Hello everyone, having recently decided to start DE shaving again (with better quality gear) and struggling with irritation and bleeding a little bit i would really like to hear what some of your first DE experiences were like and im sure a lot of other newbies would too!
What were your first few proper DE shaves like?
- Thread starter KMan
- Start date
Kilroy6644
Smoking a corn dog in aviators and a top hat
Adequate, and sometimes a little rough. Not a whole lot of blood, but it took me a while to get used to the difference between DE razors and my Mach 3. With the Mach 3, it was one pass ATG every other day. It didn't take me long to figure out that that wouldn't work with a DE. It took me a couple of shaves to get used to the angle and the fixed head, and to get faster. I've got no problem with canned goo, but when I first started, I couldn't use it with my DEs. It would dry up before I finished the shave, because I took longer.
I can't remember that far back, standing on a stool to be able to see in the mirror 
my first few shaves resulted in super smooth cheeks, some rebellious stubble at the corners of my mouth, and an angry burned and weeping neck.
pressure and blade angle were to blame, as well as not really knowing how to make a good lather with a brush.
Kman I would suggest you have the same issue/s as I did.
excess razor burn is either:
*too much pressure - need to unlearn the bad habits picked up from cartridge shaving - a very light touch is needed (even a little pressure can be too much)
*incorrect blade angle - handle of the razor should be pushed out from your face/neck, if it is parallel to your face then you are scraping not shaving
*too dry or not enough lather - the razor needs a moist cushiony medium so it can slide over your face, if it does not then it will scrape/irritate your skin and tug on your whiskers
*too many passes - I do 3pass max on on the face, 2pass max on the neck as it is too sensitive for any more. often the neck will get just one WTG pass, it still looks fine but not super smooth to the touch but only I or SWMBO can tell that, to everyone else it is still a SAS.
*wrong blade - feathers and my neck don't get along for more than 1pass, try a different blade. I love Derby's but many here do not, they are mild and may work for you.
wetshaving is a journey, keep trying different things. I'm not a fan of Sharks or Feathers but I love Derbys and Astra SPs. most burn problems are due to using too much pressure and wrong angle. ungrit your teeth, relax, and then shave slowly and deliberately, take your time and you will use less pressure.
best of luck and welcome back!
pressure and blade angle were to blame, as well as not really knowing how to make a good lather with a brush.
Kman I would suggest you have the same issue/s as I did.
excess razor burn is either:
*too much pressure - need to unlearn the bad habits picked up from cartridge shaving - a very light touch is needed (even a little pressure can be too much)
*incorrect blade angle - handle of the razor should be pushed out from your face/neck, if it is parallel to your face then you are scraping not shaving
*too dry or not enough lather - the razor needs a moist cushiony medium so it can slide over your face, if it does not then it will scrape/irritate your skin and tug on your whiskers
*too many passes - I do 3pass max on on the face, 2pass max on the neck as it is too sensitive for any more. often the neck will get just one WTG pass, it still looks fine but not super smooth to the touch but only I or SWMBO can tell that, to everyone else it is still a SAS.
*wrong blade - feathers and my neck don't get along for more than 1pass, try a different blade. I love Derby's but many here do not, they are mild and may work for you.
wetshaving is a journey, keep trying different things. I'm not a fan of Sharks or Feathers but I love Derbys and Astra SPs. most burn problems are due to using too much pressure and wrong angle. ungrit your teeth, relax, and then shave slowly and deliberately, take your time and you will use less pressure.
best of luck and welcome back!
First 3-4 shaves resulted in a badger attack bloody neck and evening long irritation. Started with Lord L6 and Shark blades until sampler pack came in. Started to improve with Astra SPs, but ever since I got my Weishi along with Astras and Feathers, I have gotten much better shaves with only an occasional weeper and no irritation. Tried going back to Lord witha Perma Sharp and while not bloody cheeks felt on fire for a bit.
My first few times, I got lots of nickers and a little razor burn. I was using too much pressure, would perform quick strokes, and would repeatedly stroke the same area like 5 times. All of this improper technique (at least for my face), was a result of shaving with cartridges and canned gel my whole life. I finally found a nice tempo and stroke technique for my face. I haven't nicked myself badly or gotten razor burn since.
Mantic59 always says that beard reduction is the goal. I would try to get all of the growth off on one pass. My face felt like garbage soon after.
Keep practicing and you will get better!
