What's new

Best way to play ‘catch up’ when I don’t shave for a while

I enjoy wet shaving but with poor health sometimes I’m just not able. If you pair that with a very thick and fast growing beard I have an issue. If I’m unable to shave with de for approximately 3-4 days, my beard is just too thick to chop through. Right now, what ends up happening is that I end up skipping shaving for weeks or months until my wife gets out the clippers when I can’t stand the long beard anymore.

I’ve thought about getting a straight razor thinking about it not clogging with masses of beard hair. I’ve also thought about getting an electric razor on the theory that I might be able to use it when I’m not able to go through the whole wet shaving ritual. It has the advantage of my wife being willing/able to shave me with it if I’m really weak.

so thoughts or solutions to my si”. Thanks in advance “
 
I enjoy wet shaving but with poor health sometimes I’m just not able. If you pair that with a very thick and fast growing beard I have an issue. If I’m unable to shave with de for approximately 3-4 days, my beard is just too thick to chop through. Right now, what ends up happening is that I end up skipping shaving for weeks or months until my wife gets out the clippers when I can’t stand the long beard anymore.

I’ve thought about getting a straight razor thinking about it not clogging with masses of beard hair. I’ve also thought about getting an electric razor on the theory that I might be able to use it when I’m not able to go through the whole wet shaving ritual. It has the advantage of my wife being willing/able to shave me with it if I’m really weak.

so thoughts or solutions to my si”. Thanks in advance “
Sorry you're not up to shaving regularly; that must be very frustrating. An electric razor is probably a good idea. As my Dad aged into his 90's he could no longer wet shave either, my Mom bought an electric razor to shave him with every day or two. I asked her and Mom said he seemed to always feel a little better when he was cleaned up and freshly shaved. I suppose after 70 years of mostly daily wet shaving, he was just more used to that feeling. She also told me he liked a little after shave splashed on and seemed to perk up a bit after that.

I wish you well and hope you find a good solution. I'm sure the electric razor guys, we must have a few here, will chime in as to which razors might work the best for you. God bless!
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
A SR would do the job without issue. A great tool to use ridding a thick beard, I have done it myself on several occasions. It could however be somewhat challenging if you were not an experienced SR shaver, to begin by shaving an established beard. Most new to SR shaving often begin by just shaving parts of the face they feel most confident approaching, usually side of face and cheeks and gain confidence removing stubble. In answer to your question though, I do think a SR would do the job nicely depending on your level of familiarity.
 
A SR would do the job without issue. A great tool to use ridding a thick beard, I have done it myself on several occasions. It could however be somewhat challenging if you were not an experienced SR shaver, to begin by shaving an established beard. Most new to SR shaving often begin by just shaving parts of the face they feel most confident approaching, usually side of face and cheeks and gain confidence removing stubble. In answer to your question though, I do think a SR would do the job nicely depending on your level of familiarity.
No real experience with SR’s. Bought a cheap half de blade shavette a while back. It works ok for this but I get a lot of bleeding and breaking and mounting the blade is hard for me.

I’d need help/suggestions going either the SR or electric route.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I have a very fine blade set (Ultra Edge trimmer blades) for my clippers. I have an Andris but the blades are interchangeable with the Oster 76. Anyway, I can use those and get my face decent... certainly ready for a wet shave. You could do that every few days.. keep up with things.. then wet shave on a good day. You might have to buy a clippers if yours doesn't have interchangeable blades.. the Oster Classic 76 is still around. My Andris model is no longer available.
 
An open comb de might be a good option for you. Or if you have a lot of de blades and want to go the SR route a shavette that takes half de blades is another option. Fairly easy to break de blades in half. Just need to be careful breaking them
 
My vote is for a nice Artist Club shavette and Feather Pro Guard Blades. They are still the same sharp blade, but with a little bit of margin for error. If you keep the angle low, the beard will peel right off without getting cut. You can bin the blade after a beard removal if desired. There are some nice ones available.
 
A Fatip Piccolo should slice through your face-jungle effortlessly.

The very mild Merkur open-combs (all use same head, different handles) are also very effective. I use mine most often for head shaving. Even with a couple of weeks growth it just ploughs right through it.
 
