Well...not that bad, but not good either. I used my brand new KAI Captain Excelia folding this morning. I have never used a straight before and only started using a DE about 2 months ago. I was starting to get decent closeness and little irritation with my DE but wanted to make the jump to a straight and give it a whirl. So I loaded up a Feather Professional blade and lathered with Castle Forbes lime cream. My first problem was not knowing how to hold the handle correctly...2 fingers on each side of the tang or just the forefinger on one side, 2 on the tang and leave the pinky free? The first issue I had was that I started to shave on the side of my face opposite my dominant arm only to realize that I could not see what I was doing in the mirror. I adjusted a little and went ahead. I made 2 major mistakes I think. The first was that I was using too steep of an angle I presume. Next time I should probably try laying the blade holder flat against my face and just following the contour. the first pass was rather uneventful but I could see that I had missed a lot of spots. After a relather I went for the second, and what would be the final, pass. Nick after nick happened and even nicks that look like scrapes or abrasions. I did my cheeks and neck and left the hardest spots, the chin and under my nose, for last. A few nicks on the chin and I was on top the toughest spot of all. Not knowing how to get the best shave with a straight in that area I decided to try going in straight with the blade leading the way right up under my nose and I would rotate the spine upwards as I moved the blade down towards my mouth. My depth perception must be a little off because the blade jabbed me in the skin between my nostrils and, from what I remember, I must have jumped and either moved my face sideways or moved the razor itself laterally and, as you can guess, sliced myself very nicely. Worst shaving cut for me ever. It didn't stop bleeding for about 25 minutes. I missed a lot of spots, especially in the chin area. My face is worse that when I tried my first ATG shave with a Feather in my DE. These Feather blades in the KAI are even more bloodthirsty. Tomorrow I will most likely have a lot of razor burn. My face feels hot and raw now and is tough to look at. I look like I had a fight with a cat and lost. Anyone that has any suggestions and comments about how my next shave can improve will be appreciated. What is the best blade angle? What is the best way to shave under the nose? The chin area and right underneath it?
Bloodbath
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Well it's like learning to drive in a Ferrari!
The Feather blades are the sharpest things you will ever put up against your face.
Tip #1-- EXTREEEEEEEME light pressure! Barely touch the Feather to your face, try to lightly wipe the lather off your face, don't try and get feel feedback from the blade, that will be TOO MUCH PRESSURE with a Feather!
Tip#2- always use a low angle to prevent cuts and nicks as much as possible. If the angle is steep, the blade will want to dive down.....into your face! If the angle is low, it will tend to glide alot more. Couple that with light pressure stated above, and you'll be on your way.
The stroke under the nose is done how you described it, only it went awry for you....light pressure is key for the coupe de maitre!
Heal up for a couple day and then give it a go again...
The Feather blades are the sharpest things you will ever put up against your face.
Tip #1-- EXTREEEEEEEME light pressure! Barely touch the Feather to your face, try to lightly wipe the lather off your face, don't try and get feel feedback from the blade, that will be TOO MUCH PRESSURE with a Feather!
Tip#2- always use a low angle to prevent cuts and nicks as much as possible. If the angle is steep, the blade will want to dive down.....into your face! If the angle is low, it will tend to glide alot more. Couple that with light pressure stated above, and you'll be on your way.
The stroke under the nose is done how you described it, only it went awry for you....light pressure is key for the coupe de maitre!
Heal up for a couple day and then give it a go again...
I've only been shaving with str8ts for about 4 months so take my advice with a grain of salt. First do some research on your holds seeing what others use may give you a better base to work with and change to your style. Second is lather your lather has to be better when using a str8t then with a DE. Then theres blade angle when i started with Str8t's I was just barely raising the spine off my skin when I started getting more comfortable I started moving the spine further from the skin. As far as under the nose goes I do a kind of ATG going from north to south east on one side and south west on the other.
Your experience sounds about right.
Reminds me of my first encounter with the infamous Feather DX, known as "The Nosferatu Razor", "The Terror Stick", etc., bloody nose and all.
I ended up all bleeding (30 mins or so) and irritated. I moved on to traditional straights pretty quickly, and the DX ended up on BST.
This doesn't mean you should give up. Plenty of people love this razor. Like everything here, it's a very sharp instrument which takes time to get used to, must be respected, be patient with, and of course, YMMV.
It's all about "no pressure" and "angle", specially with this very dangerous puppy. Don't try to get a BBS, either. I could get a DFS with only two WTG passes.
Good luck,
Reminds me of my first encounter with the infamous Feather DX, known as "The Nosferatu Razor", "The Terror Stick", etc., bloody nose and all.
I ended up all bleeding (30 mins or so) and irritated. I moved on to traditional straights pretty quickly, and the DX ended up on BST.
This doesn't mean you should give up. Plenty of people love this razor. Like everything here, it's a very sharp instrument which takes time to get used to, must be respected, be patient with, and of course, YMMV.
