Blade suggestions for abnormally tough beard on extremely sensitive skin.

[ironfingers]

Hi guys,

I am 30 year old male from India. If you're wondering why I am saying this it's because I will most likely be paying import duty for most blades. We only have Gillette 7 0'clock both green and yellow manufactured locally, Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades available locally. There may be other not so famous brands which I am not much keen in exploring. I've been wet shaving since I was 15 (year 1995-96). Many people say that's why I have exceptionally tough beard but I believe that's a myth. Started with DE back then, moved over to 2 blade systems, Sensor Excel, then from 2004 to 2012 I was using electric shavers. In 2012 I switched back to Mach 3/Fusion. Liked Mach 3 sensitive better than Fusion all along. Since getting back to wet shaving in 2012 I have been trying to switch to DE as primarily because I was concerned with the amount of plastic waste I was generating by using cartridge razors. Tried a few razors from mild to medium with blades Dorco (it hardy removed any hear and was done in a single pass), Gillette Wilkinson Sword (lights my face up like a Christmas tree, removes more skin than hair), Gillette 7 0'Clock (not impressed either). Even barbers took somewhere between 30-45 minutes to give me a shave which was neither close nor comfortable. Even washing my face later would burn like hell for a couple of days. All of them complained that I had extremely tough beard of the kind they've encountered before. Initially I thought they were just excuses for failing to give me a comfortable shave but when almost every barber echoed it I had to believe. Even my experience says so. I just can't shave with normal water. I use extremely hot water in fact. Water that burns my hands but my face has gotten used to it.

Lot of suggestions online directed me towards Feather blades which they said were the perfect match for tough blades. But they also carried warnings for people with sensitive skin. Finally I gathered the courage to buy some Feather blades and try them out. I loaded it on a Gillette 7 0'Clock Sterling Silver razor (local product) and took the first swipe. I was amazed right from the first swipe at how effortlessly it removed my beard. The razor was very mild and I did 2 passes with the grain and then one across. On my neck, which is the most sensitive part, I did go against the grain on the second pass itself. There result was close but the razor did skip at times and I had to be very very careful not to nick myself. I shave every alternate day as my skin does take that much time to get ready for another shave. After the first shave I was amazed by Feather blades but still the lack of closeness was a concern as by afternoon that day I already had as much stubble as I would if I did a proper 3+ pass shave with a Mach 3. The second day from that I again did a 2 pass shave and was still scared of going against the grain. On the third shave I shaved twice across the grain after a first with the grain pass and the shave still wasn't close enough to my liking. On the fourth shave I finally went against the grain. There were some areas of the face that felt smoother than a cartridge razor shave as my hair grows in circular pattern in some areas which I literally have to shave in hooking/circular motion to get rid of with a cartridge razor. I still don't have the confidence to do it with a DE razor. The fourth shave with the Feather blade was very very comfortable and I got enough confidence to get rid of the Mach 3 finally. Did a fifth shave to with the Feather. It was slightly less comfortable than the fourth and so I got rid of the blade after the 5th shave. Then wanted to give the Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades a second try. They came free with the new Pearl LS-55 razors I ordered (has both the open comb and closed comb variants options in the pack). The blades lit my face up again, redness, razor burn, not a clean shave at all. Got rid of the remaining 4 of these blades. I am going to try the second shave with Wilkinson Sword blades with the open comb as I am scared to use the Feathers in it.

That's a long history, sorry about that. But I thought it would be essential for you guys to give me suggestions. From my research I find that while Feathers may be a little too harsh on the first shave, the Gillette Nacet blades are more consistent still being very sharp. On the other hand the Bic Chrome and Perma Sharp Super become more sharper after the first shave and so I am scared to try them. I don't have access to POL Silver unfortunately. Many people say that Astra SP blades are very sharp but some others deny that too. On a sharpness rating chart their sharpness rating was around that of the Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades and that's a red flag for me unless you guys suggest otherwise. The same is true for Voskhod blades too. The Gillette Nacet blades are twice the cost of Feathers for me on Amazon. And the least count I can get is 50. Since there's also an import duty on almost all of these the sampler packs of much lesser count are more or less the same price or even pricier than the 50/100/200 counts of some other blades. Astra SP blades are half the cost of the Gillette Nacets. What do you suggest guys? Once again sorry for having made you read such a long question. Give me a list of blade suggestions and I will see what I can get on my face.

