Length of whiskers and ease of shaving?

[rbscebu]

I read on B&B that some have more difficulty cutting longer whiskers when shaving. I'm talking here about multiple days' growth.

Ignoring a DE razor clogging up, how are longer whiskers harder to shave? Surely the whiskers don't change at skin level in diameter or material composition as they grow longer.

I'm only a mug engineer. Please explain.

 

[BradWorld]

I find the opposite. Some of my best shaves are with 4 or 5 days of growth. Super smooth and super close.

 

[rbscebu]

I find the opposite. Some of my best shaves are with 4 or 5 days of growth. Super smooth and super close.

I am not writing about end result and satisfaction. What I am referring to is the perceived added force needed to cut the whiskers.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I find that longer whiskers wick up moisture easier, and are therefore softened more in the prep. More surface area. All things being equal, I would expect a DE blade to last me noticeably longer if I shaved every two to three days, than if I shaved daily.

 

[GR5233]

I shaved four days worth of growth with a Gillette contract tech this past Monday. I didn’t notice needing to use any extra pressure than when it’s only been 24 hours between shaves. I also didn’t have any issues with the razor clogging either

 

[BradWorld]

I am not writing about end result and satisfaction. What I am referring to is the perceived added force needed to cut the whiskers.

Oh. I see. If I use a fairly aggressive razor, and a nice sharp blade, I do not perceive any added force required. Charcoal Goods Level 2 or higher, for example. Of course if I grab a Tech and a Derby, things may be different. If I have a gnarly amount of growth I just grab my trusty Feather Artist Club SS and go to town. It mows down 2 or more weeks of growth like butter. I don’t shave every day, I do a lot of camping, and also like to sport facial hair from time to time, so I do have a good amount of experience mowing down lots of long beard. At the moment I am getting bored with the 4 inch goatee hanging from my chin, and I’m planning out the removal for next week. Do I clip it off and hit it with a DE, or take out the AC and just take it all at once. Either way is fun. Either way doesn’t require any real added force. Maybe it’s just my medium beard hairs. I don’t exhibit any of the barbed wire I hear many discuss.

 

[Contact_vs_Feedback]

I don't find any more added problems with clearing up the whiskers on multiple days growth.

A good prep (warm towel soak) and good quality, well hydrated lather paired with a razor and sharp blade does the job easily.

As stated above the clogging factor to be ignored, there seemed to be no problem with shaving on a one day whiskers and on a week old whiskers.

Edit: I'm from SE Asia, have full dense beard growth and Feather DE blades last me for 3 shaves and Feather Professional SE blade last me for 8 shaves if that information is relevant.

 

[Mattie]

I find that longer whiskers wick up moisture easier, and are therefore softened more in the prep. More surface area. All things being equal, I would expect a DE blade to last me noticeably longer if I shaved every two to three days, than if I shaved daily.

That has been my expirience too. I get about 2 more shaves from a blade if i go every 2 or 3 days. That doesn’t stop me from shaving daily though

 

[macintoshBR]

I find the opposite. Some of my best shaves are with 4 or 5 days of growth. Super smooth and super close.

This. Getting a great shave daily is a lot harder than with longer growth.

The post or video reviewer says: “This razor and blade took care of a week’s growth easily. I thoroughly recommend it” - but who here shaves once a week, my friend?

I read on B&B that some have more difficulty cutting longer whiskers when shaving

Yet another misconception widespread here, other forums, and Youtube

 

[rbscebu]

The replies so far have been enlightening. That you all and keep them coming.

 

[Billy T.]

I usually shave every 3 days, I can get a BBS quite easily with 3 passes and touchups. Recently due to boredom I've found myself shaving 5 or even 10 days of growth. The BBS is effortless, it may take a couple more strokes on the first two passes but the ATG pass is way easier. No "added force" required

 

[global_dev]

I’m guessing 2 things at play here (at min)

1- does more days between allow fo more recovered skin?

2- does more days in between may allow for different types of beard hair to grow out,i.e different speed of growth and different physical shafts properties?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[musicman1951]

I am a daily shaver, but occasionally go about 36 hours -which is the sweet spot for me (I suspect because the skin gets a little longer rest).

