Getting nicks and bumps from DE89, razor recommendation?

[Jarick]

Hi all,

Been a long time since I’ve posted here and haven’t been on the shaving forums but still of course using all my wet shave gear all the time.

I’ve been using a DE89 for close to a decade. When I first started wet shaving I had almost no nicks or bumps, but the last couple years it’s been getting worse and now there’s one or two weepers every shave more or less.

Guessing my skin has changed over the years, and I’ve tried different soaps and creams and use different brushes and blades without any real impact.

I shave typically every other day, one pass wtg and one pass atg. Fairly sensitive skin and a sparse but coarse beard.

Would an even milder razor help here? Or is there a good razor that would help mitigate the weepers?

 

[dawild]

I had the exact same issue with my R89 razor. (same DE89 head)

It gives me bumps and weepers... I scored a Gillette Tech (Prewar and PostWar) recently and they gave me one of the best shave ever.

 

[StewB]

It's puzzling that the razor you've been using successfully in the past has stopped working as well. Does the razor head still provide good blade alignment?

 

[Iridian]

A Merkur 34C would be a cheap alternative, it's a bit milder and I like it better than the DE89.

 

[ChriWilson]

@Jarick
Any recent change-up in blade selection ?
As an avid R89 user, I can tell you there are certain blades which shave less smoother than others in this configuration

 

[StewB]

Caveat emptor: The 34C I bought in 2022 has poor blade alignment because the top cap blade posts are too small to give good and consistent alignment. Hopefully this has been fixed.

 

[Goblin]

I agree with the fellas above. Something must have changed - nicks and cuts shouldn't just start happening if your technique has been good enough to avoid them for a decade.

What blades do you use out of interest?

 

[Jarick]

I had the exact same issue with my R89 razor. (same DE89 head)

It gives me bumps and weepers... I scored a Gillette Tech (Prewar and PostWar) recently and they gave me one of the best shave ever.

I had a could old techs pre and post war, should never have got rid of those!

 

[Jarick]

@Jarick
Any recent change-up in blade selection ?
As an avid R89 user, I can tell you there are certain blades which shave less smoother than others in this configuration

I agree with the fellas above. Something must have changed - nicks and cuts shouldn't just start happening if your technique has been good enough to avoid them for a decade.

What blades do you use out of interest?

I mostly use Astra SP but tried Feathers as well. Astras a bit smoother but I get weepers with both.

Only other thing I changed was shaving every other day instead of daily.

I do feel like the 89 could be more precise in terms of the exposure. Once upon a time I had some fancy razors like a Wolfman or a Feather ASD2, and those were more precise if that makes sense. Like there’s less room for error in the shave angle?

 

[njpaddy]

If a DE is comfortable in your hand, I always try blade changes before changing the DE. I also splash on Dickinson's witch hazel while cleaning up (no difference between blue or yellow). I also use it in lieu of aftershave if I'm not going out. WH feels good and stops most weepers. It's also my go-to for minor cuts, irritation or insect bites. For weepers or nicks that the WH doesn't stop, I keep a small container of alum from the grocery (powered or McCormicks crystal). Dip a wet finger in, apply, and brush off when dry. It stops even the biggest nicks.

In the mid-1960s, before styptic pencils, there was shaving alum sold in stores. A small container lasts a lifetime. I still have some from the 60s. I just keep it around to annoy my wife, but usually just use McCormicks.

 

[ChriWilson]

I mostly use Astra SP but tried Feathers as well. Astras a bit smoother but I get weepers with both.

Only other thing I changed was shaving every other day instead of daily.

I do feel like the 89 could be more precise in terms of the exposure. Once upon a time I had some fancy razors like a Wolfman or a Feather ASD2, and those were more precise if that makes sense. Like there’s less room for error in the shave angle?

Feathers for me, have never been a smooth blade in the R89. The first blade use especially.
Curious on whether your Astras were newly acquired, given they are no longer made by PPI

Just bought a 100 pack of Astra's and it says made in India

Are they made in India now and not Russia?

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[blethenstrom]

Only other thing I changed was shaving every other day instead of daily.

Did the issues come about as of the change to every other day shaving? If so, coupled with that you do a WTG and then an ATG pass, could you have too much whiskers left now after your WTG pass that the ATG pass cause you irritation? Maybe since you are letting your whiskers grow longer you may need another pass before your ATG pass. Just a thought.

 

[Jarick]

Feathers for me, have never been a smooth blade in the R89. The first blade use especially.
Curious on whether your Astras were newly acquired, given they are no longer made by PPI

Just bought a 100 pack of Astra's and it says made in India

Are they made in India now and not Russia?

www.badgerandblade.com

The Astra blades are probably five years old at least, I bought a couple 100 packs and they last a long time for me. Near the end of the stash.

