Argh! Frustrated!

[Arthur]

So after a couple of weeks of really good shaves, I'm back to turning my neck into ground beef. For some reason, all of a sudden, I can't seem to get close enough without massive razor burn.

Sunday - was a quick shave between work and work x-mas party, not counting this one because it was a quicky and wasn't going for BBS.

Monday - Merkur 12C with Rapira Lux Platinum. First time with Fitjar soap. Usual prep consists of washing my face with hot water and face wash, really massaging the beard to get it to stand up, then few drops of Shave Secret. Plenty of razor burn and several rough patches, especially under my chin where I could feel some really prickly little hairs. Waited till after dinner, reshaved neck, felt better.

Tuesday(today) - Fatboy set on 6 with Polsilver SS. Same prep, same soap. First couple of passes on the neck are comfortable. Feel for roughness, find lots of it so pass atg and some touchup. I *think* everything feels pretty good so I rinse off, little alum, and some aqua velva musk. Sitting on the couch, I decide to check it out. Skin on neck feels a little tender/warm but pretty smooth otherwise. The skin right under my chin howerever, the same roughness and little prickly hairs as last time, so I go back and re-shave. Now my skin is nice and red and generally not feeling great so I slather on some Speick AS balm feeling annoyed and defeated.

What is the deal with these prickly hairs? They're SUPER uncomfortable and it seems like no matter what angle I come at them from they don't want to come off. I've mapped my growth before and my usual modus since I shave every day is something like XTG, XTG, ATG, touchup and done with pretty good result, but for whatever reason this week I can't get a satisfactory result?

The only common denominator between yesterday and today is the soap. That couldn't possibly be it, could it?


Tomorrow I'm going back to my 38c + Rapira Lux, I hope I have better results.

 

[Greyfox]

Technique still needs to be perfected. Remember NO PreSSUre. Think beard reduction with each pass not beard removal.

 

[ackvil]

Technique still needs to be perfected. Remember NO PreSSUre. Think beard reduction with each pass not beard removal.

+1. As Dave said. Most likely you are resorting to too much pressure.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Once you get irritation, it's hard to get rid of it - every shave catches and snags on the bumps and irritated parts, re-injuring them
Maybe you just need to give it a couple days to heal up completely?

 

[Gray Wolf]

Once you get irritation, it's hard to get rid of it - every shave catches and snags on the bumps and irritated parts, re-injuring them
Maybe you just need to give it a couple days to heal up completely?

That would be my suggestion. Give it a few days, then try a different soap.

 

[Dave in KY]

That would be my suggestion. Give it a few days, then try a different soap.

Ditto to these 2 suggestions.

 

[BlackBard]

Once you get irritation, it's hard to get rid of it - every shave catches and snags on the bumps and irritated parts, re-injuring them
Maybe you just need to give it a couple days to heal up completely?

+1. And, too many variables. And, maybe you are trying too hard.

 

[Rogier D.]

Once you get irritation, it's hard to get rid of it - every shave catches and snags on the bumps and irritated parts, re-injuring them
Maybe you just need to give it a couple days to heal up completely?

+1

And really: don't reshave. Our skin can barely handle 1 shave a day, let alone multiple shaves.

I had a similar problem on my neck: I couldn't get it close, because I really needed the atg, but my whiskers were still to long after 2 passes to handle ATG. This resulted in more drag than a fusion on a dirt road with canned goo. Now what I discovered was: I overstreched(Mantic has a video concerning the matter). So now when I have at it on the final pass, I first do some bladebuffing with my skin absolutely loose. When the worst is reduced away, I do touch-ups with VERY light pressure and lightly streched skin. Result: no irritation and a BSS!

 

[meathosxx]

Are you using the same blade? May be you have a dull blade or a bad blade. I would suggest that you use a different blade for your next shave. I would also recommend that you take a day of off shaving. Just let your face and neck recover. Don't get disheartened. I have had a bad blade even when I was using feather blades. Bad blades are not common, however they do occur.
When we have dull or bad blades, we tend to use more pressure than what we are used to.
Good Luck

 

[beengone]

As most said, I'd take a day or two off and wouldn't think of re-shaving. (Actually, I'd probably do it and would know better.) Try new blade and try using your old soap. If you HAVE to shave without a couple days off, consider just a couple WTG passes and accept that it won't be great, but your face will have a better - though not great - chance to heal.

You didn't mention what you use after the shave. I HIGHLY recommend Witch Hazel either just before or just after your cold rinse, but before aftershave.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Gotta agree with the fact that the neck is a very hard place to get the shave down. One thing you may be doing is OVERSHAVING, trying to get very close and smooth. Try just getting a presentable shave, one that looks good, and don't worry about feeling any stubble for awhile.

As you progress your technique will get better, and so will the shaves. The best thing you can do now is to take it easy and just enjoy the experience. Things will get better, so don't rush them.

