My foil still does a better job than any wet shave, help

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by badman, Aug 3, 2013.

  1. badman

    badman New Member

    When I was younger I tried shaving with a razor and never could get it to cut the hair around my mouth and chin. So I shaved with an electric. I use a foil and try my best to get as close as I can.

    Well I finally decided to give wet shaving a try again hoping to learn how to get a really close shave. I bought a Merkur 34C, pure badger brush, pre-shave oil and shaving cream.

    But I still have the same issues, I can't cut the hair around my chin. I even tried one of those 5 blade pivot vibrating razons and never could get the stubble off my chin. I always had to let my face dry and go back to the foil to get the hair off. I stretch the skin with two finger really tight (can't do this wet shaving since the skin is too slippery), press hard and push the foil against the grain and can do a lot better than any blade razor.

    I watched all the videos and it makes me angry that it looks so easy for them and I can't believe the hair is coming off. I need some help that I can't read in a web page or watch in a video. Blade angle is not helping, I know not to press down. And no matter how many times I try, it's clear that one day things will magically be different. I must have some kind of mutant face. I know I'll probably never get help because someone would have to be standing beside me to see what I'm talking about. I feel like I'm the only person that a electric foil can do much better than any blade. Am I the only one?
     
  2. NoobShaver

    NoobShaver BGDAAA


    You aren't the only one. Every face is different and everyone gets different results. It may just be that the foil electric is your thing. There's nothing wrong with that.

    That said, you might try a few of things before you ditch the DE razor:

    1) try lifting your chin up to create skin tension. It's about the same as stretching the skin with your fingers.
    2) if that doesn't work, lower your chin to cause the skin to poof out a little. the lack of tension might help.
    3) shave from multiple angles- with the grain, across the grain, against the grain. With some patience you might find the right approach that cuts the hair.

    I know it's frustrating. There are days that I miss a spot on my chin/jawline that I coulda sworn I hit and by then it's too late to go back and fix it.

    Hang in there and don't let it stress you.
     
    battle.munky likes this.
  3. swarden43

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

    Excellent advice.

    Hi badman. Welcome to the Den.
    Be sure to sign up for the August Newbie Give-Away.
     
  4. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    Alternate possibility- get as good a wet shave as you can, and then use the electric to touch up the spots you miss.
     
  5. BigT

    BigT Well-Known Member

    I agree with Sara-s. Everyone is different and you may never achieve that perfect wet shave on your chin by wet shaving. There are people on this site that start out with a straight razor and finish with a DE or SE. There are people that start with a DE or SE and touch up with a multiblade. etc. etc. etc. So if using the electric on your chin does the job then I suggest if all else fails use it. By the way....:signs046:to the Den.
     
  6. feeltheburn

    feeltheburn Well-Known Member

    The chin is probably the toughest part for most people. If you keep trying different things, you'll get where you want to be though.

    I'm not really sure why the whiskers aren't cutting in your case but here are some possibilities...

    - The blade may not be sharp enough for you. I have this problem with some blades like Derby, Shark SS, SuperMax's, and Gem SE blades. They just get stuck and can't cut. If I pull hard, they skip over my dense, wiry chin whiskers. Sharper blades like Astra's, Personna Labs, Kai's and Gillettes cut through pretty easy.

    - Prep. Gotta get the whiskers softened up. Different things seem to work for different people. Hot shower, glycerin face wash, or conditioner all seem to work well for me. Lather and a hot towel worked ok but not as well for me.

    - Technique. My chin whiskers grow pretty straight out so I can get a good close shave going N-S, E-W, and W-E

    I'm sure there are some more possibilities but these are the ones that seem to make the biggest difference for me.
     
  7. badman

    badman New Member

    thanks for the responses. It just blows my mind how the DE razor can perform so badly for me. If it's my technique I would want to go to a barber and prove he can take the stubble off so I wouldn't have to go back to a foil electric. Because I've already read everything I can online about technique. Everything I read says it should do the best.

    I worry that by stretching my skin on my chin with two fingers in opposite directions and using the foil in between my fingers is going to do damage to my skin over time. I don't want my skin to become loose, wrinkled and sagging so it looks like I'm aging faster than normal. Could this happen?
     
  8. NoobShaver

    NoobShaver BGDAAA

    I'm not a doctor but I don't think so. Even so, that process for shaving close with the foil sounds uncomfortable. Why do you need to get so close?
     
  9. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    Use an alum block on your fingers. It will provide the grip you need to stretch.

    With most razors, I have to do some blade buffing and touch up around the mouth.
     
  10. badman

    badman New Member

    It's more of a want not a need. My beard comes in thick and don't want to get all shadowy in the afternoon. I would prefer to look like I don't have to shave at all. So I'm still on a quest to get the closest shave possible.
     
  11. NoobShaver

    NoobShaver BGDAAA

    ah. got it. I got comfy with the concept of beard reduction. Especially around the corners of my mouth. Doesn't seem to matter how close I get, it still looks like I need to shave by mid afternoon. If I go too close then I have nasty irritation along with looking like I need to shave.
     

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