Blade Angle - Is it ok ?

[leroyale]

So after becoming extremely discouraged and coming to reverting to the mach 3, i decided to go on a YouTube streak to try and get my blade angle. I only go straight down due to acne around my chin and irritation which any other way causes me and when did this, hair would still show. During my streak, I came across a Geofatboy video of him using a straight, saying that the blade angle is about 20-30 degrees. I was using 30 degrees because every where i looked said to use 30 and I immediately ran into the shower and.... wow! Happiest day of my noob DE shaving. Finally got to this skin, not BBS, but enough for me to be satisfied. Still better than the mach 3.

So my question is, is it OK to shave at 20 degrees or is this a big nono? Thought id clarify with you guys.

Also, with regards to my blades: It turns out Feathers are the only blades which dont cause me irritation on the neck, though get my pimples badly bleeding. I tried a Derby today and no blood whatsoever, though a bit of irritation on my neck.

Question with this is, what blade do you guys recommend me? The feather is the sharpest i beleive and that gets my pimples bleeding, though I dont know about the derby.... Ive tried astras, gillete blues and greens, timor, feather, personally blues and ofcourse the Derby. Thing is, when I tried the personna it gave me all types of irritation and I think i might give it a second shot because its reknown to be smoothe?

Do you guys know of another medi-core blade like the Derby which might be better?

Many thanks in advance - I really do appreciate the help you guys give... O btw im 15 and psyched to be able to use a DE razor.... its merely an attempt to get rid of my acne because the mach and electrics completely messed me up, im already seeing improvements with DE and ive got terrible technique!

 

[chilliman64]

hi leroyale and welcome to B&B! your skin condition is the issue. try a light pressure single pass shave with a blade that doesn't cut open your pimples. the right angle to shave at is the angle which cuts the hairs and does not irritate the skin, what works for me may not work for you so you will need to experiment a little. start with the handle straight out from your face and gradually drop the handle down until the cutting starts. personally, I would not recommend Feathers.

I recommend after every shave that you use an alum bloc and then witch hazel - they will help your skin and should start to clean it up for you. I also suggest you rinse your razor and blade with isopropyl alcohol before and after each shave to reduce the chance of infection.

it is most important that you do not keep cutting open your pimples. best of luck!

 

[Invicta]

Welcome to the forum.
Have a look at this thread which explains blade angle: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/130110-Blade-Angle-some-help-for-newbies?
The most efficient angle for a DE razor is nearer the point where the cap starts to ride the skin rather than the safety bar. I think you will find that thread very informative.

 

[zygalski]

The easiest way to find the correct blade angle is to let your stubble grow for 2 days or so, so you have a reasonable amount of growth.
Starting at the base of your sideburns, hold the razor against your face & start to shave downwards gently, and applying no pressure, at an angle that seems right. Take a few small strokes & adjust the angle going slightly shallower or slightly steeper, until you can hear the blade cutting at the loudest volume & feel the blades slicing through the hair.
That angle is the correct one.

 

[buca3152]

All good advise above. I use straights and started at 30 degree but now I find that shallower works better for me. more like 15-20 degrees. YMMV. Guidelines are not written in stone. Don't be afraid to experiment.

 

[vreddy2000]

The shallowest angle where you hear the hair being cut is the only angle you should be shaving at.
if you dig deep enough here you will find multiple posts by many experienced shavers stating that the whole angle thing is a load of bs.
shallow angle- your face will thank you and your blades will last forever and blade preference will cease to matter..
this is true for both de and straights.

 

[jamesspo]

Yes, as shallow an angle as possible (that still shaves you well) is the best strategy, I find. The "30 degree" angle is just a reference point, and probably the steepest you'd want to go. Just as with a straight, the shallower angles are the least irritating and the best cutting, as long as the blade is making solid contact with your face.

 

[bplipschitz]

What the others have said is all good advice. I would add that face prep is also important -- shave after you shower. The advice on witch hazel afterwards is good, and a little aftershave with some alcohol might not hurt, either.

