Does your technique "really" improve or...

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by The Wizard, Sep 22, 2016.

  1. The Wizard

    The Wizard Active Member

    ...does your face toughen up to using a more aggressive razor?

    Reason for asking is that when I first converted from a Gillette cartridge razor and started shaving with a DE razor I was one mass of blood all over my face. I persevered and after several months I found I was cutting myself less and less.

    Now when I shave I can whizz a razor all over my face in multiple directions going quite fast and I don't feel any pain and rarely draw much blood but I don't feel that I'm being any more careful now than I did when I first started. If anything I'm less careful now than I was when I first started shaving with a DE. I would cut myself more when I was being more careful and taking my time than I do now and I feel I can be quite haphazard now and yet I rarely butcher myself compared to a year ago.

    Which begs the question, "Does your technique really improve or does your face/skin toughen up to more ageessive shaving?"
     
  2. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    It's mostly technique. Carts teach heavy pressure, and the process of unlearning that is sometimes painful. I agree that skin quality improves, but technique is the answer.
     
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  3. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    Totally agree with Bama Samurai, technique is the answer.
     
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  4. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I say technique and liken it to driving.
    When first learning you're very cautious, perhaps a bit jerky on the brakes.
    Over time you improve to where the drive isn't nearly as nerve racking or jerky.
     
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  5. battle.munky

    battle.munky Has the menthol.munky on his back!

    I'll take Pressure for 1000 Alex.

    Call it technique, call it pressure control, either way, you learned how to shave. Grab a disposable and try it; your shave will be light years better than before. I'm always amazed when I go on travel and use a disposable how good of a shave I get with it compared to the shaves I used to get with disposables. Now, compared to a DE, disposables don't even come close to comfort or closeness. That is how I know my technique improved, and the fact I don't have callouses on my face :D
     
  6. The Wizard

    The Wizard Active Member

    It hasn't felt like I've improved tho. Yes, shaving has got easier but I'm not conscious of my technique improving so maybe it's a natural/organic change. I feel like I'm able to shave with less care now than I did when I first started and I can even apply pressure without cutting myself. Some blades like Voskhods require more pressure but even then I still don't butcher myself anymore.

    I wonder whether my face/skin has toughened up or if my beard has somehow been trained to grow in a certain way that makes cutting it a lot easier now. Maybe my technique has improved but it doesn't feel like I've got any better at shaving. Strange!
     
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  7. The Wizard

    The Wizard Active Member

    A few weeks ago I went away and when I came home I was too tired to unpack my suitcase so ended up going back to using my old Gillette Sensor Excel. I just couldn't get a decent close shave. It wasn't uncomfortable or painful but it was like shaving with a butter knife. Blunt as hell and nowhere near close enough even after a 3 pass. I couldn't wait to get back to my DE razor. I had to apply SO MUCH pressure in order to get a near close enough shave so maybe you're right. It's just that I wasn't aware that I'm shaving any differently now than before. Even when I tried to go gently with my DE razor at first I was still cutting myself to ribbons. Now I seem to be able to apply pressure and go as fast as I like without much irritation.
     
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  8. Keithmax

    Keithmax Breeds Pet Rocks

    Technique and muscle memory. When I started with straights I quickly realized that get the proper angle I need to use both hands. I'm right handed so when using my left hand in the beginning even though I focused hard it went slowly and with allot of blood and irritation. After 100 shaves I use both hands without any extra thought and I am just as fast and and precise with my left hand as right. I attribute it to practice and muscle memory.

    Like learning to hit a top spin forehand in tennis, in the beginning you think through every part of the stroke. With practice your brain does it automatically.
     
  9. dustmite

    dustmite Well-Known Member

    I'm firmly in the "technique" camp. Every nick, weeper, and bout of razor burn teaches you what you're doing wrong. I think it's a fairly steep learning curve to go from modern shaving to traditional, because the modern tools try to eliminate all the variables which can be used for different results. When you get to a point where you are comfortable with your tools, you can get into a Zen frame of mind, your hands know how to guide the razor, how much pressure to apply, and when to let good enough alone. It's one of the many simple pleasures I enjoy, and I don't regret any bloodshed that got me here.
     
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  10. The Wizard

    The Wizard Active Member

    So glad I stayed with it and persevered through the pain and discomfort and bloody face to get to where I am now. Having recently gone back to my old cartridge razor it's made me realise there's no going back.
     
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  11. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    You never stop learning or tweaking your technique. First I learned to get a good shave, then how to use an aggressive razor, then eventually how to pull a fantastic shave from even a mild razor. After about 5 years, I had an epiphany when I accidentally dropped my brush in the sink and had much thinner lather than normal resulting in a stellar shave. Now regardless of my razor, I am able to pull great shaves. It doesn't mean that bad ones don't happen, just they are less frequent than when I started.
     
  12. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    Technique is the answer. zthumbsup.png
     
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  13. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    Technique. Pressure but that is technique. Knowing your face but that is technique. Technique.

    If you doubt it try a straight. Without technique you will get cut or worse, razor burn.
     
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  14. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    There is always technique. The question becomes, is it proper and good or poor and sloppy.
     
    ARGH likes this.
  15. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    True.
     
  16. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    This ^^^



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  17. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    Technique. Period.
    I don't believe for a second that your skin "toughens up" :rolleyes005:
     
    BigMike likes this.
  18. dbersh

    dbersh Well-Known Member

    I'm in the technique and muscle memory camp as well.
     
  19. Metro

    Metro Well-Known Member

    Technique! Try a straight for example, then go back to a DE and it'll be much easier, because the extra attention you paid with the straight makes you improve your technique (my experience at least).
     
  20. Rockclimber

    Rockclimber Well-Known Member

    If anything my face has become softer and more supple than when I first started double edge shaving. My skin just looks and feels better in general.

    One thing that helped me immensely was purchasing an adjustable razor. On 1 you get the traditional post war tech shave but then you can dial it up as much as you want to practice your Technique. If you get a bad shave on 5 dial it down to 3 and keep practicing eventually you'll get good shaves on 5. It's all technique.
     
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