sharks rip me up

[honeybadger]

Hey guys

My first few shaves I used 2 feather blades that came with my DE and destroyed my face (could have been newbie technique.)

I have used Gillette super thin platinums and they were great! I loved em. I have tried Sharks now twice in a row and they destroyed my face, almost as if the blades were too dull and they drag across my face with tugging. I also have 5 Personna platinums to try as well.

The place I order from only carries Astra, feather and Lord blades. Should I go for platinum or stainless? The Gillettes I like are platinum. I also don't have a very heavy beard, but it is very wiry.

Thanks guys
Andrew

 

[Saunterer]

How many shaves to you have under your belt? Since you have stated that you are a newbie, I would have to assume it could be your newness.

Stick with one blade, one soap, one razor and change nothing for at least 10 to 20 shaves. Then branch out and only change one thing at a time. As much as you want to try out new stuff, it's easy to introduce a variable that makes a bad shave.

Of course, YMMV, but Sharks are my absolute favorite blade.

 

[Bit2]

How many shaves to you have under your belt? Since you have stated that you are a newbie, I would have to assume it could be your newness.

Stick with one blade, one soap, one razor and change nothing for at least 10 to 20 shaves. Then branch out and only change one thing at a time. As much as you want to try out new stuff, it's easy to introduce a variable that makes a bad shave.

Of course, YMMV, but Sharks are my absolute favorite blade.

+1

There are several places to buy blades.

Try the vendor section here on B&B. (dridiot, BullGoose, iamdarkangel2005, Aneurysm to name a few)


As a Newbie:
Perfect your beard preparation and your technique before you start trying ever blade available.

Sharks and Feathers are sharp and can tear up your face if you do not know how to wield them.
Go to (back) Matic59's videos and make sure your preparation & technique is OK.

JB

 

[Marco]

Andrew, Double Edge blades are really too subjective. Probably the most subjective wet shaving items, of them all. A blade that is bad for you may be the best for someone else... Your best option is to get a sample pack and decide by yourself, and only by yourself, what blade works well for you.

P.S. I love those Shark blades that "destroyed" your face. They are in my top 3 spots for DE blades, along with the Red pack Israeli Personna and the Bolzano Superinox Inossidabile.

 

[honeybadger]

I have been using the same soap and razor since I started 3-4 months ago(I am not a feen like most of us here, I only have so much cash ). I maybe have 30 shaves under my belt.

I want to find something comfortable. I have tried each blade I mentioned so far 5 times each, except for the feathers because I only had 2.

I have been reading about Sharks and have read they are not a "sharper" blade but more of a mild offering.

 

[kg0mz]

Andrew,

Sorry to hear that. My experience with Sharks is the Stainless Steel blades are very forgiving. Were you using the SS or the Chromes? I have used an Astra Super Stainless that comes in a blue package. Similar to the Shark SS. However, if the Gillettes work for you use them. Be that as it may, your issues are probably technique related. Wrong angle, too much pressure, preparation issues?

You might want to review the videos here. Go slow, let the weight of the razor do the work, that is, apply no pressure; check your angle, place the cap on your face an close the angle until the blade just begins to contact the whiskers. It is like driving a sick shift, it just takes some practice. You will get there.

 

[honeybadger]

The sharks I have are the stainless ones.

It probably is technique, as I feel a good shaver would get a good shave out of any blade right? I only ever get cut up on my neck. It looks like someone was trying to slit my throat with these sharks and feathers.

Ultimately maybe it is technique? wouldn't the SHARPEST blades give the best shave in the hands of a good shaver?

I have done the same thing since the start. Lather my P160 with an Omega boar to my face and 3 passes. One top down, one from ear to mouth and one from mouth to ear. It definitely isn't BBS but is "comfortable" I guess. My neck usually gives me trouble. I have a large adams apple, even pulling skin to the side is a PITA.

practice practice practice!

 

[Topgumby]

I'm with Marco. I love Sharks, both the Super Chrome and Super Stainless, but that makes no difference to you.

If you are getting better results with other blades, for the time being, stick with the other blades.

You may be surprised by how much those Sharks improve merely by aging in your drawer if you try them again in a few months. For now, that's neither here nor there.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

Part of the issue might also be you razor/blade pairing. Such a thing makes an immense difference. I hated Sharks in my Slim and couldn't understand why everyone liked them so much. They tore me up too. Now that I'm using a different razor almost exclusively I like them a lot (the chromes anyway). There are also blades that I liked a lot before that I now find don't work as well as in my other razor. If you're getting a good shave with the Thins, stick with em. They are very nice blades indeed.

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

If you're getting a good shave with the Thins, stick with em. They are very nice blades indeed.

Exactly, had a great shave with a Thin this morning.

 

[Rossmeister]

The Shark Superior Chrome in my Mühle R106 has been working really well so far, it's quite strange how different blades in different razors work for different people.

It seems to go dull a bit faster than my Astra SPs, though, since the third/fourth shave has been a bit rougher.

 

[talibeard]

The super thins are very smooth and forgiving; stick with them for the time being and then get yourself a sampler pack!

 

[honeybadger]

I find that platinum blades are giving me good shaves. Gillette super thin platinums, red personna platinums, etc.

 

[cstokes4]

I notice you said that you pull the skin around your adams apple, that is a big no-no for beginners. Get it as good as you can for now and then work on the technique.

 

[sas71]

you might have gotten a bad blade. i just used a shark chrome last week and every shave i got 1-3 little nicks but the blade felt sharp and not rough.

i had a pack of Astra plats once that out of the 5 blades 2 were great the other 3 hurt so bad i dreaded shaving the next day. i shaved 2-3 times with those 3 rough blades thinking that maybe they would smooth out but they didnt. there again i think i got a bad pack.

 

[Drummer2177]

I'm a shark guy myself. These are in my top 3 as well. I cut myself up on a feather and swore I would never go back without some training.

So, although the Feather drew blood, I still think it is a good blade, just not for me. The same may be with the Shark.

So...basically you were "Shark bitten"? Ugh. That was bad.

 

[Optometrist]

With my EJ89L, the Shark SC works fine for me, although I still rate the Feather combination the best. Tried a Shark in my new Muhle R41 today and where the Feather and Bolzano excelled, the Shark was a real disappointment. The razor/ blade combo is so personal. It's what works for you that counts.

David