Getting nicks and bumps from DE89, razor recommendation?

[Slapo]

More pressure being applied maybe with the more experience gained. Therefore not being as careful you were initially.

I was about to say the same thing.

@Jarick As others have suggested, perhaps you need one more beard reduction pass.
However, I'd suggest a few things as well:
- Try shaving with the razor as if it were your first time and you were using an aggressive razor so you'd pay attention to the shaving angle more. Don't shave any area that doesn't have soap on it.
- To help with pressure control, you could also try focusing on removing the lather, rather than on hair removal. I find this helps me keep a lighter touch.
- Light skin stretching (to flatten the skin) might be your friend here, especially if you've either lost or gained weight, or your face had become a bit wrinkly.
- Check your lather - does it really feel slick, even between your fingers? Does the razor ever feel like it might've skipped on your skin?
- Check whether it isn't the soap - lather up, leave the soap on for as long as your usual shaves take. You can also try simulating a shave without a blade loaded in the razor. Then feel your face and see if there are bumps where there were none before.
- To check whether your face doesn't prefer a more rigid blade, you could try loading the razor with a shim sandwich (put the blade between two shims). You could also try loading the DE89 with two injector blades (one per side) - might be a little fiddly to get them to align, but shouldn't take long.
- Try an oil shave where you'd apply water to your face and then spread a few drops of oil over it. Pretty much any slick oil should do, but you'd want to use something safe - even e.g. sunflower oil for frying should do.

I wonder whether trying a shavette (a Parker SRX is inexpensive and mild, but efficient as all shavettes are) might be sensible - it would help get your technique in line in case it had become wonky.

 

[Filudo]

Get some NEW blades......maybe 5yo.....have been compromised by humidity.

 

[Big_T]

If you want to try a new blade I suggest the Gillette Nacet.

If you want to try a new razor I suggest the Karve Overlander.

I haven't seen much discussion about your lather. What soap or cream are you using? I'd suggest trying a few different brands and see if that helps.

 

[Guido75]

@Jarick - given that your skin might have changed as you said over the course of the 15 years of DE shaving I was wondering what your preshave routine is? Obviously there are more whiskers to deal with if you skip a day of shaving so prep becomes more important than before with daily shaving (it was important then too but perhaps you may have been getting away with less prep).

I know some gents here actually spend the majority of their shaving time on preparing beard and skin. Even starting when going to sleep with shea butter. Or an oil as @Slapo mentioned.

I have found that if I skip my preshave I have drying skin and my razor just glides less optimal than when I do use preshave. I currently use KCG face wash as preshave and rub that in for a minute or two really making sure the hairs all get treated.

I also face lather quite a bit, irrespective of wether I bowl lather or not. Again to soften the beard.

Maybe you are already doing all of this in which case I will shut up, and maybe there is a portion that might help you before you progress to other razors.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Jarick]

You might consider a more aggressive razor and only doing WTG/XTG.

Our faces get harder to shave as we age, and you might be overshaving subconsciously to compensate.

Unrelated question: is there any corrosion on your razor?

No corrosion, everything is super clean and looks fairly new.

I do have an ikon slant but don’t like the more aggressive shave.

@Jarick - given that your skin might have changed as you said over the course of the 15 years of DE shaving I was wondering what your preshave routine is? Obviously there are more whiskers to deal with if you skip a day of shaving so prep becomes more important than before with daily shaving (it was important then too but perhaps you may have been getting away with less prep).

I know some gents here actually spend the majority of their shaving time on preparing beard and skin. Even starting when going to sleep with shea butter. Or an oil as @Slapo mentioned.

I have found that if I skip my preshave I have drying skin and my razor just glides less optimal than when I do use preshave. I currently use KCG face wash as preshave and rub that in for a minute or two really making sure the hairs all get treated.

I also face lather quite a bit, irrespective of wether I bowl lather or not. Again to soften the beard.

Maybe you are already doing all of this in which case I will shut up, and maybe there is a portion that might help you before you progress to other razors.

Cheers,

Guido

Honestly it could be better. I never had much luck with pre shave stuff before but maybe worth a try again.

When my whiskers feel softer then I get a better shave. Maybe that’s the key!

I am currently using some TOBS cream. I was using up some cheaper soaps but didn’t love the lather quality. With this cream it’s really good lather consistently.

