Help with DE shaving

[Jeff423]

I joined this forum because of my difficulties with DE wet shaving.

Some background: I have been a daily shaver for the last 50+ years. While I don’t claim to know a lot about shaving I do know a lot about shaving my face. For the past 10 yrs. I’ve alternated between a good electric razor and a Schick Hydro 5 with Kiss My Face shaving soap. Both give me excellent shaves. I need to say here that my goal is hair removal – not a fabulous wet shaving experience. However combining the two would be good and not paying for cartridges would also be good.

After reading a lot about DE razors and still having a good Fatboy from a prior life I decided to give it another try. I also purchased a Merkur 34C, King Gillette razor (currently $18.00 at Walgreens) and a Supply injector ($20 on ebay). Proraso shaving soap, a shaving brush, and blade assortment. This is about as far as I’m willing to go with hardware.

I still have not gotten a shave from any of these that is even close to the shave from a Hydro. I’ve tried settings 1-9 on the FB and it either doesn’t shave or is too aggressive and gives me a lot of nicks. The other razors simply don’t shave. The Supply injector is the best but still no where close to the Schick.

Not to wax rhapsodic about the Hydro but in 10 yrs. I’ve never had a bad shave. I’ve never even been nicked. I change a cartridge once a week but could probably go longer. However I wouldn't mind a cheaper alternative

Given the way wet DE shaving is described I feel I must be doing something wrong and would like some advice/guidance. FWIW: I’ve spent about all I want, so I’d like to stick with the hardware and chemicals I have.

As a side note I do like the shaving brush with both Proraso and Kiss My Face and will stick with it.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Welcome to B&B I have no experience of the Schick Hydro 5 but generally multi blade cartridge razors provide a fast, effortless, and close shave with little or no technique required. They are designed to do that - but at a very high cost. You have been using one for ten years so have mastered what little technique is required.

As with any new skill, there is a learning curve with DE razors and in the 'Fatboy', Proraso, brush, and blade assortment you have all you need to replicate, or even improve on your Hydro shaves, all you lack is practice. You certainly do not need to spend more money. I suggest you stick with the 'Fatboy' and the same blade, soap, and brush for a month and see how you go. Concentrate on prep, angle, and pressure, and take your time.

That said, DE shaving is not for everyone and there is no shame in going back to cartridge razors, just be prepared to pay for it. Maybe try a cheaper disposable, the Bic Metal or orange Bic sensitive are both excellent and very inexpensive, but they again require some technique as they both have a fixed head. Good luck

 

[BigJ]

Welcome to B&B I have no experience of the Schick Hydro 5 but generally multi blade cartridge razors provide a fast, effortless, and close shave with little or no technique required. They are designed to do that - but at a very high cost. You have been using one for ten years so have mastered what little technique is required.

As with any new skill, there is a learning curve with DE razors and in the 'Fatboy', Proraso, brush, and blade assortment you have all you need to replicate, or even improve on your Hydro shaves, all you lack is practice. You certainly do not need to spend more money. I suggest you stick with the 'Fatboy' and the same blade, soap, and brush for a month and see how you go. Concentrate on prep, angle, and pressure, and take your time.

That said, DE shaving is not for everyone and there is no shame in going back to cartridge razors, just be prepared to pay for it. Maybe try a cheaper disposable, the Bic Metal or orange Bic sensitive are both excellent and very inexpensive, but they again require some technique as they both have a fixed head. Good luck

+1! Great advice!

IMHO, technique is the key. It takes a bit of time and effort to master prep, lathering, using a razor, etc.

I suggest you start by reading through the WiKi, watch a few videos, then learn to use the kit you have. Changing too many variables at once will likely slow your learning curve. For me, this learning process was worth the effort!

 

[blethenstrom]

First of all welcome to B&B! Just like what @EclipseRedRing it does take some time to build the skill with a DE. Yes you will not get the same quality shaves with a tool you have just started using vs one that you have used for years. DE shaving will take you a bit longer than with your cartridge razor in general.

