Some help with the Rockwell 6s and irritation please?

[prajnagatu]

Hi guys, this is my first post so go easy on me! I would like to ask your advice - I am about 9 months into my wet shaving journey and have already spent an embarassing amount on gear! I am however having trouble balancing the closeness of my shave with a tendency towards irritation. I was lucky enough to be given a Rockwell 6s for Christmas, I use synthetic and badger brushes and soaps by Stirling, Tabac, TOBS and Proraso. I think my lathering technique is pretty good and I use, Feather, Nacet and Silver Blue blades. I shave every day which is probably part of the problem! I ususally shave after I have showered.

My issue is that to get the 'finish' I want in 3 passes, the #4 plate gets me there most efficiently but I also get irritation, like an aftershave has me hoppin around the room level of irritation and skin reddens noticably! I am using very little pressure but I do have to go against the grain to feel happy with the closeness of the shave. The milder plates require more strokes/passes to bring the stubble down but I do get a little less irritation, though still more than I would like. I can be ok but not delighted with the results from the #3 plate but the #2 plate takes 4 or 5 passes to get as close as i'm happy with. My stubble isnt that thick, should I be able to get closer in fewer passes on the milder plates if I focus on angle more or should I stick to the #4 and continue to work on my technique? Should I not chase such a close shave? I really don't like any 'rough' stubble left, though I never quite manage a full bbs. Major trouble spots include the neck just above and to either side of the adams apple, the corners of the mouth and the dip between bottom lip and chin.

Being something of a gear head I've been inevitably contemplating a different razor (the Karve in particular is singing to me!) but my gut says it's me not the Rockwell and so I want to persisit. I am open to any suggestions of things to try.

Thanks in advance,
Tom

 

[Mark1977]

You might want to try a less sharp blade. Shark SS is good. The newer Derby Extra is a very good blade. Sharper and smoother than before. Derby is known for its smoothness. I have been using a Derby these last 3 days and I'm getting the most comfortable shave ever.
I usually use a less sharp in my adjustable. I shave daily too and I find that a sharp blade in an aggressive razor or in an adjustable with higher settings does give me some irritation.
Since I shave daily, my go to razor is the Edwin Jagger DE89 and Merkur 34C. These are razors that are in the milder side. Great for daily shaving, even with a sharp blade.
Another good blade to consider using with the Adjustable is the Personna Red. They are less sharp than the Lab Blue but smoother. Works very well for me.
This is what works for me. Hope it helps you mate.

Sent from my CPH1969 using Tapatalk

 

[prajnagatu]

Thank you for your suggestions, the Derbys are certainly cheap enought to have a go with!

 

[Mark1977]

Thank you for your suggestions, the Derbys are certainly cheap enought to have a go with!

I heard a lot of mixed reactions towards Derby blades. Many love them while many hate them. But I managed to get some really cheap here in Malaysia and decided to give it a try. I know the manufacturing process of these blades have improves since 2016. I felt that these were the smoothest blades I've ever tried, and I've tried a LOT of blades over the years. As for sharpness, they feel as sharp as the Personna Lab Blue. Really love this blade. 3 shaves and they still feel great. No feedback whatsoever from my alum block which is just amazing. Give it a try. Good luck mate.

Sent from my CPH1969 using Tapatalk

 

[rockthrower]

I had the same problem for a while. I shave daily and alternate between a Rockwell 6S on plate 6 the with a sharp blade (usually Nacet or Polsilver) and a Karve brass, usually with the OC-B plate, but sometimes with the SD-E plate. All without irritation unless I get sloppy with either of two factors; pressure and angle.
I use a very shallow angle (riding the cap) to make sure the blade is cutting, not scraping. As for pressure, I realized a while ago that what I thought for a long time was light pressure, really wasn't. Both the 6S and the Karve are heavy enough in the head that you really can just drag the razor across the skin without pressure.
For me, the sharper the blade the better. I think there is a good chance that with a shallow angle and really focusing on pressure (lack of) you'll get the BBS you are looking for.

 

[matwho]

Don't use light pressure use zero pressure. Once I finally used that advice my shaves were irritation free.

 

[BigJ]

Don't use light pressure use zero pressure. Once I finally used that advice my shaves were irritation free.

+1! NO pressure is critical!!

Combine that with the optimal shaving angle and your shaves will improve dramatically!

 

[Rhody]

I would try a smooth blade like astra or persona red nacet
Anything but derby. Of everything ive tried i dont like them

 

[Sotiris_A]

I prefer the combination of a milder razor combined with a sharp blade for daily shaving, so I would use a milder plate and focus on getting the result I want in 3 passes. Try not to overshave and the results will come as you build your muscle memory. Also, as already mentioned, your razor is quite heavy, so you should always pay attention to not use any pressure.

A good prep of the stubble along with well-hydrated lather can help reduce the number of passes needed to get a closer shave. If you do try to focus on milder settings, you might find that a thinner but very slick lather might do the trick better than the thicker, protective one.

Finally, I would advise against frequent changes of gear. That said, if you do decide to buy a new razor, you could also consider lighter options, in the less than 80gr range.

 

[prajnagatu]

I would try a smooth blade like astra or persona red nacet
Anything but derby. Of everything ive tried i dont like them

No disrespect but dammit you look like a Doctor, not a shaving specialist

 

[prajnagatu]

I prefer the combination of a milder razor combined with a sharp blade for daily shaving, so I would use a milder plate and focus on getting the result I want in 3 passes. Try not to overshave and the results will come as you build your muscle memory. Also, as already mentioned, your razor is quite heavy, so you should always pay attention to not use any pressure.

A good prep of the stubble along with well-hydrated lather can help reduce the number of passes needed to get a closer shave. If you do try to focus on milder settings, you might find that a thinner but very slick lather might do the trick better than the thicker, protective one.

