- Thread starter
- #21
I just noticed what I’m doing wrong..you all talk about angles and whatnot, usually I do straight not tilted/angle
Shaving question
- Thread starter Rodimus80
- Start date
Keep at it, sir. You'll get there!
It looks as if you still have stubble, does your face feel smooth or can you feel whiskers? You could always try with a cartridge again to see if you get better results, then come back to DE shaving if you want to.
If your face is on fire, you are likely either going over the same areas repeatedly or you might be pressing the razor to your skin, like you would with a cartridge. Don't press at all and only go over each area once per lather. You may want to try a two-pass shave to start - with the grain then across the grain. Skip the against the grain and see if you don't have irritation.
If you don't want to worry about the razor angle right now, you could get a razor that has the angle built in, like a Henson.
Good luck, you'll figure it out!
If your face is on fire, you are likely either going over the same areas repeatedly or you might be pressing the razor to your skin, like you would with a cartridge. Don't press at all and only go over each area once per lather. You may want to try a two-pass shave to start - with the grain then across the grain. Skip the against the grain and see if you don't have irritation.
If you don't want to worry about the razor angle right now, you could get a razor that has the angle built in, like a Henson.
Good luck, you'll figure it out!
My guess is that there is are one or more ingredients or combinations of ingredients in the Proraso white soap that is irritating your skin (rather than just getting bad shaves). Just an observation.
@Rodimus80 - do you have hard water? I learned that getting proper lather from shave soap is more difficult with hard water. You can offset that with pre-shave or just work harder to get a good lather. The tips you already got are also good: Find the angle and don't use pressure.
Chandu
I Waxed The Badger.
You have a very dense beard from what I see. I'd get a more agressive/efficient razor and do 1 or two passes at most. Seriously, the Muhle R41 withe low pressure and one pass. I can see tall stubble in some of your pics. That means you are not hitting the angle correctly. With the R41, you really can't miss the angle. If it touches your face, it cuts whiskers.
Proraso white may be reacting with your skin, ironically, it was the only proraso to do so with my skin.
You are not shaving, you are scraping. As others have said you need to work on the angle so that the razor blade is cutting the hair. Try just shaving WTG for a while. Give your skin time to adjust and heal. Once you get shaving WTG down, add in a XTG pass, then ATG
You are not shaving, you are scraping. As others have said you need to work on the angle so that the razor blade is cutting the hair. Try just shaving WTG for a while. Give your skin time to adjust and heal. Once you get shaving WTG down, add in a XTG pass, then ATG
+1
Mild razors are not for thick whiskers, you go over the same place repeatedly.
I have very hard whiskers and in the last years I noticed the more aggressive (efficient) razor I used, the less irritation I had.
So I changed to Feather AC razor (shavette) and have almost 0 irritations.
Next step will be Straight razors.
Here will come now the "Straight razor evangelists"
Terrific advice from fellow shavers above, what a great community!
Here is a good video from geofatboy on finding the right angle:
Here is a good video from geofatboy on finding the right angle:
This is perhaps the main problem. Also the 23c is a mild shave, it has the same head as the HD 34c (I think) which is what I used for the first couple years. I was using sharp blades like Nacet and Perma-Sharp, getting what I considered nice results at the time but your beard looks thicker and coarser compared to mine so if you choose to persevere, I'd upgrade to a more efficient DE, perhaps a RazoRock Lupo 72 at least or something equivalent.
Give this a try. Once you have a good lather, dampen your brush and go over your face again, lather should have a little shine. I use (3) passes. 1st with the grain, steep angle, ride the bar. 2nd across the grain with a neutral angle, handle half way between riding the bar and cap. 3rd against the grain, shallow angle, ride the cap. Don't be in a hurry, use a sharp blade with just enough pressure to hold the blade to your face. If you have to go over a spot again or buff a spot be sure there is some lather or add a little water to the area if there is a little residual lather, don't shave dry. Maybe more than 3 passes are needed or buff an area, good lather, sharp blade and no pressure will keep irritation down. A good shave may take multiple passes, reducing stubble a little at a time.
