Blade suggestions for abnormally tough beard on extremely sensitive skin.

[Suhrim21]

I dont know if this will help you but reading your post so much of what you were saying is what I experience daily. On my cheeks I can get smooth comfortable shave every time. On the neck that's a different story. If I go with the grain is comfortable but against the blade sometimes skips and I get knicks. it has gotten a lot better as my technique has improved so that is one thing that will help. But blades for me most of the popular blades that people say are sharp and smooth I cant use because they are not sharp enough for my hair. I do like feathers but for comfort I really enjoy rapira platinum lux blades. I am told the rapira swedish supersteel blades are a bit smoother but I have yet to try them. In the US I can get the platinum lux blades for about 11 bucks for 100 after shipping. At least in the US they are cheaper than the 7oclok yellows and a lot cheaper than feather blades. Also, I never go past 4 shaves on a blade and normally replace after 3.

The biggest thing is do not get discouraged and keep at it. The comfort will improve as you gain experience. You may also need to try different razors until you find the right one. Again I wouldn't try one razor a few times and decide it's not right for you while you are still learning proper technique and developing muscle memory.

I hope you stick with it and get the comfortable shave you are looking for.

 

[RayClem]

I dont know if this will help you but reading your post so much of what you were saying is what I experience daily. On my cheeks I can get smooth comfortable shave every time. On the neck that's a different story. If I go with the grain is comfortable but against the blade sometimes skips and I get knicks. it has gotten a lot better as my technique has improved so that is one thing that will help. But blades for me most of the popular blades that people say are sharp and smooth I cant use because they are not sharp enough for my hair. I do like feathers but for comfort I really enjoy rapira platinum lux blades. I am told the rapira swedish supersteel blades are a bit smoother but I have yet to try them. In the US I can get the platinum lux blades for about 11 bucks for 100 after shipping. At least in the US they are cheaper than the 7oclok yellows and a lot cheaper than feather blades. Also, I never go past 4 shaves on a blade and normally replace after 3.

The biggest thing is do not get discouraged and keep at it. The comfort will improve as you gain experience. You may also need to try different razors until you find the right one. Again I wouldn't try one razor a few times and decide it's not right for you while you are still learning proper technique and developing muscle memory.

I hope you stick with it and get the comfortable shave you are looking for.

It sounds like you are faced with some of the same issues I have: tough beard, sensitive skin. I have found that a great soap can make a huge difference to the shave, but everything has to work together, preparation, lather, razor, blade and technique.

 

[ironfingers]

Day before yesterday I took a new Feather on the Pearl LS-55 with the closed comb. This is the first time for me with that razor with the closed comb. I have already done 2 shaves with the open comb components of the same razor. The blade gap is much more than that of my earlier Gillette 7 0' Clock Sterling Silver which was very very mild. I always use my chin area to measure the sharpness as that is the area most razors and blades struggle. Even the Open Comb Pearl LS-55 with a Gillette Wilkinson Sword blade tugged and pulled badly around my chin. And tugging and pulling is nothing new to me as I am fresh out of the cartridge world. So if I complain about tugging and pulling then you can understand it must have been really bad. But the Feather on the closed comb Pearl LS-55 was pure hot knife through butter experience. In fact it shaved with such ease that I though it passed over the hair till I felt the chin area with the other hand to learn otherwise.

In comparison to the shave with the open comb Wilkinson combo the closed comb feather combo needed more passes for clearing some areas. The cheeks weren't problematic but the neck area which is the most sensitive and has beard growth in unexplainable pattern required multiple passes and still wasn't close enough. I stopped when I started feeling a bit tender. So this shave definitely lost in closeness to the previous. The aftershave asserted what I had already assumed. No sting on the cheeks or the upper lip, upper lip wasn't very close but cheeks were close except for a patch on the left cheek close to my ears which I had noticed only after I had splashed cold water as part of the recovery. But the neck area right under the jaw had some sharp sting, which was still okay. After all, I am from the cartridge world. In fact I would even go as far to insist that all men should try cartridge razors some times in order to be able to truly appreciate what the DE offers. This was my 10th straight shave with the DE and I had initially switched over to the DE only because of my concern about the amount of plastic waste I was generating because of the cartridges. Now I clearly understand and whole heartedly agree that the DEs indeed provide a better, more comfortable and even a closer shave with the right tools.