Finally, I would advise against frequent changes of gear. That said, if you do decide to buy a new razor, you could also consider lighter options, in the less than 80gr range.

Thank you that all sounds like very good advice. I do need to learn to walk away from the sink, even if I havent got what I wanted from that shave! There is such a strong temptation to press 'just a little' if it didn't quite get enough on the last stroke! I like your suggestion of trying to get better results from the lower settings - I find you have to be much more precise with the angle on the milder plates. I seem to get reasonable results some days on #2 then next day it does't seems to be shaving me at all! I am an idiot for buying new things and I know the Rockwell has amazing shaves in it- I do have them from time to time!

 

[MtView]

I had a similar experience. It was counter-intuitive, but the solution for me was to use a more efficient / aggressive plate and then I moved on to more aggressive razors in general. They are not to be feared.

I also had to assess and reassess the direction my whiskers grow at different places so that when I went ATG I was going in the optimal direction the first time and didn't have to do as many touch-ups.

You might also consider your prep and if scrubbing could be irritating your skin.

 

[Ravenonrock]

Would you be content with comfort over chasing that desire to irradicate that last bit of roughness and step away from the razor? I want the closest most comfortable shave I can get with minimal passes. I pay much attention to always shave WTG on my first pass which for me means adjusting direction frequently below my jawline. A second pass is a light cleanup XTG but mostly I just like lathering up again, the first pass did all the heavy lifting. I never get BBS shaves, it’s not my intention. I want irritation free close shaves. Some guys get both, I just do what works for me. Hope you find a system you are content with. For what it’s worth I’m quite enjoying a few mild vintage Gillette razors paired with Astra SP blades. Good luck!

 

[prajnagatu]

Would you be content with comfort over chasing that desire to irradicate that last bit of roughness and step away from the razor? I want the closest most comfortable shave I can get with minimal passes. I pay much attention to always shave WTG on my first pass which for me means adjusting direction frequently below my jawline. A second pass is a light cleanup XTG but mostly I just like lathering up again, the first pass did all the heavy lifting. I never get BBS shaves, it’s not my intention. I want irritation free close shaves. Some guys get both, I just do what works for me. Hope you find a system you are content with. For what it’s worth I’m quite enjoying a few mild vintage Gillette razors paired with Astra SP blades. Good luck!

Thanks for the response. I'm not exactly going for 'greased dolphin' but I don't like any stubbly roughness left behind. It may be a matter of learning to be content with missing a few spots from time to time and keeping it comfortable as you say. I did a shave similar to what you suggest light WTG, then XTG and mild clean up and that felt good enough but I feel like I could also do with improving my technique! I've had suggestions to try sharper blades on milder settings as well as to persevere with the #4 but use NO PRESSURE so a good deal of experimentation is in order!

 

[Peterv1]

My favourite blade in the 6S is a Polsilver SI smooth and plenty sharp, I usually do a two pass plate 5 and 3 secondly so I don't stress my skin to much and always short strokes

 

[prajnagatu]

I had a similar experience. It was counter-intuitive, but the solution for me was to use a more efficient / aggressive plate and then I moved on to more aggressive razors in general. They are not to be feared.

I also had to assess and reassess the direction my whiskers grow at different places so that when I went ATG I was going in the optimal direction the first time and didn't have to do as many touch-ups.

You might also consider your prep and if scrubbing could be irritating your skin.

I do love a good badgery scrub! Maybe I'll try bowl lathering for the next few shaves!

 

[prajnagatu]

My favourite blade in the 6S is a Polsilver SI smooth and plenty sharp, I usually do a two pass plate 5 and 3 secondly so I don't stress my skin to much and always short strokes

Thank you , I havent tried those blades but I know they're very highly thought of.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

A lot of good advice above.

I seem to get the least irritation from either a BIC or a Feather blade, a 5 plate and zero pressure and then step away from the sink after three passes. No chasing BBS. If I have a rough patch or two, then I try again tomorrow. It’s when I start chasing that I end up with irritation

When I say zero pressure, it is almost negative pressure. I try to just put the razor to my face and then think about holding it just off the skin. That helps me to keep from pressing to help. Pressing does not help, it in fact reduces the efficiency of the blade razor combination.

One thing I did not see above is how are you prepping.

Make sure your beard and skin are hydrated and use a good preshave. I am partial to Proraso white, but as they say, different strokes for different folks.

Have you tried a different post shave routine? Splash cold water in your face to close the pores, then instead of aftershave, use a balm like Nivea Sensitive Skin. You could be exacerbating irritated skin by splashing an alcohol based product on it. Also, be sure to put some hydrating cream on your skin at bedtime. It will pay dividends in the morning.

Above all, practice, practice and don’t change too many variables at once.

 

[cryhavoc]

+1! NO pressure is critical!!

Combine that with the optimal shaving angle and your shaves will improve dramatically!

+1

 

[SharpieB]

I heard a lot of mixed reactions towards Derby blades. Many love them while many hate them. But I managed to get some really cheap here in Malaysia and decided to give it a try. I know the manufacturing process of these blades have improves since 2016. I felt that these were the smoothest blades I've ever tried, and I've tried a LOT of blades over the years. As for sharpness, they feel as sharp as the Personna Lab Blue. Really love this blade. 3 shaves and they still feel great. No feedback whatsoever from my alum block which is just amazing. Give it a try. Good luck mate.

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I’m the same. I’ve tried most of the blades out there and Derbys are really good regardless of price. And Extras and Premiums are dirt cheap.

Same with Dorco Primes. If they weren’t under $7/100 I would never have bothered buying them to try. Who knew that the cheapest blades I have ever bought would become one of my favorites?