I'd appreciate a little help here. I started shaving with straights back in January. I bought a few razors of different sizes and grinds, all vintage. All came in shave-ready condition from different sellers.
Over the past four months, I have shaved with four razors, each for about a month (every other day), but in sequence rather than rotating. Each shaved similarly (as far as I can remember) when fresh, cutting through most hair effortlessly, but always tough going on the chin hair.
After about a month, each razor has got to the point where it starts to drag a little on the cheeks, which were originally the easiest hair to slice through. When switching to another fresh razor, the effortless shaves come back.
I have been stropping with the same strop I've owned since the first; a 3" Miller buffalo hide/linen. I've tried different lap counts; up to 80 laps on leather alone though to about 15 laps linen + 30 laps leather. I've not observed any difference. I don't believe I have made any obvious stropping mistakes, and haven't nicked the strop once.
Firstly; is a month of every-other-day shaving a typical length of time to expect an edge to last without touch-up, or is there something wrong with my technique (either shaving or stropping)? Does the fact that even four months in I find chin hair hard-going even with a fresh shave-ready razor hint at a possible problem?
Second; now that I obviously have to do something with the razors, what's the best first course of action? Can a CrOx strop bring back the edge, or do I need to go to a 12k (or 8k or even lower?) hone to get it back?
Many thanks in advance
Over the past four months, I have shaved with four razors, each for about a month (every other day), but in sequence rather than rotating. Each shaved similarly (as far as I can remember) when fresh, cutting through most hair effortlessly, but always tough going on the chin hair.
After about a month, each razor has got to the point where it starts to drag a little on the cheeks, which were originally the easiest hair to slice through. When switching to another fresh razor, the effortless shaves come back.
I have been stropping with the same strop I've owned since the first; a 3" Miller buffalo hide/linen. I've tried different lap counts; up to 80 laps on leather alone though to about 15 laps linen + 30 laps leather. I've not observed any difference. I don't believe I have made any obvious stropping mistakes, and haven't nicked the strop once.
Firstly; is a month of every-other-day shaving a typical length of time to expect an edge to last without touch-up, or is there something wrong with my technique (either shaving or stropping)? Does the fact that even four months in I find chin hair hard-going even with a fresh shave-ready razor hint at a possible problem?
Second; now that I obviously have to do something with the razors, what's the best first course of action? Can a CrOx strop bring back the edge, or do I need to go to a 12k (or 8k or even lower?) hone to get it back?
Many thanks in advance