any tips for wiry, difficult to cut whiskers on upper lip?

[Swingboy8]

I would recommend you to use a scuttle bowl or my own technique described below, if you don't have one :

1- get a stainless steel mug or in usual ceramic

2- take a bowl which will be larger than the mug

3- start making you lather with in the mug

4- pour water at 100°C into the bowl.

5- then, put your mug into the bowl & keep making your lather. The mug will be heated by the boiling water of the bowl.

6- when it's finished, let the brush upside down in the mug, so that it will be heated even more.


--> the result : thanks to that, your lather & your brush will be very warm. The hairs of your upper lips will be softened & prepared in the best way possible.

You should get a closer & much easier / confortable shave than before. (even with this horrible razor which is the DE89/R89, but that is only my opinion )

 

[Swingboy8]

4- pour water at 100°C into the bowl.

@Mike Williams

I've quoted myself to make a quick correction about the temperature : 100°C is bit too much, in my opinon.

--> a water heated between 80°C - 90°C is way enough to do that. I've tested it this morning & i've had an awesome shave with my RFB #44 !

 

[Mysterious Mose]

@Mike Williams

I've quoted myself to make a quick correction about the temperature : 100°C is bit too much, in my opinon.

--> a water heated between 80°C - 90°C is way enough to do that. I've tested it this morning & i've had an awesome shave with my RFB #44 !

Don't you scald yourself with water that hot? In case you get some on your skin?

 

[Iridian]

@Mike Williams

I've quoted myself to make a quick correction about the temperature : 100°C is bit too much, in my opinon.

--> a water heated between 80°C - 90°C is way enough to do that. I've tested it this morning & i've had an awesome shave with my RFB #44 !

I am not sure how hot my water was, but I just use what comes out of the Faucet and... at how many degrees to people usually feel pain?!

Material of the bowl might also be interesting. Something that keeps warmth. As I love drinking espresso, basically a gigantic, thick-walled cermic bowl but as I am against ceramics in the bathroom (and tend to destroy breakable things), I still prefer stainless steel bowls.

Just want to add, I am not a fan of the DE89/R89 either, you are not alone with that. It was my first razor and even after several attempts and more experience, I still don't love it. Going for the R41 next funnily worked out, even if it is supposedly a beast. It teaches good shaving habits for sure in the hard knocks way.

There is a problem with warm water: For most people it guarantees irritation. But yeah, it will soften the whiskers for sure. Hmm... well, one can always try.

When I started shaving, I followed advice and put a hot, warm towel over my face. I don't do that anymore...^^

 

[Swingboy8]

Don't you scald yourself with water that hot? In case you get some on your skin?

Normally you won't, for several reasons :

1- you don't have to fill up entirely the bowl with water. A small quantity will do. The water must not overflow from the bowl when you put the mug into it.

I've taken a photo so you will see the whole thing clearer.

Spoiler

2- with a water heated between 80°-90°c, (let's say 85°c max) your lather & your brush are only very warm but not hot. And i let the brush into the mug several minutes.
But if you're still worried at these temperatures, you can try it with a water at 70°c - 80°c, as well.

But you have to keep in mind that the water t°c will drop back quickly, since the bowl is not closed like a scuttle bowl.

3- In my case, i set a small electric kettle in my bathroom so i don't have to bring the bowl from the kitchen to the bathroom.

Last time, i tried this with 100°c water directly without letting the temperature drops back and the brush was hot instead of warm.
So it was too much.

As long as everything (brush & lather) is warm and not hot, your skin will not be burnt. (that's also the reason that i always use warm water as a pre-shave and not hot water, even in winter)

 

[Swingboy8]

I am not sure how hot my water was, but I just use what comes out of the Faucet and... at how many degrees to people usually feel pain?!

Material of the bowl might also be interesting. Something that keeps warmth. As I love drinking espresso, basically a gigantic, thick-walled cermic bowl but as I am against ceramics in the bathroom (and tend to destroy breakable things), I still prefer stainless steel bowls.

In any case, and if we suppose that you use water at 85°c, the mug won't be heated at the same level because the t°c starts to drop back as soon as you pour it in the bowl & it also makes some time to heat the mug.

Ceramic is more fragil, i agree with you. That's why i also chose a stainless mug and it is much more convenient when you travel, you can take it everywhere you want without any problem.

But it is a matter of tastes and also availabilty : not everyone has a stainless mug in his kitchen, but it is much common to find a mug in ceramic in it...

A scuttle bowl would be much less convenient for travelling of course, but the warmness will last longer since it is a closed bowl.

Just want to add, I am not a fan of the DE89/R89 either, you are not alone with that. It was my first razor and even after several attempts and more experience, I still don't love it. Going for the R41 next funnily worked out, even if it is supposedly a beast. It teaches good shaving habits for sure in the hard knocks way.

Of course, i know that many people really appreciate it. But in my case, it was probably the worst experience i had since i started traditional shaving in 2009.

So i was not surprised when i saw that @Mike Williams had some difficulties to shave his mustache area with it.

There is a problem with warm water: For most people it guarantees irritation. But yeah, it will soften the whiskers for sure. Hmm... well, one can always try.

When I started shaving, I followed advice and put a hot, warm towel over my face. I don't do that anymore...^^

I have a sensitive skin and i can assure you that i've never had any red skin / irritation after the shave. As i said to @Mysterious Mose , your skin won't be damaged as long as everything is warm but not hot.

However, i tried as well the towel as pre-shave several years ago and i had to stop it quickly because i got some problems like you had. Technically, i consider that the towel was hot since it was steaming & let on my skin a bad feeling of burning...