Thread: Well it's here but........

Originally Posted by edhewitt

I would try a regular strop first, but that is coming from someone who doesn't use pastes. Have you done any stropping practice, yes I know it sounds lame and a bit daft but just a bit to get the hang of it using some newspaper and a butter knife would work. You can also use newspaper as a real razor strop too. Just cut some strips and put them in a bulldog clip, if you pull the paper out of the clip you are stropping too hard.

Hey, I am open to suggestions always. I have practiced stropping a bit (similar to what you described) and I will give the newspaper a shot in the morning. Two questions. Why don't you use pastes? What DO you use? What is a bulldog clip? Hahaha. That's three ?'s

Originally Posted by Steel

Hey, I am open to suggestions always. I have practiced stropping a bit (similar to what you described) and I will give the newspaper a shot in the morning. Two questions. Why don't you use pastes? What DO you use? What is a bulldog clip? Hahaha. That's three ?'s

Well I don't use pastes because I don't have any, I am trying to limit the gear I have and a load of pasted strops would be difficult for me to store, and I travel regularly for work so I would have to tote them around. I have a leather and fabric strop, and a few finishing stones, I should have just bought a nani 12 k in the first palace but I didn't.
Hmm a bulldog clip is a wide self sprung metal clip for holding papers and such, they often look like a metal triangle from the end, they come in different widths, and one side of the triangle will open using wire handles. It might be best to google it, or just pop into your local stationers.

Bulldog clip:

Originally Posted by Chevhead

Bulldog clip:

Cheers ed, the lower one was what I was describing, the upper one is what I used.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Where did you get the razor if I can ask?

I understand the reason for the question but I would rather not post it because I don't want to be viewed as I am bashing or slandering on here. Thanks to everyone for the replies. I will most definitely give it another go and I won't send it back to the company. I am convinced they did their best. Thanks ed for the tips and new things to try I love trying new things!

The only thing I disagree with is that shavettes are a harsh shave. Ohh they can be but I have got some wonderfully smooth shaves off from them. Actually quite consistently too. Smooth, no irritation, and very very close (read BBS). Of course everyone is different and that has just been my experience.

What you are experiencing is pretty common.

I would not treat the razor with anything until you strop it and try shaving a few more times. There is a definite transition from the shavette to the real straight and you need to keep the razor more vertical when shaving.

Have fun.

Will do. I am happy to hear this is not uncommon. I am going to give it a strop and a go here in an hour or two and will report back.

Originally Posted by Steel

Will do. I am happy to hear this is not uncommon. I am going to give it a strop and a go here in an hour or two and will report back.

I also have a Best Quality. I purchased it with factory edge as I wanted to gauge my honing and compare it to my pro-honed edges. I shaved with it after honing it to the point it removed arm hair and was not happy with the shave. I put it away for a bit until I decided I didn't want to hone it again because it still picked up hair off my arm cleanly. I stropped 20 on webbing and 40 on leather and it was night and day. I have not honed and have had 2 nice shaves with it since. Seems to me the sharpness is there after honing but to get the smoothness it should be stropped. Good luck!

Well. A quick update. Of course, there is no quick fix. This will take some time. I stropped it earlier but my skills on the strop are not very good and I don't think I affected the edge at all. At least I didn't ruin the edge but I don't think I helped it either. This is just going to take some good old fashion practice practice practice. I will come back to this thread when I come out the other side in case others read it in the future and are having similar issues.

I went (still learning) through he same transition recently. Couple things, don't give up, its a learning curve. Eddy79 told me the most valuable advice I have recieved

"Keep at it and you will get there. Just remember that pressure equals burn not a closer shave. Good luck."

I would really focus on the angle.