 

[jmudrick]

Two comments. First, very hot water speeds saturation of the whiskers but may have a deleterious effect on skin, increasing irritation. The beard can be cut equally effectively without negative skin impact by simply utilizing a longer period of saturation with warm or cool water. If "normal" water isn't working you're not giving it enough time. I shave my head and face together in part so lather can sit on my head for the full ten minutes or so it takes to take care of the beard. That time has made a huge difference.

Second, why not try BICs if you can get them. Yeah they may be sharper on second and third use but you can handle Feather with good results, no reason to take BIC out of the running. I get them in SE Asia for $8/100.

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[ironfingers]

Two comments. First, very hot water speeds saturation of the whiskers but may have a deleterious effect on skin, increasing irritation. The beard can be cut equally effectively without negative skin impact by simply utilizing a longer period of saturation with warm or cool water. If "normal" water isn't working you're not giving it enough time. I shave my head and face together in part so lather can sit on my head for the full ten minutes or so it takes to take care of the beard. That time has made a huge difference.

Second, why not try BICs if you can get them. Yeah they may be sharper on second and third use but you can handle Feather with good results, no reason to take BIC out of the running. I get them in SE Asia for $8/100.

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Thank you for the suggestion. I am a little scared of the BICs as even with the feathers I felt that the best shave was the 4th and the order of the best shaves was 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st and then the 5th. The 5th was the least comfortable. But the BICs increase in sharpness after the first shave and the average sharpness is seemingly better than the Feathers. Also I am not sure what people mean by smoothness and I hear that the Feathers are not smooth but the Nacets are smooth despite being very sharp. I will try the BICs anyway in future once I have gained more confidence.

Regarding the hotness of the water, I have tried warm water on many occasions and it just didn't give me a good have. On the other hand I have tried ice cold water which did give me a comfortable shave (with Mach 3) but the blades god dull way too soon. Even on the second and later passes if the water is not really hot, even a new blade tugs and pulls. That's how tough my beard is.

 

[Atlantic59]

Don't be afraid of sharp blades -- sharp tools are the best. I think you already have had good results with Feather. But you should probably not expect more than four or five shaves from them, unfortunately they lose their sharpness quickly. Other blades you might consider it seems you know about: Nacet, BIC, Perma-Sharp Super. Can you get the black 7 O'clock "Ninja"?

Irritation does not come from the blade usually, if the blade is adequately sharp. It comes from things such as:

• Inadequate prep
• Inadequate shaving lather
• Too much pressure
• Wrong shaving angle and technique
• Too many passes
• Going against the grain with long stubble
• Inadequate post shave treatment

So, you need all these things as well as a sharp blade and a good razor. A blade such as Feather demands very good technique.

Prep:
Instead of very hot water, just use warm or tepid water, but let it sit on your whiskers for several minutes to soften them. You can apply an initial layer of shave cream and just let it soak while you do something else.

Lather:
You need lather with lots of slickness that does not dry out while you are shaving.

Pressure:
If you are used to cartridges, you are used to using pressure because you must. A DE razor is different, use little or no pressure. Do not expect to take all whiskers in one pass.

Shaving angle:
Try "riding the cap", keep the blade at a shallow angle relative to your skin. Too steep an angle, and it is easier to scrape the skin, leading to irritation.

Too many passes:
Ideally two passes plus a touch-up pass. Too many passes leads to irritation. Do not go over an area again without lather applied. Three passes is enough.

Against the grain:
You don't have to go against the grain. You can try going across the grain twice from different directions.
If you want to go against the grain, do not try it until you have removed almost all the whiskers' length.

Post shave:
Use a cold water rinse, for about a minute. Try witch hazel if you can get it. Avoid alcohol splashes, try a balm or moisturizing lotion.

Hope this long post is useful to you.

 

[ironfingers]

Don't be afraid of sharp blades -- sharp tools are the best. I think you already have had good results with Feather. But you should probably not expect more than four or five shaves from them, unfortunately they lose their sharpness quickly. Other blades you might consider it seems you know about: Nacet, BIC, Perma-Sharp Super. Can you get the black 7 O'clock "Ninja"?