Today was my second shave with the same feather and Pearl LS-55 closed comb combo. I willingly sacrificed comfort for the sake of closeness to see how close a shave it can offer. Trust me, with this face I can convince someone that there was never beard on my face, ever. It is indeed that close, even in areas where I never knew I can achieve this kind of closeness. However I didn't like that I had to go over some areas many times due to the closed comb razor. And another important thing is that there was indeed a significant dip in the sharpness of the feather blade in comparison to the first shave. I am not complaining about that as still there was very very very minimal tugging in the chin area and the shave was more comfortable. This time the aftershave caused more sting in the cheek and upper lips but the sting in the neck area was lesser compared to the previous shave despite getting a much more clean shave.

My next shave is going to be with the same feather blade but with the open comb components of the same Pearl LS-55 razor. Added the Schone razor to my Amazon cart. Might purchase it soon. From where I live it's considerably cheaper than the Fatips. I heard that Fatip manufactures the Schones too. So I am assuming that the Schones should be good enough and going to go ahead with the purchase unless someone tells me otherwise.

 

[ironfingers]

Everyone is a little different, but we have the same basic genetics, so how different can you be?

And you are done with Wilkinson Sword, right? You can give them to somebody that can use them. What about those 7 O'clock blacks, have you tried them?

OK, here is another approach for pre-shave. Try a glycerine soap such as Pears brand. Wash your beard with this using warm water and leave a layer of soap and water on for three to five minutes. Now, before you shave, rinse most of it off, but leave a bit, you will have a layer of slickness you can put a fresh layer of warm lather on top of. This has worked well for me, at least.

If your beard is heavy and grows in many directions, you may benefit from an open comb razor. Pearl makes one, but it is a little harsh. Have you looked at a Fatip Grande? These razors have a reputation for being very aggressive but it might be better to say they are efficient. They take fewer passes to get a close shave. The Fatip is very smooth if you are careful and have good technique. It's one of my favorites, and I have a fairly heavy, tough beard.

You seem to have used both the Pearl open comb variant as well as the Fatip Grande. Is the Fatip Grande more comfortable? I used the Pearl LS-55 with the open comb and loved it. So I believe I can handle the Fatip Grande too. Also, have you used the Schone? What's your take on the Schone vs Fatip Grande?

 

[ironfingers]

Never heard much about the Fatip and nothing at all about the Schone till I read the responses to this post of mine. I am surprised that nobody mentioned about the Muhle R41 which I thought was the best open comb razor, kind of the benchmark even. Was I wrong?

 

[Atlantic59]

You seem to have used both the Pearl open comb variant as well as the Fatip Grande. Is the Fatip Grande more comfortable? I used the Pearl LS-55 with the open comb and loved it. So I believe I can handle the Fatip Grande too. Also, have you used the Schone? What's your take on the Schone vs Fatip Grande?

Yes, I've used both the Pearl OC and Fatip OC Grande. I got a very nice close shave with both, but the Fatip was smoother and more comfortable than the Pearl. The Schone is made by Fatip and is almost the same as far as I know. Schone has fewer teeth on the comb and very slight difference in cap dimensions. You can read here on the forums experiences of people who have tried both.

I would advise wherever you buy it that they have a good return policy because sometimes it is necessary to exchange if you get one with a quality problem. My Grande was very good quality and it is one of my favorites. Really like the all-brass construction and the vintage looks.

About the R41, I would try the Fatip or Schone first. Some people love the R41, for me I felt it was not smooth and I could never relax for a moment shaving with it.

