Some help please with edge retention

Although I am New to the world of straight razors, I am slowly getting to grips with my technique, stropping etc, but have problems with the razor keeping it's edge for the whole shave.
I have tried the thumb nail test and the razors edge grips all the way along the length of the blade, so I am presuming that the bevel is ok, stropping also goes well and after around 40 strokes the razor has a keen edge, shaving the cheeks from the sideburns down is ok, but then it all goes pear shaped as the razor appears to have lost it's edge and drags and pulls my beard instead of cutting it, and this is WTG at a 30 degree angle
Am I missing something obvious or doing something blatently wrong
Some help please from those more experienced straight razor users.
Many thanks.

 

I'm not the one with many years of experience on the board, but the first and only thing that comes to mind is the steel. If a good edge can be obtained, the only thing I can think of is the steel not holding the edge. What type/make of razor are you using?

 

3o degrees is pretty steep and I'll wager your dropping your wrist and going even steeper when you get below the jawline. What is your brand of razor? The steeper your angle the duller it will feel.

 

I'm using a Hamburg ring razor, I'm holding the spine two spine widths from my face, I don't know if this is thirty degrees or not, but I do try and keep the same angle throughout the shave, I just dont know if I am doing anything wrong

 

Try going shallower below the jaw line on your first pass and open it up on the next one.

 

It has been my understanding that the 'Hamburg' or 'Hamburgh' (I've seen both) Ring refers to a type of grind to the blade and that many had their blades ground in Hamburg or of this style. The styles I've seen are of an extreme hollow grind and thus the 'ring', not referring so much to a style or forge, but of the 'singing' type of blade that an extreme hollow grind can impart to the blade. Is there any other indication of a company or origin anywhere on the blade? I may be shooting my mouth off here, if so there are many who will correct me.

The only other thing that I can think of, if the steel is good, is the edge condition when stropped. This may sound silly, but are you certain you're starting with a truly shave-ready edge? It may be that it's sharp enough to shave, but not enough to hold the edge throughout, which would probably impart a 'tugging' shave. You may need to go back to the hone, then take great care in stropping. I'm just tossing out what comes to mind, here. I hope my 2¢ has helped you.

Someone will certainly stop by who can give you more insight and options than I have. Best of luck with it.

 

Another possible issue would be if you have a foil edge, which would need to be knocked off and rehoned. Who did your honing?

 

I think its a combo of everything. Your technique might be a little off and it sounds like the edge of the razor is ready for a honinig. Does it pass the hht after you strop?

Another issue might be your strop. If your strop is too slick then it isn't doing its job.

List all your gear and let us know if its vintage, or new. Don't worry we will get you going. If you need it rehoned I would be more than happy to help you out. Trust me we have all been there.

 

The TNT just took the Fine edge of your razor off there, it is designed for somebody honing the edge to test the bevel stage at 1k, if you do the TNT after that you will dull the edge..

To be honest unless you are honing the razor the only test the you should be doing is the "Shave test" BTW that does not really mean a full shave a "Shave Test" is an actual test..

Every other Test is really designed for a experienced Honer who has calibrated those tests...

 

Listen to him, he'll get you through.

 

Aye,

He KNOWS what he's talking about.

 

Thanks guys there's quite a lot to think about there, but your advice and comments are very much appreciated, I think I will have to go back to the Norton and like glen has said, the only true test of it being shave ready is to shave test it, I will let you know how I get on!!!

 

Hang in there. Once you get a few of these things figured out it will be worth it.

 

There is a thread over at SRP and although I don't like sending people to other forums, it is after all my thread and it is only about using the Norton 4/8 the name is JaNorton there are also a couple of Vids on my channel and Lynn's channel specifically about getting the most out of the Norton 4/8..

Just google "Honing Norton 4/8" and you are going to find a ton of info, please feel free to PM me or ask here if you have questions

 

I just started honing- my first straight was not shave ready so I bought a hone. My razor feels like it tugs when I shave. Should I get a finishing stone, hone some more, or strop some more? I followed the advice from a lot of your videos. I set the bevel, went from 4-8k using circle strokes and then did pyramids. Should I do some more pyramid strokes? Because they seemed to help a lot.

EDIT: I'm also having trouble achieving a dfs with one pass that everyone who uses a straight gets. Is this due to sharpness or technique? It does pass the hair drop test but some people say this is not a good test for shav readiness.

 

I just checked out the thread on SRP Glen, Very informative indeed, many thanks to you and everyone who has offered advice and comments.

 

Ok quite a few questions there hehehe

There are some tricks to getting the absolute Maximum out of the Norton 8k that are all about the last 15-20 laps, watch the end of the Vids again
Leave the HHT until you get the shave you want out of an edge then and only then calibrate the HHT to that edge
When I first learned about the HHT I honestly thought I was God's gift to honing I could pop the HHT every single time on every single razor then I accidentally plucked out one of the wife's hairs from the brush and learned that it is all about calibrating the HHT to the edge, not the other way around.. Her hair will only pass after stropping mine will pop after a 1k edge You can use a new DE blade to get a great idea of what all the "Sharpness tests" should feel like and look like with your hair, your fingers, and fingernails..

Learn about what the shave test really is "That perfectly prepped stroke from the Sideburn line to the Jawline" once that is so smooth it actually surprises you it is about the edge, once you get there then it becomes about your shaving technique on the rest of the face...

I think i got all your questions

 

Thanks. You did answer all of them. If I pull my sisters hair out of a brush it will not pop because her hair is very thin. I have thick Sicilian hair and I found out just now that it will pop on a kitchen knife. I think I will put off the HHT until I get the shave I want. I am kind of angry because I had a few very nice few shaves and then the edge got scratched on the side of a tube of cream. I have never been able to get the same shave ever since . Even after further stropping

 

I just rehoned and it felt a lot sharper. Then I stropped and the edge seemed to loose its sharpness. It felt more smooth than sharp. I just don't get it. Maybe I am not stropping right

 

It often happens. There are all kinds of explanations. I personally feel that it's the razor. Some, I feel, just don't like the leather. If you have it honed to where you feel it's shave ready. Shave with it. If it works for you with out the strop, do it off the stone. Rather than leather you may want to try a cotton belt weave pasted strop. Be the blade. Let it tell you what it wants.