You straight razor shaver that have perhaps +100 shaves and got some techniques down but still can have irritated skin, have you found that some specific honed edges gives good result with less irritation?
Sensitive skin – what edges are you preferred one?
- Thread starter *stefan*
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I use The Method and find the edge to be excellent and without irritation. Also, a 12k edge off a Naniwa gives a good shave without irritation. Once you learn to shave with a SR, you will find it to be free of irritation. They are easier on the face than any method I have ever used.
- Thread starter
- #3
Do you easily get irritated if using DE?
How sensitive is your skin? Are you getting irritation or do you have wider problems?
I am atopic and suffer from Psoriasis which can be set off unexplicably at any moment.
I can be shaving with exactly the same setup DE, shavette, or straight 5 days in a row and on the sixth day, boom, face comes up like a chilli pepper. I can use the same shampoo for 3 months and then suddenly never be able to use it again.
In my case, variety is the key. I have stainless steel razors, shavettes, Sheffield, Solingen. I try to keep a range of edges, synthetic, natural, diamond pasted finished, coticule, slate. The more variety I can sustain the less chance that my skin will react it seems.
So for me, no edge is better than another, just that a different edge is best.
Your mileage will certainly differ.
I am atopic and suffer from Psoriasis which can be set off unexplicably at any moment.
I can be shaving with exactly the same setup DE, shavette, or straight 5 days in a row and on the sixth day, boom, face comes up like a chilli pepper. I can use the same shampoo for 3 months and then suddenly never be able to use it again.
In my case, variety is the key. I have stainless steel razors, shavettes, Sheffield, Solingen. I try to keep a range of edges, synthetic, natural, diamond pasted finished, coticule, slate. The more variety I can sustain the less chance that my skin will react it seems.
So for me, no edge is better than another, just that a different edge is best.
Your mileage will certainly differ.
- Thread starter
- #5
So you skin is perhaps not sensitive to the shaving regarding pressure between edge and skin then?
Does it help you using unscented soaps?
I easily get red if shaving every day or after doing repeated ATG passes. That last I want to do to get a close shave in some area were the growth is very parallel to the skin.
Recently I shaved with what I think is for me the most skin friendly edge ever, a coticule edge.
After watching DRMATT357, coticule honing made easy I did some experimental honing.
So far this is my favorite coticule edge, under running water honing: Coticule BBW, linen, Coticule light side, linen stropping, manmade coticule, linen, mane made coticule, linen&leather.
Does it help you using unscented soaps?
I easily get red if shaving every day or after doing repeated ATG passes. That last I want to do to get a close shave in some area were the growth is very parallel to the skin.
Recently I shaved with what I think is for me the most skin friendly edge ever, a coticule edge.
After watching DRMATT357, coticule honing made easy I did some experimental honing.
So far this is my favorite coticule edge, under running water honing: Coticule BBW, linen, Coticule light side, linen stropping, manmade coticule, linen, mane made coticule, linen&leather.
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Certain metals cause me problems but I find I can mitigate the issues with different edge finishes.
At the moment :
Swedish steel : Charnley Forest or La Grise
Dovo INOX: lapping film and pasted balsa
Böker stainless: lapping film and pasted balsa, or synth stone and CrOx
Vintage Sheffield : Scots naturals
Modern Sheffield : Welsh Stones or coticule
But as these are natural stones these are just how the particular stones I own behave.
The significant step in Dr Matt's approach seems to be the stropping. After coming across several videos where the honing is carried out spine leading I tried that with a coticule and it also worked well.
Don't you just love this honing lark? So many ways to skin a cat!
At the moment :
Swedish steel : Charnley Forest or La Grise
Dovo INOX: lapping film and pasted balsa
Böker stainless: lapping film and pasted balsa, or synth stone and CrOx
Vintage Sheffield : Scots naturals
Modern Sheffield : Welsh Stones or coticule
But as these are natural stones these are just how the particular stones I own behave.
The significant step in Dr Matt's approach seems to be the stropping. After coming across several videos where the honing is carried out spine leading I tried that with a coticule and it also worked well.
Don't you just love this honing lark? So many ways to skin a cat!
- Thread starter
- #7
Yes, really like the honing-shaving part.
As my skin do best with honed edges it feels rewarding.
I have also had good experience with Valet auto strop used with vintage blade that I honed.
But it is so much easier to hone a straight razor. I will test vintage SE Heljestrand soon hopefully.
I read Gamma's tip to hone to high grit before using a thuringian so I used LF to 1m, stropped on linen, LP 1m, running water on my small thuringian and got the very sticky feeling instantly.
Got an interesting edge but need to shave some more with it.
My first good natural edge was JNUT: botan, tenjo, meijiro, koma, aiwidani/nakayama on large aiwidani.
But it took me very long time to hone this edge why my JNUT has been resting. Perhaps time to bring out again.
As my skin do best with honed edges it feels rewarding.
I have also had good experience with Valet auto strop used with vintage blade that I honed.
But it is so much easier to hone a straight razor. I will test vintage SE Heljestrand soon hopefully.
I read Gamma's tip to hone to high grit before using a thuringian so I used LF to 1m, stropped on linen, LP 1m, running water on my small thuringian and got the very sticky feeling instantly.
Got an interesting edge but need to shave some more with it.
My first good natural edge was JNUT: botan, tenjo, meijiro, koma, aiwidani/nakayama on large aiwidani.
But it took me very long time to hone this edge why my JNUT has been resting. Perhaps time to bring out again.
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