Irritation does not come from the blade usually, if the blade is adequately sharp. It comes from things such as:

• Inadequate prep
• Inadequate shaving lather
• Too much pressure
• Wrong shaving angle and technique
• Too many passes
• Going against the grain with long stubble
• Inadequate post shave treatment

So, you need all these things as well as a sharp blade and a good razor. A blade such as Feather demands very good technique.

Prep:
Instead of very hot water, just use warm or tepid water, but let it sit on your whiskers for several minutes to soften them. You can apply an initial layer of shave cream and just let it soak while you do something else.

Lather:
You need lather with lots of slickness that does not dry out while you are shaving.

Pressure:
If you are used to cartridges, you are used to using pressure because you must. A DE razor is different, use little or no pressure. Do not expect to take all whiskers in one pass.

Shaving angle:
Try "riding the cap", keep the blade at a shallow angle relative to your skin. Too steep an angle, and it is easier to scrape the skin, leading to irritation.

Too many passes:
Ideally two passes plus a touch-up pass. Too many passes leads to irritation. Do not go over an area again without lather applied. Three passes is enough.

Against the grain:
You don't have to go against the grain. You can try going across the grain twice from different directions.
If you want to go against the grain, do not try it until you have removed almost all the whiskers' length.

Post shave:
Use a cold water rinse, for about a minute. Try witch hazel if you can get it. Avoid alcohol splashes, try a balm or moisturizing lotion.

Hope this long post is useful to you.

Thank you very much for your reply. I am indeed going to explore most of the blades. After all we only have one life. Even if no other blade works for me I still have the Feathers that I can trust. I am not going back to Cartridges ever again.

That said, I find things that work for me are very peculiar. While everyone says that letting the lather sit on their face for longer gives them a more comfortable close shave it's the exact opposite for me no matter what the quality if the lathering product is. I have tried the 3Ts of London, Dr Harris, Proraso and even some canned foam. The problem with letting them sitting longer on my face is that the lather is no longer warm and the blade has a tough time. However I do agree that this wasn't the case with the Feathers. It was able to give me a good shave even after I let the lather sit on my face for about 5 minutes. But I feel more comfortable when the foam is warm. If it cools down while I let the lather sit I don't like the feel of the shave.

Another unique thing for me is that the post shave balms and other non-alcoholic products do me no good. If I use an alcohol based after shave I don't get razor burn later. If I don't use an alcohol based aftershave I am left with razor burn and a red face.

My beard grows in many different directions and so I am almost always shaving with, across and against the grain with every pass. With the first pass I always change the direction with the slightest resistance I get. Further passes I don't do that. With Feathers I had very comfortable against the grain passes, probably the most comfortable ever against the grain passes so far in my life. But with the Wilkinson Swords even across the grain felt like shaving with a fork despite using very light and very short strokes.

 

[jmudrick]

Again very hot water has no benefit beyond softening the beard more quickly. Taking more time is required with cooler water that's all .

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[Atlantic59]

Thank you very much for your reply. I am indeed going to explore most of the blades. After all we only have one life. Even if no other blade works for me I still have the Feathers that I can trust. I am not going back to Cartridges ever again.

That said, I find things that work for me are very peculiar. While everyone says that letting the lather sit on their face for longer gives them a more comfortable close shave it's the exact opposite for me no matter what the quality if the lathering product is. I have tried the 3Ts of London, Dr Harris, Proraso and even some canned foam. The problem with letting them sitting longer on my face is that the lather is no longer warm and the blade has a tough time. However I do agree that this wasn't the case with the Feathers. It was able to give me a good shave even after I let the lather sit on my face for about 5 minutes. But I feel more comfortable when the foam is warm. If it cools down while I let the lather sit I don't like the feel of the shave.

Another unique thing for me is that the post shave balms and other non-alcoholic products do me no good. If I use an alcohol based after shave I don't get razor burn later. If I don't use an alcohol based aftershave I am left with razor burn and a red face.

My beard grows in many different directions and so I am almost always shaving with, across and against the grain with every pass. With the first pass I always change the direction with the slightest resistance I get. Further passes I don't do that. With Feathers I had very comfortable against the grain passes, probably the most comfortable ever against the grain passes so far in my life. But with the Wilkinson Swords even across the grain felt like shaving with a fork despite using very light and very short strokes.

