Too Many Variables?

[mumB_L_E]

Oh, sweet mercy do I empathize with your experience. I nearly drove myself to the loony bin trying to get a close shave without turning my face into taco meat. I might get lucky with a few good shaves before inevitably mutilating myself and blaming the equipment. I did not make real, lasting progress until I hunkered down with the same razor, blade, brush, and soap for at least a month.

Changing variables while learning hampers your ability to identify when you are damaging your face and whether the damage is a result of disagreeable products or poor technique. Changing multiple variables at once prevents you from realizing which product, if any, caused irritation or if you only got lucky with good technique on the previous shave.

Sticking with the same setup for a prolonged period of time--e.g. longer than a week--will help you define the qualities of optimum performance for each aspect of the shave. Eventually, you will be able to dial in any product without enduring unnecessary suffering. For example, soaps: you will figure out how lather should look and feel for optimum performance, and how water:soap and time lathering impact performance. This knowledge help you determine when you need more soap, water, or time lathering when trying a new soap. This knowledge will, in turn, help you identify the differences between brushes...

My only recommendation for your current setup is to change nothing, give the setup more than a week, and resist a third pass for as long as you can! Why do you want to change the blade already if it gave you a BBS after two passes?

 

[Atlantic59]

I seek perfection but am new so I don't have enough experience to recognize it.

There is a lot wrapped up in that one sentence. To gain experience, you must practice. When practicing, you should expect to learn by making mistakes. So, perfection is not the thing to aim at. A better goal is to practice consistently to gain experience. You will gain skill with practice. Much of this skill is subconscious muscle memory.

Having high standards is good, but perfectionism is a hindrance. Perfectionism can cause feelings of frustration, anxiety and anger. That is not helpful in learning a new skill. Aim for consistency and gradual improvement over time. The learning process will be easier and more enjoyable.

 

[samhain666]

The simplest definition of perfection I've found is "no blood." Not even the tiniest speck. I draw a tiny speck about once every 40 shaves. Usually, it's caused by a lapse in attention or shaving over an existing scratch.

By that definition every of my shaves are perfect. I draw blood maybe 2-3 times a year, shaving over scratch or pimple.

So if I have a shave with no blood but my face is lit from razor burn this is "perfect" shave?

 

[GaryTha]

By that definition every of my shaves are perfect. I draw blood maybe 2-3 times a year, shaving over scratch or pimple.

So if I have a shave with no blood but my face is lit from razor burn this is "perfect" shave?

I don't get razor burn anymore. I haven't logged it exactly, but it has been about nine months since I had any. It makes aftershave boring.

Nobody needs to use my definition. However, to make it happen, most aspects of the shave need to be right.

Some of us discussed ratings at length in this thread. I considered more complex rating systems in the thread, but ended up where I started. No blood.

 

[ZSHAVEGUY]

Well since I began this thread things have changed. I joined a contest I believe it's called the FFF mm and I standardized on razor blade shaving soap and brush. I guess I chose the right ones because within 3 days I was getting a perfect shave with no nicks . I didn't stick with the contest the whole month because I achieved my goal after three days

For the contest I chose
DIY pre-shave oil
Parker Silvertip badger brush
Colonel conk glycerin soap combined with proraso shaving cream Green Tube.
Parker variant razor
Personna red package Israeli blades.

On the third day I got a really great shave and I decided that I wanted to switch razors so I switched to the razorock SLOC razor. It seems that once you get the shaving cream and the blade dialed in it's very easy to switch razors. Wwithin 3 days I was getting a perfect shave on the SLOC.

The contest really helped me because I now keep all three out of four factors the same and only change the razor and so far that's working. I'm going to go for around the week on the razorock Sloc and then I'm going to try out my Ikon X3 slant Razor.

Funny how things work themselves out.

 

[GaryTha]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread for the new people.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

My first 20 years of double edge shaving were done with a black plastic Wilkinson Sword Classic razor, with Wilkinson Sword blades.

A further 10 years later, I have a few more razors, though not many, and predominantly stick to shaving with an Edwin Jagger DE3D14. I can swap brushes, soaps, and blades, without too much detriment. However, swapping razors always screws up my shaves for a while, until I get reacclimatised. I have also never owned an adjustable razor, other than one three piece razor with a reversible base plate.

With my current soaps, blades, and a very small array of brushes, I can enjoy a balance of variety and consistency. I do not seem to be able to enjoy multiple razors in the same way.