My first four pass shave....

[tob1303]

I just had my first four pass shave....WTG, XTG, XTG (opposite direction), ATG.

I switched to start my sampler pack...took out my Merkur blade and slipped in an Astra. I also just purchased some Bigelow cream so I wanted to try it. I liked how it felt against my skin, but I don't see the lathering advantage of creams...I think the soap was more effective....though I probably wouldn't know. Next time I'll go back to my Tobac soap so I can compare the blades.

I wasn't planning on a four passer but after the WTG pass went so smoothly I thought, Hell I'll go for it....I thought the new blade must be working.

Well..........meh. I'm not BBS below the jawline...but that seems to be mostly due to the hard areas...namely just underneath by chin...and the areas just to the right and left of the ol' adams apple...so I chalk that up to inexperience. If I were a vet, I could easily have gone back and touched that up....but I didn't want to run it over my neck anymore that I already did.

I seemed to have nicked myself 2 times....which is less than last time. I have to say....the alum block was seering pain afterwards....though felt amazing after a minute....and I finished with some WH and some Provence ASB......boy for the first ten minutes did my face burn...still a little tingle now as I write, about 20 minutes out....but it's simmering down now...a little. I've applied two layers of ASB because the first one absorbed like a sponge. It's starting to feel better now. It feels really smooth just about everywhere...it was a quality shave, but I won't know about irritation yet because it takes about 24 hours for mine to show up.

Should my face burn immediately after the shave...particularly the neck?

Are Astra blades considered quality?

Should I cut it down to three passes for the time being? two passes? which direction(s)?

Thanks fellas.

 

[mblakele]

That sounds like razor burn - perhaps you were a little too aggressive? I would recommend changing only one thing at a time: the blade or the lather, but not both at once.

Nevertheless I gather that you enjoyed yourself. That's important.

 

[cfriend]

As above... too many variables. Perfect one thing at a time and you'll be mixing up your SOTD in no time.

 

[tob1303]

Actually, it's burning quite a bit, and my neck looks pretty beat up and blotchy right now as of a half an hour out.

I don't disagree with you, but I don't know what too aggressive means. I didn't go over any area more than once on one lather....I used absolutely no pressure, and did all the mechanical things that are said need to be done (angle, stiff wrist, etc...). I don't fully understand why this is bothering me so much. It hasn't done this in the past when I only did two passes. I had irritation but not this serious burn and not this serious a blotchiness. I have to say, this is quite discouraging. I don't actually know what I need to do differently. The only things I can think of are blade angle and lather...but I don't know how to improve either...because I thought I did them right.

 

[cfriend]

I can almost guarantee that with just a month under your belt, you still have plenty of room for improvement in some--if not all--areas. You say you weren't getting irritation with two passes... perhaps your technique is good enough that two passes do not bring out the worst in you, but four passes do? That ATG pass can be an absolute killer if you aren't 100% solid on the passes that come before. Don't be discouraged, there is some skill in our hobby and in time you'll achieve the level of confidence and competence you seek.

(How zen do I sound at one in the morning? SO zen, that's how.)

 

[tob1303]

Yeah, I understand....it was likely pretty stupid to try immediately....and god am I paying for it...tomorrow should be intesting...luckily I have a very light day tomorrow (I'm a student) and can likely hide what I'm sure at this point will be some ridiculous irritation and breakouts. I learned my lesson. I likely won't be going ATG or XTG twice for months....it's WTG and an XTG and that's it for me until at least March or April until its consistently irritation and burn free.

I guess everyone is taught this lesson at least once huh?

 

[cfriend]

I guess everyone is taught this lesson at least once huh?

Best way to learn

 

[Curious Shaver]

try stretching the skin at times instead of pressing harder.

 

[mblakele]

A little hydrocortisone can help with the irritation. But it will probably be fine in the morning.

 

[El Comanche]

I found the Bigelow/proraso a little less forgiving in the slickness department. Try a soap with some slickness, and NO PRESSURE! I also advise checking out Mantic's vids on youtube on advanced shaving techniques, and try blade buffing with no pressure on the third pass(ATG). I'm still pretty new to this too, but these things are helping me- E

 

[trewornan]

It sounds like razor burn but a pretty mild case and nothing to worry about. Even so it's probably not a good idea to replicate the experience.