I have a few open comb razors but even they get to a point where it’s just too much work to shift my beard. My Phoenix Bakelite slants are what I use if it gets too bad. If I use just them on heavy beard, I have to do like a third of my face at a time - neck, face leaving goatee, take off goatee.

If I do get an electric, what would be the recommendation?
 
Sorry to hear about your problems. My cheap Wahl clipper from Wally World has several plastic guards. I'd use it with a 1/8" or 1/16" guard to mow down the beard if I was in your position. My Game Changer .68OC with a feather blade has no problem mowing down stubble longer than that. My SLOC will also do it, but not as well. I just disassemble and rise the razor halfway through the first pass.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Electric you say 🤔


:lol:

Sorry, not sorry

Hey, I got that exact trimmer, its in this room at the very moment, I keep my expensive electric tools out of the cold weather during winter, but soon I got to bring them back out to the garage, now that temps are starting to warm back up. But ya, that kind of trimmer will trim the beard off a snowman.

Getting back on topic, how about you do what I did. When I first came to this site several weeks ago, I had a beard then. I mowed it down with my Wahl clipper with no guard, and with blade taper in closed position. I could then come back over with my new DE razor. Or, as its already been mentioned here, you could also use an electric shaver when you don't feel like DE shaving.

Keep in mind though, if you use a foil electric shaver, like that of a Panasonic Arc 4 - 5, you need to shave every couple of days. You let a week go by before electric shaving and you will pay, ask me how I know lol. Rotary electric shavers can handle longer hair growth, but I still would not push past 4-days growth with a rotary.

If you go a week or more without shaving at all, then I recommend a Wahl clipper. If all you need is a clipper to tame your beard growth, you can just get a cheap home use 34 dollar Wahl Color clipper. But, if you want to do haircuts as well, then I recommend going with the PRO model Wahl Magic Clip. Either way you go, you have many options available to you. Good Luck!
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
Here's my Panasonic Arc 4.

proxy.php


I find this shaver works best, when you have applied a good layer of non foaming shave gel to the face first. It helps the shaver glide across the skin, reducing friction. Once shaved, just clean out the shaver foil and blades over the running tap with the shaver in the blade cleaning TURBO mode.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
First off, sorry to hear about health problems. That can really affect your willingness to shave some days. Depending on what the problem is -- and it's not in my need-to-know -- you may find an electric clipper to be a better option than a straight razor. I have a little nerve damage that makes using a shavette interesting, but it's not too severe so I can usually work with it if that's what I want to do.

I was thinking a Wahl Five-Star balding trimmer would work well for you. Looks like a barber tool, and it is. Used to get almost down to skin. If it's been a while, I'd say use that to take off the bulk and then grab the wetshaving gear and take care of what's left.

A set of horse clippers will do the same thing, if you've got one around.

O.H.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
First off, sorry to hear about health problems. That can really affect your willingness to shave some days. Depending on what the problem is -- and it's not in my need-to-know -- you may find an electric clipper to be a better option than a straight razor. I have a little nerve damage that makes using a shavette interesting, but it's not too severe so I can usually work with it if that's what I want to do.

I was thinking a Wahl Five-Star balding trimmer would work well for you. Looks like a barber tool, and it is. Used to get almost down to skin. If it's been a while, I'd say use that to take off the bulk and then grab the wetshaving gear and take care of what's left.

A set of horse clippers will do the same thing, if you've got one around.

O.H.

Right on!

This is the clipper that you are talking about.
Wahl Balding Clipper

I own the Wahl Magic Clips, which you can see in my profile pic, and I love it! But I agree, for your use case, you might prefer the Wahl Balding Clipper for getting close to the skin, as it has a fine tooth blade instead of a stagger tooth, like my Wahl Magic Clip has.
 

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
Right on!

This is the clipper that you are talking about.
Wahl Balding Clipper

I own the Wahl Magic Clips, which you can see in my profile pic, and I love it! But I agree, for your use case, you might prefer the Wahl Balding Clipper for getting close to the skin, as it has a fine tooth blade instead of a stagger tooth, like my Wahl Magic Clip has.

I don't usually go longer than three days without shaving, so I haven't had to pull out the horse clippers since January of 1995. :) True fact.

I do have a Wahl Five-Star Super-Close, though. I use it on both cheeks, and sometimes to clean up an annoying little patch that didn't feel like anything when it was still soapy.

O.H.
 
Top Bottom