Back to Square One, a head shave story

[spolct]

My first few DE shaves took far too long, were slightly uncomfortable, and left bits of stubble areas behind. I'd have to go back and use the 'ole electric to finish the job. It was tough going and I'm more than happy to be on the other side of that.... or so I thought.

DE head shave #2 is in the books and this one had to be finished off with my trusty Mach3. Several passes, missed areas, water everywhere, running out of lather, blah blah blah this DE thing sucks! Actually it doesn't but mainly I learned that the threshold for a good reasonably quick DE head shave is 2 days or less. 3 or more (tonight was 3 days) just takes too much time without going with an aggressive razor up there. So far no nicks or weepers or even much irritation and I'd like to keep it that way. I'd prefer to keep using the Mach3 for ease and convenience but those I hate buying those stoopid cartridges. If I can get a DE system down I'll stick with it for sure.

Shave #1 was on 2 days growth with the Rockwell 6c #2 plate, tonights was with the 34c. Both seemed to work ok but I'm going to stop plowing through all my new soap samples and stick with a couple my main trusty go-to soaps. I've used 14 different soaps so far this year, 12 of them for the first time.

Technique-wise, I think the smart play for me is to shave a short row horizontally with vertical strokes so as to try to keep the same angle. I manage to use my dominant hand the whole way around but I think it would be easier to use my off hand as well. Gonna keep tinkering and hopefully get to the other side. If not at least there's a semi-acceptable backup.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

If you have the Rockwell 6C then you should be using the 5-6 plate for 3 days of growth. The 1-2 plate is very mild. My wife uses that razor with the 3-4 plate on the 4 side and does all her stuff with that with zero issues. Of course, the fear of blood thirsty razors and fleeting out made her apprehensive at the start, but now it's like second nature to her. And it's only been a couple of weeks for her.

Try a more agressive plate, no pressure on the razor and take your time. Speed comes with repetition. I shave as fast as I ever have now with my DE razor. It just takes me a two minutes extra to whip up a nice lather and that two minutes is worth every second.

That's another thing. Make sure you get a great lather going. I always have extra so if I need it I have it. I bought a bowl from West Coast Shaving for under 25 bucks and it made making lather much quicker and easier. Most of the soaps I have need more water than I ever thought they would, which may seem counter intuitive. If you are using a croap, which I use, I put a little bit of water on it and let it bloom while I shower. I also soak the brush at the same time. Then I squeeze out the brush lightly, dump the bloom water into the bowl, load a bit of the soap on the brush and get to making a lather. I add a bit of water as needed until I have a lather that is so nice you almost hate to shave it off.

Good luck and keep us posted. Please don't give up yet. Take your time and be patience with yourself. I know a big the ink for me was learning that the DE razor doesn't have a pivoting head. That pivoting head makes the razor much more forgiving of razor angle AND pressure applied. You can be screwed up on angle and press pretty hard on a pivoting head razor. If you do that with a good razor, you'll pay in blood.

NT

 

[BigJ]

You have defined the main things IHO!

Focus on your technique, limit the number of variables in your set-up and give this a bit of time!!

Stick it out and you will get the results you want!

 

[Theaspicioway]

I’m a head shaver myself and just cannot get along with a DE to do the job. I tried a Feather and couldn’t get along with it, so I bought a Focus Dynamic for flex and a Supply V2 as my primary razor. One of those, combined with a good-old lather ( Newbomb Turk) should see you right. Practice, practice, practice and you will get there. It can feel wrong, but a final touch-up with a Mach 3 can make that BBS finish.

 

[jmudrick]

I’m a head shaver myself and just cannot get along with a DE to do the job. I tried a Feather and couldn’t get along with it, so I bought a Focus Dynamic for flex and a Supply V2 as my primary razor. One of those, combined with a good-old lather ( Newbomb Turk) should see you right. Practice, practice, practice and you will get there. It can feel wrong, but a final touch-up with a Mach 3 can make that BBS finish.

For me it was a matter of technique, I switched to Injector and SE for a while for my head shave but now find I can do just fine with a range of DEs with a single ATG pass plus touch ups. ATG for me is best done with a nice rigid Old Type/Fatip style head. MMOC is still a favorite though.

 

[Esox]

ATG for me is best done with a nice rigid Old Type/Fatip style head. MMOC is still a favorite though.

The harder the hairs are to shave the more resistance the blades edge meets, the larger the rewards of a rigid design.

 

[jmudrick]

This works (E2).

 

[Esox]

This works (E2).

So I keep hearing.

 

[spolct]

If you have the Rockwell 6C then you should be using the 5-6 plate for 3 days of growth. The 1-2 plate is very mild. My wife uses that razor with the 3-4 plate on the 4 side and does all her stuff with that with zero issues. Of course, the fear of blood thirsty razors and fleeting out made her apprehensive at the start, but now it's like second nature to her. And it's only been a couple of weeks for her.

Try a more agressive plate, no pressure on the razor and take your time. Speed comes with repetition. I shave as fast as I ever have now with my DE razor. It just takes me a two minutes extra to whip up a nice lather and that two minutes is worth every second.
NT

I didn't have good luck with the 6c and longer growth on the higher plate #s - it got clogged up pretty easily. I haven't tried again since with long growth but if I do it will be with shorter strokes between rinsing and also targeting the under side of the plate with running water.

 

[Truman]

Im tempted to try The Leaf razor, but cost has me apprehensive. Seems to be the best of both worlds. Benefits of DE blades, ease of the cartridge style.

 

[spolct]

This works (E2).