 

[Slapo]

@Jarick - given that your skin might have changed as you said over the course of the 15 years of DE shaving I was wondering what your preshave routine is? Obviously there are more whiskers to deal with if you skip a day of shaving so prep becomes more important than before with daily shaving (it was important then too but perhaps you may have been getting away with less prep).

I know some gents here actually spend the majority of their shaving time on preparing beard and skin. Even starting when going to sleep with shea butter. Or an oil as @Slapo mentioned.

I have found that if I skip my preshave I have drying skin and my razor just glides less optimal than when I do use preshave. I currently use KCG face wash as preshave and rub that in for a minute or two really making sure the hairs all get treated.

I also face lather quite a bit, irrespective of wether I bowl lather or not. Again to soften the beard.

Maybe you are already doing all of this in which case I will shut up, and maybe there is a portion that might help you before you progress to other razors.

Cheers,

Guido

Good points

I should say, though, that I didn't mean to use a oil as a pre-shave in the post you quoted, but as an alternative to soap, as that way, it's easier to feel the razor head and blade. Helps keep the angle.

Having said that, I now wet my face (just rub water in for a bit), apply a little bit of oil+water mixture, leave it on while whipping up lather, apply lather, use the loo, wash my hands, clean the sink, warm up the razor in warm water, refresh the lather a bit and shave.

Keeping my facial hair wet longer helps, and the oil helps prevent soaps from drying my skin, so post-shave is generally very good.

It's probably worth mentioning that my face has been sensitive to brush burn, and I can only avoid it when using something really soft for face lathering, like the PAA Green Ray.
However, I do prefer to bowl lather - faster and easier to get the right consistency for me.

 

[Guido75]

Honestly it could be better. I never had much luck with pre shave stuff before but maybe worth a try again.

Any slick face soap might do the trick. Olive based for example or with coconut butter. I have had good experience with Proraso preshave, but I have read that it’s not for everyone.

A face soap doesn’t break the bank at all so that might be worth a try taking time to actually use the soap and then rinse some off but not all of it so the softening can continue some more.

 

[Slapo]

No corrosion, everything is super clean and looks fairly new.

I do have an ikon slant but don’t like the more aggressive shave.

The thing about mild razors is that they are a little deceptive - they can generally be very efficient, but require as much attention as aggressive razors, because the range of angles at which they work well tends to be quite narrow (unlike with more aggressive razors, when one needs to pay attention to avoid bleeding).

However, it's easy and to get the angle just a little off and then subconsciously compensate for it by pressing in a bit.
IMO, with both mild and aggressive razors, strokes should be reasonably assertive, but on the surface, without pressing into the skin and it's worth paying attention to it.

Honestly it could be better. I never had much luck with pre shave stuff before but maybe worth a try again.

When my whiskers feel softer then I get a better shave. Maybe that’s the key!

I am currently using some TOBS cream. I was using up some cheaper soaps but didn’t love the lather quality. With this cream it’s really good lather consistently.

In my mind different pre-shaves have different purposes. Some, like soaps, will strip off skin oils so that facial hair can absorb water better.

I think oils might be somewhat misunderstood. IMO, they're best applied on damp skin to help keep moisture on it, so that hair gets a better chance at absorbing it. They also protect the skin from soaps, so they don't end up drying it out as much.
It also means you can leave lather on for a few minutes before touching it up again and shaving.

Just applying oil on dry skin and slapping soap on right away never did anything for me except form a gunky layer of an oil and soap mixture on my skin that actually made shaves worse.

 

[Mempho]

I shaved with a DE-89 for 10 years and got a nick 2 or 3 times a week. Three years ago I switched to a Feather AS/D2 and haven't had a single nick since, not even one. The Tech is very similar (and much cheaper). I haven't tried the Hensen, but it might be my first choice if I were replacing a DE-89 now.

 

[cf1]

All good suggestions previously mentioned- watch pressure, try a 3 pass shave, a sharper blade such as a Nacet and a preshave/better prep. Also add a Osma Alum block as part of your post shave after your rinse. Let sit for 30 sec and rinse off. That was a gamechanger for me after 4 years of wetshaving. I tried another alum brand previously but it did nothing. Check blade alignment and balance. Change 1 thing at a time to isolate.

A new razor is hard to suggest as there are so many. I’d say 6s, razo rack .76p, or a Yates Merica or Yates Winning.

Good luck!

 

[Joezamboni]

No corrosion, everything is super clean and looks fairly new.

I do have an ikon slant but don’t like the more aggressive shave.

