Blade Question

[jrhudgins]

After getting great shaves with three Derby blades in a row, in a Mergress adjustable, I put a new blade in yesterday and have butchered my face both days. The marks are lined up, I am using the same setting (2 1/2), and everything looks good to my untrained eye.

So the question is: What do I look for to figure out what is wrong?

Thanks,

JR

 

[Leche]

How was your lather and prep? Or you could have just gotten a bad blade.

 

[jrhudgins]

Lather and prep were good: Hot towels for three minutes. AOS cream full and thick. Using as little pressure as possible, three-pass shaves as before. I was feeling really good before this, getting very good shaves after only three weeks of return to DE shaving...

Is there something to look out for re: a bad blade?

 

[The_Danish_Guy]

Bad blades = Maybe 1 out of every 100 blades are bad. Honed or grinded in a wrong angle or just not good - dull.

it happens sometimes. Not so much in my Derby extra collection.
But the red israeles i used, it happened sometimes.

Put a new blade in your Mergress and shave away

I hope it works out for you.

Remember the Angle and ZERO pressure!!!!!!?


Kind regars Lars Jensen

 

[humber burns]

I had a similar issue at your stage and I find a lot of noobs do. The issue is that a lot of guys have just gotten used to using the DE and start pushing their technique, consciously or subconsciously. What I would do is slow down and take my time paying even more attention than before, and as alway no pressure.

 

[DSB]

Is the blade a little loose in the razor, perhaps?

 

[andrewinman]

Could be you prep or technique but I have definately gotten a few bad Derbys before.

 

[gone down south]

So, 3 blades is what, 12 shaves or so? Experience has taught me that if I get 12 great shaves in a row I suddenly become cocky and rush through my shave, resulting in general carnage. You need that bad shave every so often to keep you on your toes!

 

[humber burns]

Respect the blade... or it'll bite you!

 

[smoothshaver]

As has been pointed out:

I had a similar issue at your stage and I find a lot of noobs do. The issue is that a lot of guys have just gotten used to using the DE and start pushing their technique, consciously or subconsciously. What I would do is slow down and take my time paying even more attention than before, and as alway no pressure.

Just when we think, "No sweat. This isn't so difficult.", and start zipping around our faces with sharp objects, the blade reminds us to pay attention.

Of course, defective blades do happen.

 

[jrhudgins]

Thank you for all of the feedback. I finally got home after two days of using a multiblade for travel. I changed the blade (another Derby), made sure that everything was clean and shiny in the process, then looked the razor over carefully. I noticed that the blade does not exactly remain square to the razor, but it is only off a little.

Heeding your cautions about newbie inattention, I carefully went through the routine, and took a long time to shave. It seems to help to keep the room quiet so that I can adjust the angle until I just begin to hear the blade on the whiskers. Good day, no bleeding, close four-pass shave.

But I also looked at the old blade, and it had a very slight peak/bend near one end that wasn't noticeable when it was clamped in the razor...

Thanks again.

JR

 

[tblech]

Thank you for all of the feedback. I finally got home after two days of using a multiblade for travel. I changed the blade (another Derby), made sure that everything was clean and shiny in the process, then looked the razor over carefully. I noticed that the blade does not exactly remain square to the razor, but it is only off a little.

Heeding your cautions about newbie inattention, I carefully went through the routine, and took a long time to shave. It seems to help to keep the room quiet so that I can adjust the angle until I just begin to hear the blade on the whiskers. Good day, no bleeding, close four-pass shave.

But I also looked at the old blade, and it had a very slight peak/bend near one end that wasn't noticeable when it was clamped in the razor...

Thanks again.

JR

I have noticed that the blades don't always fit square in my 38C. I have taken to make a final adjustment just before the final tightening so that it is in properly. You may want to just get into the habit of keeping an eye on this. I also see everyone tell people to use zero pressure or no pressure, I feel that we should be teaching people to use appropreate pressure. When I try zero pressure my blade skips along happily and does squat. I need just a little bit to allow the blade to acctually so it's job, though it is worth mentioning that to use the amount of pressure one might associate with a cartridge *** is asking for trouble.

 

[Jaybird180]

I hand strop my blades as per Mantic prior to loading them.