Timeless .95 tips?

[theklaw]

Since we have apparently reduced this to technique, as I type this, I agree with everything @never-stop-learning is saying above. I will add that you may need to test how much pressure you are applying on your least sensitive area and learn how to keep that while shaving your neck. I do that to my neck occasionally, but I know what caused it and can use a neutral razor for a few days. To test, I would apply lather as normal then lay the razor on your face, cap or safety bar, and tilt inward the tiniest amount and make a short stroke. If you are shaving off all the soap, then you haven't learned minimum pressure and angle. If you can get yourself to a point there is still a thin film of soap left behind, that might be the right angle for your neck. You won't feel the blade, but it will grab and cut hairs. If you are shaving by blade feel, that may be the whole problem. I can hold my razor light enough that it feels like I am going to drop it or it is going to skip, but it still shaves.

Nice idea. Thanks.

 

[MtView]

Yeah, I definitely need to try a milder blade with this razor... especially when shaving daily.
Which razors do you use that are milder than the .95 SB and shave closer?

For me, that is the H&S N075 (with the aluminum plate), the Wolfman WR2 1.25 SB and the Yates with the M and H plates. I now have a Muhle Rocca R95 on deck (thanks to @Chan Eil Whiskers) that sounds like it might fall into the mild / efficient category). It's not that the Timeless .95 SB didn't feel mild to me, it's more that it wasn't as mild as the others and I didn't find it as efficient.

 

[APBinNCA]

Also, for me, when my neck is like that stretching is worse. It raises the bumps. Light strokes North or South and just making sure skin isn't bunching up so it doesn't go into the gap!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I have no idea exactly what you or anybody else should do.

Just to define terms.​

To me, the Timeless Ti 95 OC and the Timeless Ti Slim SB and most razors work much better used at a steep angle.

I found that cold water (everything cold) helped with irritation. Now, I use warm to hot water, but I have a bit more experience. Cold means cold tap water (but I've used ice water and found it pleasant on a hot day).

The right blade for you matters hugely. For me, the right blade is a Polsilver or Wizamet SI. I use no other DE blades. When you use the right blade, in my experience, it just clicks and says "This is the one!"

No one can tell you the right blade for you.

I would suggest focusing only on achieving a Damn Comfortable Shave and forgetting for a while about how close and long lasting and good looking the shave is.

There is no amount of pressure that's too low. (Some will disagree with me on this but they're wrong.)

A scritchy brush can irritate your skin.

Stick with one soap and learn it unless you find it drying to your skin or you otherwise hate it. Your lather should be very very hydrated. If it's not almost running down your chest it's not hydrated enough.

{MWF is super drying on my skin.}

I've tried a bunch of preshaves and found most okay but not great. The PAA preshave called the Cube is pretty great. It also works as a wash your face before shaving soap.

You don't need to scrub your face. Gentle washing preshave is all you need. I usually do it in the shower before shaving using a very gentle olive oil based face soap I buy at Walmart. It's green.

It might be the 95 is too much for you. Although I consider the 95 super mild feeling I'd jump to the 68 if the 95 didn't seem perfectly comfortable to me.

My guess is you're trying too hard or using too much pressure or doing too much work or too many passes, but I'm like everyone else and just offering wild äss off the wall guesses. None of us know jack about your whiskers or your skin.

Stick with this. It gets better. Timeless makes a very good razor. You could also get in touch with Matt at Timeless and ask his advice.

I doubt anything I said is worth reading, but I hope some of it might be.

Happy shaves in any case,

Jim

 

[theklaw]

I have no idea exactly what you or anybody else should do.

View attachment 1287784

Just to define terms.​

View attachment 1287785

To me, the Timeless Ti 95 OC and the Timeless Ti Slim SB and most razors work much better used at a steep angle.

I found that cold water (everything cold) helped with irritation. Now, I use warm to hot water, but I have a bit more experience. Cold means cold tap water (but I've used ice water and found it pleasant on a hot day).

The right blade for you matters hugely. For me, the right blade is a Polsilver or Wizamet SI. I use no other DE blades. When you use the right blade, in my experience, it just clicks and says "This is the one!"

No one can tell you the right blade for you.

I would suggest focusing only on achieving a Damn Comfortable Shave and forgetting for a while about how close and long lasting and good looking the shave is.

