Morning,
I'm just over a month into wet shaving now. Started over Christmas. My first handful of shaves were with a Merkur Futur which bit me hard. For some reason, I decided to try a straight instead of a DE. So far I completely love it.
I've used it before work every day since I started. I 'usually' skip Saturdays, so that I can shave Sundays with an extra day growth.
My question is on technique.
How do I do a good XTG pass (Ear to nose) on the right side of my face?
The left side of my face is easy. My beard growth is orderly and I'm right handed. I shave WTG left handed on the left side easily enough. I still have to concentrate on angle and whatnot, but I'm comfortable with the stroke. I haven't really cut myself on the left with WTG, left-handed. Same with my neck. I do pretty well WTG and ATG. For most of my neck I don't need an XTG pass as 3/4s of it clean up BBS with 1 x WTG and 1 x ATG. The last 1/4 of my neck, up under my jaw, in front of my carotid, in that evil little hollow there...grows in what feels to me like 5 different directions. It's been a trouble spot my whole lift, so I'm not worried there. Yet. I'm having decent results switching out the straight for a shavette for this area, and the weird little strip that runs `backwards` along the edge of my right jaw.
The hair on the my right cheek sort of grows in a swirl, so if I want to attempt a DFS (still not pushing for a BBS yet, I'm far too new. I tried a couple times...the burn....so, I'm sort of aiming for a DFS- if you will. My beard is not the most co-operative thing. In reality, I think I've only had a BBS shave twice...thrice max...in my life, so I'll be more than satisfied by progressing to a consistent DFS)
Anyhow. The biggest issue I've got is the 'backwards' strip on my right jaw. It's angled 45 degrees downwards, just kind of under the edge. It's a really thin strip that's about 2 inches long. The hairs point towards the edge of my shoulder sort of. (Mid-jaw, bottom edge, hair growth targeted at acromion process). If I want to get them cleaned up, I have (I think...options, please?!) to do this weird angled, ear to nose XTG blind angle stroke.
Probably every 3rd shave...I plant my edge a bit. So I've got a little touch of a railroad of shallow slices in various stages of healing. 3 visable right now. I 'thought' I got myself again today, and I can feel it, but I can't see it. So that's good I guess.
All in all, I'm getting better. I can feel it.
I've been experimenting with my badger brush and have started a bit with my new boar as well. I've headed the "What did you learn from your last shave" thread: Not to change multiple variables at a time.
I just got the Omega 48, so I've used it exclusively for this week.
Prior, I was using my Sir Henri exclusively.
Over the first month, I've mostly used TOBS Sandlewood shaving cream for my weekday morning shave. I've worked with it the most. I'm starting to get decent lathers with it. So I don't mess around with it in the mornings.
I'd been practicing with Col. Conk's unscented soap on the weekend, and now that I've been using the Omega 48 that's what I've been using in the mornings for this week.
I've consistently been using 2 drops of TOBS sandlewood PSO. It makes a big difference for me weekdays, as I have a coarse beard and I've been shaving without showering in the AMs. PSO + 3 to 5 min hot towel.
I've been switching each shave between my Dovo 6/8s and Frakenrestored 5/8s.
I honed the Dovo on my Nani 12k.
I honed the 5/8s up to my Shapton 16k.
My last 2 shaves, I've started trying to do my touchups with a Shavette. It's helping so far, the shorter length blade helps me get the angles I need. Hearing the voices of the forum again, I've so far respected the shavette and not cut myself with it yet. 'NO PRESSURE. ANGLE ANGLE ANGLE. Shavettes are unforgiving. Go slow.' But I've only been using it on maybe a total of 2 sq in combined.
Stropping, I do 25 linen passes and 50 leather passes before each shave. (I usually strop my razors the night before to save time in the morning. Prepping my shaving kit has become part of my nighttime routine. Nightly hygiene, strop razors, lay out software/hardware. When I wake up, just wash face, PSO, hot towel, etc)
On my technique:
I'm happy WTG on my face and neck.
I'm happy ATG on my neck, and on my face so long as I've gone WTG/XTG)
Left side XTG (E/W or W/E) I'm ok. One I do left handed, Ear to Nose I do a crossover right handed stroke.
Right side....ugh.
Upper cheek I'm ok WTG/XTG/ATG
From the edge of my mustache down towards mid jaw it grows down and back, so I'm slowly learning the proper angle for WTG/XTG, which is more kind of left eye to cartoid 'N/S' orientation. ATG here is where I get most of my weepers. I haven't figured out a 'proper' XTG pass to cover this area. I may try the shavette here too, but considering I'm already getting weepers here...I'm sure it's me and no the razor.)
I still can't get over the little river of backwards beard growth on my jaw though. It and my neck hollow (right side only) are my trouble areas.
I'm also one of those folks, who even if I manage a BBS, you can still see my dark hair growth below.
Anyhow. Sorry for yet another long post, but hopefully with a breakdown of what I'm doing, it will help for tips.
Thanks in advance.
