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Blade buffing or lots of overlapping strokes necessary?

I've been trying with SE and DE shaving for a few months now. If I truly adhere to the mantra of no pressure and not going back over areas that have had the lather removed, the best I can get from three passes is a socially acceptable shave. Various forums posts point towards this being a technique issues, but I see no improvement in sight.

If I use some pressure and use a soap with a lot of residual slickness that enables me to go over the same areas many, many times, I can get BBS in some areas and DFS in others. I'd venture to say that I'm blessed to not even know what razor burn feels like. I get some transient stinging when rinsing after using a GEM SE or in any case if I use alum, but that really only lasts a few seconds. My beard is not very dense, but I guess the whiskers that are there are hard to cut.

It's really acceptable - I can get a decent shave with no irritation. I continue to shave every day, but don't feel like I'm advancing. Just wondering if there are others out there that have hit a similar wall; if this is as good as it's going to get; or if anyone has suggestions on things to try.
 
My first question to you is have you mapped your beard to see in which directions your beard grows? If not, I recommend you do this so you can determine what is WTG and ATG. The grain of my beard particularly on my neck changes in so many directions and then in spots swirls so that a WTG pass in meaningless. I look to see in what direction my beard grows the most and that becomes my WTG pass realizing that in some spots it may be XTG and ATG. I then use a very light touch in going in that direction. For me, the ONLY way I can get a decent shave is to do a 4-pass shave.

First, it may be that your blade angle is off. If that is the case, you will not be getting the closest shave. For information about blade angle, look here in the wiki.

Finally, what razor are you using? You may be a candidate for a more aggressive razor.
 
I've been trying with SE and DE shaving for a few months now...I see no improvement in sight.

A few months isn't long. I've been DE shaving for over 40 years and my technique continues to improve.

If it takes blade buffing and a lot of touch up to get an acceptable shave, then that's what it takes. I have areas that I go over multiple times that I'll never get BBS.
 
My first question to you is have you mapped your beard to see in which directions your beard grows? If not, I recommend you do this so you can determine what is WTG and ATG. The grain of my beard particularly on my neck changes in so many directions and then in spots swirls so that a WTG pass in meaningless. I look to see in what direction my beard grows the most and that becomes my WTG pass realizing that in some spots it may be XTG and ATG. I then use a very light touch in going in that direction. For me, the ONLY way I can get a decent shave is to do a 4-pass shave.

First, it may be that your blade angle is off. If that is the case, you will not be getting the closest shave. For information about blade angle, look here in the wiki.

Finally, what razor are you using? You may be a candidate for a more aggressive razor.
If your beard is adequately saturated and your using a good soap many of us do passes after lather is removed. I combine a XTG pass with lather with ATG mostly without with no problem.

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Hi domingo3,

Sorry to hear about your issues but 8tll be good if we had more info like the razor, blade etc.

I'll also say to shave completely wo any pressure is a little far fetched, perhaps just a couple of people here can do it and most who have tried, failed.

A little pressure is ok and necessary sometimes.

It does sound that your razor is too mild and considering that you have a beard, an open comb razor might help you.

A picollo or NSC might be worth a look at.

Cheers and good luck,

Mawashi
 
Thanks for the replies. To clarify, I was referring to whiskers where I said beard. I do a full shave every day. To answer the questions:

1) Prep is shower beforehand. I've tried Arko direct on the face and then brush to lather and I've tried a few soaps in a bowl with a brush. More recently, I've just been using bar soap from the shower- put a little extra on my face before I get out, then load the brush with a little more. The bar soap has worked out the best for me, I think because of the residual slickness. Next best has been Arko stick on the face.

2) I've mapped my beard, and it's pretty simple. Straight down on most of my face. 2/3 of neck is left to right and 1/3 is right to left. Even on the easy parts like the cheeks, it takes a fair number of passes or buffing to get smooth.

3) I've read through the different discussion of blade angle. Honestly, there's not a lot of options between guard riding and cap riding and I've tried them all.

4) Razors I have are
a) Weishii butterfly DE
b) Ming-shi Futur clone adjustable DE
c) GEM Micromatic SE with Persona blades
d) Schick Type M adjustable injector with chick blades (I just got some twin blades, but haven't tried one yet)

I've only used the GEM a handful of times. So far, the injector has given me the best results, but I can get similar with either of the DE and more time. I've read feather blades are among the sharpest and seem to be as good or better than the other blades I've tried. I can use the most aggressive settings on the adjustable razors in the flatter parts of my face, but feel I benefit from dialing it down a bit and using some pressure where there's more curvature.

I could remain happy using the injector to get better shaves than I ever got with disposables or carts, but that wouldn't constitute a hobby. If I could get BBS on just one place on my face with three single passes (not a dozen), it would turn me into a believer.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
3) I've read through the different discussion of blade angle. Honestly, there's not a lot of options between guard riding and cap riding and I've tried them all.

Yup. With a mild enough razor, they're pretty much the same angle. Takes a while to be consistent with that angle though.

If you've ever cut yourself with that razor, the blade juts out far enough to cut skin. If you can cut skin, you can get a close shave. It just takes practice to get one without the other.
 
If I can make a suggestion on prep that works well for me.

In the shower massage either a squirt of shampoo or dollop of shaving cream into your wet face and leave it on throughout.

Rinse off just before lathering up for shave. I find that it hydrates and softens the hair far more than lathering alone.

I don't know much about three of the razors you mention but I have the Wilkinson Sword classic which I gather is a rebranded Weishi TTO and find I have to work much harder to get a BBS finish than with a more efficient/aggressive razor such as a Fatip Piccolo
 
I reckon there's nothing wrong with a bit of blade buffing. I do it all the time in certain areas, particularly under my chin, and don't consider it an issue at all. As long as it works and doesn't cause any cuts/irritation (which it doesn't) then why worry?
I'm not familiar with the DE razors mentioned, but the Gem and injector models should do a good job, so I don't see buying more as being the answer (although there's nothing wrong with a mild dose of RAD).
 
Great suggestions above!!

I would reiterate a few points:
1. This is still early days, so your technique will continue to improve.
2. Mapping your beard is an excellent idea to understand how your beard grows.
3. Focus on achieving and maintaining optimal razor angle.

Keep at it and you will get the results you want!! :a14::a14:
 
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