There is no amount of pressure that's too low. (Some will disagree with me on this but they're wrong.)

A scritchy brush can irritate your skin.

Stick with one soap and learn it unless you find it drying to your skin or you otherwise hate it. Your lather should be very very hydrated. If it's not almost running down your chest it's not hydrated enough.

{MWF is super drying on my skin.}

I've tried a bunch of preshaves and found most okay but not great. The PAA preshave called the Cube is pretty great. It also works as a wash your face before shaving soap.

You don't need to scrub your face. Gentle washing preshave is all you need. I usually do it in the shower before shaving using a very gentle olive oil based face soap I buy at Walmart. It's green.

It might be the 95 is too much for you. Although I consider the 95 super mild feeling I'd jump to the 68 if the 95 didn't seem perfectly comfortable to me.


View attachment 1287802


My guess is you're trying too hard or using too much pressure or doing too much work or too many passes, but I'm like everyone else and just offering wild äss off the wall guesses. None of us know jack about your whiskers or your skin.

Stick with this. It gets better. Timeless makes a very good razor. You could also get in touch with Matt at Timeless and ask his advice.

I doubt anything I said is worth reading, but I hope some of it might be.

Happy shaves in any case,

Jim

Some good advice there.

I like the idea of using The Cube as a pre-shave... I think the glycerin will help with my lather.
I'll try adding more water to my lather next time. It could be that I am overloading the brush and not adding enough water.

How does the Polsilver SI compare to the Perma-sharp Super and Voskhod... do you know?
I know a place where I can get the Polsivers quite cheap, but I would have to purchase at least a hundred of them in order to get free shipping. At this point I don't know if I should be purchasing more blades or just try to improve my technique with what I've got.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Some good advice there.

I like the idea of using The Cube as a pre-shave... I think the glycerin will help with my lather.
I'll try adding more water to my lather next time. It could be that I am overloading the brush and not adding enough water.

How does the Polsilver SI compare to the Perma-sharp Super and Voskhod... do you know?
I know a place where I can get the Polsivers quite cheap, but I would have to purchase at least a hundred of them in order to get free shipping. At this point I don't know if I should be purchasing more blades or just try to improve my technique with what I've got.

Sometimes an experiment can be fun to do, and instructive. This one can help you learn to use enough water.

I've forgotten what I used to think I knew about other blades so can't help you there. Don't think I'm saying Polsilver and Wizamet SI blades are right for you. They're right for a lot of guys though. As you probably know, Polsilver SI blades have gone way up in price and may be extinct. If you buy a hundred at a cheap price and don't like 'em you can probably get all or most of your money back by selling them to a Polsilver nut.

I know everyone always says everything is all about technique. I say that too sometimes but it's really not true. I spent months using a razor which wasn't going to work for me in a million years. I spent months using a soap which hurt my skin by drying it out.

Finding the right blade is a very big deal. Some blades just don't work for some guys; I like shaving with Feathers (during the shave), but after the shave they leave me with very irritated skin, every time; thus I no longer use them. For me, the SI blades are the right blend of sharpness and smoothness, but that's not saying they would be for you.

I'd say try your Timeless with the handle close to your skin, raising it a bit at a time until you can feel, or see, or hear it cutting. Then focus on a very very very light touch. When using a Timeless I tend to hold the handle in the middle, and let the head and the weight of the head do the work. That's true using my very heavy Timeless Bronze. It's true using my very light Timeless Titanium. It's also true, and even I find it hard to believe, using my super light Timeless Aluminum.

With the Timeless 95 unless you're going ATG you really should almost not feel the blade at all. Mostly I would say I don't feel the blade with the 95; it just sort of works by magic.

I've had tons of irritation and such and have learned a great deal about what works and doesn't work for me including products like hyaluronic acid, Brickell moisturizer, Equate Noxzema knock off, the Cube, Vitos Cocco soap, etc. I've posted about 'em all. None of that means anything I think or anything which works for me should work for you, but some stuff might be worth trying.

Much really is technique of course and there really is a learning curve.

I'm still climbing it.

