SOTD - Second Time With Shavette - From 14 to 4 Cuts/Nicks

[arnuld]

This is my second time with a Shavette. I wanted to start using my Gillette Permasharp plastic DE razor immediately but held onto my desire for I wanted to use the blade I broke in half for the Shavette:

• Prep: Warm Water Bath
• Brush: Ajay (Amazon Link) - bought it locally offline for $0.5 or something. yes, I will get a better brush soon.
• Razor: SYGA Straight Razor from Flipkart
• Blade: Gillette 7o' Clock Permasharp
• Shaving Cream: LASER 3 Sport Shaving Foam (What I learned is canned foam is not just bad for shaving but also bad for the environment. I am just gonna finish it and never buy a canned foam again)
• Mirror: Locally bought for $1. I shaved in sunlight this time.
• Passes: 2 pass WTG (XTG + ATG at some places, somehow )
• After Shave: Homemade
• Alum: LUCAS, bought locally for $0.33
• Music: "Choo Lo", a romantic song by an Indian rock band called The Local Train (YouTube Link)

After-Shave Recipe

• Smirnoff Vodka, red bottle, unflavored (40%)
• Rose Water (40%) (Indian astringent, replacement for Witch-Hazel)
• Strawberry Essence, synthetic (10%)
• Coconut Oil (10%)
• Aloe-Vera Gel (20 ml)

Mix all of them in an empty glass bottle and then shake vigorously. It just takes 2 minutes to dissolve. It stings way less compared to an aftershave. Oil will not mix, so you will need to shake every time before you use it. NOTE: I learned that coconut oil clogs the pores, so I will be replacing it with some non-comedogenic oil



Experience

I counted 4 cuts/nicks. Here is the list:

• 2 of the cuts and 1 nick was at chin
• 1 cut on Platysma

Half of the cuts were because I put razor at 90 degrees to skin, out of hand memory of using cartridges for 20+ years. Rest half were because I still don't know how to navigate the chin using a Shavette.



What I Learned

• Last time I cut/nicked myself at 14 places and this time only at 4 places. This is more than 70% improvement in just two shaves.
• Let's say you glue a paper to the cheeks and then pull it down, how will you feel? That is exactly how I felt with dual-blade cartridges but more painfully with Mach3.
• Also, skin has lesser irritation compared to my experience with cartridges. Still, a Shavette is a dangerous thing and because of lack of experience, some regions still burn and I have to use my aftershave 3-4 times a day
• Skin is much smoother. With Mach3 I shaved everyday. With Shavette, alternate days.
• This blade performed better on 2nd shave. Strange.
• I still have half blade left, so there will be 2 more shaves with the Shavette.

 

[lasta]

Keep at it! The nicks will stop over time.

I remember when I first tried a shavette and left lines with every stroke!

If you haven't done it, grind down the very corners of the DE blade (2-3 swipes on a ceramic surface will do).

 

[CANES]

Great job! You're doing much better than I ever did with a shavette. I gave up after my first attempt and never did a second.

@lasta I never thought about grinding down the corners. There may be a chance that old shavette will see the light of day again, now.

 

[Dave himself]

I started out using a half DE blade shavettes and your doing better than me. As said above stick at it your muscle memory will get better with every shave. Keep us posted on how your doing.

 

[aussie]

The first thing that stood out in the pic is your brush. That thing is terrible. I don't like to disrespect your gear, but that thing won't make good lather. I speak from experience. My first good brush is an Edwin Jagger synthetic that cost me fifty Aussie dollars. This brush can create good lather using bacon fat.

Secondly, that canned foam is also junk. It is no good for your skin. Good quality shave soap or cream isn't expensive, and should cost the same or maybe less than your foam.

Finally, shavettes using half DE blades just aren't as good as the Feather Artist Club format. Some of these after market FAC razors.

The shavette, regardless of the format, works best with a very flat angle and super light pressure.

 

[arnuld]

The first thing that stood out in the pic is your brush. That thing is terrible. I don't like to disrespect your gear, but that thing won't make good lather. I speak from experience. My first good brush is an Edwin Jagger synthetic that cost me fifty Aussie dollars. This brush can create good lather using bacon fat.

Secondly, that canned foam is also junk. It is no good for your skin. Good quality shave soap or cream isn't expensive, and should cost the same or maybe less than your foam.

Finally, shavettes using half DE blades just aren't as good as the Feather Artist Club format. Some of these after market FAC razors.

