I recently started shaving with a straight razor but I always have issues with it tugging on my hair, this is mostly an issue on the chin area, but sometimes neck too. I tried holding a hot/wet wash cloth up to my face to soften the hairs. Tried using pre-shave and good shaving cream, actually a variety of different creams. I have also tried both going with and against the grain but as soon as I touch that chin area, I have problems with it tugging on the hair. Going at a shallower angle seems to help a little bit but not much. I wonder if maybe it could just be that the blade isn't sharp enough but I just got it not to long ago from whipped dog, vintage and honed poor mans kit. Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations for me? I strop the blade before each shave, but even when I first got it, I had this issue
To me, excessive tugging using a straight can mean a number of things: • poor prep • poor technique • poor edge The chin area is one of the more challenging areas to shave with an SR as the growth tends to be denser; the angles and curves are more severe , and it requires greater dexterity with the blade by the user. The solution may be as simple as an edge refresh on your razor. Considering you've just started straight razor shaving, odds are your technique may be playing more into the less-than-satisfactory results you're encountering.
I also encountered this problem. It would shave effortlessly on the sides of my face but on my chin there would be massive tugging unlike anything I've ever experienced. After about a month of straight shaving experience didn't help.The advice that was given to me was that some straight shavers grew a goatee for this reason.
Same issue here. I ended up giving up on straights because of that, and prefer the sharper DE blades for my beard type.
I used to have that problem when I first started, and I heard that before about growing mustaches and beards to avoid problem shaving areas. I don't tend to get that problem now so much. I think the primary change is from having a better edge and having a lot more experience. A month, unfortunately, isn't that much experience in the scope of learning the technique for straight shaving. You probably won't feel like you are really good at it until you've been doing it for close to a year. They tell you to start with shaving your cheeks and sideburn area first because it really is a ton easier than other areas, and the chin is the hardest area bar none. One way to see if your technique is to blame is to get a shavette type razor holder and try it with that. The way you hold the razor and the angles you use are the same as with a normal straight, and when you are using half of a DE razor, you know you have a keen edge. If it still tugs then, there is something not jibing with your technique. You might try changing directions to something you haven't tried yet, make the angle shallower (closer to flat against your skin), and you might want to try making shorter strokes. Also remember to pull your skin taut. For my chin, I put my non-razor hand on my throat right up under my chin and pull straight down while holding my lower lip up as high as I can manage (usually sucking in my lip over my teeth as it happens). Stretching the skin seems to make the hairs stand up more, which makes it easier to cut them. I occasionally still find it tugging slightly on the first pass if I haven't shaved for a day or two, but not on any subsequent passes. It may be that your beard grows in quick enough that when you shave after one day is equivalent to two days for me, I don't know. Getting a half DE holder is a cheap way to make sure you have a good edge to start with.
Mr. Oldschool's advice is spot on, IME. The biggest thing is stretching the skin, and angle. The hardest part is the angle. You have to learn to maintain that angle over the sharp, tight curve of the chin. It requires constant attention to maintaining that angle because the curve is so tight it is constantly changing as you move over the chin. Have patience. It will take time to get it right. The biggest reason I think most people who quit the straight do so is because they do not understand that this is going to be a slow progression. With some people, very slow. You have to decide that a) you're willing to put in the time to learn it, and b) you're going to stick with it, whatever it takes. This is something some people aren't prepared to do. Whether you are or not is up to you to find out, but if I had to advise you, I'd tell you to persevere. It's worth it, IMO. I cannot imagine a better way to shave, nor can I imagine a time without my straights to shave with.
OP why don't you go to get a straight shave with a barber? That way you'll know it's you or the razor and if it is worth it or not.
they know what they're doing. If the razor still tugs it means it is the razor at fault and not your technique.
Are you suggesting I take my own straight razor and have them use it? I don't see how having a different person use a different razor is going to tell me if the edge is bad on my razor
All I know is what I experience: when I get any tugging on my chin, I know its time to refresh the edge of that razor. I'll grab another razor from the drawer and...voila!...no tugging.
I've never had a barber shave me. Barbers in these parts don't do shaves anymore. So what I have to say is only repeating what I've read elsewhere (here even) from other people's experiences. Disclaimer out of the way, you are not likely to get answers by going to a barber, with or without your razor. 1.) A barber straight shave is often described as not as comfortable as doing it yourself. It is probably a necessary effect of the fact that the barber can't feel your comfort level. 2.) Finding a barber that is capable of giving a good straight shave is getting to be very difficult these days, even in areas where they still offer them. 3.) There may be rules restricting them from using a razor you provide them with. They do have rules about the sterilization of their razors, so it may extend beyond that to use of other people's razors too, I don't know. I certainly would be hesitant to shave someone else with a razor that I hadn't sharpened or had sharpened by someone I respect at the job (such as Glen). If someone just walked in off the street and handed me a razor to shave them with (assuming I was a barber, which I am not) I would probably turn them down. They might be willing to look at your razor and tell you ways to see how sharp it is, but I would be surprised if they did anything more than that. Like HolyRollah said, changing out the blade with one that you know to be sharper will tell you if that was the problem. As early as it is in your straight shaving journey, I think it is most likely a combination of both sharpness and angle. Both will improve in time as you get better at stropping and using your razor, but we're talking months, not weeks or days. It is worth the effort, though. I have never heard of someone who went all the way through the long road of learning to use straights that said it wasn't worth it.