Man, I wish I'd gotten a Timeless early on. Really good razor product line.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[never-stop-learning]

Since we have apparently reduced this to technique, as I type this, I agree with everything @never-stop-learning is saying above. I will add that you may need to test how much pressure you are applying on your least sensitive area and learn how to keep that while shaving your neck. I do that to my neck occasionally, but I know what caused it and can use a neutral razor for a few days. To test, I would apply lather as normal then lay the razor on your face, cap or safety bar, and tilt inward the tiniest amount and make a short stroke. If you are shaving off all the soap, then you haven't learned minimum pressure and angle. If you can get yourself to a point there is still a thin film of soap left behind, that might be the right angle for your neck. You won't feel the blade, but it will grab and cut hairs. If you are shaving by blade feel, that may be the whole problem. I can hold my razor light enough that it feels like I am going to drop it or it is going to skip, but it still shaves.

Critical point! Too much pressure = Irritation. Yes it does.

 

[never-stop-learning]

I have no idea exactly what you or anybody else should do.

View attachment 1287784

Just to define terms.​

View attachment 1287785

To me, the Timeless Ti 95 OC and the Timeless Ti Slim SB and most razors work much better used at a steep angle.

I found that cold water (everything cold) helped with irritation. Now, I use warm to hot water, but I have a bit more experience. Cold means cold tap water (but I've used ice water and found it pleasant on a hot day).

The right blade for you matters hugely. For me, the right blade is a Polsilver or Wizamet SI. I use no other DE blades. When you use the right blade, in my experience, it just clicks and says "This is the one!"

No one can tell you the right blade for you.

I would suggest focusing only on achieving a Damn Comfortable Shave and forgetting for a while about how close and long lasting and good looking the shave is.

There is no amount of pressure that's too low. (Some will disagree with me on this but they're wrong.)

A scritchy brush can irritate your skin.

Stick with one soap and learn it unless you find it drying to your skin or you otherwise hate it. Your lather should be very very hydrated. If it's not almost running down your chest it's not hydrated enough.

{MWF is super drying on my skin.}

I've tried a bunch of preshaves and found most okay but not great. The PAA preshave called the Cube is pretty great. It also works as a wash your face before shaving soap.

You don't need to scrub your face. Gentle washing preshave is all you need. I usually do it in the shower before shaving using a very gentle olive oil based face soap I buy at Walmart. It's green.

It might be the 95 is too much for you. Although I consider the 95 super mild feeling I'd jump to the 68 if the 95 didn't seem perfectly comfortable to me.


View attachment 1287802


My guess is you're trying too hard or using too much pressure or doing too much work or too many passes, but I'm like everyone else and just offering wild äss off the wall guesses. None of us know jack about your whiskers or your skin.

Stick with this. It gets better. Timeless makes a very good razor. You could also get in touch with Matt at Timeless and ask his advice.

I doubt anything I said is worth reading, but I hope some of it might be.

Happy shaves in any case,

Jim

Sometimes an experiment can be fun to do, and instructive. This one can help you learn to use enough water.

I've forgotten what I used to think I knew about other blades so can't help you there. Don't think I'm saying Polsilver and Wizamet SI blades are right for you. They're right for a lot of guys though. As you probably know, Polsilver SI blades have gone way up in price and may be extinct. If you buy a hundred at a cheap price and don't like 'em you can probably get all or most of your money back by selling them to a Polsilver nut.

I know everyone always says everything is all about technique. I say that too sometimes but it's really not true. I spent months using a razor which wasn't going to work for me in a million years. I spent months using a soap which hurt my skin by drying it out.

Finding the right blade is a very big deal. Some blades just don't work for some guys; I like shaving with Feathers (during the shave), but after the shave they leave me with very irritated skin, every time; thus I no longer use them. For me, the SI blades are the right blend of sharpness and smoothness, but that's not saying they would be for you.

I'd say try your Timeless with the handle close to your skin, raising it a bit at a time until you can feel, or see, or hear it cutting. Then focus on a very very very light touch. When using a Timeless I tend to hold the handle in the middle, and let the head and the weight of the head do the work. That's true using my very heavy Timeless Bronze. It's true using my very light Timeless Titanium. It's also true, and even I find it hard to believe, using my super light Timeless Aluminum.

With the Timeless 95 unless you're going ATG you really should almost not feel the blade at all. Mostly I would say I don't feel the blade with the 95; it just sort of works by magic.

I've had tons of irritation and such and have learned a great deal about what works and doesn't work for me including products like hyaluronic acid, Brickell moisturizer, Equate Noxzema knock off, the Cube, Vitos Cocco soap, etc. I've posted about 'em all. None of that means anything I think or anything which works for me should work for you, but some stuff might be worth trying.

