Hard Shave

[adamp1]

Iv been shaving for a quite a long time now and everytime I seem to notice the same thing. I don't shave AGT since it hurts too much and makes me red and sore. After shaving WTG twice I still have a little stubble. The problem seems to be that when I shave the hair stays flat to the surface, and it never gets cut.

My routine:
1. Have a hot shower
2. Lather Up

I used to use oil from Taylors as a pre-shave but wasn't sure if that helped that much.

The only time I seem to get a good shave is when I havn't done for a day or two.

Im atm working my way through the razor blade sample pack, and use a gillet super speed.

An ideas?

Thanks

 

[rtaylor61]

Have you tried shaving across the grain as a second pass?

Randy

 

[rob burnett]

I'll second shaving across the grain on the second pass.
I can shave some areas against the grain but some areas are just too much!
Instead of oil try using a good quality hair conditioner to soften the beard - this is a tip given to me by a hairdresser!

 

[galpman]

I'll second shaving across the grain on the second pass.
I can shave some areas against the grain but some areas are just too much!
Instead of oil try using a good quality hair conditioner to soften the beard - this is a tip given to me by a hairdresser!

+2 I would give it a try.

 

[Steerpike]

Hair conditioner can make hairs stronger- this can be counter productive. Any soap or cream softens bristles, it's what they are designed for. I find creams to have the most softening effect, and to do so the fastest. They also tend to make a firmer lather, which holds the bristles in place for the blade. Musgo is excellent shave cream in all respects, including softening the bristles, Trumpers creams also soften well and may have a firmer lather than Musgo.
Use the barbers technique- lather up, massage it into the bristles (with the fingertips), hot towel the face (lather and all), then wet it lightly, and lather again, then shave. A second time over across the grain may also help you here. Make sure that the lather is nice and "firm" (though not to the point of drying out). Enjoy!

 

[FloppyShoes]

You should be able to get almost BBS with the right skin stretching and facial contortions. If you need a visual reference, watch some of the straight shaving videos on youtube and just do the same thing with a DE. I haven't seem a DE video that emphasizes skin stretching enough.

 

[Newfie]

Adam, one thing I started doing years ago with M3's (Newbie to DE) when I didn't realize anything about WTG, XTG & ATG was a N-S and then a S-N pass. I found this normally works well regardless of beard length and have also noted some other guys use this as well.

Many pieces of advice above are awesome, especially about lathering and prep technique. If either of these are lacking, I'm not sure there's any way to get a good shave.

Try the N-S and S-N a couple of times and see how you make out. Realize though, that with this method, there are times on the N-S when you are going XTG (at least, with my beard pattern, I am) and then with the S-N, you WILL be ATG in places, so easy does it.

 

[vespergo]

one thing i've learned in the year and a half of single-blade shaving is that in order to get a great comfortable shave, you have to be willing to take your time and not try to get it all off on the first shot. take multiple passes and make them gentle so your skin doesn't pay for it later.