Straight razor still not gliding !! I’m about to abandon . My straight razor is still not gliding after I made all the purchases and things to do: -better straight razor (Boker King Cutter carbon) -better shaving soap -better strop belt (from Boker) -I’m Stretching the skin while shaving I’m getting sick and tired !!! the razor either « jumps » , or is « glued » to the skin…!!!! cant’t tell what I’m doing wrong, ??maybe it’s because I’m still new at it (started around September 2024) I know the learning curve is longer, therefore will continue , but I’d like that razor to glide and be less scared. Regards Lee
Have you had it professionally honed? I know many people say a new out of the box straight razor really isn't shave-ready, but needs to be honed.
Hi Thanks for your reply. normally the Boker razor are well shave ready . I stropped it on the rear of the belt, with compound . I’ll try to hone it on a 6000 whetstone I have not done it yet because was afraid of having a worse result by using the whetstone (I’m not advanced user for whetstones ) I have a question : When stropping on the belt , if you don’t apply to much pressure there is no noise . But if you apply a bit pressure especially on the Apex side , there is a little noise like a « shhhhiishhhh » Maybe I’m not stropping correctly ?
I would recommend professional honing. Nothing wrong with trying it yourself but it's a skill that takes a long time to master. Better to know that it has been done correctly so you can then work on technique. When I first started trying to learn how to use a straight I struggled with how long the learning curve is. I mostly had to learn to take very short strokes and stop trying to shave like I would with a safety razor. Six months from now this will be a distant memory.
Yes, it is. I was actually pondering your predicament during my shave this morning. I lathered up with Van der Hagen Deluxe and was pleased with just how slick this soap is; much slicker than some of my other soaps. So I'm thinking, maybe it's your soap. A thinner, somewhat wetter lather is most often slicker than a thicker, drier lather. And some soaps just tend to be slicker, offering more slide and glide, and less drag and sticking to the face.
hi, Many thanks for you reply . Completely True ! I just realized soap thick or watery makes a difference . The other day I used very thick soap, plus I took a long time shaving (as a beginner ), and just realized it had become « cement » like …. Kind of gluing the blade on my face …. Removed and reapplied watery foam made a difference …. I am waiting to receive an order of pre shave oil, to see if it will help too. for your extra gliding soap, the Van der Hagen, not sure if available in Europe , but will look for a shaving soap with the ingredients showing in yours ( aloe vera and shea butter) Good thing Kind Regards Lee
Steve's @swarden43 comments about slicker wetter lather sparked my memory. I did a lot of initial straight razor practice using super slick shave gel. Not as much cushion as soap but super slick and also opaque enough to see through it and look at the area you're about to shave.
I love your attitude of continuing and not giving up. But your comment about being less scared made me think about when I started. I found that a less than confident stroke can be a problem. After I got better with the straight razor, I heard some advise that I realized I was doing without thinking about it: start the stroke before the blade even touches your face. Don't lay the blade on your face, and then start the stroke; there will be a suction effect on the blade to your face. Make the stroke without hesitation and it will glide easier.
Hi, Many thanks for your reply! À part of the « sticking » or « suction » issue might come from here too. Beginning September 2024, after my first week of practicing, with my first straight razor, a non brand, a Pakistanese razor, I got very « confident « , and near the chin made a fast move , that resulted in a huge cut. I do not want to experience such a cut again , maybe that’s why I’m now so scared , and maybe I’m pressing the razor in a kind of way that it’s counter productive, as you mentioned. I will have to think about this issue as well. Thanks for bringing this point , it clarifies a bit more the big picture and I’m sure it will help me progress . Kind Regards Lee
Thanks for the support. I want to avoid having to many scars, this is the first and I hope the last (done a month ago)…. Don’t want to be called « Scarface »…. ;-)
I would like to record and post a few seconds of my shaving closely and post it in order to be corrected if I’m doing wrong. Can we post short movies on this website ??
I Honed my straight razor at 10’000 grit, then honed on Boker’s red paste on leather , plus 50 strops between each on the leather belt. Razor was at it’s maximum sharpness ! On the hair test, all hair « hanging » were cut. (Not having much hair on the arms, and not wanting to use the ones on my head), I just realized today I had plenty very long hair (somewhere else on the mid section of my body) to be used for these sharpness tests, very happy too. Shaving was much better, but I still need to master now the movement , pressure and angle. I did also short strokes as advised. thanks again to all for your precious advices . I’m happy I’m progressing
Oh Hi, Yes , thanks , much better . In fact straight razor shaving is good when you control all aspects of it (blade sharpness with long and smooth stropping (100 strops), pulling the face skin so the hair protrude better , working very small areas of the face , small répétitive movements on small areas one after another , repeated watery brush foam applying to avoid it drying/sticking, pre-moisting face with hot water, etc… I had also the pleasure to get old rusty ones work and shave again . These last days made a pause and used my Merkur Safety Rasor with Feather Platinum blades , smooth, but willing to go back from time time to the straight razor so I don’t loose knowledge .
