Thread: blade still tugging -- tried everything!!

update!

So I just shaved, trying a few suggestions. I let some hair conditioner sit on my beard during the shower, used a hot towel for a couple minutes, and pulled down on the skin right under my chin while shaving that area. And damn if it didn't give me a better shave. It still tugged slightly, but a whole lot less than it did before. And it was a closer shave! Next time I'll try some XTG and I bet it'll be nice and smooth.

Thanks everyone!!

Your prep seems fine. A shower moisturizes the whiskers fully, hot towels after a shower are not going to hydrate already 100% hydrated hairs even more.

Pre-shave oil is something that may have a long term effect on your skin condition, but it is not going to soften the beard or make it easier to shave in some magical way. There's even the possibility of overdoing it, which could interfere with your shave. (however not that much that it would result in heavy pulling).

Not sure what you mean with different stropping techniques. But as long as the spine of the razor stays in touch with the strop at all times, your stropping will be fairly adequate.

Skin stretching. It affects how close the shave will be. And it also helps to prevent against nicks. But it does little to prevent tugging.

The only parameters that influence how easily a razor severs the hairs (resulting in a pulling sensation if things are not what they should be) are:
-beard prep, which is fine in your case.
-shaving angles
-razor sharpness

As far as shaving angles are concerned, there's a Wiki article you've probably already read, that addresses the finer points. Read from here on.

As for razor sharpness. I have a quote of Sherlock Holmes for you: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. "
Have that razor checked.

Kind regards,
Bart.

Remember Dan, str8 shaving is a lot of little things that all add up to give the perfect shave, lots of non shaving things have an effect e.g. your frame of mind, the time of day, etc etc
Good luck and keep at it mate, btw if you are looking to get your razor checked? Sir Bart who posted above mine is by all accounts a true Master. and from my own experience I know He is a True gent

Best wishes with it all
Ralfy

Originally Posted by DanS

Thanks everyone. I am thinking now my beard prep might not be up to snuff. I have been shaving right after showering: put on some pre-shave oil (that my local barber shop swears by), do a hot towel, and then let some lather sit on my face for a few minutes while i strop. Some folks have mentioned doing the hot towel treatment for a few minutes, and I only do it for say, 10 seconds... The towel gets cool quickly so i figured i didn't need to hold it to my face for very long. I'll try doing it for a couple minutes next time.



I strop before and after each shave. I have a Proforma hanging leather strop I purchased from a SRP member, and I think it's great . I've tried different stropping techniques to see if I notice a difference, but i haven't really. I usually do about 30-50 roundtrips.

Anyone think the grind of the blade makes a difference? Does it just vary how heavy the blade feels, or does it cut the hairs differently?

It sounds like your improving your beard prep...thats good, continue it and also the stretching and pay attention to the blade angle while your shaving.

Stropping... you've experimented with different stropping techniques...???.. ok that may indicate one of the problems.
Most of the new guys try to strop far to fast while paying no attention to see if the edge is contacting the leather. Please... slow down the stropping stroke and make sure the edge is making contact with the leather. The other possibility is that you may have slightly rolled the edge, rounded, by improper stropping. One thing you can try is instead of using the strop while hanging just lay it flat on a countertop and strop for 200 roundtrip laps, very slowly. What this will accomplish is that you can make sure the edge is making contact and it just may restore the edge.

If after doing all the above the razor still tugs at the whiskers then send it off to have the razor lightly rehoned.

Just my $.02,

You mentioned you use a full hollow.Maybe you need to try a wedge or a half hollow.It might not be the razor at all,you just might need a stiffer grind.Just a thought.

One thing you can try to see if a wedge or a quarter grind razor will help is to shave your chin with the heel of your razor. A while back I read a post by another SRP member who suggested to try shaving with the heel of the razor The blade tends to be more stiff towards the heel.

I noticed a slight difference when I tried this. Now when I use a full hollow razor I try and use the heel of the razor when shaving my chin.

I did end up buying a 1/4 grind razor and I love it. I still have several full hollow razors in my rotation that give me great shaves I just adjust my shaving technique to the particular razor.

It boils down to getting to know your razors and what works for you.

I say try using different parts of the blade on your face. I started using the heel of the blade on my chin one day because that part seemed to be the sharpest on my dull blade. I was pleasantly surprised how smooth and close that part of the blade shaves.