The Worst Thing About Testing New Blade Brands

[cranewarrior]

As a newbie....is knicking myself frequently. I guess my technique is terrible despite my trying to use no pressure, ride the cap, and take short strokes.

More earned experience with shaving with a safety razor will remedy this. But I guess it takes time and I am a slow learner. Part of it is I don't get many opportunities to practice being an every other day guy and I keep a goatee.

 

[rockrabbit]

Took me close to a year to become competent with DE shaving.

Made the mistake of testing various vintage razors with horrible blades aka the basic Derbys.

Once I found a razor I liked (Gillette New) I then found better blades, such as the US made Personna Platinum. Used that combination for a many years as I mastered my technique.

Then I began on different razors using the same blade.

Once my confidence was at an all time high, is when I went back to testing new to me blades.

 

[Bsamps]

Took me about 15 shaves with a safety razor before I had my aha moment. Keep at it, you’re get there.
I’m still learning, and I have 75 shaves under my belt as of today.

 

[cranewarrior]

Once my confidence was at an all time high, is when I went back to testing new to me blades.

I think this is the gist of it. I probably don't have the consistent muscle memory to be a good tester. It's too many variables at once.

But testing new blades is fun.

 

[Grundi]

But testing new blades is fun.

I love trying new blades, good or bad!!

There is something that experience will teach you about this, and that is for most blades, at least for me, either shave #2 or #3 is the best shave that that blade will give you. Most of the time, shave #1 is not the best shave for me, so I have to get through it to get to the better shaves.

 

[spacemonkey42]

As a newbie....is knicking myself frequently. I guess my technique is terrible despite my trying to use no pressure, ride the cap, and take short strokes.

More earned experience with shaving with a safety razor will remedy this. But I guess it takes time and I am a slow learner. Part of it is I don't get many opportunities to practice being an every other day guy and I keep a goatee.

You're not a slow learner, or maybe I am an even slower learner. It took me months and months. Then I realized I still had a long way to improve and now it is years. It has been a fun journey though, I hope it is for you too!

My advice I wish I could give to my former self - stick with a fixed for for months. That means use the same razor, blade, soap, and brush. There are so many other variables. Have you considered doing that?

 

[cranewarrior]

My advice I wish I could give to my former self - stick with a fixed for for months. That means use the same razor, blade, soap, and brush. There are so many other variables. Have you considered doing that?

Thanks for the encouragement.

I'm using the same routine (pre-shave, soap lather, and safety razor) every single time except for the razor blade. That is getting swapped out weekly in an effort to try brands and determine which one is "best" for me.

 

[TheBigL]

I've been DE shaving for a couple decades now. I've never been into "super" prep. I have a variety of creams and soaps, but none too expensive. I have 2 brushes. I do have a lot of blades and a lot of razors though.

I don't remember much, but I do know my first shaves were not great. As far as the razor and blade combination - I don't keep a journal so I kinda remember which ones I like.

The thing that really got me better at shaving was to stop trying to chase a perfect shave. I tried too hard for a long time, ending up with nicks and irritation.

 

[Dave himself]

You could try shaving at a steeper angle.

 

[musicman1951]

We've all been through the "#$^&*! another weeper" stage. Everything has a price. It took me a very long time to figure out what a small amount of pressure was necessary for shaving. Muscle memory takes a lot of repetitions, be nice to yourself. Nobody gets irritation free great shaves right from the start.

One thing you might consider is finding a workable blade sooner than later. New blades are one more variable that complicate the learning process a bit. Some of the blades you don't like now might be excellent for you after your technique settles into a consistent routine.

Hang in there, you're doing fine. It will get easier.

 

[DesertIguana]

Back in the day when I first use a DE, there were no message board, internet, or forums. We learned by doing, experimenting, and last repeating process, until we got desired results.

My Recreational Therapist at VA Kids, and Grand Son went to mountains, he son in law is Computer Guru, her Daughter is CPA and Financial Planner for weekend fun in snow. Grandson just turned 2 years old.

They want to build Snowman, the Snow was powder Snow, had they not had Google to ask how to build snowman out of powder shon, they would have melted down.

 

[blethenstrom]

Then I began on different razors using the same blade.

Once my confidence was at an all time high, is when I went back to testing new to me blades.

My advice I wish I could give to my former self - stick with a fixed for for months. That means use the same razor, blade, soap, and brush. There are so many other variables. Have you considered doing that?

My advise to a beginner is echoing the above posters. Learn the skill first, then experiment and try other/new things. Get a setup that works and use that for a period of time, just to build muscle memory, skills and give time for your skin to get used to wet shaving. Once you get to that level, your blade testing and evaluation can start. Before that time I dare say that you will not be very good at evaluating blades at all due to the lack of skill level. I am not saying you have to be a master shaver before you start, but give it a few months and then see.

Furthermore, if you change things too much in the beginning you will have more irritation, more weepers, more cuts and nicks. Unless you are a masochist you would not want that. I changed blades in the beginning too and I had subpar shaves. Once I got better I revisited those blades and found that most of them are quite good. Be patient! Yes I know it is not as much fun, but I think it is necessary to build skills first.