Dave
I'm just over a month into wet shaving now. Started over Christmas. My first handful of shaves were with a Merkur Futur which bit me hard. For some reason, I decided to try a straight instead of a DE. So far I completely love it.
I've used it before work every day since I started. I 'usually' skip Saturdays, so that I can shave Sundays with an extra day growth.
My question is on technique.
How do I do a good XTG pass (Ear to nose) on the right side of my face?
The left side of my face is easy. My beard growth is orderly and I'm right handed. I shave WTG left handed on the left side easily enough. I still have to concentrate on angle and whatnot, but I'm comfortable with the stroke. I haven't really cut myself on the left with WTG, left-handed. Same with my neck. I do pretty well WTG and ATG. For most of my neck I don't need an XTG pass as 3/4s of it clean up BBS with 1 x WTG and 1 x ATG. The last 1/4 of my neck, up under my jaw, in front of my carotid, in that evil little hollow there...grows in what feels to me like 5 different directions. It's been a trouble spot my whole lift, so I'm not worried there. Yet. I'm having decent results switching out the straight for a shavette for this area, and the weird little strip that runs `backwards` along the edge of my right jaw.
The hair on the my right cheek sort of grows in a swirl, so if I want to attempt a DFS (still not pushing for a BBS yet, I'm far too new. I tried a couple times...the burn....so, I'm sort of aiming for a DFS- if you will. My beard is not the most co-operative thing. In reality, I think I've only had a BBS shave twice...thrice max...in my life, so I'll be more than satisfied by progressing to a consistent DFS)
Anyhow. The biggest issue I've got is the 'backwards' strip on my right jaw. It's angled 45 degrees downwards, just kind of under the edge. It's a really thin strip that's about 2 inches long. The hairs point towards the edge of my shoulder sort of. (Mid-jaw, bottom edge, hair growth targeted at acromion process). If I want to get them cleaned up, I have (I think...options, please?!) to do this weird angled, ear to nose XTG blind angle stroke.
Probably every 3rd shave...I plant my edge a bit. So I've got a little touch of a railroad of shallow slices in various stages of healing. 3 visable right now. I 'thought' I got myself again today, and I can feel it, but I can't see it. So that's good I guess.
All in all, I'm getting better. I can feel it.
I've been experimenting with my badger brush and have started a bit with my new boar as well. I've headed the "What did you learn from your last shave" thread: Not to change multiple variables at a time.
I just got the Omega 48, so I've used it exclusively for this week.
Prior, I was using my Sir Henri exclusively.
Over the first month, I've mostly used TOBS Sandlewood shaving cream for my weekday morning shave. I've worked with it the most. I'm starting to get decent lathers with it. So I don't mess around with it in the mornings.
I'd been practicing with Col. Conk's unscented soap on the weekend, and now that I've been using the Omega 48 that's what I've been using in the mornings for this week.
I've consistently been using 2 drops of TOBS sandlewood PSO. It makes a big difference for me weekdays, as I have a coarse beard and I've been shaving without showering in the AMs. PSO + 3 to 5 min hot towel.
I've been switching each shave between my Dovo 6/8s and Frakenrestored 5/8s.
I honed the Dovo on my Nani 12k.
I honed the 5/8s up to my Shapton 16k.
My last 2 shaves, I've started trying to do my touchups with a Shavette. It's helping so far, the shorter length blade helps me get the angles I need. Hearing the voices of the forum again, I've so far respected the shavette and not cut myself with it yet. 'NO PRESSURE. ANGLE ANGLE ANGLE. Shavettes are unforgiving. Go slow.' But I've only been using it on maybe a total of 2 sq in combined.
Stropping, I do 25 linen passes and 50 leather passes before each shave. (I usually strop my razors the night before to save time in the morning. Prepping my shaving kit has become part of my nighttime routine. Nightly hygiene, strop razors, lay out software/hardware. When I wake up, just wash face, PSO, hot towel, etc)
On my technique:
I'm happy WTG on my face and neck.
I'm happy ATG on my neck, and on my face so long as I've gone WTG/XTG)
Left side XTG (E/W or W/E) I'm ok. One I do left handed, Ear to Nose I do a crossover right handed stroke.
Right side....ugh.
Upper cheek I'm ok WTG/XTG/ATG
From the edge of my mustache down towards mid jaw it grows down and back, so I'm slowly learning the proper angle for WTG/XTG, which is more kind of left eye to cartoid 'N/S' orientation. ATG here is where I get most of my weepers. I haven't figured out a 'proper' XTG pass to cover this area. I may try the shavette here too, but considering I'm already getting weepers here...I'm sure it's me and no the razor.)
I still can't get over the little river of backwards beard growth on my jaw though. It and my neck hollow (right side only) are my trouble areas.
I'm also one of those folks, who even if I manage a BBS, you can still see my dark hair growth below.
Anyhow. Sorry for yet another long post, but hopefully with a breakdown of what I'm doing, it will help for tips.
Thanks in advance.
Dave