that difficult. New techniques are required for sure, including use of the off hand (and the angles are all kooky), but the climb no longer seems the sheer face of a granite cliff. Was able to run WTG, XTG and ATG -- all very slowly. After the third pass, I had a really close shave except for the normal trouble spots under my jaw line. Getting at them with the straight proved much tougher than with the Futur but I mostly managed and the end result is great. It's rare that I ever get a shave better than the one I got today. The main difference is it took far longer.
Alas, my point is that, while us newbs may tend to blame the razor when we should look to ourselves first, such advice shouldn't be gospel. Sometimes it really is the razor. I've spoken to lots of guys who gave up on straights. In fact, the fellow who PIFed me this straight is one of them. My guess is I'm not the only one who should have taken a second shot at having the razor honed.
Now the thing I've got to work on is not ruining this edge and maintaining it through proper stropping and honing. But at least I know now what's it's like when the razor is really sharp.
Special thanks to Doc for rescuing me from myself.
Received a straight as a very generous PIF. It came honed by someone who knows what he's doing so I want to make clear that I no doubt ruined the edge when it first arrived, probably by opening and closing it a bunch of times. The handle doesn't line up properly with the blade so I probably messed up the edge in this way. But I didn't know it because there was no obvious event where it happened.
Anyway, after getting really good with DEs, I figured I would pick up where I had left off when using the straight. But the first shave out was horrible. No matter what I did, the razor pulled and tugged, hardly cutting at all. On the second try, I was able to manage a WTG pass that accomplished something, but what a struggle. I was thinking maybe this straight thing wasn't for me.
Fortunately, Doc PMed me and said he was quite sure the razor wasn't sharp enough. He generously offered to hone it for me. So I sent it packing cross country and, upon arrival, he not only honed it but sent me a video of hairs falling onto the blade and getting sliced in half to the sound of a high pitched "ping." He also told me that, when it first arrived, it pulled and tugged for him too.
Received it back yesterday and gave it a whirl this morning. Sure enough, was able to pick up where I had left off with DEs in terms of technique. After getting to a point where I routinely shave with a Futur set to 6, the straight wasn't that difficult. New techniques are required for sure, including use of the off hand (and the angles are all kooky), but the climb no longer seems the sheer face of a granite cliff. Was able to run WTG, XTG and ATG -- all very slowly. After the third pass, I had a really close shave except for the normal trouble spots under my jaw line. Getting at them with the straight proved much tougher than with the Futur but I mostly managed and the end result is great. It's rare that I ever get a shave better than the one I got today. The main difference is it took far longer.
Alas, my point is that, while us newbs may tend to blame the razor when we should look to ourselves first, such advice shouldn't be gospel. Sometimes it really is the razor. I've spoken to lots of guys who gave up on straights. In fact, the fellow who PIFed me this straight is one of them. My guess is I'm not the only one who should have taken a second shot at having the razor honed.
Now the thing I've got to work on is not ruining this edge and maintaining it through proper stropping and honing. But at least I know now what's it's like when the razor is really sharp.
Special thanks to Doc for rescuing me from myself.
