Well, after a successful first and second DE shave, I found the limit that my skin can tolerate this morning. My first two shaves were comfortable, but not very close. So, I started thinking, "this is easy." LOL. And, this morning, I got a little impatient and/or overconfident and discovered the limit of what my skin can tolerate without bleeding. So, back to a day or two of "resting" and then I'll try again. Two questions: 1) The styptic pencil stings like a mofo. Is an alum block any better? 2) How do I start to progress from an comfortable shave to a closer shave? I definitely got closer today, but very uncomfortable. Is it about razor angle? Is it about direction? Is it about number of passes?? I mean...I know it's about a little bit of everything, but what variables specifically can I start playing with on a gradual scale to start seeing improvements? My two non-irritating shaves, I did: - Three passes (WTG, XTG, ATG). - Next to no "pressure" (i.e., just letting the weight of the razor do the work). This morning, I added a few ATG "touchups", and I think that's what created the problems.
Alum will let you know if you have a knick or went to hard too, not as bad a styptic though. At least this is true in my experience. Just don't mess with too much at once. Try to repeat what you did with your comfy shaves. Worry about close later. What many of us found here is that when we stopped chasing the baby, our shaves improved tremendously and we found the baby without chasing it. Yes. It'll come along, just stop trying to force it. Soon you'll be down to a 2 pass DFS/BBS in no time. It takes some longer than others, but you can expect drastic improvement in closeness and comfort over carts/electric in about a month from starting.
Bob...you've always had a gift with words..... I'm crying over here.....lol But you're exactly right....when I would hear the baby off in the distance and look for it....boom!! razor burn......But when the baby started showing up and getting jealous of my BBS's was when I really wasn't going for one..... And I think you will be getting those great DFS/BBS type shaves sooner than most of us...if for no other reason than you're here and you're listening to the cats....as opposed to just 'shooting in the dark' like many of us did before we stumbled upon this oasis of shaving experience...
Two best pieces of advise I have received, and I pass on to you... 1) Use a light hand! Zero pressure. It's counter-intuitive, but the lighter the touch, the better. 2) Think singles.. not a grand slam!! You are not aiming for whisker wipeout in one pass.. Think beard reduction My experience was that my shaves got slightly worse before they got better. It's a matter of technique and muscle memory. Limiting your variables early on will help as well. If you are using different software and hardware, you'll have little chance at building muscle memory
Your face you must learn, or shaving you will not master... 1. Stypic pencils are for emergencies. As in "I've got blood dripping off my chin." 8 out of 10 times, a splash of cold water seals up any nicks. 9 out of 10 times witch hazel will seal up nicks. That tenth time is the styptic pencil. For me it's usually a nick under my nose, when I don't pay attention to the angle. 2. Practice. (See my advice/guide in my signature for more information on this.) ATG is not for everybody.
