Hi everyone, and a question on how I can improve my shave?

[Alfihar]

Thought I'd finally get around to saying hi and thank everyone for the very useful information that they've posted on here.

Before I switched I had only ever shaved with an electric razor, the result was never very good as my face would be very red and irritated for hours after shaving. It was in no way an enjoyable or pleasant experience, which I would put off for as long as possible.

It was around a year and a half ago that I found out about wet shaving, amusingly it wasn't on purpose. Instead I somehow found myself on the artofmanliness.com website after being linked to the page on 100 must read books. As I browsed the site I noticed one of the popular articles was on shaving, well one thing led to another and after thinking about it for a while and then much research later I ended up buying some kit around a year ago which you can see in the photo.

Well the important bits I bought at the time were an EJ DE89, EJ Best Badger Brush (Medium), Proraso green shaving cream, EJ Sandlewood shaving cream, alum block and the tiny bowl (which I used for a few months but was way too small), oh and a pack of Wilkinson Sword and Feather blades to go with the Derby ones that came with the razor.



I've now been wet shaving for around a year, I try to shave once a day now and unlike before I actually find it pleasant and relaxing.

Shave wise I'm not sure how good my shave is though, I'd probably say either SAS or a CCS but I'm not really too sure. I tend to do a WTG and an XTG pass and leave it at that. Sadly I never seem to get that close of a shave, as when I've tried shaving ATG the blade gets stuck on the stubble and starts skipping or trying to dig in, even when my beard area feels smooth when I feel brush my hand WTG and XTG. Doing multiple XTG passes doesn't seem to help much either.

My current routine tends to usually go:-
- Hot towel to face for a bit
- Apply Proraso pre shave
- Lather up in bowl
- Make the two passes (applying lather before each pass)
- Splash cold water over my face
- Pat face dry with towel
- Apply Proraso aftershave

Any ideas for how I can improve things?

 

[Mad Man]

Hi alfihar!

Welcome to the Community, mate! Great to have you on board.

Firstly, it looks like you've got some really sharp kit (pun intended!) with some absolutely well respected and regarded tools.

Secondly, I will answer your question with a question - have you mapped your beard? It sounds like you have when you talk about WTG and XTG but I'm just checking. Also, your inability to get closer sounds like a blade angle issue - have you read the tutorials (links below) and seen Mantic's videos? Some of the special moves like hooking, sliding buffing can really help with stubborn areas (I'm raising my hand here) but yours sounds like angle - especially when you say "dig in" as that was one of my challenges early on with too steep or too shallow an angle.

Mate, keep asking questions, check into the Hall of Fame and enjoy your shaves.

 

[bemiller]

Could definitely be a hair growth directional issue as stated above. Also, you may want to try a second XTG pass, or a modified ATG (diagonal, for example). On my face I have no problem doing ATG but on the neck it's impossible so I do WTG, XTG, modified ATG and it will never be 100% perfect but it's always great. If you are skipping and jumping w/ the blade over your face it sounds like an angle issue, especially if it is "trying to dig in". A big change for me was when I adopted the use of short strokes.

 

[Alfihar]

Thanks for the welcome.
I have mapped out my hair growth, above my neck it's North to South. Below the neck it's mostly Left to Right, with an odd patch on the right side of my neck which doesn't really seem to have any one particular direction (took a while for me to be able to comfortably shave that bit).

I shall re-watch Mantic's videos as it's been a while and check out the tutorials.

You're both probably right about the angle being the issue, I'm trying to keep the handle as close to perpendicular to my skin.
But I don't seem to be finding much of a sweet spot when going closer to ATG, as if feels either like its not cutting with the head just pushing the shaving cream around, or the blade catches.
The head of the razor also seems like it's sometimes not gliding that smoothly causing the angle to change.

 

[Mad Man]

Are you stretching the skin or making shave faces...?

Sounds weird but the straight users gave me a great tip ages ago which was to keep the alum bar handy and with my off-hand wet the finger tips, rub them on the bar to make them "grippy" and then stretch the skin to give the blade a nice flat surface and "lift" the bristles.

Shave faces include stretching mouth or chin or ... Well, you can imagine, ANY expression that helps stretch and flatten the skin.

For me, pushing my chin straight down into my neck and bull-frogging allows my weird neck growth patterns to get "hit" by an ear to jaw east-to-west stroke to help clean up the area.

 

[Wingnut]

Hi Alfihar, welcome to B&B! Please post an introduction over in our Hall of Fame if you haven't already done so--it's quick and easy!

It looks like you've got some really fine gear there--NICELY done! I'll add my voice to face mapping and skin stretching to improve your shave.

Enjoy your time here, happy shaves, and again--WELCOME!