Much really is technique of course and there really is a learning curve.

I'm still climbing it.

Man, I wish I'd gotten a Timeless early on. Really good razor product line.

Happy shaves,

Jim

There goes Jim getting all logical and stuff.

What would Big Nurse say?

Good advice, my friend.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I use a styptic pencil when I need to (for blood). Alum blocks when I used them bothered my sensitive skin (were drying to it). Plus, alum blocks seem useless to me; I never understood their appeal but I tried 'em because I thought I should.

I have no idea if alum might be a problem for you, but I learned the hard way to keep my product use as simple as possible and add experiment with one variable at a time.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[theklaw]

I use a styptic pencil when I need to (for blood). Alum blocks when I used them bothered my sensitive skin (were drying to it). Plus, alum blocks seem useless to me; I never understood their appeal but I tried 'em because I thought I should.

I have no idea if alum might be a problem for you, but I learned the hard way to keep my product use as simple as possible and add experiment with one variable at a time.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I usually use the alum block to give me feedback on how I did with the shave since I am not using an alcohol-based aftershave at the moment; if I've had a rough shave, it will let me know. But I think you're right... it does seem to make the irritation worse.
Eventually I will stop using it as my technique gets refined.

 

[APBinNCA]

Just a reminder, but you need to wet the surface on the block, apply, then leave the alum on for only about five minutes. Then, rinse thoroughly before applying anything else. It is supposed to be good for your skin long term, as long as you don't have dry skin. I use it for a few days then skip one.

 

[theklaw]

Just a reminder, but you need to wet the surface on the block, apply, then leave the alum on for only about five minutes. Then, rinse thoroughly before applying anything else. It is supposed to be good for your skin long term, as long as you don't have dry skin. I use it for a few days then skip one.

Yeah, that’s pretty much the way I do it.
I also use it to give me some extra grip on my fingers; this was especially useful when I was using straights.

 

[Smooth and Sharp]

Been there and only can tell you these 2 things.
1. You have a great tool and can get great shaves with it. I would blame technique so just keep going youll get there.
2. Blades can be perfect in a razor and bad in another so yes, feel free to try more than one but make sure you revisit them once you master your razor in case in wasnt the blade's fault.
Good luck and shaves will improve with time.

 

[Rosseforp]

I am still fairly new to DE shaving. I only have a handful of shaves under my belt.

This
I'm really surprised no one has mentioned it yet. You are experiencing the red bumps that all new DE shavers get the first 6 months. One day they will mysteriously disappear as your technique improves.

 

[ewk]

I used my face scrub whilst I was in the shower . . . apply a hot facecloth . . . added the hot facecloth . . . before rinsing with hot water.

Perhaps the scrub and heat are irritating the skin and helping the irritation. In my cartridge & Barbasol days I would shave first then shower, using an exfoliating scrubbing cloth. Switching to traditional shaving, I showered first in hot water, still using the scrubbing cloth. It roughed up the skin to make it ripe for a bloodbath.

Hydrating the skin and whiskers in the shower is the essential part, and that does not have to be done with heat. I have reduced the heat, thrown away the scrubber, and use generic Noxzema as my shower facewash preshave. Shaving then became much less traumatic.

 

[theklaw]

So, I decided to try a Voskhod blade in the Timeless the other day. I was not happy with the shave... I had quite a bit of razor burn and irritation; so, I decided to give my face a day's rest before trying something new.

I decided to try the Rockwell 6S on plate 4 with a Perma-sharp blade. I also made some adjustments to my lather this morning.
Instead of loading heavily on the soap, I loaded for about 30 seconds or so with a fairly dry brush. I then began to face lather, adding quite a bit of water until I felt I had sufficient hydration in my lather. The sheen was evident, but the difference now, as opposed to my previous lathers, was that today it was much thinner. Previously I would have felt that such lather would be too thin to shave with, but I was pleasantly surprised with today's shave.

I was able to get a much more comfortable shave than before. I did my two diagonal passes and a few touch ups here and there... couldn't quite get it BBS everywhere, but I was quite happy with the results. My neck had a lot less irritation than before and I got very minimal sting when I ran the alum block across my face. In fact, I'm sure if I hadn't spent so much time chasing the BBS and buffing without any lather on, I most likely wouldn't have got any sting from the alum.
After the shave I put on some Lucky Tiger and Nivea Sensitive skin balm, and any redness was gone within an hour or two.

