Need Help! Advice Anything

[CryptoDave]

OK so here is my my problem, I have been wet shaving for about 3 months now and love it, BUT I keep having a problem with one area. Under my chin below the jaw just where the chin curves; no matter what I do I can't get a decent shave to remove the hairs.

As a bit of background I use a Tadere Open Comb Stainless Steel Razor 2nd Edition with a Petsona Platinum Red Blade. I do all the necessary pre-shave things, I usually shower before I shave, get a decent lather in a bowl etc... , My first pass is WTG, and my 2 nd pass is XTG. I have trouble with a AGT pass as I'm little nervous with this and sometimes especially in this problem area I find no matter how well lather up I am, the blade "catches " my technique on this stroke, AGT, is not good. as a result, I have had to reort to breaking out my cartridge razor just to hit this problem area. I hate doing this as it feels like I'm cheating.

I love the OC razor vs. the EJ DE 89 I was previously using, which by the way still yielded the same result in the problem area. I find the OC gives me a closer shave with less passes in the the other areas.

I ordered a bottle of Truefitt & Hill Ultimate Comfort Pre-Shave Oil, hoping this might help eespecially with the AGT pass under the chin (figuring the lubricating effect might help with the "catching" issue).

As an interesting side note, I recently introduced my 17 year old son to this site and to wet shaving, he is definitely addicted. What's so damn frustrating is that he can get a an almost BBS shave going WTG, XTG and AGT effortlessly, but I know it's not a competition, in fact it's sometng we have as a shared experience.

Any and all advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[gks]

I have a similar experience as you.

It's all about angle. You have to get the angle right with the razor to chop the whisker.

Something to try is to wait until you've got your cheeks are done, then make sure you rinse your face, this will give you some leverage, pull the skin away from your chin area so that it isn't on that curve, thus giving you a flatter area to shave.

I believe some use alum to get a better grasp on skin too. So if you have any of that laying around you can try it.

But try reducing the curve area by pulling the skin (gently) so that you have a flat surface to shave instead of a curved area.

 

[Graybeard57]

Something to try is to wait until you've got your cheeks are done, then make sure you rinse your face, this will give you some leverage, pull the skin away from your chin area so that it isn't on that curve, thus giving you a flatter area to shave.

But try reducing the curve area by pulling the skin (gently) so that you have a flat surface to shave instead of a curved area.

This works for me.

 

[CryptoDave]

You mean pulling the skin right under the chin out so it forms a more flat like surface on the chin?

Dave

 

[gks]

You mean pulling the skin right under the chin out so it forms a more flat like surface on the chin?

Dave

You'll have to see what works. But you're basically stretching (pulling was bad wording on my part).

Imagine pressing on the skin enough to get a bit of friction. Then pushing, or gently pulling to make the skin on the curved area of your chin move slightly to a flatter area.

Everyone's skin is a little different, so you're going to have to experiment. But basically start where you're having trouble, then gently push and prod the surrounding area (you'll have to hold it there) and see if that gives you more of a flat surface. Really what you're doing is upsetting the natural "position" of your skin and allowing you to more easily shave it.

Give it a try without shaving, just play with the skin a bit to see how you can make it easier to shave. It may not work for everyone, but it seems to work well for many.

 

[CryptoDave]

Ok I think I see what your saying.

Thanks

Dave

 

[Saltchuck]

ATG works best for me when there is not much beard left to shave. I'm guessing that you aren't getting enough beard reduction with your WTG and XTG strokes. Try adding some diagonal strokes (NE-SW, NW-SE). Don't go ATG until it feels like you have already achieved good beard reduction.

Also, look here for some more tips from Mantic59, such as blade buffing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQco5PWc2JU

 

[Harvey1]

Do what is said above... Maybe you should use a blade which cuts more than a Persona, what is not very difficult. With another blade you probably could afford a bit of ATG without irritation or pulling. It sometimes take many years to find ones "perfect" razor/blade pair. Prepare well your beard. Before your first pass, two to three minutes of face lathering help, too.
By the way are you discriminating enough with your shaving soaps, performance wise?

Phil

 

[Redstickjohn]

I have been wetshaving for many years, and what's funny is that it took me forever to figure out that my ATG pass on my neck was in a different direction than my ATG pass on my cheeks. The hair below my chin line grows toward my ear...so I had to reverse the passes on my neck...I mean the last pass on my neck is toward the chin, and not up toward the eye, of course making the XTG pass on my neck toward the eye. Uh duh.....much better since I made this discovery.