The shavette, regardless of the format, works best with a very flat angle and super light pressure.

I have ordered a good brush. Shaving cream I already have. Just did not want to throw the canned foam away. I just use a lot of it and use some water drops on the brush to keep the foam it wet. Yeah, it keeps on drying, hence in single-pass I have to stop 4 times to just wet the foam on the face.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

If you can get a good shave with that equipment, more power to ya. But I'm with @aussie on this one. I even tried one of those shavettes way back when. I put it in the trash after a few trys. Seeing how well it held the blade. Years later I bought a Feather and it was an entirely different game. I still have a brush with bristles like that too but its just in my collection. It wouldn't hold lather at all.
Good luck but dont think all shavettes are the same. And dont punish yourself with low-grade equipment.

 

[Eastcoast30]

Get a good straight razor and nicks and cuts should go to zero.

 

[aussie]

I have ordered a good brush. Shaving cream I already have. Just did not want to throw the canned foam away. I just use a lot of it and use some water drops on the brush to keep the foam it wet. Yeah, it keeps on drying, hence in single-pass I have to stop 4 times to just wet the foam on the face.

Oh mate that isn't the way to shave. That makes the whole process totally unenjoyable. Good brushes can be had for a small sum. I recently bought a "Jack the Barber" synthetic brush for $7.50. It is almost as good as my Edwin Jagger synthetic. Throw that thing in the bin where it belongs, or set it on fire and have some fun!! )

I have an insert for my Dovo shavette that allows it to use DE blades. I used one full blades (both sides) and haven't bothered with it since. DE blades are just too short to use in a shavette IMHO.

For just a few dollars you can have some VASTLY better shave gear.

 

[arnuld]

..

Just received this. Ordered from Flipkart.com

 

[Member357]

View attachment 1590290
This is my second time with a Shavette. I wanted to start using my Gillette Permasharp plastic DE razor immediately but held onto my desire for I wanted to use the blade I broke in half for the Shavette:

• Prep: Warm Water Bath
• Brush: Ajay (Amazon Link) - bought it locally offline for $0.5 or something. yes, I will get a better brush soon.
• Razor: SYGA Straight Razor from Flipkart
• Blade: Gillette 7o' Clock Permasharp
• Shaving Cream: LASER 3 Sport Shaving Foam (What I learned is canned foam is not just bad for shaving but also bad for the environment. I am just gonna finish it and never buy a canned foam again)
• Mirror: Locally bought for $1. I shaved in sunlight this time.
• Passes: 2 pass WTG (XTG + ATG at some places, somehow )
• After Shave: Homemade
• Alum: LUCAS, bought locally for $0.33
• Music: "Choo Lo", a romantic song by an Indian rock band called The Local Train (YouTube Link)

After-Shave Recipe

• Smirnoff Vodka, red bottle, unflavored (40%)
• Rose Water (40%) (Indian astringent, replacement for Witch-Hazel)
• Strawberry Essence, synthetic (10%)
• Coconut Oil (10%)
• Aloe-Vera Gel (20 ml)

Mix all of them in an empty glass bottle and then shake vigorously. It just takes 2 minutes to dissolve. It stings way less compared to an aftershave. Oil will not mix, so you will need to shake every time before you use it. NOTE: I learned that coconut oil clogs the pores, so I will be replacing it with some non-comedogenic oil



Experience

I counted 4 cuts/nicks. Here is the list:

• 2 of the cuts and 1 nick was at chin
• 1 cut on Platysma

Half of the cuts were because I put razor at 90 degrees to skin, out of hand memory of using cartridges for 20+ years. Rest half were because I still don't know how to navigate the chin using a Shavette.



What I Learned

• Last time I cut/nicked myself at 14 places and this time only at 4 places. This is more than 70% improvement in just two shaves.
• Let's say you glue a paper to the cheeks and then pull it down, how will you feel? That is exactly how I felt with dual-blade cartridges but more painfully with Mach3.
• Also, skin has lesser irritation compared to my experience with cartridges. Still, a Shavette is a dangerous thing and because of lack of experience, some regions still burn and I have to use my aftershave 3-4 times a day
• Skin is much smoother. With Mach3 I shaved everyday. With Shavette, alternate days.
• This blade performed better on 2nd shave. Strange.
• I still have half blade left, so there will be 2 more shaves with the Shavette.

Some people like to hand-strop new blades because the first shave can be a little harsh, as you've found.

