Thread: Dull Blade??

I've been using my straight for almost a week now. It was honed by Larry at whippeddog. Since I got it, I haven't had the feeling that the razor's been gliding properly. I'm wondering if the blade has been dulled? I had a decent shave with it yesterday, but it was pulling really bad, and has been since the first time I used it. So I took some of the advice I read and was given in another thread. I gave it 3 passes on my barber hone, followed by 20 on newspaper and about 50 on my strop. And then I shaved. It pulled a lot and when I got to the tougher areas (under the chin, center of the neck, edge of jaw) it just stopped dead in my stubble. I stropped again and adjusted my angles and it helped, but there was still pulling and I was left with a little razor burn even though I don't feel like I was using pressure with the blade. After two passes I had to shave again with a Mach3 because I was still stubbly.

I'm thinking I dulled my blade, but I'm also confused because it's been like that since I got it. I haven't had a single shave where I didn't feel any pulling regardless of angle or pressure. Short strokes get stuck too. Is there possibly something wrong with the blade (it is almost 80 years old).

I also noticed that when I looked at my face, it didn't seem like the blade was removing the lather uniformly. There seemed to be streaks left. Is that technique or a bad edge?

What do you recommend I do before my shave tomorrow night to try to make it better?

To be honest I think it's your (lack of) technique. Your post is quite typical of a new straight shaver. Watch you angles(not too steep), use short and confident strokes.

wow that was fast!

The angles part is tough (and I'm sure you would all agree). If the spine is too far away, it pulls and catches. If it's too close, the blade seems to skip off my hair and leave most of it. I know that's normal for a beginner, but obviously it's really frustrating.

I guess a better question might be: how would I know if the blade really is dull? How can I tell the difference between poor beginner's technique and a blade with a rolled edge or the like?

One thing I forgot to mention is my strop...I got a poor man's strop from whippeddog. I was advised to oil it and press it, but I notice there still seems to be a slight wrinkle or two in the leather, but it feels very smooth. Also, the strop is stiff...stiffer than I expected. But, I have no point of reference. Should my strop be stiff? Soft? Does it even matter in regards to blade sharpness?

Check out this video. Use very light strokes almost no pressure when you strop. There is a possibility that you may have rolled your edge. I can't speak to the stiffness of the strop, I'm somewhat of a newby myself... so take what I say with a grain of salt... but definitely watch this video

based on that I think I might have rolled it. I've been stropping too hard. I spent about 10 minutes stropping as lightly as I could and I got a much different feeling and a much different sound from the strop. I did about 20-30 laps just for practice and it felt much sharper on my arm and took off the hair much more cleanly. definitely a lightbulb moment, so many thanks, Cage. I'll strop it more tomorrow and see how it shaves.

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

based on that I think I might have rolled it. I've been stropping too hard. I spent about 10 minutes stropping as lightly as I could and I got a much different feeling and a much different sound from the strop. I did about 20-30 laps just for practice and it felt much sharper on my arm and took off the hair much more cleanly. definitely a lightbulb moment, so many thanks, Cage. I'll strop it more tomorrow and see how it shaves.

Stropping correctly is probably the most important thing to learn after angle and pressure. Give it 30 linen (if you have linen) and 50-80 leather with the new technique and see how it goes, it probably will be better.

Try this... shave to short stubble length in the WTG direction with a safety razor. Then, finish with your straight razor. Use light pressure, letting the blade nip off the tips of the whiskers. As you become more comfortable, with each shave, leave a little more whiskers for the straight razor.

When you use the straight razor only, you typically lay the blade flat on your face during the first WTG pass or two, reducing the whiskers with each WTG pass until it reaches short stubble length.

When you lay the blade flat, you will be cutting whiskers at an extreme diagonal, and you can expect some pulling. After your whiskers are reduced to skin level, either by safety razor or straight, the pulling should cease.

seems the blade was at least part of the issue. After some proper stropping it was much sharper and I got a better shave. Technique was still off but I made some strides in both razor angle and shave direction...I'm learning which directions are best on my neck and it was extremely helpful, and less pulling due to the noticeably sharper blade. I'm still touching up my face with a cartidge razor but each time I have to do less and less. I think the blade is still not as sharp as it could be but that's just me learning my stropping technique.

Its good to hear that you're making strides in the right direction. Continue to take it slowly and patiently! Most of all ENJOY yourself!