What's new

Help for the rookie

I would say four or five, but your beard is not the same as mine. Blades are probably the most subjective aspect of shaving. Assuming it came with German Wilkinson blades you have three good choices there.
 
So tried my first shave...[emoji15]

My neck looks like the Allied landing at Normandy.

How do you guys use these things?!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
[QUOTE="VHdude, post: 10590771,
How many shaves would I get on a blade?

The razor came with 5 blades but I also picked up a pack of blue Astra & green Astra. They guy where I got them said no to Derby for a rookie starting out.
[/QUOTE]

How many shaves you get from a blade varies with your whiskers. I usually get six satisfactory shaves. If I try for seven I can feel the razor tug a little and the shave is not as close, but that is good enough for a Saturday shave when I am not going anyplace. I can feel a little stubble much sooner than usual after the seventh shave. Some people discard a blade after one shave. Often people claim a blade does not give its best shaves until the third shave from it.

My first razor was a $6 zamac head from China that I ordered just to see if I would like DE shaving better than cartridge shaving. I made a shorter “travel” handle for it with a nut I welded to the end of a steel rod. I did not like the feel. I made another longer handle and never looked back. The balance just feels better.

There is a saying that in the beginning you think you need a new, different razor. After some experience and developing a better technique you realize you can get a good shave with any razor. You also need to shave with something for a while before you know what needs to be different. My Merkur 23C is a big improvement over the $6 Chinese head, but now I need to shim the Merkur to make it work the way I want it to shave. I have two razors I made at home largely by hand, and I prefer either one to the Merkur. Both are a little more aggressive than the Merkur. One is aluminum and aluminum razors give amazing audio feedback. It sings when it is cutting whiskers rather than just sliding over them.

i have not used Derby blades. I have been using Astra SP blades and am accustomed to those. I have tried blades from Dollar General stores and they work about as well as the Astra blades. Rumor has it they are rebranded Dorco blades. I also tried some Wilkinson blades from Walgreens and somehow seem to cut myself more often with those.
 
Last edited:
So tried my first shave...[emoji15]

My neck looks like the Allied landing at Normandy.

How do you guys use these things?!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do a google search for Geo Fat Boy. His youtube videos are a good resource for beginners. He’s a funny guy and he knows his stuff.

My advise now that you have the equipment is

1. Work out which way your hair grows. First go with the grain. Lather up again and then go across the grain. Perfect this before you even attempt going against the grain. Your hair will grow in different directions in different places. It’s a good idea to map it and draw a picture of you game plan for each pass. After a while it will become second nature but in the beginning it can be confusing. If you feel resistance, don’t force it. Stop and try again from a less aggressive direction. With the grain is the least aggressive. Against the grain is the most aggressive.

2. Use a shallow blade angle. You will need to hold the handle at a different angle than you are used to with cartridges. The blade angle should be fairly flat to the face. Keep it as flat as you can and lift it only enough that you can start hearing the blade cutting. Too steep an angle will rip up your face.

3. Use a very light pressure. Don’t try to cut the hair. Just try to remove the soap cleanly from you face with as little pressure as possible. The blade will do the rest.

Also don’t get too hung up on number of shaves per blade. Replace the blade frequently. Blades are cheap and a bad technic will roll the edge and wear them out quickly. As you get better you can use them longer. I use a blade only once (I am in the minority). If cost is not restricting you, I would use a new blade each time or every other time in the beginning. You want to eliminate as many variables as possible. Use the same stuff each time and you will get the hang of using it faster.

Welcome to B&B. You’re on the right track. There’s a bit of a learning curve but you will get the hang of it pretty quickly. Each time you will learn a few new tricks.

 
Do a google search for Geo Fat Boy. His youtube videos are a good resource for beginners. He’s a funny guy and he knows his stuff.

My advise now that you have the equipment is

1. Work out which way your hair grows. First go with the grain. Lather up again and then go across the grain. Perfect this before you even attempt going against the grain. Your hair will grow in different directions in different places. It’s a good idea to map it and draw a picture of you game plan for each pass. After a while it will become second nature but in the beginning it can be confusing. If you feel resistance, don’t force it. Stop and try again from a less aggressive direction. With the grain is the least aggressive. Against the grain is the most aggressive.

2. Use a shallow blade angle. You will need to hold the handle at a different angle than you are used to with cartridges. The blade angle should be fairly flat to the face. Keep it as flat as you can and lift it only enough that you can start hearing the blade cutting. Too steep an angle will rip up your face.

3. Use a very light pressure. Don’t try to cut the hair. Just try to remove the soap cleanly from you face with as little pressure as possible. The blade will do the rest.

Also don’t get too hung up on number of shaves per blade. Replace the blade frequently. Blades are cheap and a bad technic will roll the edge and wear them out quickly. As you get better you can use them longer. I use a blade only once (I am in the minority). If cost is not restricting you, I would use a new blade each time or every other time in the beginning. You want to eliminate as many variables as possible. Use the same stuff each time and you will get the hang of using it faster.

Welcome to B&B. You’re on the right track. There’s a bit of a learning curve but you will get the hang of it pretty quickly. Each time you will learn a few new tricks.



He goes over his face 3x?! Is that the normal routine?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The idea is gradual reduction of the whiskers. First pass with the grain of growth, second across the grain and finally against the grain.
 
He goes over his face 3x?! Is that the normal routine?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That’s the way to do it. Gradual beats reduction. Lather up for each pass. Against the grain is optional and not advise until you have mastered the with and across the grain passes.

Watch the videos, take the advise and practice. Maybe don’t go quite as fast as Geofatboy. And try not to talk when your shaving!
 
Also, take short strokes, not long continuous strokes. That and going slowly reduce the bloody knicks and scrapes. My whiskers do not stand up right away. I have begun to stop after the 2nd pass to brush my teeth and other things. When I come back for the 3rd pass, my whiskers have stood up and get cut off more closely, resulting in a better shave. Most of us have a rough area or two that require a touch up at the end. Learn the pattern in which the whiskers grow in those areas and aim the direction of the razor directly into them.
 
Top Bottom