Thread: When is the razor shave ready

Hi Gents,
I have been straight shaving for the last year and try honing my own razors. I have had two from reputable guys who supplied razors as shave ready and they did a nice job.

My razors pass the HHT and give a very close shave, I just cant get a very smooth stroke on the ATG cheek and neck passes. I have never had a razor yet where I can go ATG on the top lip as I have seen some guys perform on Utube etc. I would like a razor that goes ATG in a smooth motion, without any tugging. I get a BBS shave but it definitely requires multiple passes to achieve. I dont get any cuts or rash, but dont have a smooth shaving experience.

I have an array of hones and pastes, but cant get the razor smooth on those described passes.

Do you guys experince the same problems and am I asking the razor to do too much, are my expectations too high. Infact I am even toying with the idea of buying an Artist razor where I insert razor blades, hoping this will give me that dream shave. Has anyone else gone down this route and did they get the change that they were looking for.

All the best
London

In reality you don't have to shave against the grain to get great shave. WTG AND XTG should be good enough. You have enough experience with SR. have you tried scything motion shaving?
The real test is shave test. if you are getting good shaves then your razor's should be ok.
you stop short not to telling 2 razor you got from people who honed your razor did they shave AGT WELL or not?
you said they did nice job?
If you still insist doing AGT THEN lower the angle and you should be ok.

this is short my experience.
when i started i wasn't able to shave at all.
after 6 months i start to get hold of wtg and xtg.
Next i learned AGT AND I LOVE IT But sooner i realized after AGT I have no hair roots on my face but feeling wasn't good.
Then i learned more and get experienced. Now i get bbs only with wtg and xtg +my skin feels great.
hope this helps.

I don't think I have any advice to give but I will say I do ATG, including top lip and chin, everyday - and often with razors that are quite blunt. I can get a BBS shave from them too but the alum block sure hurts afterwards.

Hi
In all honestly the two shave ready razors I bought gave nice shaves but also struggled to go ATG on the top lip and on the tip of the chin.

I have stropped the razor on a balsa paddle with CRo2 until my arm ached to see if I could make the edge as smooth as possible but as I said, the shave is smooth but not when I try ATG. There always seems to be some tugging, not the smooth motion I was hoping for.

Possibly its a technique issue, and maybe you are right in that ATG and XTG will suffice. I can get a good close shave with a DE razor when I go against the grain and I suppose I want to match that with my straight.

Regards

Dave, I have razors honed by the best in the biz and I am a fair hand with a hone if I do say so myself. I can't do ATG on my upper lip with a brand new Feather blade in a DE let alone a straight razor and it ain't for lack of trying.

I would suspect it is the 'asking too much' option that you mentioned. From your description it sounds like the razors are truly sharp and shave ready so either it is a technique issue or it is the coarseness of your whiskers.

I will say that over a couple of years of doing it I only recently discovered new stretches that enabled me to get problem areas smooth more easily. That upper lip ATG is out of the question for me though even if some guys can do it. We all have different whiskers.

Originally Posted by Dave12345

Hi
I can get a good close shave with a DE razor when I go against the grain and I suppose I want to match that with my straight.

Regards

You will match this but it takes time and patience. Try scything motion see what happens. Please stretch the skin or your will slice your face.
Very important your blade should touch your face barely while you use straight razor.(Means no pressure on your skin . if blade requires pressure to cut hairs it is not shave ready)

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Dave, I have razors honed by the best in the biz and I am a fair hand with a hone if I do say so myself. I can't do ATG on my upper lip with a brand new Feather blade in a DE let alone a straight razor and it ain't for lack of trying.

I would suspect it is the 'asking too much' option that you mentioned. From your description it sounds like the razors are truly sharp and shave ready so either it is a technique issue or it is the coarseness of your whiskers.

I will say that over a couple of years of doing it I only recently discovered new stretches that enabled me to get problem areas smooth more easily. That upper lip ATG is out of the question for me though even if some guys can do it. We all have different whiskers.

That description made me chuckle. Did you ever consider the Feather Artist razor ?

Gents,
Thanks for the quick replies, I will try a little more stretching and the scything motion (ambulance on stand by).


Regards
London

Originally Posted by Dave12345

That description made me chuckle. Did you ever consider the Feather Artist razor ?

I did consider it but decided that I would stick with traditional straights. I enjoy the challenge of honing my own as much as the shaving. From what I've read by others who have used them they are a different kangaroo anyway and not my cup of tea.

A respected honemeister once told me that he is satisfied when a blade shaves hair WTG on his cheek, and sends it out.

In my opinion, this is not shave ready. If, on my face, I cannot shave ATG everywhere (including neck, chip, upper lip) without tugging and irritation, it is not shave ready. I go back to the hones, the pastes, whatever is needed, until it is.

Maybe there are whiskers so tough that there is no blade is sharp enough to do this with. I don't know. We all believe we have tough beards and sensitive skin. Maybe I'm blessed with babyfine whiskers and leathery skin.

I really believe that any straight shaver needs to hone his own razors, and should aim for BBS with minimal irritation, including ATG passes where necessary. Expecting someone a thousand or more miles away, who has never met you or studied your mug, to dial in your edges to produce this effect for $10 - $20, is, in my opinion, a fond notion.