In another thread recently the issue of how much pressure is required on the blade when shaving with a SR was discussed. So I have been experimenting. I have been using varying levels of pressure with my shaves lately. I am finding the the less pressure I apply, the better shave I get. A lighter touch seems to let the ultimate sharpness of the edge do all the work. If you think about it we use tree topping as a sharpness test when honing a blade. I think there is a tendency to apply pressure because if a little is good then more must be better? Apparently not so. Or maybe I just have a heavy hand ( perhaps a leftover from DE shaving?). I am resisting the urge and seeing how light I can go with pressure and I am surprised with the outcome. That was all. Just wanted to share my observations. I would be interested to hear the views of others.
Minimal pressure required
- Thread starter Rusty Blade
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rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I experienced exactly the same. I thought that I was using just minimal pressure. Then I lightened up to where the edge was just touching the skin. I can almost not even feel it. This gave me an even closer smoother shave result!
Totally counterintuitive. I cannot understand the physics of why.
Totally counterintuitive. I cannot understand the physics of why.
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I explain it by the fact that if a blade can pop hairs as a test of sharpness, then skimming it over your face is also allowing the blade to pop beard hairs.
EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I used a straight occasionally and then a Feather Artist Club DX and it was only by doing so that I fully understood the meaning of 'no pressure'. This understanding has really benefited my DE shaving and I would recommend anyone try a straight or AC razor in order to improve their DE technique.
More skin stretching; less pressure.
I know what you mean about pressure. I use just enough to get the most out of my stone edges but lately, when ever I use a pasted balsa edge, it feels too sharp for me and gives me a bit of irritation.
I’m sure the problem comes from my using stone pressure with a balsa diamond edge and it’s too much.
I have to really take extra care when using the balsa edge. I’m just not good enough with it.
I’m sure the problem comes from my using stone pressure with a balsa diamond edge and it’s too much.
I have to really take extra care when using the balsa edge. I’m just not good enough with it.
My new out-of-the-box TI needed to be honed and I finished it with a balsa/paste progression. I let that razor just slide on my face with absolutely no pressure. I think I will tame it on my jnat before I use it again. There's sharp and there's comfortable.
I think of it as with no pressure the blade is at its optimum angle to the skin (given you are hollding the correct angle). With just a bit of pressure the skin will deflect and then the point of contact of blade to skin is actually at a very different than blade to face so to speak. Imagine a curve as the blade press even slightly into the skin. See how now the spine can be very near the face yet the cutting edge is actually aimed more perpendicular to the skin at contact point? I can see it in my head. Not sure how to draw a picture on the internet. I am a picture kinda guy lol
Yes that diamond balsa edge is a real madman. Crazy sharp, but needs a technique all of its own.
You painted the picture very well, I never though of it like that before
Yes, that curve represents "digging in".
Learning to shave with minimal pressure is an important skill. For me, a good example is shaving over my moles. Took me something like 6 months to gain the control necessary to do this with a DE, and now I am beginning to gain the same level of control with a straight.
Same thing for shaving below my bottom lip where I shave downward. I can rest the blade of a DE on the bottom of my lower lip before starting the (downward) stroke, and now I am just beginning to be able to do the same thing with a straight.
Same thing for shaving below my bottom lip where I shave downward. I can rest the blade of a DE on the bottom of my lower lip before starting the (downward) stroke, and now I am just beginning to be able to do the same thing with a straight.
I saw that previous thread and I completely agree. I've only had about 30-40 shaves right now but as soon as I learned to not apply pressure I started getting one-pass shaves that were just as good as my typical two-pass DE/SE shaves with even better results in terms of zero weepers, nicks or irritation. I'm really enjoying SR shaving now and looking forward to improving my technique.
I think you’ve nailed it.
but if you’re not doing the balsa touch up every post shave, or not using a stone as soon as you first start to feel a degradation of the edge, as that blade degrades from peak often we subconsciously add pressure to the shave. or if the edge was never perfect for that matter.
once I started honing and feeling good about my consistent edges, I was getting decent shaves, and was content with what I was doing and had gotten used to. Sent a blade to Doc for a honing to compare how my work was. I almost cut my face off with his edge and backed way off the pressure to finish the shave. That edge showed me how much further I could get mine.
just something to consider for the more infrequent touch up crew.
once I started honing and feeling good about my consistent edges, I was getting decent shaves, and was content with what I was doing and had gotten used to. Sent a blade to Doc for a honing to compare how my work was. I almost cut my face off with his edge and backed way off the pressure to finish the shave. That edge showed me how much further I could get mine.
just something to consider for the more infrequent touch up crew.
The best shaver I have is a Le Grelot that was honed by Doc. I sent my jnat stone with the razor and he honed on my stone. I am getting closer to replicating his edge, but I definitely am not there yet. But getting closer is good.
I've been straight shaving for a few years, but only my neck and sometimes cheeks until recently because I had a goatee or beard. So the chin has been a learning curve. And really, irritation from shaving my chin is the reason I grew my beard in the first place. Once I started shaving most of my face, I found that my blade wasn't really sharp enough. Learned how to hone, picked up a few vintage razors and got them pretty sharp.
The next learning curve, of course, was rethinking the angle of attack and pressure. What works with a sorta sharp blade on non-sensitive skin absolutely does not work with an actually sharp blade on sensitive and densely whiskered areas. Last night I had probably the best shave so far (certified BBS by SWMBO). I concentrated on the three Ls: Low Angle, Light Touch, and Lather. All three were on point and my face is still very smooth 12 hours later. This was with probably the sharpest edge I have right now. I barely lifted the spine off my face and it's still shocking how close it got on every pass.
The next learning curve, of course, was rethinking the angle of attack and pressure. What works with a sorta sharp blade on non-sensitive skin absolutely does not work with an actually sharp blade on sensitive and densely whiskered areas. Last night I had probably the best shave so far (certified BBS by SWMBO). I concentrated on the three Ls: Low Angle, Light Touch, and Lather. All three were on point and my face is still very smooth 12 hours later. This was with probably the sharpest edge I have right now. I barely lifted the spine off my face and it's still shocking how close it got on every pass.
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