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Calling all head shavers, 37c/slant question

I've been DE shaving my head for about/slightly over a year now and typically use either a '60s gillette tech or a modern merkur 37c slant but I have also used many other DEs on my head as well. I've consistently found that if I ever use the 37c with anything less then 2 days growth or use the 37c for 2 or more days in a row I always get ingrown hairs and bumps on the nape of my neck in the back. I always read Slants help to reduce ingrowns and when I (rarely) don't sport a full beard I've found the 37c to be the only razor to give me a smooth neck and atleast much less ingrowns. Any suggestions or does this happen to anyone else?

If this helps: I shave almost daily, in the shower, always an omega synthetic brush, rotation of soaps typically including Proraso and Arko, always do a final cold water rinse, always apply witch hazel, and always use an alcohol based aftershave.
 
Also worth adding, I do shave atg with my second pass but don't get ingrowns if I use my tech or if I only occasionally use the slant. I know most of you will probably say "well, just use the tech" but it's so mild that it takes me several passes for a BBS dome... And BBS is the point here after all, isn't it? lol
 
For me, it's all about the shave not time. Time stands still for my shower and shave. With a fresh blade, I don't use anything more aggressive than a '51 Tech. After the blade has 10 daily face and head shaves on it, I move the blade to a more aggressive razor. BBS everyday, no issues.

You could try a different blade.
 
I am a daily head shaver as well. I started off using the 37c. What am I using now? A Tech. Here's my reasoning:

Ingrown hairs can occur when your shave is so close that it cuts the hair shorter than skin level. I got REALLY close shaves with the 37c, but I also got some ingrown hair with it. I shaved my head tonight with my Tech and a Kai blade. I do only one pass and some cleanup. BBS is nice, but DFS with no irritation and no ingrown hair is nicer, and no one has yet noticed the difference.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
I am also wondering if the added weight of the 37c vs the tech head may be causing me to use too much pressure in that area. I basically will have the razor upside down and do a S to N pass on the back of my head which is ATG for me.

At the end of the day I have found a formula: slant for 2+ days now down and tech for daily smoothness. That isn't unreasonable.

I've also got a few others I either use in occasional rotation, like my PAA Bakelite oc slant, or am looking to acquire such as one of the merkur 3 piece open comb family
 
I am no head shaver but I have found I can only use 1 razor for maybe 2-3 days straight and then need to switch to another. I'm not sure exactly why, but I seem to acquire some sort of irritation when going for the extra days. The only razor I have that I can go non-stop through the week is the General SE that I have...
 
What's up my fellow chrome dome! I am a every other day head shaver who sometimes head shaves daily. However, I get my best head shaves if I do it ever other day. I have been head shaving the traditional way since 2012. I have tried many slant razors and my favorite slant razor is the iKON #102. Love love the #102.

My suggestions would be to perform ATG diagonally from neck to top of dome versus your South to North approach. I hope you can stick with the 37C because slant razors give super smooth head shaves. Kindly keep us posted.

WARHAWK
 
I am also wondering if the added weight of the 37c vs the tech head may be causing me to use too much pressure in that area. I basically will have the razor upside down and do a S to N pass on the back of my head which is ATG for me.

At the end of the day I have found a formula: slant for 2+ days now down and tech for daily smoothness. That isn't unreasonable.

I've also got a few others I either use in occasional rotation, like my PAA Bakelite oc slant, or am looking to acquire such as one of the merkur 3 piece open comb family
The weight may well do that. It's a heavy razor, which I like for face shaves because because I can let the weight do the work as opposed to pressure. I like something a bit lighter for my head shaves. I shaved tonight with an Aristocrat I found at the flea market Saturday, and it gave an incredible shave. It's somewhere in the middle weight wise.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
The weight may well do that. It's a heavy razor, which I like for face shaves because because I can let the weight do the work as opposed to pressure. I like something a bit lighter for my head shaves. I shaved tonight with an Aristocrat I found at the flea market Saturday, and it gave an incredible shave. It's somewhere in the middle weight wise.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

That's what I am thinking too. I used it last night and used such little pressure that I was more so pulling the razor away from my skin and still got just as close a shave but without an issue, it just took a little longer.

What's up my fellow chrome dome! I am a every other day head shaver who sometimes head shaves daily. However, I get my best head shaves if I do it ever other day. I have been head shaving the traditional way since 2012. I have tried many slant razors and my favorite slant razor is the iKON #102. Love love the #102.

My suggestions would be to perform ATG diagonally from neck to top of dome versus your South to North approach. I hope you can stick with the 37C because slant razors give super smooth head shaves. Kindly keep us posted.

WARHAWK

Warhawk! Awesome to hear from you brother! You may know me from elsewhere as "slycatcrossing" :)

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a try!
 
Hello,

I shave every other day face and head. I make the standard 3 passes (WTG, XTG, ATG) while showering.
I use a variety of razors, blades and soaps. I favor more aggressive razors.

My biggest culprit when it came to irritation was dull blades. Most of the time I am one and done with a few exceptions (Feather etc.). This has made a huge difference. Try one and done for a few shaves and see if it helps.
I also think shower shaving really makes for a smoother shave due to steam factor.