Great advice above!
IME, technique trumps most everything else in ‘traditional’ wet shaving! I suggest focusing on:
1. Prep
2. Lather
3. Maintain an optimal razor angle
4. NO pressure!!
The B&B WiKi is a great reference.
IME, technique trumps most everything else in ‘traditional’ wet shaving! I suggest focusing on:
1. Prep
2. Lather
3. Maintain an optimal razor angle
4. NO pressure!!
The B&B WiKi is a great reference.
1. I would never recommend geofatboy to a newbie. He plays a little too fast and loose as far as I’m concerned. If I tried shaving like he does I’d be in pain for days.
2. I have used several DE’s over the years and have returned to the lowly cartridge razor with much success. I like the Bic Twin Selects the most as they give me 5 close and comfortable shaves each. I have pretty dense and coarse stubble like yourself with the added bonus of having sensitive skin like an Irish girl. I’m Greek Italian German and Irish, shaving is super fun! (Not)
I still use a soap or cream and a brush because that makes my shaves go better. You just have to use what works for you…just be prepared to be patient and spend time figuring it out, everyone’s face is different!
2. I have used several DE’s over the years and have returned to the lowly cartridge razor with much success. I like the Bic Twin Selects the most as they give me 5 close and comfortable shaves each. I have pretty dense and coarse stubble like yourself with the added bonus of having sensitive skin like an Irish girl. I’m Greek Italian German and Irish, shaving is super fun! (Not)
I still use a soap or cream and a brush because that makes my shaves go better. You just have to use what works for you…just be prepared to be patient and spend time figuring it out, everyone’s face is different!
Especially when you hear him say “now against the grain on the neck”
Dear lord that’s a fast stroke
Especially when you hear him say “now against the grain on the neck”
Dear lord that’s a fast stroke
Yeah, watching YouTube vids is fine, but trying and mimic the strokes can be dangerous for sure.
I see a lot of really long strokes. I can't do that safely. Short strokes work best for me.
You probably don't need another razor, but if you have not tried the Henson razor, it is a really good transition razor from cartridge razors.
Even the +++ option is quite mild.
My wife reacted to the proraso white. You might be reacting to certain ingredients. Most likely it is your technique though.
Even the +++ option is quite mild.
My wife reacted to the proraso white. You might be reacting to certain ingredients. Most likely it is your technique though.
I second all the great advice shared above to improve your results.
Having said that, the bad news is that people with such dense beard as yours (and mine!) will always have a noticeable shadow in their face. It's just the way it is, in my case even after achieving a BBS shave.
I do think Geo's videos are very helpful, for as long as you warn the viewer that he has steel face (he could shave with an axe and still not bleed) and he goes quite fast (I assume nobody wants to watch a 45min shaving video).
Having said that, the bad news is that people with such dense beard as yours (and mine!) will always have a noticeable shadow in their face. It's just the way it is, in my case even after achieving a BBS shave.
I do think Geo's videos are very helpful, for as long as you warn the viewer that he has steel face (he could shave with an axe and still not bleed) and he goes quite fast (I assume nobody wants to watch a 45min shaving video).
- Thread starter
- #37
What is the best way to shave the chin, the upper lip and the neck?
Slowly and carefully. There really isn't a best way. Enough lather, patience, going every which way, and what your requirement is with closeness is what each of us has to decide. Me? I'm too OCD to not do lots of buffing and against the grain shaving. There is no 'good enough' in my world. More's the pity...
- Thread starter
- #39
I can't tell you what you should do as I don't know you, your face shape, your beard, etc. What *I* do is make passes with, across, against the grain and then buff until I don't feel anything left. I've got a bit of a cleft in my chin so it makes it a bit more challenging. Even then, this is one spot where I often will take my Norelco to catch stuff that's inevitably left. Learn which way your whiskers grow is an important piece of shaving knowledge.
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