Attention all Newbs! Listen Up--Watch your Variables!

[Ru4scuba?]

Thanks for all the kind comments...just trying to give back to the community I've learned so much from

Hopefully somebody can learn from the mistakes I've made. The hardest thing for me to do was to turn away from the B/S/T for a month and concentrate on technique.

 

[xgunterx]

8<
The hardest thing for me to do was to turn away from the B/S/T for a month and concentrate on technique.

It requires a lot of self-discipline to do just that. It is probably the most difficult thing when starting and being on B&B.
Especially when you're going through all the reviews and start wondering 'how would that shave?'.

 

[Pioneer]

A month may be stretching a bit length to try a product, I'd say two weeks max with one set up, then start to experiment switching out something. Again YMMV on this so do what works for you.

I agree. But this is good advice in general. Especially when it comes to razors - best to stick with one for a while in the beginning if nothing else than to get your basic form down, then move on to other razors.

 

[irishScott]

Speaking as a noob (jumped into DE about 3 weeks ago) who didn't read this thread straight off, I ran into this exact problem. Got recommendations up the ***, especially for blades, and switched from blade to blade almost daily for the first 5 days, before I'd even gotten something resembling decent technique.

After said business week of face carving I said screw it and settled on feathers (my beard isn't thick, but the hairs put steel wool to shame). Now, 2 weeks later (with the awesome aid of mantic59's youtube channel) I'm finally to the point where I can shave confidently and come away with 3-5 nicks that aren't even visible after an hour. I've decided to wait until I'm nick free to start changing up anything beyond the aftershave.

 

[California Cajun]

I was going to give myself a day off but even though my parents are no longer with us I could hear them tell me to get off my butt and do it.

We won't get in to how my face feels and looks, but I did achieve BBS results and more importantly figured out what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. It probably took 30 minutes. These lessons may have to be learned over again but I shaved all areas of my face and eventually got the hair off.

The focus this time was on concentration on what I was doing rather than the many tips and tricks I'd taken in while preparing for this momentous occasion (at least momentous for me).

I was not holding the razor properly. I found I had better control and it was easier to maintain the 30 degree angle holding two fingers on the spine (forefinger and middle finger) rather than just one. In some areas I needed to drop down to a 20 degree angle. I cut myself most often when I either held the blade more flat or more perpendicular than these two grades to my face. I made the mistake of cutting my finger switching hands because I failed to keep my hands dry during the shave.

But I did it. My face is on fire but I know I can do it and it's just a metter of learning and re-learning the things I achieved today.

I appreciate all the encouragement received since finding the forum and feel like all vendors from whom I purchased my supplies are great with customer service.

 

[Phog Allen]

Yes IrishScot, for the life of me I cannot understand why people tell newbs to avoid Feathers blades. The old Boy Scout rule applies in spades here; Always use a sharp knife (blade). And sharp they are. 99&#37; of DE nicks whilst learning have NOTHING to do with blades. Feathers or otherwise. It is technique pure and simple. After about one month of DE use, I had so few nicks the last number of years as to be unmeasurable. I learned to shave with a DE Gillette over thirty years ago (15 yrs. old) and was quickly seduced by the dark side of cartridge razors. I laboured under that yolk for over 20 years till I swung back over to the proper side of things. I always marveled at how smooth shaven my dad was when I was a kid and it became quickly obvious after a repatriation with the Gillette. I would not look back now. I also just as quickly realised that the state of DE blades in the U.S. was atrocious in the early 2000's when I jumped back in. After finding Feathers on the forums (thank you Joel) I knew there was someone making SHARP DE blades out there. I don't know how adept you are yet at using the DE but I always try to have a mental picture of the blade just flat or level or whatever against my skin. No rocking and rolling along. This actually keeps you from going crazy with too much pressure on the blade. Again, this is why I don't get the scare tactics with Feathers. It is precisely because many guys don't get the feel that the blade is sharp that they give themselves razor rash. They press harder to try to force the cut. No need with Feathers. Anyhow, it looks like you are well on your way. Remember, experiment, experiment, and experiment till you get a good regimen for YOUR needs and likes. Then experiment some more. Try to give each product an honest 3-5 uses before making any solid decisions. And the best thing I ever did for some products that seemed dodgy was put them away for a few weeks or months and revisit them. You would be surprised at how your opinion will vary.

Regards, Todd

Sorry. I sounded like I was contradicting the OP. I am not. I am only saying that once you get your basics down, then experiment a lot till you find your preferences.

 

[OldSaw]

Excellent advice. However, don't start with a 99 cent puck of Williams and be hell bent on making it work for you. Whatever you think of Williams is beside the point. I would recommend a high quality lathering product and stick with it until you have mastered the above mentioned variables.

 

[jpadilla88]

Solid advice!

 

[Ru4scuba?]

And the best thing I ever did for some products that seemed dodgy was put them away for a few weeks or months and revisit them. You would be surprised at how your opinion will vary.
[/I]

I think this is a key point. Once....and only once....the basics are down, experimentation is ok.

But again, I firmly believe Newbs should only experiment with one variable at a time til they get irritation free shaves.

WRT your point above...I did this with MWF and am glad I did. I can finally lather the damn stuff!

 

[Luc]

Great post Chris!!

 

[oscarbowman]

Wise wise words.

 

[PipeCop]

STICKY

 

[internet]

Good advice!

 

[gorgehiker]

I almost fell into that trap as well. Before I did I found B&B, thank god. Saved me tons of time and money.

 

[mretzloff]

Wow, excellent thread! Good job, Chris.

 

[Chester]

The advice on variables is great. As much as I wanted to start off with brush lather and al the rest (and I made the mistake of trying to change razor, blade, technique and foam all at once for the first couple weeks), when I settled on one razor (a 40s superspeed) and one blade, I used barbasol for ten days while I did practice lather every day. One I had decent lather, I made that switch. After a couple weeks of that, I started rotating through a different blade every week or so. It's been working. After a couple months, my GF told me today that I had a BBS. I would not have rated it that way myself, but I did manage to get all my problem zones (under the nostrils and the line of the jaw) very cleanly. No weepers or cuts. It does take time, but the best lesson has been to be patient, and work on getting one thing right at a time.
Hope it helps,
-- Chet

 

[figaro_black]

Great post. Good to have in mind, especially since I'm expecting my very first pack of shaving blades that aren't Derbys.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Great post. Good to have in mind, especially since I'm expecting my very first pack of shaving blades that aren't Derbys.

Just remember...when you use those blades not to change anything else for a week....thats the only way to see if the new "variable" works for you or not!

 

[rosborne]

+4 on the Sticky

 

[Alex02]

I'm all about REMOVING the variables. When I started it was really hard for me to get a good lather with my cheap tweezerman brush and it was just making the entire process more complicated. After awhile I said screw it, I'm going to change as few things as slow as possible.

I used my regular can shave gel and learned how to properly shave with a safety razor. Once I learned how to do it right, changing blades hasn't yet made any noticible difference for me (Shark, Merkur, Derby, Astra, Red pack Israeli ones, Note: I haven't tried Feather blades yet).

Then, I moved onto making a lather and I tried Proraso shave cream and now shave soap. I basically just sat at the table with a bunch of bowels and experimented with different water content and techniques.

I did upgrade one thing quickly, my brush. I went from a tweezerman to a E&J Best Badger brush $43 Here after reading a thread full of praise about it. AWESOME DECISION, it is softer, holds more warm water, creates a great lather on the face. I am now using Proraso shave soap and face lathering which works amazingly well this brush. This both saves time and is more satisfying.