I posted here a couple of weeks ago that I was about ready to quit this new adventure if things didn't start improving. Of course I got lots of encouragement to stay the course and lots of tips on things to improve. I'm here to say thank you and to report that I think I've turned the corner now, having gotten a week s worth of decently close shaves, with very little blood spilled.
Here's what made the biggest difference:
1. New, quality blades. My first shaves were with the Gillette blade shipped with my 1962 Gillette Fat Boy; who knows how old it was? The red paper cover looked antique. Pretty stupid trying to use it. A few days later my blade sampler arrived. While some are better than others (the Derby seem pretty good, I haven't the courage to try the Feathers yet) they are all a huge step up.
2. Learning the grain! I never really paid that much attention to the grain patterns of my beard until I kept reading about it being important at this site. Once I really started feeling for it I was surprised how many changes of direction my beard grain makes. Once I became familiar with it I saw a huge improvement in shaves. I go once with the grain, once at 90 degrees, then once against the grain. This gets a perfect shave on 80%, but I still have to touch up just under the jaw line and on either side of the Adam's apple. If I were to change one thing about all the good advice and instructions I've received, it would be to increase the emphasis on learning the grain.
3. A few more minutes building a thicker lather. I really wasn't building a very thick lather until I watched the mantic videos on youtube.
Once again, though, thanks for all the encouragement.
--Rob
Here's what made the biggest difference:
1. New, quality blades. My first shaves were with the Gillette blade shipped with my 1962 Gillette Fat Boy; who knows how old it was? The red paper cover looked antique. Pretty stupid trying to use it. A few days later my blade sampler arrived. While some are better than others (the Derby seem pretty good, I haven't the courage to try the Feathers yet) they are all a huge step up.
2. Learning the grain! I never really paid that much attention to the grain patterns of my beard until I kept reading about it being important at this site. Once I really started feeling for it I was surprised how many changes of direction my beard grain makes. Once I became familiar with it I saw a huge improvement in shaves. I go once with the grain, once at 90 degrees, then once against the grain. This gets a perfect shave on 80%, but I still have to touch up just under the jaw line and on either side of the Adam's apple. If I were to change one thing about all the good advice and instructions I've received, it would be to increase the emphasis on learning the grain.
3. A few more minutes building a thicker lather. I really wasn't building a very thick lather until I watched the mantic videos on youtube.
Once again, though, thanks for all the encouragement.
--Rob