Those half-blade shavettes can deliver great shaves once you've got used to them. Yes, they're not easy to master, but I've used a Parker branded one over a longer period and had no issues once I got used to it, which only took a couple of weeks.

 

[Herrenberg]

Great job! You're doing much better than I ever did with a shavette. I gave up after my first attempt and never did a second.

Same. You should have seen my face. I went from that first shavette shave, straight to a straight, and have never looked back.

In a way, it was good. No matter how awkward that straight razor was for the first 10 shaves, I never came anywhere near the carnage I managed with that shavette, so I told myself all was well.

 

[straitlikethat]

View attachment 1590290
This is my second time with a Shavette. I wanted to start using my Gillette Permasharp plastic DE razor immediately but held onto my desire for I wanted to use the blade I broke in half for the Shavette:

• Prep: Warm Water Bath
• Brush: Ajay (Amazon Link) - bought it locally offline for $0.5 or something. yes, I will get a better brush soon.
• Razor: SYGA Straight Razor from Flipkart
• Blade: Gillette 7o' Clock Permasharp
• Shaving Cream: LASER 3 Sport Shaving Foam (What I learned is canned foam is not just bad for shaving but also bad for the environment. I am just gonna finish it and never buy a canned foam again)
• Mirror: Locally bought for $1. I shaved in sunlight this time.
• Passes: 2 pass WTG (XTG + ATG at some places, somehow )
• After Shave: Homemade
• Alum: LUCAS, bought locally for $0.33
• Music: "Choo Lo", a romantic song by an Indian rock band called The Local Train (YouTube Link)

After-Shave Recipe

• Smirnoff Vodka, red bottle, unflavored (40%)
• Rose Water (40%) (Indian astringent, replacement for Witch-Hazel)
• Strawberry Essence, synthetic (10%)
• Coconut Oil (10%)
• Aloe-Vera Gel (20 ml)

Mix all of them in an empty glass bottle and then shake vigorously. It just takes 2 minutes to dissolve. It stings way less compared to an aftershave. Oil will not mix, so you will need to shake every time before you use it. NOTE: I learned that coconut oil clogs the pores, so I will be replacing it with some non-comedogenic oil



Experience

I counted 4 cuts/nicks. Here is the list:

• 2 of the cuts and 1 nick was at chin
• 1 cut on Platysma

Half of the cuts were because I put razor at 90 degrees to skin, out of hand memory of using cartridges for 20+ years. Rest half were because I still don't know how to navigate the chin using a Shavette.



What I Learned

• Last time I cut/nicked myself at 14 places and this time only at 4 places. This is more than 70% improvement in just two shaves.
• Let's say you glue a paper to the cheeks and then pull it down, how will you feel? That is exactly how I felt with dual-blade cartridges but more painfully with Mach3.
• Also, skin has lesser irritation compared to my experience with cartridges. Still, a Shavette is a dangerous thing and because of lack of experience, some regions still burn and I have to use my aftershave 3-4 times a day
• Skin is much smoother. With Mach3 I shaved everyday. With Shavette, alternate days.
• This blade performed better on 2nd shave. Strange.
• I still have half blade left, so there will be 2 more shaves with the Shavette.

hey man my first post. just want to say appreciate you documenting this as i just ordered a shavette to learn to line my beard up and get crispy line ups.

i've watched ALOT of youtube videos with shavettes and what ive noticed is the blade may be too sharp for first time. becuase on the videos alot of the barbers, would slice into a cork and they say its to smooth/soften the blade?

i also agree that most barbers say the beauty store shavettes / cheap amazon ones are not really good. and to get a decent one will make the experience better. lol hope they are right since im going to try next week on myself lol.

 

[Shaveprentice]

That is great improvement! At that rate just a few more shaves with the shavette and you should be able to get a pretty decent shave and no nicks!

I have found that a very light touch and a shallow blade angle along with never rushing or getting impatient really helps when shaving with a shavette.

The chin and mustache area are the hardest areas to shave with a shavette. When I first started using a shavette I shaved my chin and mustache with a DE razor and my cheeks and neck with the shavette. This allowed me to practice and improve my skills without having to struggle on the difficult areas at first.

 

[rbscebu]

@arnuld, I started shaving with a shavette the same as yours (reviewed here) a few months after I started with traditional SRs. I still have and shave with that shavette about half-a-dozen times a year, just to keep my hand in. Staring with Gillette London Bridge blades, I now prefer Feather half-DE blades.