Even though the Rockwell appears to be milder than the Timeless .95, I don't believe that this improvement is due to the mild razor, because I've had some irritating shaves before with the Rockwell that left my neck much worse than what you see in the picture below. It has to be the lather that was the problem... I was shaving with thick, dense lather (that still had plenty of hydration and sheen), but it turns out that thinner, more runny lather works best for me.
Thanks to Chan Eil Whiskers, I was able to make the adjustments to my lathering technique.

Here is a picture of my face shortly after my shave with the Rockwell 6s on plate 4 with a Perma-sharp blade:

 

[theklaw]

Perhaps the scrub and heat are irritating the skin and helping the irritation. In my cartridge & Barbasol days I would shave first then shower, using an exfoliating scrubbing cloth. Switching to traditional shaving, I showered first in hot water, still using the scrubbing cloth. It roughed up the skin to make it ripe for a bloodbath.

Hydrating the skin and whiskers in the shower is the essential part, and that does not have to be done with heat. I have reduced the heat, thrown away the scrubber, and use generic Noxzema as my shower facewash preshave. Shaving then became much less traumatic.

So, the face scrub has made its way into my routine fairly recently. I started using it after I came across this study here:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10783.x

The study seems to suggest that a pre-shave scrub releases trapped hairs and can improve your shave. Whether the study is legit or whether it's an effort of P&G to get you to buy their pre-shave scrubs, I don't know.

This is the scrub that I use:

Men Expert Hydra Energetic Deep Exfoliating Face Scrub

The Hydra Energetic Deep Exfoliating face scrub deeply purifies and cleanses the skin, removes impurities and excess shine, and helps to unblock pores.

www.loreal-paris.co.uk

I don't know for sure that it has helped release trap hairs, but at least it removes any dirt and dead skin cells that might be detrimental to my shaving experience. It is not too harsh on my skin that I can't use it daily.

Noxzema is something that I haven't tried before, but I know there are people on this forum who swear by it.
I might try it soon.

 

[theklaw]

This
I'm really surprised no one has mentioned it yet. You are experiencing the red bumps that all new DE shavers get the first 6 months. One day they will mysteriously disappear as your technique improves.

Gotta keep working on my technique... no doubt.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

So, I decided to try a Voskhod blade in the Timeless the other day. I was not happy with the shave... I had quite a bit of razor burn and irritation; so, I decided to give my face a day's rest before trying something new.

I decided to try the Rockwell 6S on plate 4 with a Perma-sharp blade. I also made some adjustments to my lather this morning.
Instead of loading heavily on the soap, I loaded for about 30 seconds or so with a fairly dry brush. I then began to face lather, adding quite a bit of water until I felt I had sufficient hydration in my lather. The sheen was evident, but the difference now, as opposed to my previous lathers, was that today it was much thinner. Previously I would have felt that such lather would be too thin to shave with, but I was pleasantly surprised with today's shave.

I was able to get a much more comfortable shave than before. I did my two diagonal passes and a few touch ups here and there... couldn't quite get it BBS everywhere, but I was quite happy with the results. My neck had a lot less irritation than before and I got very minimal sting when I ran the alum block across my face. In fact, I'm sure if I hadn't spent so much time chasing the BBS and buffing without any lather on, I most likely wouldn't have got any sting from the alum.
After the shave I put on some Lucky Tiger and Nivea Sensitive skin balm, and any redness was gone within an hour or two.

Even though the Rockwell appears to be milder than the Timeless .95, I don't believe that this improvement is due to the mild razor, because I've had some irritating shaves before with the Rockwell that left my neck much worse than what you see in the picture below. It has to be the lather that was the problem... I was shaving with thick, dense lather (that still had plenty of hydration and sheen), but it turns out that thinner, more runny lather works best for me.
Thanks to Chan Eil Whiskers, I was able to make the adjustments to my lathering technique.

Here is a picture of my face shortly after my shave with the Rockwell 6s on plate 4 with a Perma-sharp blade:

Huge improvement going by the photo.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[theklaw]

Huge improvement going by the photo.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Thank you so much for your help with my lather.
You know your stuff.