Thread: What A Drag

Originally Posted by pmburk

I have read repeatedly in this forum that because a razor is shave ready, it doesn't always mean it's shave ready, some stropping is needed before the shave.

You always want to strop prior to your shave.....UNLESS, You just bought it, and it specifiaclly say's. No stropping needed for the First shave...and that's the first shave only...After that, you'd want to strop each time you use it...Some guys strop before and after they shave...

Originally Posted by zib

I don't know. I recently bought a razor that was sold as shave ready, and it dragged across my face. I know it wasn't my angle or technique. The blade needed a touch up, which I did, and now it's fine. We tend to blame poor angle and technique when it's a new guy. Sometimes it is, Sometimes it isn't. I've honed blades for new members, some actually had chips in the bevel when I got them. Really bad shape...

1st I've read of guys buying razors from various places that turn out to be NOT shave ready, including an instance here (an old thread I found one day) where a member here thought he'd honed a razor in a batch of razors he was honing, and posted it for sale. Turned out it had accidentally ended up in the "honed" pile and was verified by the seller to not be honed. He honed it up and sent it back to the purchaser who was then happy. So it CAN happen that a "Shave Ready" blade is not actually shave ready EVEN from a reputable vendor. BBW

2nd, I can't believe guys would be trying to shave with visible chips in a blade. I hope any newcomers that are in that situation run across this post and get their razors honed! I once got a blade from e-bay that looked good, but under the microscope was filled with chips. It would have been killer to shave with if I'd just assumed it was sharp (it "felt" sharp).

Originally Posted by pmburk

I have read repeatedly in this forum that because a razor is shave ready, it doesn't always mean it's shave ready, some stropping is needed before the shave.

SOMETIMES

Originally Posted by zib

You always want to strop prior to your shave.....UNLESS, You just bought it, and it specifiaclly say's. No stropping needed for the First shave...and that's the first shave only...After that, you'd want to strop each time you use it...Some guys strop before and after they shave...

+1 to Zib's advice here. A razor from Lynn, or Larry, or a member here who has honed it FOR YOU shouldn't need a stropping for that first shave. You should always strop for subsequent shaves though.

I bought my Dovo Best Quality from SRD and it was ready to go from get-go. In the mean time, I take royal care of my razor, after the shave, I carefully rinse it off, wipe it carefully on a towel, apply the Camellia oil to both sides, and it goes into its case. Yeah, it's Type A anal (I'm actually type B), but a lot of work went into making that razor and it's my first SR, I believe if take care of your things, they will take care of you.

Well, it's a couple of weeks later and after some stamping of feet, some serious irritation and lots of muttering as I reach for my DE, the question is "Have things gotten any better?"...well...yes, slowly.Thanks to the kind posts, tips and suggestions you gentlemen have left, I've made some progress and today, I actually got smooth and irritation free cheeks from using a straight. I know it's not much but I'm chuffed. In fact the only irritation I got today was from the hard soap I was using and that was in the parts of my face where I didn't use my straight...

You made progress and that's what counts. Many happy shaves to you sir!

Originally Posted by VanHelsing

I actually got smooth and irritation free cheeks from using a straight. I know it's not much but I'm chuffed. In fact the only irritation I got today was from the hard soap I was using and that was in the parts of my face where I didn't use my straight...

Perhaps not much, but progress all the same, and some good foundations in place to develop the rest of your shave technique. Well played sir!

Congrats on making progress.

Never heard the term "chuffed" before.

Originally Posted by BigJim

Congrats on making progress.

Never heard the term "chuffed" before.

Thanks Big Jim. The term's still used a bit around the UK, but where I'm from originally (Stoke on Trent, N.W England) it's still used alot to mean very pleased.