 

[mistercitizen]

Hello and welcome to B&B!! Great setup! One tip..... see those Gillette Silver Blue blades??...... use those!

Ben

 

[SteveWY]

Welcome to the forum! Nice set up and it sound like you are well on your way. The chaps already mentioned beard mapping and some skin stretching. I would suggest considering a 3rd pass if you feel you are ready. WTG, XTG + ATG. Go slow and light and see how it goes. My 3rd pass is more of a ATG/touch up while skin stretching to get those pesky whiskers. You have some good blades and your software and prep looks great. I say just a little more beard reduction with a 3rd pass and some buffing/touch up and you will be at a DFS-BBS!

 

[kawika503]

Are you stretching the skin or making shave faces...?

Sounds weird but the straight users gave me a great tip ages ago which was to keep the alum bar handy and with my off-hand wet the finger tips, rub them on the bar to make them "grippy" and then stretch the skin to give the blade a nice flat surface and "lift" the bristles.

Shave faces include stretching mouth or chin or ... Well, you can imagine, ANY expression that helps stretch and flatten the skin.

For me, pushing my chin straight down into my neck and bull-frogging allows my weird neck growth patterns to get "hit" by an ear to jaw east-to-west stroke to help clean up the area.

I am on the quest to achieve that BBS, so I will have to try this. I'm still working on technique and this sounds like a great tip, since as a newbie, I'm so focused on the actual blade contact (aka not coming out of my shave looking like I was in a knife fight). Thanks again Mad Man.

 

[Alfihar]

I've been stretching my skin/making shaving faces, I find doing so necessary when shaving around my mouth and the jawbone to neck.
Might have to give bull-frogging a go though as that may help me with my neck area.

So I thought I'd try an ATG pass again, this is after 1xWTG and 2xXTG passes.
The result was not great, I didn't really get much closer but instead I did give myself the worst razor burn I've had for a long time.

Don't think I'm going to try that again for a while, maybe I'm better suited to a pass thats more in-between XTG and ATG.

 

[SpEe1113]

I've been stretching my skin/making shaving faces, I find doing so necessary when shaving around my mouth and the jawbone to neck.
Might have to give bull-frogging a go though as that may help me with my neck area.

So I thought I'd try an ATG pass again, this is after 1xWTG and 2xXTG passes.
The result was not great, I didn't really get much closer but instead I did give myself the worst razor burn I've had for a long time.

Don't think I'm going to try that again for a while, maybe I'm better suited to a pass thats more in-between XTG and ATG.

The razor burn is likely from too much pressure and/or not enough product, not stretching the skin. Regardless, aside from the great tips everyone as mentioned above, have you considered a new razor possibly? I know there's a bunch of us (myself included) that were blown away at the closeness of the R41's shave. Once technique is developed, with some minor adjustments after switching razors, you may find the razor to be a solution for you. Just a thought if all the other tips aren't working...

 

[musicman1951]

"I'm trying to keep the handle as close to perpendicular to my skin."

I'm not convinced this is your best approach. I'm also not convinced a discussion of degrees of angle is the best way to go. I would suggest watching a few Mantic videos as he gives quite a few demonstrations where you could observe handle/blade angle. Razor burn is usually too much pressure or poor blade angle.

There are also quite a few of us who have areas of the face that will not tolerate ATG happily. For me it is the upper lip, but I find I can get just about the same results with blade buffing (also found on Mantic video).

 

[SpEe1113]

"I'm trying to keep the handle as close to perpendicular to my skin."

I'm not convinced this is your best approach. I'm also not convinced a discussion of degrees of angle is the best way to go. I would suggest watching a few Mantic videos as he gives quite a few demonstrations where you could observe handle/blade angle. Razor burn is usually too much pressure or poor blade angle.

There are also quite a few of us who have areas of the face that will not tolerate ATG happily. For me it is the upper lip, but I find I can get just about the same results with blade buffing (also found on Mantic video).

+1, angle and technique could do the trick!

 

[Andy]

Welcome to B&B, looks like you have a great kit there!

 

[Alfihar]

Thanks for the advice,
I'll try the ATG or closer to ATG pass later as I've been waiting for my face to recover and I'm going on a short trip where I need to be a bit presentable.
For the moment I'll stick with WTG and XTG as normal which I can do irritation free.

On that note, this will be the first time I travel with my DE kit.
After some pondering on how I will travel with my brush I came up with this.



A toilet roll with two slots and an elastic band.
Holds the brush nicely inside the roll and the ends are open so it can get some air.
Still need to be careful with it but it at-least provides some protection.
Though I might not bother with the elastic band on the brush.

 

[linty1]

Hello and welcome! Thats a nifty mcguyvor with the brush

 

[LawrenceC]

Clever way to travel with your shaving brush. I use an discarded prescription bottle, but your idea is quite neat.