First DE shave (in five years)

[DrewMc]

I’ve been heading into DE shaving (after an abbreviated attempt five years ago). I’ve spent the last couple of months getting back into soaps, creams, brushes, and all that stuff, while still using modern cartridges. Finally got a Merkur 34c and a blade sampler and did my first DE shave today.

I felt well-prepared after watching lots of videos and participating on the forums the last few months, and I was already familiar with the products and prep. I would say the shave went well, with no cuts or irritation. Off to a good start there.

But the blades themselves make me nervous! I try to handle them very carefully, holding by the short side only and so on. Today, while loading the blade and tightening the razor handle, I fumbled the razor and dropped it. Reflexively, my hand went to catch it and I cut the dickens out of my thumb! Nothing too serious, but I bled all over the place. My wife came in during the shave and was a little alarmed because the sink looked like a slaughterhouse!

Needless to say, this hasn’t exactly mitigated my nervousness about handling blades!

 

[xxvaleria]

Congratulations on the shave and sympathies on the cut thumb. Just remember, it's not a good idea to try to catch a loose razor blade. Hopefully, you won't have any other accidents like that, and you can enjoy your future shaves.

 

[Tim Meneely]

I sympathize, and am interested to see what answers you get. I'm a little nervous every time I replace blades; I give some blades demerits because they're so "well" wrapped (e.g., Feathers, double wrapped plus wax) that they make me even more nervous. Personna and Kai get the simple packaging award.

 

[GearNoir]

Welcome on...or welcome back perhaps?

Sorry about the cut, hopefully you are loading well before your shower and shave, not before? At least you saved yourself $30 in not having to buy a new razor!

You get it...and once it clicks for you, you’ll look back and wonder what on earth your problem was! Keep on it!

 

[sandstone]

Welcome back and congrats on a successful shave!

My sympathies for your injury and I understand what you mean about being nervous when handling DE blades. This is something about which I had great trepidation when I first got into DE shaving. In fact it was almost enough to put me off the whole thing. Whenever I am handling a blade I have somehow managed to train myself to completely focus on that task and put everything else out of my mind. You might describe it as using excessive and exaggerated caution, as if I were holding an explosive substance that would go off at the slightest provocation. This may seem a bit theatrical, but in the three years that I have been DE shaving I have yet to cut myself when unwrapping or loading/unloading a blade.

 

[Neil-O]

One thing I do to reduce the risk of cutting myself when removing/installing a blade is place a towel on the sink countertop. With the razor disassembled I place the cap on the towel with the threads pointing upward. I can then carefully remove or install the blade without handling the cap. With the blade in place, I simply place the base plate and handle over the threads and screw into place. Obviously this method is not for TTO/One piece razors. Setting the cap on the towel reduces how much you need to handle the razor when unassembled, and resting on the towel there is no risk of dropping your razor.

 

[Al Bundy]

Sounds very much like my own method

Still get a bit nervous changing blades though

 

[John Rose]

I treat handling bare blades like docking spacecraft. Slow down well before the final approach.
Even blades in razors can bite you if you're not careful, which is why I always remove them from razors between uses, clean and dry them, and park them on top of my blade bank.

The grooves on top also make it easy to pick the blade up by the ends.
My house has no children, so I can leave them out in the open like that.

 

[GearNoir]

I treat handling bare blades like docking spacecraft. Slow down well before the final approach.
Even blades in razors can bite you if you're not careful, which is why I always remove them from razors between uses, clean and dry them, and park them on top of my blade bank.

The grooves on top also make it easy to pick the blade up by the ends.
My house has no children, so I can leave them out in the open like that.

There’s something about a bunch of dangerous razors sitting in a Beatrix Potter bank that’s highly amusing...

 

[John Rose]

There’s something about a bunch of dangerous razors sitting in a Beatrix Potter bank that’s highly amusing...

I know, right?
It's like Pennywise the evil clown hiding in the sewer and offering balloons to passing kids.

 

[skibik]

Sometimes when I am loading or just tightening up the blade, or even making adjustments on my razors, I grab the end of the towel and handle the razor head by the ends. Even though the ends are not sharpened the blade is only .004" thick and can still cut so in case the razor slips while tightening it won't slice my fingers. I think even I have fumbled the razor and the bad thing is a persons reaction is to try and catch it, I don't remember getting cut though.

 

[alex2363]

I know, right?
It's like Pennywise the evil clown hiding in the sewer and offering balloons to passing kids.

Lol

 

[Graybeard57]

You'll get more comfortable with them in time. Simply handle with care.

 

[Tokyospike]

Just my two cents - I think thicker blades are easier to handle, all 'round. KAI DE blades (which won your packaging award) are also the thickest, and very good blades, too.

SE blades are a bit less problematic from an injury point of view . . . and a very thick, stiff, SE blade is easiest to handle of all. That's the definition of an Artists' Club blade.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've had mishaps in the past, but have been handling DE for so long that safe practice is now second nature. That's not to say I am completely immune, just that i'm now confident and comfortable, and automatically keep well away from the sharp edges, without having to consciously be careful.

In many ways it's like driving. You. Take precautions automatically, and sometimes develop bad habits. Usually something pops up occasionally to remind you which habits are good and which are bad

 

[BigJ]

Welcome!

Some good advice above. Respect your blade as a serious 'tool' and your blades will generally respect you.