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.

 

[jmudrick]

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.

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.

Second the Fatip recommendation (or Schone), it's rigidity might be of great benefit.

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[Sotiris_A]

Some great suggestions above!

You need to soften and hydrate the stubble as much as possible. You need to experiment with that. Use warm water and wash your face for a longer period. Using soap during that process can help the stubble absorb more water and soften up. Rinse and repeat as necessary. Another trick is to apply some shaving cream on the stubble and hand lather adding water as necessary. Leave it on for a couple of minutes, then rinse and proceed with lathering with your brush for shaving. There is also a great wiki here with Kyle's prep method (How to pre-shave prep - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/How_to_pre-shave_prep). You can get some ideas from there, too.

Also, the fact that you preferred your 4th shave with a Feather tells me that you don't necessarily need the sharpest of blades. You could stick with the Feather and be careful during the first couple of shaves. Or buy a sampler. Some of the blades already mentioned can be good candidates.

A more aggressive razor with a rigid design can indeed help. Just don't change your setup too frequently.

Finally, try not to over-shave. There is always tomorrow.

I hope this helps!

 

[vacman]

I agree with those who favor the sharpest blades possible and go back to the skin preparation prior to shaving. Out of curiosity, have you ever tried shaving oils. Here in the States, we have a product called Shave Secret. While I don't use it on a regular basis, only because I like the feel of a brush applying lather, I've found that Shave Secret leaves the slickest coating on my skin and the razor glides over it. Some oils work to soften the beard, but this one just leaves the skin slick so the razor glides over it without any chatter.

 

[RayClem]

I have a coarse beard and sensitive skin, so I can sympathize with what you are facing. The key to a great shave is:
1. Proper beard preparation. I like to shower before I shave using a shampoo and conditioner on my face as well as my hair. If you cannot shave, use shaving cream to lather your face, let it remain a while and then gently remove it with warm water. You want to remove beard oils and allow your beard hair to absorb water. That makes your beard a lot easier to shave.
2. The right lather. I do not know what is available in India, but look for the best shaving soap or cream available. You want something that is very slick, provides a layer of cushion to protect your sensitive skin from the sharp blade, and then leaves your skin feeling soft afterward.
3. The right blade in the right razor. I love very sharp blades, but if used in aggressive razors, they can irritate my skin. Thus, use a mild-moderate aggressive razor with an extremely sharp blade. Do not worry about blade life. As soon as the blade starts to tug at your beard or becomes harsh on your face, it is time for a new blade. The blades I recommend are: BIC Chrome Platinum, PermaSharp Super, Gillette Nacet, 7 O'Clock Black (India), Personna Israeli Reds, German Wilkinson Sword Classic. Almost all of these blades are sharper on the second shave than on the first. The one blade you will note as missing is Feather. Although Feather blades are super sharp on the 1st shave, the edge soon deteriorates. I cannot even get three good shaves from Feather blades before they start to feel harsh on my skin.
4. The advantage of a very sharp blade is that you are not tempted to shave with pressure to remove your beard. Always use the minimal amount of pressure to keep the razor in contact with your skin. Also, be careful with the blade angle. If you are shaving with a steep blade angle (razor handle close to your face), the blade will be scraping off skin cells along with your beard hair. Use a shallow to neutral angle to allow the sharp blade to do the job it was designed for.
5. My skin is so sensitive that there are a couple of things I do that most folks do not do:
a. I bowl lather rather than face lather. I try to minimize the contact time of the brush on my face to minimize brush burn.
b. I do not use a terry cloth towel or washcloth on my face. A microfiber cloth is much less abrasive.
c. I inspect my shaving brushes carefully to remove the tips of any darker, stiff hairs that protrude above the brush canopy. Such hairs feel like hypodermic needles when they contact my face. Cutting off about 1/4" so they no longer touch my face improves the face feel.

Good luck.

 

[BigJ]

Great suggestions above!

My take is that technique is the key! Focus on:
1. Great prep to assure your beard is well hydrated.
2. Good, protective lather.
3. Proper razor angle.
4. NO pressure.

Blade choice is very individual and it also depends, in part, on your razor choice. That said my top-tier (in no particular order): GSB, Nacet, Personna lab, Personna red, and Astra SP.