Mantic59 always says that beard reduction is the goal. I would try to get all of the growth off on one pass. My face felt like garbage soon after.
Keep practicing and you will get better!
I also had to learn the proper angle for the jaw area. Cartridges bend with the contours of the jaw, but DE razors don't, so I had to adjust to the shock of changing to a safety razor.
My start with DE shaving went better than I had expected it to go. I have always used a mug and brush (I guess in that sense I'm a lifelong wet shaver), so getting a good prep and lather were old habits. I would say that the one thing I had to unlearn was applying pressure to my face as I shaved. It took a few months to really learn to let the razor and blade do the work. I'm just past the one-year mark with a DE razor, and now it's become as much second nature as shaving with a cart used to be.
I did enjoy my first few, but must admit that I used way too much pressure and for awhile suffered with lots of irritation.
Almost enough gore to offer Sam Peckinpaw's "Wild Bunch" some serious competition.
I can give you a perspective only having 2 DE shaves under my belt...
Saturdays (Shave 1) was very nice and I really expected to cut my face up badly..... but that didn't happen. 3 passes; WTG, XTG, and ATG. My face was BBS but my neck wasn't.
I had read a lot here and watched several YouTube videos while waiting for my kit. I believe this helped me.
Key things I learned were to let the weight if the razor do the work.
At work I kept rubbing my face and neck.... This was another key. KNOW YOUR FACE / NECK. By knowing the lay of the land I figure I can accomplish a BBS shave throughout.
Today's shave was also good but I made the mistake of doing a fourth pass on my neck which caused a little irritation.
Ultimately the experience has been pleasurable. Funny thing is that I'm actually looking forward to shaving, rather than it being a chore. Plus I'm loving the Proraso Green Tea & Oats aftershave.
The only problem is my list of shaving creams, soaps, aftershaves, and razors to try is growing......
CJ
Saturdays (Shave 1) was very nice and I really expected to cut my face up badly..... but that didn't happen. 3 passes; WTG, XTG, and ATG. My face was BBS but my neck wasn't.
I had read a lot here and watched several YouTube videos while waiting for my kit. I believe this helped me.
Key things I learned were to let the weight if the razor do the work.
At work I kept rubbing my face and neck.... This was another key. KNOW YOUR FACE / NECK. By knowing the lay of the land I figure I can accomplish a BBS shave throughout.
Today's shave was also good but I made the mistake of doing a fourth pass on my neck which caused a little irritation.
Ultimately the experience has been pleasurable. Funny thing is that I'm actually looking forward to shaving, rather than it being a chore. Plus I'm loving the Proraso Green Tea & Oats aftershave.
The only problem is my list of shaving creams, soaps, aftershaves, and razors to try is growing......
CJ
I remember mine as being...not too good, I had the habit of being very sloppy with technique due to carts and canned goo. Not too many cuts however, but BOY did I BURN real good a few times...I mean once I looked almost like a sand papered my face with a harsh grit, not only that time did I put too much pressure bad lather and a feather to my face and 3-4 passes...but I topped it off with Clubman as straight to the face...NOT a good week!
I was clueless and it def showed outwardly that time, was horrid. But most of the time it wasnt ALL that bad and mellowed as I became more educated through various sources online, B&B played a heavy part...but also a HUGE thanks to Geo Fatboy on youtube...that guy pretty much taught me how to shave and that say's some thing. Now I can get great shaves almost every time, now and then I will be rushed and goof one step or another and get a slight irritation and my face will be sensitive next two days from getting in too speedy a time...wife and kids can do that and I am just too hard headed some times to bust out my back up cart razor and goop.
I was clueless and it def showed outwardly that time, was horrid. But most of the time it wasnt ALL that bad and mellowed as I became more educated through various sources online, B&B played a heavy part...but also a HUGE thanks to Geo Fatboy on youtube...that guy pretty much taught me how to shave and that say's some thing. Now I can get great shaves almost every time, now and then I will be rushed and goof one step or another and get a slight irritation and my face will be sensitive next two days from getting in too speedy a time...wife and kids can do that and I am just too hard headed some times to bust out my back up cart razor and goop.
I was very fortunate first time up BBS. Like a duck to water. It was sweet. Still is. My translation to DE was easy and without fanfare. I thought " this is easy but sure takes awhile". Still does but I'm "happier" or I should say more content with myself. Shaving went from " Crap, I have to shave". To " Cool, shave time".
