Hello guys,
We have been trying to sort this out for a while. Ian originally had one of my slightly less than quarter hollow grind sheffields, but as this did not do the business he is currently trying the following selection of three razors:
widths: just under 4/8 to about 6/8
grinds: quarter hollow to full hollow
steels: sheffield, german, soft to hard (the hardest being a 'silver' steel)
Ian sent the original back to me, and I can confirm that his stropping technique is not the issue - it still split hairs with ease all along the blade straight out of the box so he is an A1 stropper! I thought that maybe the sheffileld was too soft or that the blade was less keen than it should be, but I have shaved myself with the razor and it shaves me like a champ. Even if I had had an 'off day' it would be highly unusual to botch 4 in a row, all sent to the same person and all honed at different times on different stones!
Bikeboy: I usually finish freshly honed razors on a strop pasted with tin oxide (its just like chrome oxide), canvas, high-draw bridle leather and low draw tallow tan leather: each of these four have received that treatment.
I also examine the bevels under a 30x loupe to make sure that they are set properly, and use the usual tests during honing (TNT, TPT, arm hair) to ensure that the edge is keen, followed by the HHT at at least five places along the blade - if the razor doesn't pass this last test it goes back a couple of hones and is brought back up again until it does.
As Exile says, the blades should get smoother after a number of shaves (I reckon about three to five), mainly due to the stropping, but they should be plenty sharp enough right at the outset.
Like Arrowhead says, pressure isn't a good thing (providing you can differentiate between what is too little and what is too much).
So, in short, I'm stumped. Maybe it is just going to take time and perseverance. I'd hate to think that it is the honing that is at fault, and (correct me if I'm wrong, Ian) I seem to recall that you had the same problems with a razor from somebody else quite some time ago?
The thing that I keep coming back to is the angle, but Ian has tried all sorts of angles, so I suppose that is a blind avenue.
It's a pity you don't know any experienced straight shavers who could observe and offer some real-time advice (apart from the guy that told you he doesn't use straights anymore due to the pulling). I guess he is correct to a certain degree: if you compare straights with DEs they are going to have a totally different 'feel' and a slight pull or resistance is common on some areas, especially ATG, and usually takes a very long time and a lot of practice to overcome. The 'sound' is another thing - I have quite course bristles, and although some people describe their straight shaves as being soundless I have always experienced a sound of some sort, even though I have tried hundreds of razors and razors honed by respected honers over here and by Lyn in the US (and against which I have compared my edges and haven't found anything wanting).
Fingers crossed, though, that someone can suggest something - however off-the-wall it may seem, that can be of some help here!
Regards,
Neil