Stick with this and you will get the results you want!

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Try cold water and fresh blades. There are many who prefer cold water shaves and there's plenty threads on the subject. Many find hot, even warm water leads to razor burn, myself included. It's worth pointing out the beard needs to be hydrated it does not need to be soft. Different things.

As an experiment hydrate and soften the beard using hot water then plunge yer visage into cold water. The beard will go hard but it is still hydrated. Because it is hard a fresh sharp blade is needed and blades won't give as many shaves.

 

[theid59]

You have had some success with Feather blades - build on that. Experiment with the top tier of sharp blades. There are different sources you can access that rate the initial sharpness and beyond. You may find "the one" that just suits you (and your razors) best.

 

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[hydro-magic]

Lots of people have talked about prep. It's very important with tough whiskers so definitely spend the time it takes to do that well. I have one of those Sterling razors and I find it a little on the aggressive side. Can you find the Parker Variant there? I think they're made in India. It's a fantastic razor and much heavier than your Sterling. It may make the shaves a little easier and you can dial just the right amount of aggression you need to avoid irritation.

 

[xiletero]

I saw Schone....probable the best option for the money.
People rave about the 7 O'clock Black blades made in India (have you tried).
Crystal or Personna Israel blades are good.
Some people swear that applying oil and leaving 15" works (some barbers do it).

Finally: get a Gillette Guard from India....that thing will give you a GOOD shave....good prep and good slippery soap...this will give you the most bang for your rupi

 

[Fukushima Daiichi]

Hi guys,

I am 30 year old male from India. If you're wondering why I am saying this it's because I will most likely be paying import duty for most blades. We only have Gillette 7 0'clock both green and yellow manufactured locally, Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades available locally. There may be other not so famous brands which I am not much keen in exploring. I've been wet shaving since I was 15 (year 1995-96). Many people say that's why I have exceptionally tough beard but I believe that's a myth. Started with DE back then, moved over to 2 blade systems, Sensor Excel, then from 2004 to 2012 I was using electric shavers. In 2012 I switched back to Mach 3/Fusion. Liked Mach 3 sensitive better than Fusion all along. Since getting back to wet shaving in 2012 I have been trying to switch to DE as primarily because I was concerned with the amount of plastic waste I was generating by using cartridge razors. Tried a few razors from mild to medium with blades Dorco (it hardy removed any hear and was done in a single pass), Gillette Wilkinson Sword (lights my face up like a Christmas tree, removes more skin than hair), Gillette 7 0'Clock (not impressed either). Even barbers took somewhere between 30-45 minutes to give me a shave which was neither close nor comfortable. Even washing my face later would burn like hell for a couple of days. All of them complained that I had extremely tough beard of the kind they've encountered before. Initially I thought they were just excuses for failing to give me a comfortable shave but when almost every barber echoed it I had to believe. Even my experience says so. I just can't shave with normal water. I use extremely hot water in fact. Water that burns my hands but my face has gotten used to it.

Lot of suggestions online directed me towards Feather blades which they said were the perfect match for tough blades. But they also carried warnings for people with sensitive skin. Finally I gathered the courage to buy some Feather blades and try them out. I loaded it on a Gillette 7 0'Clock Sterling Silver razor (local product) and took the first swipe. I was amazed right from the first swipe at how effortlessly it removed my beard. The razor was very mild and I did 2 passes with the grain and then one across. On my neck, which is the most sensitive part, I did go against the grain on the second pass itself. There result was close but the razor did skip at times and I had to be very very careful not to nick myself. I shave every alternate day as my skin does take that much time to get ready for another shave. After the first shave I was amazed by Feather blades but still the lack of closeness was a concern as by afternoon that day I already had as much stubble as I would if I did a proper 3+ pass shave with a Mach 3. The second day from that I again did a 2 pass shave and was still scared of going against the grain. On the third shave I shaved twice across the grain after a first with the grain pass and the shave still wasn't close enough to my liking. On the fourth shave I finally went against the grain. There were some areas of the face that felt smoother than a cartridge razor shave as my hair grows in circular pattern in some areas which I literally have to shave in hooking/circular motion to get rid of with a cartridge razor. I still don't have the confidence to do it with a DE razor. The fourth shave with the Feather blade was very very comfortable and I got enough confidence to get rid of the Mach 3 finally. Did a fifth shave to with the Feather. It was slightly less comfortable than the fourth and so I got rid of the blade after the 5th shave. Then wanted to give the Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades a second try. They came free with the new Pearl LS-55 razors I ordered (has both the open comb and closed comb variants options in the pack). The blades lit my face up again, redness, razor burn, not a clean shave at all. Got rid of the remaining 4 of these blades. I am going to try the second shave with Wilkinson Sword blades with the open comb as I am scared to use the Feathers in it.

