Need some help

[Skarkowtsky]

First, I'm new to proper shaves, including preshaves. I've read a bunch in the forum, and watched videos for proper lather technique.

Two things:
My preshave is a soak of the face with a hot, saturated wash cloth, followed by PRORASO eucalyptus menthol preshave cream, applied in circular motions until its almost all worked into my skin (about a minute to apply).

I'm using Caswell-Massey soap. Unfortunately, I read about its inferiority after I bought it, and couldn't return it (Hygiene law). I am able to get a rich, creamy lather, BUT it dries out on my face before I finish the 5 minute application.

First shave is downstroke. Relather skin, followed by upstroke. Then I re-lather parts of my neck that require cross stroke. All strokes are light to the touch, and short in stride.

This is resulting in an irritated, cut neck in some areas, consistently. What am I doing wrong? Using my crappy Mach 3 because the STAR Safety Blades are going out to a guy for a hone.

Could it be the Mach 3 blades are too dull? I can't wait to stop using it for good!

On a side note:

I tried to shave with the sharpest of the STAR blades (was able to dry shave arm hair without a problem), though I couldn't achieve a good first pass on my face with lather.

Could this just be my not having the 'touch' yet or is it more likely that the blade is dull? I can't practice with it until the blades are honed.

Sort of a lose/lose situation for me, currently.

 

[Zagnut]

It sounds like your method is OK, it's just the technique that needs work, with the exception of the stroke order: "with the grain, across the grain, against the grain" is the accepted order. Going across the grain immediately after going with the grain can cause irritation with sensitive skinned shavers, particularly if they also have coarse beards.

My recommendation would be to map the grain of your hair. Beard hair, especially under the jaw, can grow in all sorts of crazy, swirly patterns. Mapping those out will help you find out exactly what directions "with" and "against" the grain are. Let it grow out for a few days and map it out in a mirror or have a friend help you with it.

Mach3 blades are crap. A bad shave with those is not indicative of any technique problems.

The Star blades will have a learning curve, but the hair map, along with your existing method will shorten it, so you should be OK there.

 

[Sled Dog]

That model Star razor will accept modern SE blades.
I would try the Star blades just for interest sake, but use a good modern SE blade on a daily basis.

 

[shavefreak]

I love and collect the star/kampfe razors but in reality you are better off keeping them in nice conditon for admiration nevermind using the old blades. It is just not a practical daily undertaking and you will soon pass on it. Look for a nice gem 1912 for a SE or the holy grail the everready streamline.

 

[Skarkowtsky]

Zagnut:

Thank you for the great advice

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'm going to use the STAR daily. I simply love it, and as the shave tradition is new for me, I guess I still have the patience to get to know this razor intimately. As for honing the original blades. If done properly, how much would their physical appearance differ from how they appear now? I do plan to use them because they don't appear to have been used much, if at all. Lots of life in them.

 

[shavefreak]

I would try a carbon (CVS) blade being a bit thicker on the top they might sit a little better in the star, or stainless and see which one you like better. You will have to remove the carbon and dry after each shave. You will give up on the honeing once the vintage excitement has worn off and later on even the razor but you could hang with modern blades in it for a while. Getting around the nose and handle feel is not the same starting with the 1912 and on SE razors.

I think the early super rare stars with the small wood handles were the way to go, the longer ones helped with the honeing and were practical I guess, but I like the early ones.

Zagnut:

Thank you for the great advice

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'm going to use the STAR daily. I simply love it, and as the shave tradition is new for me, I guess I still have the patience to get to know this razor intimately. As for honing the original blades. If done properly, how much would their physical appearance differ from how they appear now? I do plan to use them because they don't appear to have been used much, if at all. Lots of life in them.

 

[Mick]

Prep and technique trump equipment by 10 to 1

Wash your face with glycerine soap or shave right out of the shower after washing your beard. You can even put some hair shampoo on your beard as most have conditioners in them. When I can't shave right out of the shower I uses either Pears or Neutrigena (clear) glycerine soaps and wash twice. First time to remove dirt and oils, the second one I leave on to hydrate my beard while I get everything in order (brush soaking, blade loaded, lather made, etc) then I lightly rinse to wet my face, apply lather and start shaving.

To help mitigate razor burn and cut down on nicks and weepers, you should use your off (free) hand and stretch your skin in the area you are shaving.

Grab your skin at the base of your side burns and pull up for your back cheek area and puff air into your cheeks for shaving around the front of your cheeks.

Grab your throat with the flat of your hand below your lather an pull down for your neck and throat, moving your hand around as you shave to stay below your razor.

Grab your cheeks and pull back to stretch your chin.

You do not need to keep your skin tight as a snare drum, just keep it taught

You can make silly faces to help stretch areas that are hard to reach

If you find you have a difficult time holding where you have lathered, rubbing your fingers on an alum block will give them enough grip to hold on to a wet or lathered area

This will help your razor glide over your skin instead of bunching it up in front of the blade as you move it.

 

[Skarkowtsky]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Haggises]

My Star razor was the most aggressive and unforgiving razor I tried. I plan on going back to it soon once my infatuation with the simplicity of injectors wears off.
Follow turtle's instructions with a light touch and with practice you should be golden.
No reason why it shouldn't be your daily driver.
Good luck!

 

[Galhatz]

A good lather is very important. It protects your skin, softens the beard and offers a "gliding" lubrication for the razor. If it gets dry, it doesn't do any of these.
It dries when there is too much product and not enough water in the mix. 5 minutes can be a long time, but I remember that as a beginner it took me much longer. If it still gets dry, wash it off and re-apply. I rinse my face completely before I am applying lather for the second and third passes.

Also, there is no point sticking with products that do not work for you.
You can get a puck of VDH soap for about $2 in many supermarkets or in walmart. Rite Aid also carries "Real Shaving Co" cream for ~$5. Both are perfectly good products.
I would get a pack of the stainless steel blades (Walgreen) just so you don't need to deal with rust, their are also a bit smoother than the carbon ones. Don't deal with lest than perfect blades.
For the first week, try to keep a comfortable presentable shave without going against the grain, as your technique improves, start experimenting with going XTG/ATG on the easier parts like under the sideburns. Once you get the angle and pressure dialed in without cuts or burns, expand to the rest of the face.

SE razors where designed with mimicking a straight edge shave in mind. The blade grind is very similar to a straight edge grind - only much sharper. Think of an old school barber shaving his clients, the razor just glides over the skin, never pressured against it.
Also, you might want to pick up a mild razor like a featherweight, which is much more tolerant for user error.