Yup, gmc beat me too it by hours, but I just had to post anyway. It's a little long, or maybe just long-winded, but here's my first DE shave experience. Movie options available...
Part I - Not ideal circumstances
I really shouldn't be trying a new shaving technique with 4 days growth, but that's what I did. It was just a really busy weekend, and by Sunday evening, that's what I was left with. I thought about using the Trac II as always and waiting for a better day to try my sparkling new Merkur HD, but the draw was too much, I had to try.
Also, unfortunately, I never did get any shave cream, so I relied on my Alba lubricating lotion, not what I think would do the best job with the DE, but I jumped in anyway.
Part II - The shave
Well, after some good prep, I start with, admittedly, some trepidation. I was very concerned about getting the angle right, etc. So I start off slowly. The first stroke, the angle was slightly too acute, so there was some cutting, but not much. Going back, I found it was almost automatic to find the right angle. You can just FEEL when the angle is right, and the HD just slid over the skin, removing almost all of the 4-days' growth. More confident, I continue, but maybe a bit too quickly. I learn with a nick that the perfect angle must be respected. Enough said.
After about half my face, I'm feeling pretty good, but I now know for sure that the shaving lotion is only adequate, but no more. I resolve to get some Tom's on Monday.
I finish the first N-S round, and decide that I would go straight to the S-N - kind of just to get acquainted to the new machine. The angle is even more important now, I find out with a couple of weepers, and is much more difficult to maintain. But it doesn't take long for that comfortable little handle to help you feel what you need to do. I complete the S-N, and I'm done my first shave.
Part III - The results
Clearly, I'm going to have, at best, mixed results. First shave, too much growth, not the right cream, etc. Still, I was thinking it would be a much bloodier experience than it was. One or two small nicks, maybe the same number of weepers, no real bleeding or marks.
The shave was not as close as I know I can get, and maybe the four-pass will be the ticket. I will try that next shave. Even having said that, the shave was still amazingly close, and very easy to achieve. And the kicker, at least for me, was that my face did not feel like I had just shaved. My face always "felt shaved" with my Trac II, with my HD, I felt "shaven" and, even though it might be a subtle difference, it is significant.
Part IV - Conclusion.
There's just no going back. That single blade just felt good on the skin, and the whole process just seems more like an experience than a grooming duty. Although I thought the razor seemed a little small when I first took it out of the box, it feels really good in my hand, and I can see, even with one short shave, that I can get more shaving joy out of this little machine than out of my Trac II, and my Philishave electric torture device will find a new home in the landfill - what a waste.
Thanks to everyone on B&B who gave me such great advice.
Peace,
Pierre
Part I - Not ideal circumstances
I really shouldn't be trying a new shaving technique with 4 days growth, but that's what I did. It was just a really busy weekend, and by Sunday evening, that's what I was left with. I thought about using the Trac II as always and waiting for a better day to try my sparkling new Merkur HD, but the draw was too much, I had to try.
Also, unfortunately, I never did get any shave cream, so I relied on my Alba lubricating lotion, not what I think would do the best job with the DE, but I jumped in anyway.
Part II - The shave
Well, after some good prep, I start with, admittedly, some trepidation. I was very concerned about getting the angle right, etc. So I start off slowly. The first stroke, the angle was slightly too acute, so there was some cutting, but not much. Going back, I found it was almost automatic to find the right angle. You can just FEEL when the angle is right, and the HD just slid over the skin, removing almost all of the 4-days' growth. More confident, I continue, but maybe a bit too quickly. I learn with a nick that the perfect angle must be respected. Enough said.
After about half my face, I'm feeling pretty good, but I now know for sure that the shaving lotion is only adequate, but no more. I resolve to get some Tom's on Monday.
I finish the first N-S round, and decide that I would go straight to the S-N - kind of just to get acquainted to the new machine. The angle is even more important now, I find out with a couple of weepers, and is much more difficult to maintain. But it doesn't take long for that comfortable little handle to help you feel what you need to do. I complete the S-N, and I'm done my first shave.
Part III - The results
Clearly, I'm going to have, at best, mixed results. First shave, too much growth, not the right cream, etc. Still, I was thinking it would be a much bloodier experience than it was. One or two small nicks, maybe the same number of weepers, no real bleeding or marks.
The shave was not as close as I know I can get, and maybe the four-pass will be the ticket. I will try that next shave. Even having said that, the shave was still amazingly close, and very easy to achieve. And the kicker, at least for me, was that my face did not feel like I had just shaved. My face always "felt shaved" with my Trac II, with my HD, I felt "shaven" and, even though it might be a subtle difference, it is significant.
Part IV - Conclusion.
There's just no going back. That single blade just felt good on the skin, and the whole process just seems more like an experience than a grooming duty. Although I thought the razor seemed a little small when I first took it out of the box, it feels really good in my hand, and I can see, even with one short shave, that I can get more shaving joy out of this little machine than out of my Trac II, and my Philishave electric torture device will find a new home in the landfill - what a waste.
Thanks to everyone on B&B who gave me such great advice.
Peace,
Pierre