 

[RayClem]

Never heard much about the Fatip and nothing at all about the Schone till I read the responses to this post of mine. I am surprised that nobody mentioned about the Muhle R41 which I thought was the best open comb razor, kind of the benchmark even. Was I wrong?

The R41 is a great razor. However, for many folks it can be too aggressive. I have a tough beard, so I like sharp blades and aggressive razors. However, I also have sensitive skin. If I try to put a very sharp blade (Feather, BIC, Nacet, PermaSharp Super) in the R41, I get a lot of irritation. However, if I drop back in sharpness to a 7 O'Clock SharpEdge Yellow, I do just fine. However, I get a better shave overall with a very sharp blade in a moderately aggressive razor such as a DE89 or Karve D plate. Thus, I rarely pick up the R41.

Finding the right blade for the right razor is one of the keys to success.

 

[ironfingers]

Shaved today with the same feather (third shave with it) and the open comb Pearl LS-55. Result - smooth red face. Shave was very close indeed but some serious burn when applying the aftershave (Aqua Velva). Usually I prefer a thicker, cushiony lather. But today I made it more slick than usual. That could partially be the reason. Because slicker lather makes the razor skip hair in my case. So I am going to try the Feather again on the open comb Pearl LS-55 again but with a thicker lather and see if a Feather on an open comb won't suit me.

 

[Atlantic59]

Shaved today with the same feather (third shave with it) and the open comb Pearl LS-55. Result - smooth red face. Shave was very close indeed but some serious burn when applying the aftershave (Aqua Velva). Usually I prefer a thicker, cushiony lather. But today I made it more slick than usual. That could partially be the reason. Because slicker lather makes the razor skip hair in my case. So I am going to try the Feather again on the open comb Pearl LS-55 again but with a thicker lather and see if a Feather on an open comb won't suit me.

Sounds like you are learning a lot with your experiments. I know it is tempting to chase the BBS, and you want to see how close a shave you can get, but sometimes that will lead to irritation over time. When you say, the razor is skipping, you might try short, quick razor strokes if you are not doing that. The problem with long razor strokes is it is more difficult to keep a consistent angle on the face. Quicker razor strokes will cut the hair better. Your current Feather blade will be wearing out soon, you may want a fresh one for your experiment, and save the current one for later on.

 

[RayClem]

Shaved today with the same feather (third shave with it) and the open comb Pearl LS-55. Result - smooth red face. Shave was very close indeed but some serious burn when applying the aftershave (Aqua Velva). Usually I prefer a thicker, cushiony lather. But today I made it more slick than usual. That could partially be the reason. Because slicker lather makes the razor skip hair in my case. So I am going to try the Feather again on the open comb Pearl LS-55 again but with a thicker lather and see if a Feather on an open comb won't suit me.

Your experience with Feather blades is similar to mine. I get two great shaves, but if I used it for a third shave, it irritates my skin. Feather is the only blade that won't give me 3-4 great shaves. Of course there are some blades that are too dull to give me even 1 great shave, but I am not counting them.

 

[dokpm0]

You said alcohol based aftershaves seem to work best for you. Have you ever tried an alum block followed by a non-alcoholic balm? I'm in the sensitive skin/slightly tough beard category. Post shave, if I feel some irritation I rinse with cool water, then I go over my face and neck with an alum block. I leave that for a few minutes, rinse with more cool water, apply some Thayers witch hazel with aloe, and after that soaks in some Trumpers skin food. The alum block stings a bit when its needed, but supposedly helps close up pores and reduces further irritation. It also helps stop minor nicks from oozing. If I feel little to no irritation, after a cool water rinse I skip the alum block and go straight to the Thayers witch hazel followed by the Trumpers skin food.

 

[ironfingers]

You said alcohol based aftershaves seem to work best for you. Have you ever tried an alum block followed by a non-alcoholic balm? I'm in the sensitive skin/slightly tough beard category. Post shave, if I feel some irritation I rinse with cool water, then I go over my face and neck with an alum block. I leave that for a few minutes, rinse with more cool water, apply some Thayers witch hazel with aloe, and after that soaks in some Trumpers skin food. The alum block stings a bit when its needed, but supposedly helps close up pores and reduces further irritation. It also helps stop minor nicks from oozing. If I feel little to no irritation, after a cool water rinse I skip the alum block and go straight to the Thayers witch hazel followed by the Trumpers skin food.