Because the straight razor ride is such a long road, many who've sampled decide it isn't worth the effort of the journey and so return to SE or DE shaving. I get that. SR shaving isn't for everyone. If one is content with the quality of shaves he can get from a good DE or SE razor, there is really no compelling reason to switch—other than a curiosity. I admit, my first dozen shaves with a straight were not pretty nor comfortable. I began to question my decision of having invested a good chunk of change in both razor, strop, etc. as I was simply NOT enjoying the experience nor seeing anything that resembled the great shaves I was getting from my DE razors. BUT I stuck it out. Within the first 3 months (!!), I finally turned the corner and began growing more comfortable with the razor, better at skin-stretching, BETTER at stropping (VERY important!), and I was becoming less and less dependent upon the DE razor for clean up. Long story short, my determination paid off. Little over a year after I started straight razor shaving, I'm hooked. I look forward to my shaves now even more than I did with my DE razors. It (staying on the long road) was to me well-worth it!
I can't say for certain what's going on with your shave, because I'm not standing there beside you, but I can tell you that I had exactly the same troubles when I started, and it turned out to be one thing. My stropping technique was so terrible that words fowl & vile enough to describe how bad I was killing that freshly honed edge with the strop could not be found. It literally took me months, but when I finally got the strop figured out, I new it immediately. I went to the sink for what must have been the 80th or 90th time (Dude, I'm not kidding...) and lathered one side of my face, eyeball to collar bone. As soon as the razor started down my cheek, I knew I had finally gotten things right. It all went smooth as silk and there was not even in the slightest tug. I even trimmed around my mustache with no trouble. My best guess is just what you said, you've got an edge that needs some help. I think you need the help of someone who is much experienced, and for sure knows what he is doing. (not just somebody who claims he can hone & strop, I mean somebody who is well known and respected.) Probably, you need some tutoring and practice stropping. The thing with stropping is that you can do it too little, and you'll have a rough, tuggy edge. You can also do it improperly, and just kill the edge altogether by rolling it over. I know, I've done both, hundreds of times. I don't know where you are located. There may be someone on this forum who is qualified to help you. I do know that I'm still a newb, and I'm not. If nobody jumps in here with an offer to help, I would consider heading on over to the Straight Razor Place, and asking for a member/mentor to help you. There are several scattered around the US, and they DO NOT charge for helping new straight shavers. If you are lucky, help may be a short distance from you right now. If you cannot find someone who is close enough for you to meet up with, then I would contact Glen, (@gssixgun) who frequents this forum, to see if he will work out a plan with you. Glen's business IS straight razors, and he builds, refurbishes, restores, regrinds, hones, and shaves with straights even whilst sleeping. I'm sure if you contact him, he will do his best to help you. Above all, don't be put off by this setback. This happens to nearly everyone. Develop a plan to get this figured out, and stick with it. If I can do it, you certainly can. Best wishes and best of luck to you.
First off try this, exactly as I do in the Vid "No Cheating" This will give you a base line as to how sharp your edge is WITH YOUR FACE http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/video-what-is-the-shave-test.32920/ Try putting your strop along the edge of the counter or a table and do 100 perfect as possible Leather Laps before you start this experiment This will give you the best idea of where your razor is at.. Let us know after this test and we can all try and help you from the results you tell us about... Most important,,, 110% effort here to get it right no shortcuts
ps: I am assuming that you have looked at your edge under well lit magnification, to make sure that there are no chips, dings, or obvious problems with the edge ????
There are some really good suggestions in this thread. I'm still new to straight razor shaving myself so can really add anything new. I can sympathize with you though. I've had a goatee and mustache for longer than I've been wet shaving, DE And straight. Recently I've thought of shaving off my goatee, and have skunk in down a little. Weather it be my DE or straight, the closer I get to shaving my chin, the tougher it gets. Bad blade/edge, bad technique, really tough hair or a combination? I don't know and the answer for might not be the answer for you. All I do know is, right now I OK with not shaving my chin. That way or may not work for you. If I do finally decided to lose the goatee, it might tug but that is something I am prepared for.
Another thought occurred to me this morning as I was prepping for my shave. One thing that has always caused discomfort when I've done it is going too fast. Straight shaving isn't like other forms where you can whisk right through it. You have to be slow and methodical and let your razor do the work. If you go too fast it only leads to trouble, so just make sure you take it easy.