KMan, I was just like you--or maybe worse! My first few shaves were fairly close (I disregarded all the advice here and went straight to a 3-pass WTG, XTG, ATG shave.) I didn't have any irritation to speak of, but BOY! were there weepers! It looked like I had shaved with a cheese grater!!
If you're getting irritation, I would try mapping your beard growth and only shaving WTG for right now. Make your goal a COMFORTABLE shave, and don't worry about closeness at all. If all you can do comfortably is a single WTG pass, stop there. Only when you're getting reliably comfortable WTG shaves should you add in a XTG pass. Again, comfort is your goal, so stop the minute you feel irritation, give your face some time to heal, and go back to the basics that you know work for you.
I know that it can be frustrating sometimes at this stage, but rest assured that this, too, shall pass. Just keep at it and remember that with proper technique, practice, and patience you'll be shaving like a pro in no time!!
If you're getting irritation, I would try mapping your beard growth and only shaving WTG for right now. Make your goal a COMFORTABLE shave, and don't worry about closeness at all. If all you can do comfortably is a single WTG pass, stop there. Only when you're getting reliably comfortable WTG shaves should you add in a XTG pass. Again, comfort is your goal, so stop the minute you feel irritation, give your face some time to heal, and go back to the basics that you know work for you.
I know that it can be frustrating sometimes at this stage, but rest assured that this, too, shall pass. Just keep at it and remember that with proper technique, practice, and patience you'll be shaving like a pro in no time!!
- Thread starter
- #15
thanks everyone this is EXTREMELY helpful, great to hear people have had similar experiences! i did 1 wtg pass this morning which was irritation and cut free so will stick with that for a while i think
My first DE shave was with the black plastic Wilkinson Sword. Was a year ago but i can't remember it that well, it wasn't that bad.
After just over a year of DE shaving, im no pro, still get some weepers and irritation. Sometimes if its been a bad shave i can feel down but it won't stop me, as the history of the razors im using, far outways the rough shaves i sometimes recieve.
After just over a year of DE shaving, im no pro, still get some weepers and irritation. Sometimes if its been a bad shave i can feel down but it won't stop me, as the history of the razors im using, far outways the rough shaves i sometimes recieve.
I was so pumped when my Merkur 180 arrived from Amazon -- after having glimpsed a handful of sites and videos (wow, they look soooo easy) that I went overboard the first shave (with what I now see are prep lapses, pressing too hard, and shaving ATG first time out - boooyaa!) and gave myself a invaluably eye-and-capillary-opening, bracing, and highly educational fortnight's worth of razor burn, ingrown hairs and their aftermath!
That inspired me to get educated fast. First I bought and read Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving (kindle edition), ideal for greenhorns: easy access to timely news you can use, organized and filtered by someone with a sensible perspective, who's predicted most major questions and has smooth, informative responses. While I don't necessarily understand all his choices, his approach and decision process are practical, insightful and valuable.
Right around the new year I took the next step -- joining BadgerAndBlade. Now I have access to the vast resources here. As my shaving skills improve, I'm loving the hell out of it: great lathers, enticing scents and sensations of the soaps, balms and creams, in-the-zone flow combined with focus and pleasure, not to mention the increasingly consistent and pleasurable shaves, which leave my face feeling and smelling fantastic, and my mood elevated, my mind engaged.
That inspired me to get educated fast. First I bought and read Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving (kindle edition), ideal for greenhorns: easy access to timely news you can use, organized and filtered by someone with a sensible perspective, who's predicted most major questions and has smooth, informative responses. While I don't necessarily understand all his choices, his approach and decision process are practical, insightful and valuable.
Right around the new year I took the next step -- joining BadgerAndBlade. Now I have access to the vast resources here. As my shaving skills improve, I'm loving the hell out of it: great lathers, enticing scents and sensations of the soaps, balms and creams, in-the-zone flow combined with focus and pleasure, not to mention the increasingly consistent and pleasurable shaves, which leave my face feeling and smelling fantastic, and my mood elevated, my mind engaged.
Long. My first DE shaves took almost an hour each. I couldn't make a decent lather to save my life. The results weren't bad but I had to get up very early.
I heeded the advice to use no pressure. I wound up with the best shave I've ever had, but I was still pretty sore, especially the jawline. A few more shaves and it felt as though my skin was toughening up. It's been pretty smooth sailing since.
I was ultra cautious, and took a very long time. Not very close, but no irritation/cuts.
