Second DE shave - thoughts and problems encountered

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by BadgerMan, Apr 4, 2014.

  1. BadgerMan

    BadgerMan Member

    So after three days off from my first ever shave with a DE razor my chin had healed up enough to go for a second attempt. To be fair I'd normally only shave every two or three days anyway and it did give me a good chance to check out the grain of my facial hair.

    Whereas with my first shave my number one goal was not to hurt myself, to which end I only took a single, WTG pass, this time I made more of an effort to actually aim for a decent shave (which is not to say I wasn't trying to be careful!). I ended up making two WTG passes (or at least what I thought was WTG, more on this further down) this time and the results weren't too bad. I did end up with more weepers than last time and my neck had a number of places where it looked quite irritated after the shave but the shave itself was satisfyingly smooth in most places. Somewhat too my surprise I have also woken up this morning and my neck does not look that red or irritated either. Perhaps this is down to the post-shave routine? For that I rinsed my face with warm water to clean off the remaining lather, then rubbed alum over my still wet face and let that dry, then washed it off with cold water and finished off with aftershave balm.

    The problems I noticed during this shave were:

    1) The lather tended to dry up/disappear towards the end of the pass. I suspect my lather wasn't quite wet enough but I was taking it rather slow as well so it could just have been that.

    2) Even though I thought I had figured out the general direction of the grain of my stubble before I started shaving, in a number of places the way I tried shaving certainly didn't seem to feel like I was shaving WTG. This was particularly true under the ears and at the base of the neck.

    3) It was really difficult to figure out whether the blade was at the correct angle for the area under my jaw line. It was also difficult in this area to work out a way to flatten out the skin in a way that allowed the razor enough space and tension to work properly (This isn't a great description but what I'm trying to get at is that from my jawbone to where my neck turns downwards is a small, fairly unflat area which made it hard to figure out a way to make the razor "fit" properly at an angle that left it shaving WTG). This led to this area ending up in the worst state and being the most difficult.

    4) Despite it being the mantra here and continuously running it through my head during the process not to do it, I still found myself, almost unconsciously, applying pressure with the blade!

    My conclusion is that if the whole of the area I have to shave was as flat and open as my cheeks this whole deal would be a piece of cake ;) Sadly that would also give me a very strange, flat head :D

    So, if any of you more experienced shavers can suggest some solutions or advice it would, as always, be hugely appreciated. It's still early but I am loving this whole process and was greatly encouraged by how smooth the shave was, given I only tried the two WTG passes, and how little irritation there seems to be this morning, given how much the alum stung last night and the general redness in the places I had been a bit rough.

    Cheers all,
    Shaun
     
    RaZorBurn123 likes this.
  2. 2grubswrestle1

    2grubswrestle1 Active Member

    I have been shaving with a DE razor for about a year.......all I can say is practice makes perfect. Technique is everything.....no pressure is a must. What kind of blades are you using that makes a difference as well. Do not get discouraged....it will work out.
     
  3. markjnewcomb

    markjnewcomb Well-Known Member

    #1 - You almost certainly have not added enough water. I suggest that people practise making a lather, and keep adding water until it falls apart. You will be surprised how much water you actually need.
    #2 - Almost everyone has a few areas that are really hard to shave in a certain direction. Practice makes perfect.
    #3 - The angle may be the hardest thing to figure out about shaving. Turn down the radio and listen to your shave - it really helps.
    #4 - It took me forever to stop myself from unconsciously adding pressure on exactly the areas where I needed a lighter touch. Somehow, my brain kept thinking "this is a rough area - add more pressure". We sometimes need to re-train our brains. It will come.


    Well, that's my 2 cents worth - who do I send the bill to? :signs002:
     
  4. RaZorBurn123

    RaZorBurn123 waiting hardily...............

    Shaun,
    You had me LOL!!! "A very strange flat head"10 shaves from now it'll all be good. Don't be afraid to use more water. What razor are you using? And soap/cream? I'm glad you're liking wet shaving.
    Kerry
     
  5. BadgerMan

    BadgerMan Member

    I am currently using a Parker 97R with Wilkinson Sword Classic blades but just ordered a sampler pack with 12 different blades from menessentials.ca this morning. My cream at the moment is the Jermyn St for Sensitive Skin shave cream from Taylor of Old Bond Street. Hoping to take a picture of my whole setup to post here this weekend.
     
  6. feeltheburn

    feeltheburn Well-Known Member

    You mentioned the lather disappearing and that to me suggests not using enough cream. The drying out part could be due to not enough water or just the fact that you're taking your time. That's really no problem. If you notice the lather getting a bit dry, just get some water on your brush and freshen up the lather. I like to take my time so I do that often. The technique will take some time but it sounds like you're off to a pretty good start really. Pay attention to the alum tingle. When you feel it, it usually means you used pressure or took too many swipes so try not to do it next time.
     

Share This Page