It's all about "no pressure" and "angle", specially with this very dangerous puppy. Don't try to get a BBS, either. I could get a DFS with only two WTG passes.
Good luck,
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If you really want to do yourself a favor, take the razor for a test drive without a blade in it. Use a nice, less dense lather as part of your training and just go for it. Try to develop your grip, your stroke, and the little adjustments necessary as the razor moves across your face. You still don't seem like you've quite got things down with a DE, so this is just a little extra challenging, but a good learning experience.
When starting with the similar Feather AC, I found discovering my shaving angle was to start with the razor almost flat against my face, then allowing the spine to rise until the blade engaged hair. It just takes a few more exploratory passes to discover a really favorable angle of attack.
When starting with the similar Feather AC, I found discovering my shaving angle was to start with the razor almost flat against my face, then allowing the spine to rise until the blade engaged hair. It just takes a few more exploratory passes to discover a really favorable angle of attack.
I'll give you a different slant on things: You're new at this whole wet shaving thing and apparently the straight came along kind of quickly (relatively speaking). My suggestion is simply to be kind to yourself, be patient, relax into it, and learn all this at a pace at which you can enjoy the experience.
Whew, that was quite the shave, huh? I recently started shaving with my Feather AC and found it to be quite intimidating as well. Luckily, with the help of the folks here I have been able to get incredible shaves with it within a week. Here's a summary of the main things that helped me.
First, take the razor and shave a part of your forearm or hand. Keep negative pressure so the blade isn't actually touching your skin, but only the hair about a quarter to halfway up the shaft. You'll notice how easily the hairs pop right off with no pressure, as if they are anticipating the blade's contact and are jumping right off! Keep this in mind when shaving your face. Use light, short, yet confident strokes and allow the razor to slowly reduce and eventually remove all the hair. The pressure should be something along the lines of "tickling your face" with the razor.
Second, if you have a wine cork lying around, swipe the razor against that 3-5 times. I have found that this greatly smooths the blade out and gives a much more comfortable shave. Some people are against this practice, but I'd rather get the good shave.
Finally, stretch your skin! This will help straighten the hairs and also give the blade something firmer to glide across. Also, it makes hard to reach spots like the jawline easier, as you can just pull that patch of skin up to your cheek where it's easier to shave.
Keep at it and enjoy the shaves, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time. Oh, and good AS's are your friends!
First, take the razor and shave a part of your forearm or hand. Keep negative pressure so the blade isn't actually touching your skin, but only the hair about a quarter to halfway up the shaft. You'll notice how easily the hairs pop right off with no pressure, as if they are anticipating the blade's contact and are jumping right off! Keep this in mind when shaving your face. Use light, short, yet confident strokes and allow the razor to slowly reduce and eventually remove all the hair. The pressure should be something along the lines of "tickling your face" with the razor.
Second, if you have a wine cork lying around, swipe the razor against that 3-5 times. I have found that this greatly smooths the blade out and gives a much more comfortable shave. Some people are against this practice, but I'd rather get the good shave.
Finally, stretch your skin! This will help straighten the hairs and also give the blade something firmer to glide across. Also, it makes hard to reach spots like the jawline easier, as you can just pull that patch of skin up to your cheek where it's easier to shave.
Keep at it and enjoy the shaves, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time. Oh, and good AS's are your friends!
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- #8
Thanks for all of the comments and suggestions so far. I will let my face heal up a little before trying again with the KAI Widowmaker. I could probably shave today actually, as the only real blemish left is the slice under my nose. Every thing else healed up pretty quickly...enough to shave over anyway. I have some of the ProGuard blades and I am thinking that I may load one of those in for my next attempt. What are the opinions here of the Light blades? Would they be a better choice than the Professionals for me? I know I am going to try and keep the blade holder flat on my face next time. The only areas that have me worried are under the nose, where I cannot see any other way than going in at the top and leading with the blade, and the chin area. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
I have one Light Pro left in my pack, if you are in the states or Canada PM me your address and I'll shoot it over to you!
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- #10
Thanks very much Steve. I appreciate that.
Good advices up here! Those things happen!
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- #12
I had my second go-round with the KAI tonight. I loaded in a Feather ProGuard this time. I only got 3 weepers...2 of which were in the area right under my nose. The shave was acceptable. Not as good as I can get with my DE but a decent shave. I did 2 WTG passes and a few touch-ups. The right side of my face is harder to shave with the straight than my left is for some reason. I am right handed and do not switch to the left hand at all and for some reason, shaving that side with my KAI poses problems that I do not get with my DE, which I also use right handed only. Any ideas of an easier way to shave the area under the nose and chin will be appreciated.
Words of wisdom.
After you get those light blades pleas report back. I just started with a feather ac and while I've had some good shaves I was considering the light blades.