That's a long history, sorry about that. But I thought it would be essential for you guys to give me suggestions. From my research I find that while Feathers may be a little too harsh on the first shave, the Gillette Nacet blades are more consistent still being very sharp. On the other hand the Bic Chrome and Perma Sharp Super become more sharper after the first shave and so I am scared to try them. I don't have access to POL Silver unfortunately. Many people say that Astra SP blades are very sharp but some others deny that too. On a sharpness rating chart their sharpness rating was around that of the Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades and that's a red flag for me unless you guys suggest otherwise. The same is true for Voskhod blades too. The Gillette Nacet blades are twice the cost of Feathers for me on Amazon. And the least count I can get is 50. Since there's also an import duty on almost all of these the sampler packs of much lesser count are more or less the same price or even pricier than the 50/100/200 counts of some other blades. Astra SP blades are half the cost of the Gillette Nacets. What do you suggest guys? Once again sorry for having made you read such a long question. Give me a list of blade suggestions and I will see what I can get on my face.

Im in a similar situation as you. I tend to have sensitive skin and my whiskers are thick as boar hair. My beard isn't coarse on my side burns or cheeks but my neck area has alot of hair. I guess you could say I grow a neck beard[emoji23]. For me going against the grain is a big no go I tend to get razor burn or cut the hell up. So I do a 3 pass shave one WTG and two XTG. I've found out sharper blades and more aggressive razors work best for me like Maggards V3A and the MuhleR41 paired up with a Feather blade or Personna. I think for you a reassessment of your goals is best. Instead of chasing the BBS dragon focus on comfortable shaves with zero to minimal irritation. Like others have suggested check out your basics blade angle, pressure and your perp. Instead of a classic 3 pass shave do a 2 pass shave with WTG only till your face heals up. Stop shaving everyday try it every other day to let your skin recuperate. Also stop using hot scalding water on your face. You might be stripping your skin of essential oils use warm water only. Also another tip that works for me is instead of heating up your razor in warm water use cold water to rinse it out. If all fails try cold water shaving it might be better since you live in India.

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[ironfingers]

Wow. I am overwhelmed by the responses and I am truly thankful. I tried Pearl LS-55 razor which comes with both open comb and closed comb components in the same pack with a single handle. Tried the open comb with the Gillette Wilkinson Sword which I already shaved with once like I have mentioned. This was day before yesterday and I was completely shocked by how effective it was. The shave was the closest I have ever had or al least among the top 3. All this while I was reading that aggressive razors are not for people with sensitive skin. The irritation was minimal too despite a 3 pass shave and then some cleanup. What is really surprising is that this same blade gave me far more irritation in a very mild razor. However there was a lot of tugging and pulling especially around the chin. I have ordered some BIC blades which I will be trying out next. Yes, the Pearl razor was a bit harsh but still I felt comfortable through out the day. Today I shaved again with the same setup and the tugging was far more pronounced around the chin area. Disposed off the Gillette Wilkinson Sword blade and gave off the remaining.

I have tried almost you guys have said above. Pre-shave oils, pre-shave scrubs, pre-shave creams, almost all the expensive shave creams including the 3Ts of England and DR. Harris etc. I have even tried some artisan soaps like Mikes Naturals etc. Despite many people suggesting me feathers I was scared to try them because of the sharpest blades tag they carried but when I tried them I was amazed. Same thing with the open combs too. This kind of gave me the best first pass I have ever had. Next shave I am going to try the Feather on the Pearl LS-55 but with the closed comb. Will post the update on the shave. I think all the wrong I was doing till now was using the wrong razor or the wrong blade or both. Once again thank you guys for the responses.

 

[mightyeskimo]

Feather. Only the sharpest blade and the skill to wield the razor will work on a tough beard and sensitive skin.