Alum block immediately reddens my face. Serious burn even if I wash it off immediately. And it burns the whole day. Alcohol containing aftershaves don't even burn that much and also they fight off razor burn for me better than Alum which intensifies razor burn in my case. So I gave up on Alum blocks. My favorite aftershave is the Clubman Pinaud Bay Rum. Love it. That burn and then that heat. Skin feels so wonderful afterwards. And it's the best remedy for razor burn too, for me personally.

 

[ironfingers]

Sounds like you are learning a lot with your experiments. I know it is tempting to chase the BBS, and you want to see how close a shave you can get, but sometimes that will lead to irritation over time. When you say, the razor is skipping, you might try short, quick razor strokes if you are not doing that. The problem with long razor strokes is it is more difficult to keep a consistent angle on the face. Quicker razor strokes will cut the hair better. Your current Feather blade will be wearing out soon, you may want a fresh one for your experiment, and save the current one for later on.

Yes, I only take short strokes. With other blades like Gillette Wilkinson Sword I can't take longer strokes even if I wished as the blade gets stuck and will need some pressure to move. I stop there and take a fresh small stroke instead. With feathers I consciously take short strokes with feather touch in respect for the blade's sharpness.

 

[dokpm0]

Alum block immediately reddens my face. Serious burn even if I wash it off immediately. And it burns the whole day. Alcohol containing aftershaves don't even burn that much and also they fight off razor burn for me better than Alum which intensifies razor burn in my case. So I gave up on Alum blocks.

In the end, you've got to do what works for your skin. I'm in a similar boat with underarm deodorants. Old Spice high endurance is the only one I've found that I can use. All the other I've tried, even Old Spice Classic, burn my underarms.

My favorite aftershave is the Clubman Pinaud Bay Rum. Love it. That burn and then that heat. Skin feels so wonderful afterwards. And it's the best remedy for razor burn too, for me personally.

I wasn't crazy about their bay rum, but I love the scent of Pinaud Clubman Classic. Alum, witch hazel, and a non-alcoholic balm seem to work better for me, except for last night when I left the alum on a little too long. My skin starts feeling tight and uncomfortable when I do that. I need to give Pinaud Clubman Classic another try for comparison.

 

[ironfingers]

Today tried the Pearl LS-55 open comb Feather combo (4th shave with this feather) but this time with thicker cushiony lather instead of more slick one. Shave wasn't as close in some areas but was a bit more comfortable. Still the burn was significant in the neck area. I am convinced that my skin cannot handle an open comb loaded with a feather. On the other hand, as mentioned earlier, the Gillette Wilkinson Sword on the same razor gave me a closer shave with far less irritation with the only downside being some serious tugging and pulling around the chin. Today the chin area felt comfortable. The cheeks too could handle it but some areas in my neck are on fire.

Another significant discovery today was that the feather offered not 5 but only 4 comfortable shaves. There was noticeable tugging and pulling today around the chin which was still less than a Gillette Wilkinson Sword but the shave wasn't as effortless as the previous 3. I was puzzled as to how the previous feather blade offered me 4 very comfortable and 1 not so comfortable shave while this offered only 3 comfortable and 1 not so comfortable shave. Then I realized that with the first blade, being it my first ever trial of a feather, I only did a 3 pass shave on the 4th shave. The first 2 were only 2 pass shaves out of fear of the feather and also since I was starting afresh with DEs.

Below is what I have tried so far along with the corresponding results.