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- #15
What blades have you tried and which have you been using instpasr? Which model of the Feather do you have and do you like it? How are you handing the area under your nose and the chin with the thick blade holder on these disposable blade straights? Any input will be appreciated.
I have the RG model which I just got not even a week ago so were still learning how to live together. So far I like it allot. I've only tried the pro guard blades with 4 shaves. I loaded up a super pro for tomorrow morning. I haven't quite figured out what todo under my nose, I've tried 1 wtg and then kinda xtg there. The chin hasn't been to much trouble, I've just been making small moves there.
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- #17
Please post back how you like the SuperPro blade. I went the opposite way in the sharpness scale.
I had a DFS this morning with only 1 weeper. The super pro's must be the way to go for me.
As someone who only uses the Kai, the Feather, and even the Parker's, try doing this to get the hang of straight shaving, and a good way to get your technique down. Before you do anything make sure you use a very flat angle with that blade. Lay it flat against the area your trying to shave, and lift it every so slight until the blade is able to cut. Then be sure to use a pressure so light it feels as if the blade is floating over your skin, and then go even lighter. Its going to take you awhile to get the feel of using that open blade razor.
Here's what worked for me. Having your whiskers on the longer side will lead to too much resistance at first, so do your shave using your DE.
After you've done your DE shave, do your water or light lather cleanup with your Kai. You'll still have some stubble, but you won't have the longer whiskers there to hold you back. You'll be able to get the feel of the blade, and you'll be able to focus on moving the blade over the various parts of your face. Start with the easy parts, the sideburn and cheek's. Then, after your confident doing those area's, move onto the neck area. But skip the adam's apple until you get the feel of using different parts of the blade, the tip, the center, and the heal. As you can see its going to take some time to get comfortable using that straight, but don't get discouraged, stay with it. As you improve with your technique move on to other area's of your face, the chin, lower neck, and under the nose. The best way to learn these area's is to just shave them, and find the best way to do so. Remember, go so light it almost feels as if the blade isn't touching your skin. Do this for some time, until you feel confident about moving on. Once you feel good about your progress, get the feel of using both hands, and using different ways of holding that straight. Try using the straight for your 3rd or even 2nd pass after you've done the first pass with your DE. Stay with the DE for the first pass until you feel its time to move to an all straight shave. Yes I know it sounds like a long time, but this is what I did and I now get excellent shaves with my Kai or Feather, its worth it, and doing this will cut down on the nicks and cuts. Of course you may progress faster, who knows, but this has been a good way to get the skills needed to straight shave. I still find myself using my DE for a first pass every so often even now. The biggest thing you'll find by doing this method is that you'll have the roughest part of the shave out of the way before you even begin to move that open blade around your face. You'll find the learning curve much shorter by doing this, and your straight shaves much better. This is what has worked for me and might be worth trying. Of course everything presented here is IMHO, and of course YMMV.
Here's what worked for me. Having your whiskers on the longer side will lead to too much resistance at first, so do your shave using your DE.
After you've done your DE shave, do your water or light lather cleanup with your Kai. You'll still have some stubble, but you won't have the longer whiskers there to hold you back. You'll be able to get the feel of the blade, and you'll be able to focus on moving the blade over the various parts of your face. Start with the easy parts, the sideburn and cheek's. Then, after your confident doing those area's, move onto the neck area. But skip the adam's apple until you get the feel of using different parts of the blade, the tip, the center, and the heal. As you can see its going to take some time to get comfortable using that straight, but don't get discouraged, stay with it. As you improve with your technique move on to other area's of your face, the chin, lower neck, and under the nose. The best way to learn these area's is to just shave them, and find the best way to do so. Remember, go so light it almost feels as if the blade isn't touching your skin. Do this for some time, until you feel confident about moving on. Once you feel good about your progress, get the feel of using both hands, and using different ways of holding that straight. Try using the straight for your 3rd or even 2nd pass after you've done the first pass with your DE. Stay with the DE for the first pass until you feel its time to move to an all straight shave. Yes I know it sounds like a long time, but this is what I did and I now get excellent shaves with my Kai or Feather, its worth it, and doing this will cut down on the nicks and cuts. Of course you may progress faster, who knows, but this has been a good way to get the skills needed to straight shave. I still find myself using my DE for a first pass every so often even now. The biggest thing you'll find by doing this method is that you'll have the roughest part of the shave out of the way before you even begin to move that open blade around your face. You'll find the learning curve much shorter by doing this, and your straight shaves much better. This is what has worked for me and might be worth trying. Of course everything presented here is IMHO, and of course YMMV.
Was having a decent shave this morning until my wife breached the wire and made her way into the shave den. Without warning she said something and it caused me to lose my situational awarness for just a second, and thats when it happened. I nicked my nose, boy did it bleed. Other than that my shaves with the feather are coming along, getting better each day.
So note to self upgrade SWMBO mitigation devices on shave den doors.
So note to self upgrade SWMBO mitigation devices on shave den doors.
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