 

[Cal]

The Worst Thing About Testing New Blade Brands​

As a newbie....is knicking myself frequently.

That, IMO, is due to you "riding the cap."

I guess my technique is terrible despite my trying to use no pressure, ride the cap, and take short strokes.

All safety razors have guards (that's what makes them safety razors).

Forget riding the cap and follow King C. Gillette's guidance (as per WAY 2 in the pic below):

Riding the guard smooths/stretches the skin in front of the blade. Riding the cap pushes the skin up in front of the blade, an ideal recipe for skin irritation not to mention lopping off moles/bumps/scar-tissue/etc.

As a beginner, simply place the guard on the skin, lifting the handle till the blade makes contact... BINGO, shave. The guard should be on the skin at all times and depending on the area being shaved its pressure may be soft or hard... BUT, the blade's pressure should be minimal to zero at all times.

Some people say shaving steep is "scraping," but in most razors (with certain notable exceptions) the difference between steep and shallow angles is only a few measly degrees.

A helpful illustration from the B&B Wiki:

 

[BigJ]

The main thing is to focus on improving and, especially, ENJOY the ride!! You will get there!!

 

[Halfbeard]

The Worst Thing About Testing New Blade Brands​

That, IMO, is due to you "riding the cap."

All safety razors have guards (that's what makes them safety razors).

Forget riding the cap and follow King C. Gillette's guidance (as per WAY 2 in the pic below):
View attachment 1782449
Riding the guard smooths/stretches the skin in front of the blade. Riding the cap pushes the skin up in front of the blade, an ideal recipe for skin irritation not to mention lopping off moles/bumps/scar-tissue/etc.

As a beginner, simply place the guard on the skin, lifting the handle till the blade makes contact... BINGO, shave. The guard should be on the skin at all times and depending on the area being shaved its pressure may be soft or hard... BUT, the blade's pressure should be minimal to zero at all times.

Some people say shaving steep is "scraping," but in most razors (with certain notable exceptions) the difference between steep and shallow angles is only a few measly degrees.

A helpful illustration from the B&B Wiki:
View attachment 1782458

There is two schools of shaving - steep and shallow (and neutral). @Cal a prominent proponent of steep. I believe on the other hand that shallow is the way to go.

Whatever your shaving technique is shallow can not be reason for weepers and nicks . There is other reason(s). Prep, pressure, not streching skin etc.

 

[cranewarrior]

Whatever your shaving technique is shallow can not be reason for weepers and nicks . There is other reason(s). Prep, pressure, not streching skin etc.

I am with you there. I didn't tighten my face or do the Shar Pei stretch. Boom, cut appeared right away under my nose. A stinging lesson to be sure. I didn't repeat this mistake this morning.

 

[NorthernSoul]

To follow on from Cal's post. A steeper angle does not necessary mean "riding the guard". Try a neutral angle.

If you deviate from the neutral angle, you are decreasing the blade exposure. IMHO, you want to take advantage of blade exposure, and feel the blade on the skin. This gives you good feedback about how much pressure you are actually applying. When people say "they didn't even feel the blade", that means they are basically flying blind.

 

[Leverspro]

My aha moment was the day I bought a modern razor. Just my experience. Not implying that vintage don't give many people great shaves.

 

[AshleyC]

While I've been shaving with DEs around 2010-2011, I think what prevents me from being Shaving Yoda is that I rarely use the same razor twice in a row. Or the same blade.

Why? Because I like to post about my shaves here. And what would be interesting about the shaving equivalent of "Day 203 of the Iran Hostage Crisis"?

Yes, folks, today was my 47th consecutive shave using a Tech and an Astra. And I shaved after watching a rerun of "My Mother, the Car".

 

[TheBigL]

The Worst Thing About Testing New Blade Brands​

That, IMO, is due to you "riding the cap."

All safety razors have guards (that's what makes them safety razors).

Forget riding the cap and follow King C. Gillette's guidance (as per WAY 2 in the pic below):
View attachment 1782449
Riding the guard smooths/stretches the skin in front of the blade. Riding the cap pushes the skin up in front of the blade, an ideal recipe for skin irritation not to mention lopping off moles/bumps/scar-tissue/etc.

As a beginner, simply place the guard on the skin, lifting the handle till the blade makes contact... BINGO, shave. The guard should be on the skin at all times and depending on the area being shaved its pressure may be soft or hard... BUT, the blade's pressure should be minimal to zero at all times.

Some people say shaving steep is "scraping," but in most razors (with certain notable exceptions) the difference between steep and shallow angles is only a few measly degrees.

A helpful illustration from the B&B Wiki:
View attachment 1782458

That is some really good information.

It also got me thinking about people posting here about nicks and cuts. I'm starting to think all the availability of shaving info makes it too complicated for new people. Combined with the availability of such a variety of razors and blades, I can see how it can be daunting.

Sometimes you just need to stick to one blade/razor combo and figure it out for yourself.