I've walked past a very similar razor at a local antique mini mall place several times now. Next time I'm there I'll have to check out how much they're asking for it.

 

[jmudrick]

I've walked past a very similar razor at a local antique mini mall place several times now. Next time I'm there I'll have to check out how much they're asking for it.

Don't spend too much . There are two different series E and G, G are very very cheap to pick up on eBay, E just a little less ridiculously cheap.

 

[Sparki]

I'm shaving my head with DE or SE for a few years and I would say that everything is in technique. I do it every second or third day in two passes and with face/head lathering. One pass is from ears toward the middle(back),or as you say horizontal, of the head and another will be from top to bottom and that is more than enough. I get the best shaves with injectors or GEM razors as they have a rigid blade, but mostly I`m using whatever DE razor I use for face shaving (Tech, Slim, or something else). Mild razor or not, it should be able to give you proper shave anyhow.

Did I have missing patches and island of hear in beginning? Oh yes, that is completely normal and more you practice less island there are. And I don't use two mirrors or back mirror, one I don't have them plus its making thing just complicated. Just a tactile feeling, make a pass and then use your finger to check if there is something left...

And yes, stick with some soap/set for a while, maybe month or two and just try to figure it out. Maybe keeping a diary and then going after some time trough it can be interesting. There are some razors or blades that after some revisit/experience you start to appreciate more or just confirm that they are not working for you.

So if you want to be better in something, practice, practice and practice.

ps.I never tried father on my head so I can't comment on that.

 

[Heckle]

I have been head shaving for about three months now. I save every 2 or 3 days. You may try some shave oil for the head. Stick with what you use on your face and work on technique. Listen for the feedback and don't use too much cream on the ole noggin.

 

[spolct]

Tonight's shave took care of 4 days on the head, 2 on the neck. Decided to use the Maggards V3A and while part of my neck wasn't happy I had a pretty dam good head shave. No cartridge cleanup required, no nicks or cuts, and a fairly quick 2 passer with minor touchup. Very happy with the results.

In other news today I picked up a PAL Injectomatic for $6 at an antique joint and while I'm excited to clean it up and try it out I'm happy that the V3A worked out so well. Also it looks like I won't be buying a new set of cartridge razors anytime soon.

No pics but here's the SOTN:
Omega 49 Boar (2nd time to use it)
B&M Nocturne
V3A
7 O'clock Super Stainless

 

[donttpanic]

I only shaved my head once (felt wierd to me), but I followed the tips in the video linked below, and had a great experience and smooth painless shave. I love using a brush for my face, but cream directly in my hand really helped find all the missed areas. For mine, I used and Edwin Jagger DE89, which is very similar to a Rockwell on the #3 plate. I've used the #2 plate, and definitely miss some spots.

 

[firstsafety]

Does anyone on the forum use a straight razor to shave their head? I am a head shaver but only with a DE or cartridge so far.

 

[spolct]

I only shaved my head once (felt wierd to me), but I followed the tips in the video linked below, and had a great experience and smooth painless shave. I love using a brush for my face, but cream directly in my hand really helped find all the missed areas. For mine, I used and Edwin Jagger DE89, which is very similar to a Rockwell on the #3 plate. I've used the #2 plate, and definitely miss some spots.

Thanks for posting that. I tried the method of using the off hand to lather/guide and it worked fairly well but I've gone back to bowl/brush and using the same soap/razor for my head and neck. I've quit shaving my face for now while I get the head shave down. It's coming along really well with the V3A and it's been 3 or 4 shaves since I've had a nick/cut or even much irritation.

I do have a couple of SE razors that I need to get blades for so I can try them out on the noggin. I've slowed down on shaving stuff acquisitions but next time I get around to ordering stuff the blades are on the list.

 

[Tdotts]

If you have the Rockwell 6C then you should be using the 5-6 plate for 3 days of growth. The 1-2 plate is very mild. My wife uses that razor with the 3-4 plate on the 4 side and does all her stuff with that with zero issues. Of course, the fear of blood thirsty razors and fleeting out made her apprehensive at the start, but now it's like second nature to her. And it's only been a couple of weeks for her.

Try a more agressive plate, no pressure on the razor and take your time. Speed comes with repetition. I shave as fast as I ever have now with my DE razor. It just takes me a two minutes extra to whip up a nice lather and that two minutes is worth every second.

That's another thing. Make sure you get a great lather going. I always have extra so if I need it I have it. I bought a bowl from West Coast Shaving for under 25 bucks and it made making lather much quicker and easier. Most of the soaps I have need more water than I ever thought they would, which may seem counter intuitive. If you are using a croap, which I use, I put a little bit of water on it and let it bloom while I shower. I also soak the brush at the same time. Then I squeeze out the brush lightly, dump the bloom water into the bowl, load a bit of the soap on the brush and get to making a lather. I add a bit of water as needed until I have a lather that is so nice you almost hate to shave it off.

Good luck and keep us posted. Please don't give up yet. Take your time and be patience with yourself. I know a big the ink for me was learning that the DE razor doesn't have a pivoting head. That pivoting head makes the razor much more forgiving of razor angle AND pressure applied. You can be screwed up on angle and press pretty hard on a pivoting head razor. If you do that with a good razor, you'll pay in blood.

NT

What you said has merit but you have your plate numbers askew. Plate 1 and 3, Plate 2 and 4 and plate 5 and 6

 

[slybrewguy]

Move your head shave sessions to the shower and swap your razor for a Gillette guard... 5 min BBS dome, and that's from a guy who is bald by choice and would look like Bob Ross if he didn't shave his head lol.