 

[Evil Malkil]

Technique still needs to be perfected. Remember NO PreSSUre. Think beard reduction with each pass not beard removal.

Yep!

Have had a similar problem recently. I guess than when things go well in the beginning one might get cocky and forget about the pressure issue.

 

[Arthur]

I'm just gonna stop obsessing over "close" and just enjoy the process for what it is.





For now.

 

[meathosxx]

Authur, the thing to remember is let your face heal. Then work slowly up. Then try to do max 3 passes, 1st pass WTG, 2nd pass XTG and third pass ATG. Then use advanced techniques to finish off. Over time you will be able to get the BBS shave.
I have found that when I use the same razor every week, I start developing bad habits and then I start having bad shaves. This might be happening. This is one of the reasons I switch razors every week. For example, one week I might shave with my Gillette Fat Boy, the next time I change blade, I would switch to my feather all stainless steel. I have a set of razors that I use in rotation. This, I think, prevents bad habits from developing as I have to concentrate on my shave and the pressures from different razors.
Good Luck

 

[muttley101]

What is the deal with these prickly hairs? They're SUPER uncomfortable and it seems like no matter what angle I come at them from they don't want to come off. I've mapped my growth before and my usual modus since I shave every day is something like XTG, XTG, ATG, touchup and done with pretty good result, but for whatever reason this week I can't get a satisfactory result?

I know what you mean, no matter what I do I simply can't get those prickly hairs about an inch down under my chin either side of my jaw line.
No pressure, a little pressure and tried buffering, the only thing that got rid of them was a Gillette slalom disposable. I guess I must adjust the degree angle of my shave. The majority of my shave is BBS about 80 percent of the time.

Been using an EJ DE89LBL for three weeks, now with Derby Extra blade, best combination for me so far.

 

[joe.attaboy]

The "prickly hairs" thing is a common issue for us men. We all seem to have that trouble spot below the jaw line, around the curve of the neck. It's my tricky spot, and some days are just better than others. For me, I find that blade buffing those spots helps, but I only do that once every few days.

Give your face and neck a few days off. Keep the pressure down when you come back. You're going to apply some pressure no matter what you do, because it's just a thing we naturally do when performing a manual task with our hands. The trick is to keep it to a minimum...let the weight of the razor do most of the work.

Change your blades frequently. I rarely use a blade more than three times, because they're cheap enough to replace, especially the brands I buy (Treet Platinum, Astra Platinum, Big Ben). But them a hundred at a time and don't be afraid to chuck one when he feels rough or pulls.

And try going back to the soap that gave you the best results. Tabac is my favorite soap, and it's the one I come to when I want stuff to just work. Use the one that works best for you.

 

[beengone]

Are you stretching out the skin? Maybe pull the skin up closer to the jaw line and pay attention to angle.

 

[muttley101]

Thank you joe.attaboy and beengone.

I don't stretch out my skin other than by simply lifting my head up. I do try to let the weight of my razor do the work alone and I found it best to replace the blade after three shaves as I have thick hairs, my worst shave was with a brand of razor blades called 'Laser Super Platinum' £0.50p for five blades had to stop shaving for a couple of days and lots of aftershave balm and ice cube. LOL ;-)

 

[beengone]

Thank you joe.attaboy and beengone.

I don't stretch out my skin other than by simply lifting my head up. I do try to let the weight of my razor do the work alone and I found it best to replace the blade after three shaves as I have thick hairs, my worst shave was with a brand of razor blades called 'Laser Super Platinum' £0.50p for five blades had to stop shaving for a couple of days and lots of aftershave balm and ice cube. LOL ;-)

Try stretching it and see if that helps lift the hairs to be cut. I have to do this to get any form of close shave around the corners of my mouth (basically can't stretch them, so never close), along my adam's apple, all of my chin to my lower lip, and a good part of the jaw line and just below. No stretch, not much of a close shave.

 

[muttley101]

I did as you suggested and stretched my skin gently and it did make a difference, after watching a mantic59 video, can't remember which one, it was a public demo of shaving technique and there was a sweeping staircase behind him in the hotel. (I digress) He mentioned that sometimes under the chin it can feel rough and unshaven but after a while it smoothes out, this he mentioned can happen to some men’s skin as they get older. It has happened to me a couple times about an hour or so after the shave I've rubbed below my jaw line and it's got smoother, than at the time of the shave.

BTW I have sensitive skin always have done, it burns easily from the sun or chemicals that wouldn't harm most people. So I make sure to go for anything aimed at sensitive skin, that's probably why I find Derby Extra blades the best suited for me so far.

My shave setup:
EJ DE89LBL razor.
Derby Extra blade.
Nivea For Men Sensitive Face Wash (hydrate my beard area for up to three minutes)
Taylors Jermyn Street Shaving Cream For Sensitive Skin.
Edwin Jagger Pure Badger Hair Shaving Brush. The Real Shaving Co. Post Shave Moisturising Balm.