Cheers
John
 
That's what I am thinking too. I used it last night and used such little pressure that I was more so pulling the razor away from my skin and still got just as close a shave but without an issue, it just took a little lon

Warhawk! Awesome to hear from you brother! You may know me from elsewhere as "slycatcrossing" :)

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a try!
That's what I am thinking too. I used it last night and used such little pressure that I was more so pulling the razor away from my skin and still got just as close a shave but without an issue, it just took a little longer.



Warhawk! Awesome to hear from you brother! You may know me from elsewhere as "slycatcrossing" :)

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a try!
It great to see you here at B&B. Keep it sly my brother !

WARHAWK
 
I'm pretty thick skinned I think. I haven't had an ingrown since leaving carts. I head shave in the shower as well and have used the 37c every day for a week. Everybody's skin is different and reacts to things differently. There are some therapeutic benefits to shaving, but it is also a bit of a skin trauma at the same time.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone!

@Bondage007 - I do also experience the same things and have found once and done on the blades + shower shaving do help.

@gwsmallwood - I can get away with using the slant, just not daily. I have great success with my mild tech but at the time spent of 2 more passes then my 37c. I also have a PAA Bakelite OC Slant that is a really cool razor but at only 2 shaves in I've got quite some mileage before that bad boy will get daily use. I also just ordered a merkur 1904 OC (41c I guess they call it now) that I'll have in a few days. Should be a nice middle ground between my tech and my 37c.
 
I felt a disturbance in the force. :a45:
"One and done"

I will truly hate myself tomorrow for my 21st BBS face and head shave on an Astra SS...
 
I felt a disturbance in the force. :a45:
"One and done"

I will truly hate myself tomorrow for my 21st BBS face and head shave on an Astra SS...

Nice! I wish I could go that far on one blade. I typically use Astra sp but occasionally rotate gsb, 7oc black, or personna lab blue. I get a great 1st use from all of these. I can squeeze a 2nd use, if absolutely needed, out of a Astra sp or a gsb but I always get these tiny whiteheads anytime I use a blade for a 2nd full shave. That is even with rinsing the blade in ISO after the 1st use. I've tried atleast 20 different blades in my time so far and none of them were able to give me more then 1 shave (besides the Astra and gsb) without unbearable tugging halfway through regardless of razor choice.

At the end of the day my preferred blade, Astra sp, averages me about $0.10 per so I don't really mind tossing them. It may be a waste but it's better then the $1-$2 twin blade carts I used to use and still only get 1 shave out of. Or, WAAAAAY better then the 4 blade carts I used to use at about $3-$4 a pop with 1 use haha.

My wife is a champ when it comes to blade use though. Of everything she has tried she prefers the Dorco twin blade carts (think dsc humble twin) and even with daily use she gets usually 2 weeks from a single cart. BBS everytime and 1 ingrown a year... Tops.
 
@slybrewguy

Do you wash your head before you shave it or do you just rinse, lather and shave?

I shave after my shower. In the shower, I wash my face and head with fragrance free Neutrogina bar face soap. I lather it in my hands and work it into my face and head real good. I would say it's good for my skin and softens my skin and hair making shaving allot easier. I have a full head of hair, not balding. I also flip the blade over everyday, a blade edge will bent long before it actually dulls.

I've never used a slant, but rigidity is what you want.

I only use a postwar Tech, 48-50 Aristocrat, NEW SC, and Fatboy or Slim. They all have excellent rigidity.
 
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@slybrewguy

Do you wash your head before you shave it or do you just rinse, lather and shave?

I shave after my shower. In the shower, I wash my face and head with fragrance free Neutrogina bar face soap. I lather it in my hands and work it into my face and head real good. I would say it's good for my skin and softens my skin and hair making shaving allot easier. I have a full head of hair, not balding. I also flip the blade over everyday, a blade edge will bent long before it actually dulls.

I've never used a slant, but rigidity is what you want.

I only use a postwar Tech, 48-50 Aristocrat, NEW SC, and Fatboy or Slim. They all have excellent rigidity.

Jump in shower and soak head for a moment, wash body, lather + shave head, good rinse, wash head + face with common OTC oil free (anti acne I guess) face wash, quick cold rinse, then witch hazel and as.

I have very oily skin, even still at almost 28 haha, so I've found that if I don't wash my head after shaving I get very bad whiteheads no matter what other variables. I also can't wash it before and after because my skin then dries out.
 
@slybrewguy

You are seeking help, time to try something different!

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I wash my face and head with this before I shave. I have oily skin also, this leaves my skin feeling good. I only use alcohol AS on my face and then balm on my head and face.

I don't, but it is recommended that you wash your face twice a day. So maybe wash your face and head before you shave and then before you go to bed and see how that helps.

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It cost about $2 a bar at Walmart if you're in the US. It's good stuff. Just a suggestion.
 
@rabidus

I will look into that and give it a try! Even if it doesn't help with my specific issue I started this thread for it does still look like an effective and way more affordable alternative to the "face wash" I'm already using.

Thanks!
 
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