S. No	Razor	Blade	Closeness	Shaving Comfort	Post Shave Burn	Burn later in the day	Comments
1	Gillette 7 0’Clock Sterling Silver (Very very mild)	Feather	Average	Comfortable	Minimal	None	Was able to get a close shave in the cheeks alone. Too mild and a pass.
2	Gillette 7 0’Clock Sterling Silver (Very very mild)	Gillette Wilkinson Sword	Not close	Not comfortable	Moderate	Moderate	Severe tugging and pulling. Didn’t shave close at all despite going over an area multiple times.
3	Pearl LS-55 Open Comb	Gillette Wilkinson Sword	Very Close	Comfortable	Minimal - Moderate	Minimal	Good, close shave but there was serious tugging and pulling around the chin. Much closer with fewer strokes.
4	Pearl LS-55 Closed Comb	Feather	Very Very Close	Comfortable	Significant on the neck, moderate on the upper lip and minimal in cheeks.	Moderate	One of the closest shaves ever. The closest shave so far but not the most comfortable.
5	Pearl LS-55 Open Comb	Feather	Close - Very Close	Not comfortable	Extreme	Significant	Very close or not the burn was extreme and my skin just couldn’t handle it at all. This is a pass.
6	Pearl LS-55 Closed Comb	BIC	???	???	???	???	???

As you can see I am going to try the BIC on the Closed Comb next. Will post the results after the shave. The quest is still on.

 

[Atlantic59]

It seems you got your best results with the open comb, particularly in the neck area because of the way your beard grows there. I wonder if you might be changing too many things too fast? The problem with the Feathers is they wear out quickly. You got irritation with the worn blade you did not get with the same combo before. It would be good to try a fresh Feather with the open comb, and a robust lather before switching to another blade.

I think based on what you have found so far, you may want to try a blade similar to the Feather, but slightly milder and more durable, in the open comb. What about the Gillette 7 o'clock blacks (Indian made)? Many people here speak well those blades. As mentioned earlier, the Pearl open comb can be a bit rough, though it can produce a very close shave. It is a good tool, but it is aggressive and you have to take care with it until you have become accustomed to it.

The R41, Fatip and Pearl: A shaving guide to the three most aggressive safety razors

Some background to why a reasonable sane person gets started with these razors Welcome to a brief visit into my personal shaving den or (as my wife, the love of my life, puts it) the guestroom toilet :001_smile. Any oddities in my language can be referred to me being a Swede by birth and habit...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[xiletero]

I have probably similar hair/skin combination. Use a Fatip/Schone, R41 or RR OC every 2 days with russian blades (gillette or astra), good slippery soap/cream, alcohol mixed AS and balm x 2 and that seems to work best for me. But we are all different. Good luck in your shaving expedition...hope you find a good mix.

 

[CombustionNerd]

R41 with Feather or Kai blades and some practice. But I've found that using the Feathers and Kais in a shavette is even better, with more practice. I usually keep the R41 around for a bit of mild cleanup after 1-2 passes of the shavette. This was a step change in comfort and closeness for me, and I thought I was doing well with just the R41. I wish my wallet was fat enough to extend to a real straight plus strop etc, as I think that would be another improvement for me, but the investment for a decent quality starting point is not insignificant.

P.S. Feathers do wear fast, 3 shaves is their max if you're using just one in a DE (IMO). In a shavette each half lasts 3-5 for me, but I'm pushing it at that point.

P.P.S. I know the R41 has a reputation for blood letting, but honestly I think I'd be hard pressed to really cut myself with mine after 1 year of usage, even while learning I think I had 1 real cut, and it was minor; nothing compared to what a shavette can do if you lose concentration, and even that is very minor in the scheme of things and what I've experienced. Of course with the R41 some weepers are inevitable, but they're occassional, not constant. (My R41 was purchased as new stock in 2017, for reference)

 

[Halfblade]

Try replacing the Feather with 7 o'clock Super Platinum Blacks. They're easily available in India as they are made there.
It seems that open comb razors suit you better than closed comb razors. That could be because more lather is reaching your stubble.

 

[Cam]

I'm not an expert on this but have you tried gillette platinum? I think their made in russia and are sharp but not as sharp as a feather, they are my go to blades