You need to start from the beginning:

1. Map your beard. Find out the direction that your whiskers grow. They grow in all kinds of directions on your face.
2. Start out with just a with-the-grain (WTG) pass with your DE and continue that until you can do that without getting nicks, cuts. These shaves with a single pass will not be the closest shaves you have had. Once you can do so move on to the next step.
3. Add a across-the-grain (XTG) pass and continue that until you can do that without nicks, cuts, irritation. It will be a closer shave, but still not super smooth. Once you can do this move to the next step
4. Add a against-the-grain (ATG) pass. This may or may not work for you. Some people cannot simply do an ATG pass without irritation. If that is the case for you you can do a second XTG pass the other way. This is what will get you to the really smooth shaves. Be very careful with ATG this is where most irritation comes from.

This will take some time. You, your skin and your skill has to get accustomed to this new way of shaving. Like mentioned above do not change razor, blade etc during this period if you can help it. Less variables are good. Use very little pressure on your razor. Just the weight of it is enough. This is a big difference from a cartridge razor where you add pressure. Learn the angle at which the razor is to be used. Aim for a neutral angle. Lower the handle until it does cut, that is your steepest angle. Raise the handle until it does not cut, that is your shallowest angle. Use and angle in the middle of these two. You can experiment with other angles later. Take your time! No rush and you will get there. Hang in there....

 

[NorthernSoul]

Razors like the Hydro take care of everything automatically. When DE shaving, you have to do more manually. This takes some time to learn, and a lot of the skill develops just through practice. You can get very good shaves with DE razors, though.

 

[Jeff423]

Great forum. Thanks for all the replies. I'll give it some more time and practice.

 

[slimshavy]

I joined this forum because of my difficulties with DE wet shaving.

Some background: I have been a daily shaver for the last 50+ years. While I don’t claim to know a lot about shaving I do know a lot about shaving my face. For the past 10 yrs. I’ve alternated between a good electric razor and a Schick Hydro 5 with Kiss My Face shaving soap. Both give me excellent shaves. I need to say here that my goal is hair removal – not a fabulous wet shaving experience. However combining the two would be good and not paying for cartridges would also be good.

After reading a lot about DE razors and still having a good Fatboy from a prior life I decided to give it another try. I also purchased a Merkur 34C, King Gillette razor (currently $18.00 at Walgreens) and a Supply injector ($20 on ebay). Proraso shaving soap, a shaving brush, and blade assortment. This is about as far as I’m willing to go with hardware.

I still have not gotten a shave from any of these that is even close to the shave from a Hydro. I’ve tried settings 1-9 on the FB and it either doesn’t shave or is too aggressive and gives me a lot of nicks. The other razors simply don’t shave. The Supply injector is the best but still no where close to the Schick.

Not to wax rhapsodic about the Hydro but in 10 yrs. I’ve never had a bad shave. I’ve never even been nicked. I change a cartridge once a week but could probably go longer. However I wouldn't mind a cheaper alternative

Given the way wet DE shaving is described I feel I must be doing something wrong and would like some advice/guidance. FWIW: I’ve spent about all I want, so I’d like to stick with the hardware and chemicals I have.

As a side note I do like the shaving brush with both Proraso and Kiss My Face and will stick with it.

I agree that this will come with experience but it could also be the case that none of these razors will work for you. The Merkur and the King C. Gillette are both very mild, meaning you won't get the closest shave no matter how good your technique. And the Fatboy can be testy. You may find after getting experience with it, or another DE, that the Fatboy is great for you. But its quirky geometry and the compromises required to make it adjustable mean that it may not work for your face. Most people, after having developed decent technique, can use any decent razor and make it work for them, but that's certainly not true in the first few months of shaving.

 

[Goblin]

Some additional thoughts in addition to what has been said.

- Try a few different blades. You don't have to try them all. Folks here can suggest some brands to try depending on what you are currently using and whether you want to go sharper or milder. Once you find a blade that seems to work, pick up a few tucks and stick with it a while. Same principle as already described above. Control the variables.

There were some others but actually I see that @EclipseRedRing already said them!

It sounds like you are struggling to hit the right angles. That's what I usually think when someone says the razor "doesn't shave". This may help:

Double Edge Razor Blade Angle

Double Edge Razor Blade Angle

emsplace.com

You may also benefit from sharper blades, but we covered that already. Blades are cheap. You don't need different razors - plenty to work with in your den already.

 

[ButterfaceX]

"You can't rush the process; true mastery takes time."
" Also enjoy it. "

BFX

 

[Dave himself]

Hi and welcome to B&B from N.Ireland. I think everything has been covered by the folks above. As said take your time don't get frustrated, and above all have fun.