Any good ones to try nowadays?

Did the issues come about as of the change to every other day shaving? If so, coupled with that you do a WTG and then an ATG pass, could you have too much whiskers left now after your WTG pass that the ATG pass cause you irritation? Maybe since you are letting your whiskers grow longer you may need another pass before your ATG pass. Just some thoughts.

Not necessarily as I didn’t get weepers before then. I was 25 when I started wet shaving and now I’m 40. My hair texture has changed quite a bit over that time. I’m not going to rule out technique though I think that’s critical, just wondering if there’s a good milder razor that might be worth a shot. I don’t need perfectly smooth shaves either.

 

[Phoenixkh]

The Astra blades are probably five years old at least, I bought a couple 100 packs and they last a long time for me. Near the end of the stash.

Any good ones to try nowadays?



Not necessarily as I didn’t get weepers before then. I was 25 when I started wet shaving and now I’m 40. My hair texture has changed quite a bit over that time. I’m not going to rule out technique though I think that’s critical, just wondering if there’s a good milder razor that might be worth a shot. I don’t need perfectly smooth shaves either.

I don't usually chime in on these types of threads these days because my recommendations tend toward more expensive razors I have and love. However, I just recently acquired a Goodfellas Smile Bayonetta. I got mine from Super Safety Razors but Amazon is now selling them and if you have Prime, you'll get it a bit faster.... about the same price. For a solid brass razor that shaves smooth and comfortable yet close, I'm not sure you can do better for less money.

Here's the B&B thread where quite a few people are reviewing theirs:

Goodfellas Smile Bayonetta

Just got an email from Rasoigoodfellas. New all brass razor out in the market. From their website: Technical features Material: Uncoated and sandblasted satin-finished CW510L brass, CNC machined Gap: 0.65mm Exposure: Positive 0.15mm Handle: Length 87mm, diameter 13mm Head: Width 43mm x...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[njpaddy]

I probably still have a couple hundred Russian Astra SP in my basement, but I've gotten lazy in my old age, shaving less frequently, and went to Russian Platinum/Swede. Expensive, but not if only shaving 3-4 times a month. Not sure how long they hold an edge shaving more frequently.

 

[Curkio]

More pressure being applied maybe with the more experience gained. Therefore not being as careful you were initially.

 

[SeaDiving]

Maybe you should consider getting a karve overlander for something mild and efficient with an atg respectful of the skin.

 

[ChriWilson]

The Astra blades are probably five years old at least, I bought a couple 100 packs and they last a long time for me. Near the end of the stash.

Any good ones to try nowadays?



Not necessarily as I didn’t get weepers before then. I was 25 when I started wet shaving and now I’m 40. My hair texture has changed quite a bit over that time. I’m not going to rule out technique though I think that’s critical, just wondering if there’s a good milder razor that might be worth a shot. I don’t need perfectly smooth shaves either.

Milder than the DE89 ?
I would have to say a Gillette Tech or Feather ASD2

The RazoRock GameChanger .84p ($50) is where I go when I'm looking to get a closer shave without using my straights.
Very smooth and just about every blade I've used works very well in that setup...

 

[profusion]

You might consider a more aggressive razor and only doing WTG/XTG.

Our faces get harder to shave as we age, and you might be overshaving subconsciously to compensate.

Unrelated question: is there any corrosion on your razor?

 

[Goblin]

Not necessarily as I didn’t get weepers before then. I was 25 when I started wet shaving and now I’m 40.

I think we have the answer.

Between this and switching to shaving every two days, but still only doing two passes, I think you may be trying to take down your middle-aged, 2 day growth more quickly than your razor / blade combo can comfortably handle and suffering the consequences of having to supply more manual pressure for the razor to do its work.

Some possibilities to consider:

1) @blethenstrom could be on to something. You could try adding a second WTG pass or an XTG pass instead of going straight from WTG to ATG and trying to get it all done in 2 passes. For me, the de89 is a nice, mild option but it's definitely a 3.5 pass razor and not my first choice for tackling 48hrs of whiskers.
2) Sharper blades. Go Feather. I might take a while to get used to them, but you be able to lighten up with them, which might actually be a good thing. Sometimes you have to change things up to "reset" your technique...at least that has been my experience.
3) Try shimming the razor and see if you find that easier - go carefully - a little bit more aggression will take some getting used to after so long using the same razor.
4) If none of that works, new razor time!

That's my theory anyway. I may be wrong. I guess it is possible that something has happened to your skin, but I don't think you should be getting genuine nicks - the odd weeper maybe, but not proper bleeders.