I've mentioned this before, but without seeing, it's hard to fully understand.
I really ought to post a video on YouTube, but have no videocam.
So here's some quick shots made this morning.
Short story:
I used to shave pretty much in line with the conventional wisdom here, i.e low-pressure, razor angle similar to that seen in Mantic's fine tutorials. Got about 3-4 good shaves from a DE Feather blade like everyone. If I was quite careful, little razor burn.
I drifted into SE shaving for a while, and started to follow the adamant instructions that Gem pushed with the Micromatic: keep the head flat against the face. To do that and get it to cut at all, I had to apply pressure - a good deal of it. The elasticity of the skin then raises the stubble up to the blade, which is now cutting at a much lower angle.
The result was very close shaves plus greatly increased blade life, about 10-11 shaves per SE blade. Also no razor burn at all. No nicks. Somewhat counterintuitive, but the lower angle greatly decreased sensitivity to applying a bit too much pressure. In other words, at a steeper angle, a bit too much pressure would cause burn; at a very low angle, you needed pressure but there are no consequences from overdoing that a little.
When I transferred this technique to DE shaving, same results. To my astonishment, I now get 20 shaves or more from a Feather blade. I understand anyone's skepticism, but the results have been consistent over many trials. One trial with Astra and one with Personna blue Israeli indicate about the same blade life for those too.
Here's what I used this AM - Open Comb Micromatic, Gem (Personna) PTFE coated blade (shave #2 for this one), Miller's Wool Fat soap.
WTG on cheek, showing low angle, with flat top of head pressed into skin.
I also use longer strokes than most. As I go under the chin, the head must continue to follow the surface of the skin, and at first glance this might look like a different cutting angle, but it isn't. Keeping the head flat on the skin makes this adjustment easy.
Now XTG. Head still flat against the face. You may see how the skin is depressed under the head.
This is ATG on the cheek, and gives a good impression of angle + pressure.
Belatedly, it occurred to me that I should show how this works with a DE! So I grabbed the Senator, and here's the upstroke on ATG. Note the angle of the handle here, and compare that to that seen in pretty much any instructional video. That's how different.
So, there ya go. YMMV as always, and I'm not saying this is for everyone, but want to report my results and show exactly what I'm doing.
Happy shaves y'all!
- Bill
I really ought to post a video on YouTube, but have no videocam.
So here's some quick shots made this morning.
Short story:
I used to shave pretty much in line with the conventional wisdom here, i.e low-pressure, razor angle similar to that seen in Mantic's fine tutorials. Got about 3-4 good shaves from a DE Feather blade like everyone. If I was quite careful, little razor burn.
I drifted into SE shaving for a while, and started to follow the adamant instructions that Gem pushed with the Micromatic: keep the head flat against the face. To do that and get it to cut at all, I had to apply pressure - a good deal of it. The elasticity of the skin then raises the stubble up to the blade, which is now cutting at a much lower angle.
The result was very close shaves plus greatly increased blade life, about 10-11 shaves per SE blade. Also no razor burn at all. No nicks. Somewhat counterintuitive, but the lower angle greatly decreased sensitivity to applying a bit too much pressure. In other words, at a steeper angle, a bit too much pressure would cause burn; at a very low angle, you needed pressure but there are no consequences from overdoing that a little.
When I transferred this technique to DE shaving, same results. To my astonishment, I now get 20 shaves or more from a Feather blade. I understand anyone's skepticism, but the results have been consistent over many trials. One trial with Astra and one with Personna blue Israeli indicate about the same blade life for those too.
Here's what I used this AM - Open Comb Micromatic, Gem (Personna) PTFE coated blade (shave #2 for this one), Miller's Wool Fat soap.
WTG on cheek, showing low angle, with flat top of head pressed into skin.
I also use longer strokes than most. As I go under the chin, the head must continue to follow the surface of the skin, and at first glance this might look like a different cutting angle, but it isn't. Keeping the head flat on the skin makes this adjustment easy.
Now XTG. Head still flat against the face. You may see how the skin is depressed under the head.
This is ATG on the cheek, and gives a good impression of angle + pressure.
Belatedly, it occurred to me that I should show how this works with a DE! So I grabbed the Senator, and here's the upstroke on ATG. Note the angle of the handle here, and compare that to that seen in pretty much any instructional video. That's how different.
So, there ya go. YMMV as always, and I'm not saying this is for everyone, but want to report my results and show exactly what I'm doing.
Happy shaves y'all!
- Bill