As far as blade angle is concerned, the advice about experimenting with 2-3 days of growth is spot on, whether you're learning to shave with a straight or a DE.

Good Luck!

 

[leroyale]

Thanks a heap lads, really do appreciate the help.

Any input on the blades, though?

CheerS!

 

[Oscroft]

Yep, 30 degrees is too steep an angle for me too, and I get better shaves using a shallower angle.

As for smooth blades, Timor seem to be about the smoothest I've tried - but they're not the sharpest.

My favourite combination of sharp & smooth is the Iridium Super - but I don't have sensitive skin, so what's best for me is likely to be different to what's best for you.

 

[amishmotorboat]

The one that does a good job and is the most comfortable for YOU is the correct angle.
There are some here that swear by a huge angle, like 60-70 degrees. I tried it. It's not for me, but it works (assuming you have a razor capable of giving you that angle without the guard getting in the way). I prefer shallow angles, so shallow that many of the milder razors simply cannot give it to me on account of the cap being too thick. If you've found one that works for you, gives you a close shave without irritation, then that's the correct angle for you, and you don't need it validated by anyone else.

 

[chilliman64]

try Derby, most guys find them to be fairly mild - some love them, some hate them - me, I love them.

 

[leroyale]

Thanks again, guys, any more input on the blades would be great!

Also, though, which brand of witch hazel do you guys recommend? I just read a thread on hear where someone was justifying that the Thyers witch hazel isnt the best? Not sure, recommendations would be grrrreeeeaaaattttlyyyyy appreciated.

Thanks again, you guys are amazing!

 

[leroyale]

Bump!

 

[ChrisTWB]

It really depends on how dry your skin becomes... Thayers at a GNC is the one most often posted about here (it contains no alcohol). However, I found the witch Hazel sold at Target for about 3.49 a bottle also works fine but it does contain some alcohol so it may dry your skin (which really isn't good if you are in a cold, dry environment at this time of year, however in the summer, you may prefer this one when your skin does not get so dry). Do you use a moisturizing balm after shaving? You may want to start with the Thayers and as always, experiment a little. I would probably pick up both witch hazels (the Thayers is 9.99 at GNC) and test them both out.

 

[Oscroft]

Talking of witch hazel, I don't use it often but when I do I use the cheap drugstore stuff (for one thing, Thayer's is a lot more expensive here in the UK). The alcohol in it is fine for me because I don't suffer from dry skin - it soothes nicely, and the smell of it quickly dissipates.

Oh, and while experimenting with various blades is definitely a good thing to do, I'd say working on your technique is higher priority - so I'd suggest choosing a blade that you're reasonably happy with and sticking with that for a little while until you have your technique just right.

 

[dparish1952]

I think you should use a blade that doesn't require a perfect technique (which the Feathers do). I haven't much blade experience but the Wilkinson Swords that are made in Germany have a reputation as being mild or "forgiving".

 

[tomharr51]

I think everyone pretty much hit the mark with blade angle. Regarding blades you might want to consider going online to a wet shaving website and purchasing a blade sampler pack. Blades are a really personal thing. What one guy thinks is sharp or aggressive another may feel isn't. I personally like Personna Red Labels. I found this out by using a blade sampler pack. Good luck finding your favorite blade.

 

[Cerbul13]

I also run into that problem but with very few types of blades. Some blades are just too sharp and they simply take off cutting the tops of the follicles.
Some blades are just not efficient enough and they get me into irritation and burn. However, there are out there blades that can be efficient without being too sharp, or too dull. The best examples I can give are Astra SP, Astra SS, Super Iridium/Polsilver. Give those a try, and maybe you find some differences.

It can also be something else causing you to get into this situation. So is not only blade type, is also can be caused by attacking hair XTG or ATG too early, without doing a proper WTG first. So in other words, if you try to cut hair ATG for example, and the amount of hair you want to cut is too much for the fact that previous passes didn't remove enough, then you might want to make sure you get more efficient with those passes, by either improving technique or picking other blade.