Is it normal to have a good deal of razor burn after shaving with a straight for beginners? I've had about four straight shaves and get irritation every time. Is it the blades angle?
Is razor burn normal for beginners?
- Thread starter mretzloff
- Start date
no - but its certainly not uncommon.
Just make sure youve got 0 (or if youre using a heavy blade, negative) pressure. If youre ever in doubt of your blade angle, get the spine closer to your skin.
Also make sure youre stretching, and going in the direction of grain you thought you were (sometimes when you stretch the hair doesnt go in the direction it does when unstretched)
Just make sure youve got 0 (or if youre using a heavy blade, negative) pressure. If youre ever in doubt of your blade angle, get the spine closer to your skin.
Also make sure youre stretching, and going in the direction of grain you thought you were (sometimes when you stretch the hair doesnt go in the direction it does when unstretched)
it is the pressure
with the correct angle there is no need for pressure.
with the correct angle there is no need for pressure.
Just speaking for myself, when I started I had massive razor burn for the first week or so. Its a matter of angle and pressure really.
This can be one of several things.
1. Blade needs to be honed or touched up
2. Blade needs to be stropped more. Try 50 instead of 25 or 75 instead of 50. More stropping is not going to hurt so long as you do it right.
3. Use less pressure and a proper angle when shaving, and avoid ATG passes until you are really confident of your shave edge.
4. Get an Alum block and some witch hazel. Those will help a lot in the healing/hurt process. Some GFT Skin food wouldnt hurt either.
1. Blade needs to be honed or touched up
2. Blade needs to be stropped more. Try 50 instead of 25 or 75 instead of 50. More stropping is not going to hurt so long as you do it right.
3. Use less pressure and a proper angle when shaving, and avoid ATG passes until you are really confident of your shave edge.
4. Get an Alum block and some witch hazel. Those will help a lot in the healing/hurt process. Some GFT Skin food wouldnt hurt either.
My first few shaves I got horrible razor burn because the razor wasn't sharp enough. Once I got a razor with a good edge I still got a little burn now and again but nothing major.
So it depends:
Really bad razor burn - no you shouldn't get that.
Some minor irritation - normal
At least that's what I found.
So it depends:
Really bad razor burn - no you shouldn't get that.
Some minor irritation - normal
At least that's what I found.
All advice has been great so far. You really need to adjust the angle of the razor to suit your needs and face with a straight, more so than any DE razor ever can manage. If you're angle is TOO steep you will have crazy amounts of burn, if it is too flat on your face then you may not get a good shave. The razor should cut very well with about one spines width away from your face when going WTG. If this doesn't shave at all, without using any pressure, than the razor isn't honed well, wasn't honed at all, or isn't honed for your needs. Shave ready for someone else may not be shave ready for your facial hair type. This is something that beginners usually don't have knowledge of and think any honed blade shave ready from a seller will automatically give you a bbs shave.
Stropping is KEY also. If you're stropping incorrectly (which is a common thing for new guys) then the razor will lose sharpness after every stropping session and the shaves will not be good enough and can cause a lot of burn.
Also, your face needs to adjust to a blade touching it all the time, so you may have redness for the first few weeks, although it shouldn't burn like crazy. If it does, then it is improper angle, bevel and honing, or stropping. It can also be a factor when considering face prep and lubrication through soaps and improper lathering.
Stropping is KEY also. If you're stropping incorrectly (which is a common thing for new guys) then the razor will lose sharpness after every stropping session and the shaves will not be good enough and can cause a lot of burn.
Also, your face needs to adjust to a blade touching it all the time, so you may have redness for the first few weeks, although it shouldn't burn like crazy. If it does, then it is improper angle, bevel and honing, or stropping. It can also be a factor when considering face prep and lubrication through soaps and improper lathering.
Might be your blade angle. I find that it works best if I use the shallowest angle which allows the edge to engage the stubble. FWIIW, the only times I get any irritation from a straight it is from one of two things. Either the edge is not sharp enough for the shave I am trying to achieve or I go over the same area too often. Three passes - WTG, XTG and ATG - followed by a water only, ATG touch up pass.
I received lots a razor burn my first 4 or so shaves. It was not wet enough of a lather, all the wrong angles, too much pressure.
I honed a razor for mretzloff not sure if its the one he is using. I went from 1k naniwa super stone, progressing down to .3 micron film then stropped on TM red latigo. I tested shaved with it and it was super sharp and smooth. As well as kept an eye on the edge with my loupe.
I honed the german comfort razor, made by Friedr. Baurmann & Sohne, spike point I believe it was a 6/8. pic bellow
I now polish off on my nakayama kiita, the edge is so sharp I have to get used to it. Im having to really back off on pressure to keep from getting irritation.
I honed a razor for mretzloff not sure if its the one he is using. I went from 1k naniwa super stone, progressing down to .3 micron film then stropped on TM red latigo. I tested shaved with it and it was super sharp and smooth. As well as kept an eye on the edge with my loupe.
I honed the german comfort razor, made by Friedr. Baurmann & Sohne, spike point I believe it was a 6/8. pic bellow
I now polish off on my nakayama kiita, the edge is so sharp I have to get used to it. Im having to really back off on pressure to keep from getting irritation.
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