 

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[Jeff423]

I agree that this will come with experience but it could also be the case that none of these razors will work for you. The Merkur and the King C. Gillette are both very mild, meaning you won't get the closest shave no matter how good your technique. And the Fatboy can be testy. You may find after getting experience with it, or another DE, that the Fatboy is great for you. But its quirky geometry and the compromises required to make it adjustable mean that it may not work for your face. Most people, after having developed decent technique, can use any decent razor and make it work for them, but that's certainly not true in the first few months of shaving.

Thanks for the reply. FWIW: I bought the King C. because Walgreens was closing them out for $18.00.

 

[Jeff423]

Some additional thoughts in addition to what has been said.

- Try a few different blades. You don't have to try them all. Folks here can suggest some brands to try depending on what you are currently using and whether you want to go sharper or milder. Once you find a blade that seems to work, pick up a few tucks and stick with it a while. Same principle as already described above. Control the variables.

There were some others but actually I see that @EclipseRedRing already said them!

It sounds like you are struggling to hit the right angles. That's what I usually think when someone says the razor "doesn't shave". This may help:

Double Edge Razor Blade Angle

Double Edge Razor Blade Angle

emsplace.com

You may also benefit from sharper blades, but we covered that already. Blades are cheap. You don't need different razors - plenty to work with in your den already.

Thanks, I bought a blade assortment so I'll try one a day.

 

[Jeff423]

I wonder if I like the injector and why it seems to work better is because it's size and shape are more like the cartridge I'm using now?
That being said even though I said I'm done buying razors I'm tempted by the PAL adjustables on eBay. I can get one pretty inexpensively.

 

[Saxonbowman]

I wonder if I like the injector and why it seems to work better is because it's size and shape are more like the cartridge I'm using now?
That being said even though I said I'm done buying razors I'm tempted by the PAL adjustables on eBay. I can get one pretty inexpensively.

Welcome from Virginia! If the injector is starting to work for you then stick with that and get to know it. When I started out I found that it was hard to learn when jumping between razors every day. Once you master one then you can branch out. Also with injector razors most folks have found that the Schick blades from China in the yellow package tend to shave a little better than the other blades.

 

[Ouelljas]

Welcome to B&B from Alberta, Canada. I will echo what a few gentlemen here have already said about blades. They can totally change the characteristics of a razor. Having said that, the first two big break throughs for me were figuring out that these types of razors require much less pressure and also have a range of angle at which they will cut more gently or more aggressively. After I figured that out, I really started to dive into which combination of razor/blade worked best for me, as well as experimenting with different soaps. There will no doubt be a substantial amount of trial and error in your journey to figuring out your perfect setup and technique.

 

[DesertIguana]

Well Wet Shaving, like Driving Cars is not something most people master in a day, or week.

Like most thing in life time, practice, trail, and error, and learning what works for you.

You can never learn enough from reading, or watching U-Tubes on any subject with out doing the task your are trying to learn about.

Practice, practice, practice, and learning what works to use that Fatboy. Great Razor.

 

[Bsamps]

They say that practice makes perfect but, I disagree. I believe that practice makes permanent. I learned to shave with a cartridge razor back in….well, way back….when it was only “1 trac”. It was many years in the making of developing a certain habit & technique with shaving that perfection became permanent. Fast forward to a year ago and I have completely changed my routine with wet shaving. Now, new habits & technique must be learned. Point is, the more you practice something…eventually that habit or technique will become permanent and hence, perfection is born.

 

[slimshavy]

They say that practice makes perfect but, I disagree. I believe that practice makes permanent.

My violin teacher used to say “practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.” You’ll lock in whatever you do repeatedly, so pay attention to how you’re doing it.

 

[Guido75]

Welcome to B&B! I started DE shaving with the KCG razor. Good razor and honestly you might need nothing else. I did plateau my results with the KCG, but it’s more on me than the KCG.

In addition too what has already been said you might want to install one word into your mind: reduction. Shaving is about reducing stubble to one’s desired level of smoothness. Some achieve that in two passes, others need more.

Experience with the KCG (that I predominantly used with KCG blades) actually was my onboarding to B&B because I was looking to improve my game and came across the Four Pass Shave. That technique lets you develop skill while you get great results. You can find the link in my signature.

Cheers,

Guido