Cutting Forms

[methodshaving.com]

Steve ...

Good show my man. Here is the next big step and where you will make the biggest progress. It is a drill I call minimal blade exposure. close you adjustable as far down as it can go and practice cutting forms like you are doing with a minimal angle. If the blade cuts do not open it up more, period end of subject just trust me and try it. Now if the blade will not cut, open it the smallest adjustment increment you can and try again... you get the picture only open as much as needed to actually cut. Try this for one week and see what happens.

But in the end you nailed on one big point. It is not how good your shave is, it is how good your face and skin is the next day. I can tell you this I can only get that crushed velvet smooth this very way.

Good Shavings

 

[SteveL]

Adam, I'll try that. Instead of automatically opening it up a bit more for each pass, I'll see if I can get traction without opening, and if not I'll notch it open a hair. The vision doesn't really have stops so about half a setting should work.

Thanks!

 

[SteveL]

My Saturday shave went quite well. I got really close and did it quite comfortably. I only ended up opening it half a setting from form 1 to form 2. I also did a full form 3 pass with the cutting balm and paste mix. The only place I still get irritation is under my nose even with the Sensor. I just don't think that area can handle more than 2 passes. So tonight I will definitely cut down on the passes.

I honestly think that I'm starting to get the hang of this. I have essentially no more ingrowns on my neck either . I'm quite happy. Now I just have to keep this up and keep getting closer and more comfortable shaves. Then my final goal will be to get the shave to be over with a bit faster. Right now I'm at about 35 minutes from start to finish. I'd like to get it down to 20. But I'm in no hurry just yet.

I'll post my results from tonight's shave soon.

One more thing I forgot to add was that I used the PSO again from the start and I didn't get any knicks on my lower neck, as I did every time I didn't use it. So I will continue to use it for a while and then try cutting it out again to see if it makes a difference when my technique is better.

 

[Kyle]

Congrats on your progress!

 

[SteveL]

Hey guys,
Well I shaved last night, pretty much doing everything exactly the same as last time, except I substituted a M3P for the Sensor, except right under the nose. I also only did 2 passes for my mustache one pass of form 1 and one of form 3. I got a bit closer than last time, and had almost no irritation whatsoever, just a tiny bit still right under the nose.

I really think I'm starting to get the hang of this.

 

[SteveL]

I shaved again last night. That has to be the first time in at least 10 years since I shaved 2 days in a row. In went well for the most part, but now I know why I don't normally do it. Firstly, I didn't get quite as close as I have been, and secondly and most importantly I irritated the hell out of my neck, lots of little nicks and some ingrowns. If I ever do switch over to every day shaves my technique will have to be superb.

 

[methodshaving.com]

You are not the first to go through this and most that have followed the following adivce have been happier in the end. "Shave every day" Work towards this goal. Everything else seems to be going well so thry this.

Shave eveyr day, for the first week do not focus on a "close shave" focus on shaving every day without irritation. In the end if you have less to cut, and shaving every day helps this, you will have less of a chance of irritations.

Happy shavings

 

[SteveL]

Adam, like I said eventually when I get my technique down and get faster, I'll give it a whirl. But right now I just don't have the time to shave every single day. I am just find with an every other day shave. I shaved last night because 1) I like to now and 2) more importantly I have an important appt. to go to tonight. At my job I could have gotten away with not shaving till Thursday, but I figured what the hell why not.

 

[SteveL]

I'll summarize my last 2 shaves now. The first one had to be quick - so I used some good cream/brush and my old M3P. I used less pressure than normal, and flew thru it. I did 2 passes one N-S, and one S-N. I got a real decent shave. Closer than I ever had before with and M3, but nearly as good as with the DE. My cheeks, were a little bit rougher, and my neck had a lot more stubble than with the DE, plus I got the dreaded bumps again.

Saturdays shave was AWESOME!! I used Derby blades for the first time, and I can definitely see where people like Brett are coming from in that Derbys are not the best for mowing down at the beggining but great at the end. I did 2 passes of form 1, 1 pass of form 2, and one pass of form 3, followed by a bit of blade buffing. I got the smoothest and most comfortable shave yet. The Derbys are great for T&C. I think eventually I'll use 2 razors with different blades. But damn I'm loving my progress.

I shaved at about 1pm on Saturday, and at around 3 or 4pm on Sunday it looked and felt like I had shaved at say 8am that morning with an M3P. It is unreal how long a great shave like that lasted.

 

[PoshRichM]

Steve, I'm glad you're finding a technique that's working for you!

-Rich