Perhaps cut back to two or three passes for a while and watch your pressure.

 

[moonshine44]

Each of us has his own learning curve, and a case of razor burn is a good teacher. After eight or so months, I still don't go ATG, and rarely XTG. I get a DFS with two WTG passes, and let it go at that. Don't worry, it'll get better, just don't get too overzealous...

Oh yeah, Welcome!

 

[mars]

I am sure I am in the minority here, but I find that alum makes my skin more irritated, not less. If I have a rough shave and apply alum, I am always worse off. But, I don't see this mentioned much around here, so I assume others don't have this problem.

 

[media]

I would try a different blade. Astra gave me a little burn too. My favorite are Israeli Rersonna reds, $10/100 at westcoastshaving.com Sharks are good also for me. You might want to try those two.

My biggest problem in the beginning was putting pressure on the blade, you have to relearn what you already know. NO PRESSURE! That, and short strokes. You cant glide the razor down your entire cheek anymore.

Hope this helps

 

[media]

I am sure I am in the minority here, but I find that alum makes my skin more irritated, not less. If I have a rough shave and apply alum, I am always worse off. But, I don't see this mentioned much around here, so I assume others don't have this problem.

I hear you on that. It always seems like a more painful experience than a rewarding one.

 

[bulldog]

I am sure I am in the minority here, but I find that alum makes my skin more irritated, not less. If I have a rough shave and apply alum, I am always worse off. But, I don't see this mentioned much around here, so I assume others don't have this problem.

If you get razor burn, like I used to get with M3s and fusions, alum can be excrucitating. Nowadays I don't get razor burn from DE shaving so alum has become a nice step between my warm rinse and my cold rinse. I make sure not to leave any alum residue unless I truely need it as a styptic.

Nate.

 

[tob1303]

Thanks for the reply gentlemen,

As of this morning my face actually still burns a little - I must have really got myself - but there is no irritation. Though I will say, even with a two-pass shave or the carts it has always taken a solid 20-24 hours for my irritation to show up, so I'm probably just judging early.

I can take the alum block pain...I've always oddly enjoyed pain I know is cleansing...perhaps that's the ol' school Christian in me....anyway, I have no tried a shave sans Alum....perhaps I'll try it one of my next couple of shaves.

I'm fairly certain I used no pressure - had the end of the razor in my fingertips grip - but alas, I assume I could just be thinking that, and not actually doing that. The good thing for me, as far as learning goes, is I haven't shaved with a cart or an electric in a couple years...I'm a student and have irish blonde whiskers....so I CAN get away with a good beard and mustache trimmer and still look presentable.

I'm gonna go back to using my Tobac every time until I get it...I'll use out this Astra blade until it dies.......and I've watched Mantic a lot, don't fully understand blade buffing - but I do think I need to shorted my stroke.

 

[tob1303]

I think I figured out a major problem I'm having after I was inspecting my neck. I realized a week ago that the hair on the bottom of my neck grows straight up, as opposed to the top which grows straight down. What I haven't been doing is keeping track of where that starts. Meaning, once I lather up the face I lose track of where the "upgrowth" begins. My gf noticed when touching my neck that the irritation began just as there was stubble resistance going down my neck...indicating the problem was where my grain started going up. Great catch by her.

Also, none of the irritation was as bad as I thought it was going to be above...so that's good. It wasn't irritated, and there was barely a nick. Just a real good razor burn.

 

[cfriend]

I think I figured out a major problem I'm having after I was inspecting my neck. I realized a week ago that the hair on the bottom of my neck grows straight up, as opposed to the top which grows straight down.

Good to know your growth pattern, for sure. Until recently I was a huge fan of knowing your beard growth and sticking to it. On my neck, growth points towards two areas roughly one inch on either side of my adam's apple. I shaved the area meticulously, light pressure, following the growth. Eventually I gave up, and focused on taking longer, confident, feather light strokes straight down (growth be damned!) my neck and have noticed a marked improvement since changing techniques. What I mean to say by this is, experiment with trying to follow the growth more closely, and if that doesn't work experiment with taking strokes so light, you'd tickle a freckle... maybe one will work better than the other.