Shaves body hair but not beard?

[Let Us Slay !]

I once shaved with my chokwe, the wharncliffe style blade is decent for it.

[VashHash]

when i do the pocket knife shave i usually scrub my face with a wet paper towel to clean it. I then splash water all over my face so it's moist and then start the shave. i find it helps to pull the skin to make it tighter so the blade isn't pushing but this is only in certain areas. My coarse dmt can almost mirror polish an edge but still leave enough tooth to cut manilla rope with ease. I've also never gotten razor burn from shaving this way. I've only used shaving cream twice for this. Also forgot to mention in my first post shaved with a dragonfly tattoo once with the factory edge. It worked but i should have sharpened it myself first. The upper lip is the hardest part. The angle at which you use the blade makes a huge difference. Alot of guys think the blade needs to be almost level with their face. If the edge angle is that low then yes it does but you have to match the angle you use when you shave your arm hair. if the angle is too acute it won't cut if it's too obtuse it will cut the skin not the hair. it takes a little practice but it can be done you just need to have patience. I also highly recommend using shaving cream or at least warm water. the thicker the shaving cream the better. I use barbasol not to name drop but it works the best for me as far as commercial creams go. your absolute best bet would be a shaving soap you lather yourself so you can control the viscosity.

[IG-88]

A few other examples:

BRKT TUSC

[video=youtube;gjAFmZL7p34]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjAFmZL7p34[/video]

[IG-88]

Maestro Wu D-11 Cleaver

[video=youtube;nFMyMG6v9lM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFMyMG6v9lM[/video]

[Jazz]

I bet Chuck Norris could do it.

- best wishes, Jazz.

[Tally-ho]

My coarse dmt can almost mirror polish an edge but still leave enough tooth to cut manilla rope with ease. I've also never gotten razor burn from shaving this way.

You probably have a "tough" skin because I'm pretty sure that most people will have strong razor burns with a straight razor edge that is not finished, at least on a 6000 grit stone.
I tried only one time to shave with a straight razor after sharpened it on a 1000 grit waterstone, it "shaved" well but I had major shaving burns during two days, so I will definitely not try with a knife that have a 30° angle cutting edge and not mirror polished (10k grit), but i'm very tempted to try to reprofile my ZDP-189 Endura to shave with, to test how this steel will perform with this specific task. Most of straight razors have a blade geometry to make the cutting edge angle to be about 17° when sharpened and honed.

[jackknifeh]

My coarse dmt can almost mirror polish an edge but still leave enough tooth to cut manilla rope with ease. I've also never gotten razor burn from shaving this way. I've only used shaving cream twice for this.

You probably have a "tough" skin because I'm pretty sure that most people will have strong razor burns with a straight razor edge that is not finished, at least on a 6000 grit stone.

"Tough skin"??? I'd say "aligator hide". :D If I tried shaving after a DMT coars stone I'd be looking at my entire face in the sink looking back at me. :eek: :) I shaved with my Endura once with shaving cream. To compare a knife edge to your straight razor you need to use cream like you do with the straight razor. Crocodile Dundee I'm not. :) I easily shaved my cheek with my Endura. The edge angle was around 24° inclusive probably. I don't remember what I finished the edge with but I'm sure it was a strop of some fine grit compound. I did it about 3 years ago. But, I have thin hair and whiskers.

[VashHash]

Well the coarse stone is a little worn I mean I've had it for 3 or 4 years but I like to think I just have impeccable sharpening techniques

[Donut]

I bet Chuck Norris could do it.

- best wishes, Jazz.

Yeah, if the blade steel could cut through his hair. :P


I think it has to do with grind, also. I think most straight razors are chisel ground, not V ground, so the angle is half as wide automatically.

[jackknifeh]

Well the coarse stone is a little worn I mean I've had it for 3 or 4 years but I like to think I just have impeccable sharpening techniques

I have used DMT stones quite a bit but not enough to wear a coarse stone down so it cuts like a fine stone. I have wondered if that happens over time. The initial break-in of diamond stones is the same thing it seems except it happens much faster. Brand new ones are VERY coarse compared to how they are after 5 to 15 knives I guess. Mine are still at that point but if they were all I used I wonder how they would cut after 4 or 5 years. Oh well, find out some day I guess. :)

[Antonio_Luiz]

Why is it that I can get my knives "shaving" sharp but they won't shave my face? What Jedi secret must I know?

All I will add to this thread is that straight razors are the shape they are after years of refinement. Sharpening a straight razor properly (according to the gurus) requires different stones and techniques to other knife styles.

If you want to get into facial shaving I suggest you join up to one of the forums like Straight Razor Place

[jeff_C]

You guys know they make razors for that right?
:)

[Cliff Stamp]

Sharpening a straight razor properly (according to the gurus) requires different stones and techniques to other knife styles.

This is often advocated on the razor forms to the point they even ban people who oppose it, however it is nonsense of the highest order.

A razor is just a knife with low included angle typically finished to a high polish. As Murray Carter has demonstrated on video there is no problem in shaving with a knife (or spoon) properly sharpened and he uses the same exact technique as on his knives.

I have utility knives which are sharpened at the same angles as straight razors (3-5 dps). There are also historically lots of utility knives which were commonly used as razors, Douk Douks for example.

There are scads of video's of people on YT shaving with knives, swords, axes, etc. , the procedure for sharpening is no different than any knife which you wanted to get to a high polish and be fairly sharp.

[Chipped Karambit]

Ask Murray Carter about shaving with knives (and axes, and scissors, and swords etc). He's shaved his face with every blade you can think of. The difference is that he's a Japanese sword smith and you're not. Plus i suspect that years of shaving his face with blades has made his skin tougher and his skill greater. If you've never shaved with a blade, then even shaving with a straight razor designed for the job is going to be a challenge.

I shave with a blade everyday. When I was in highschool i couldnt afford a shaving razor or cream so I used a pocket knife. I have to have a friend of mine sharpen it to that level but now after years I am getting to where I can use my PM2 with my stropping