If you can find some russian production perma sharps try the ikon slant again. They’re finnicky razors and the right blade helps a lot I’ve found. I wouldn’t even bother to try mine with feathers or Astra SPs

edit to add get a postwar etched cap tech. I used the Russian production platinum Swede after head shaving with it and was surprised at how nice it was with that blade (another different combo I hadn’t tried).

 

[Fatip101]

My DE 89 came with 100 derby blades, I had bumps all the time with those blades

what helps a lot is getting an unused tootbrush and gently rubbing the bumps on the evening of your shave , ie like 12 hours after they come up or 12 hours after they start to itch

By the next day they were gone
HTH

When I switched to better blades like Feather and Polsilver , never had a bump again

Also dont push your brush esp if its synth down too much into the face, there is a tendency in the wet shaving community to want to exfoliate the face.. its already been cleaned when you washed it , all it takes is a few seconds with a brush when applying cream not 3 minutes like you see on youtube videos

Like it or not there is probably bacteria deep down in that brush so unless its been sterilised since its last use, its not a good idea to push it down into the skin for the new shave

YMMV of course

 

[anoop]

I switched from a DE89 to AS-D2 and wouldn’t consider going back.

Try a Bic Chrome blade. You might find it smoother than the Astra.

There are now many mild razors from Tatara, Henson, etc., in case you didn’t like the AS-D2.

 

[Edgelord]

I would definitely recommend a pre-shave oil for before the shaving cream. My shaves got better after I started using them.

I would also go along with the people recommending trying a sharper blade with a different mild razor. Techs can be had at yard sales, garage sales, antique shops, and flea markets for very little (often under $5). Merkur 34C, 38C and 42C will be more, but are very mild as well. A mild razor and a sharp blade are a great combination for wiry hair.

I would shave every day until my skin got better.

 

[flash75]

Skin can change, mine even changes from summer to winter.
So maybe the 89 doesn't fit anymore.
If you have tried other soaps and blades it would be worth a try buying a Rockwell 6s. The whole range of adjustability is on the milder sidenand it has less blade exposure than the de89.

 

[tm3]

A cheap pre-shave to experiment with, and that works well for me, is Noxzema.

I have used, and like, the DE89. The razors that I am familiar with that have been mentioned (Tech, 34, ASD2, 6s) have subtle differences compared to the 89. The Henson is IMO the most different, but not dramatically so.

I favor a focus on technique (you might have developed some bad habits, like I did at one time), prep, and blades before buying new razors.

 

[JoWolf]

Hi all,

Been a long time since I’ve posted here and haven’t been on the shaving forums but still of course using all my wet shave gear all the time.

I’ve been using a DE89 for close to a decade. When I first started wet shaving I had almost no nicks or bumps, but the last couple years it’s been getting worse and now there’s one or two weepers every shave more or less.

Guessing my skin has changed over the years, and I’ve tried different soaps and creams and use different brushes and blades without any real impact.

I shave typically every other day, one pass wtg and one pass atg. Fairly sensitive skin and a sparse but coarse beard.

Would an even milder razor help here? Or is there a good razor that would help mitigate the weepers?

Guessing my skin has changed over the years, and I’ve tried different soaps and creams and use different brushes and blades without any real impact.

You may require to increase or revisit and possibly change your pre and post shave routines. Healthy skin is a must especially when you are having shave issues.

I shave typically every other day, one pass wtg and one pass atg. Fairly sensitive skin and a sparse but coarse beard.

I also have sensitive skin. My shaves improved when my skin care improved. My pre and post skin care routines are longer in time than my shave. Skin irritation is a distant memory.

 

[albsat]

I would suggest Rockwell 6s. I don't remember ever getting a nick with it. Also Karve Overlander is a winner for me.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I’d take a very close look at the razor & see if there are any issues with blade alignment. Perhaps it got dropped & bent without you realizing.

Yes the whiskers get coarser as we age, but the technique also gets a lot better.

A cheap way to check is to get a known cheap, well made mild razor (I suggest Baili BD176 or BD179, or a postwar Tech) and see if you still have issues. The Bailis are about $12 and the Tech can be found for $18 or so shipped.

 

[DrakeMegrim]

Lots of great advice in here so I won't echo what they've mentioned. I have noticed as I've aged I've got more salt in my beard and drier skin. Beard preparation has been far more important than it was a decade ago. I wash my face with a facial cleanser with my morning shower and make sure those whiskers are soft. It's helped a lot.