Two days growth feels harder to shave. Not sure why. I suspect I have selected a razor with the perfect amount of aggressiveness for daily shaving and need a more aggressive razor if I'm going multiple days. I also suspect that if I had a milder beard it would probably not be an issue.

About 5 years ago I spent 2 weeks in the hospital and thought I could get through that growth with an OC razor. 7 hilarious passes later that idea was put to rest.

 

[BigJ]

I am a daily shaver, but occasionally go about 36 hours -which is the sweet spot for me (I suspect because the skin gets a little longer rest).

Two days growth feels harder to shave. Not sure why. I suspect I have selected a razor with the perfect amount of aggressiveness for daily shaving and need a more aggressive razor if I'm going multiple days. I also suspect that if I had a milder beard it would probably not be an issue.
….

+1! This is my experience also.

However, it has been a long time since I waited more than 36 hours. I just enjoy my shaves too much!!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

About 5 years ago I spent 2 weeks in the hospital and thought I could get through that growth with an OC razor. 7 hilarious passes later that idea was put to rest.

If I tried that with a closed comb razor, it would be like me trying to carve a turkey with a teaspoon. However, an open comb razor would sail right through for me. That's why I don't use an open comb daily. I'm partially bearded, and want to stay that way A closed comb razor razor may lightly nibble at the boundary if I go wayward, but an open comb will plough through.

I actually took an open comb razor on a cruise ship. Through various waters and weathers, my beard gradually reduced from a neatly trimmed full beard, to a Riker beard, and eventually to a goatee. I never cut myself though, even in excess of gale force 12 weather. I should still have probably use a public bathroom lower down in the ship though, instead of my deck 15 (?) cabin

 

[tamahagane]

I have to say there is more force required. I haven't tested any new blades in more than half a year, but whenever I do, I leave (part of) my face unshaven for a week, then shave with the new blade. The ones which cut comfortably are the ones I reorder (2 out of 30+ ever tested).
I find that almost every blade can give me comfortable shave for day-to-day shaving.
My (non-dermatologist) hypothesis: the effective diameter of whiskers to cut. The analogy with cutting metal : cut one copper wire, no problem. Then try to twist 100 wires like a rope and try cutting. The force you need to exert is much higher. If you are wondering how beard length influences thickness, remember that human hair is not the same diameter from base to end*. Another explanation might be that when you submerge matter in water, it takes time for the water to penetrate the matter. More stubble - more moisture and time required. Meaning same time spent on prep regardless of beard length - more force required to cut for longer beard.

*depending on your genes, you might have mostly-even-diameter hair

 

[Scrubby]

I experience no big difference in required force for my SR’s shaves (subjective feeling is that is 2-3 days growth might even cut a tad easier than 1 or 1/2 day stubble). Irritation is another thing: least on 2-3 days growth, increasing for 0,5-1 day shaves and the (very rare) >3 days shaves. Mind:1) I always shower as prep 2) i do always 5 passes (ns, ew, we, sn, sn, both sn passes with fools pass).

 

[samhain666]

I shave every 2-4 days, mostly every 3 days. I did notice more tuggy feeling with 2 days of growwth and least amount of it with 4 days. I belive this happens because hair gets softer with length

 

[SydneyShaver]

I could get BBS with 0 irritation with any blade in any razor after 5 days of growth guaranteed. Daily shaving without irritation or nicks is definitely much harder than shaving irregularly for me. I never understood how days of growth ever factored into peoples decision making for a single blade razor....unless you grow out a substantial beard (After which almost anyone would just trim and then shave).

 

[ShavingPanda]

I am a daily shaver and occasionally go a couple days without shaving. I find daily shaving allows me to use from mild to aggressive razors and still get smooth shaves. When I do skip a few days, something efficient is coming out to reduce effort to get the hair off. So not sure if it's smoother knocking off multiple days or more so the choice of the razor.

I wonder if the perceived ease of shaving multiple days is related to allowing the hair to grow far enough that it is allowed to grow in its intended direction as opposed to straight out of the face. The further it grows out, it may have some curvature in the growth direction near the skin that makes it easier to cut with the razor.