hi again everyone, sorry to bother you all again, i had my 2nd shave before with my wapi, and i seem to be getting razor burn or some sort of irritation. i wet my face for a good 30 seconds - 1 minute, then applied my kent shaving cream with brush, after my first stroke on my cheeks the 2nd stroke started to burn, ( i did re-lather)..... im am starting to think maybe the kent cream is not right for me, as i felt my face stubble was still not soft enough to shave. i have heard about these pre shave oils. can anyone reccomend if i should try it? i have applied a after shave balm, aswell ,and still have a burning sensation. also i dont particulary have a smooth face.still feels quite patchy with stubble, not as close as id like it to be. thanks again for your advice - j
Couple questions......what kind of blade are you using? This is the first time using Kent's cream? Is your wapi adjustable or not? i dont own one so I dont know have you had successful DE shaves before this? Sorry for the questionaire but it will hopefully help eliminate certain variables
the wapienca is a carbon steel blade , i am told. and yes my last two shaves are both using kents cream( which is supposed to be really good) but prior to my last 2 shaves i have never used either the cream or blade just a normal mach 3.
Ummm...I'm assuming you didn't notice, this was posted in the "Straight Razor" section? I guess straights are kind of adjustable... :happy102 Homer, is there anywhere that you DIDN'T shave that burned? That's the way to tell if it's the cream. I suspect that, if it started after the 1st pass, that's probably the case; seems to happen with me a lot. As for pre-shave oil, they aren't exceedingly popular around here, but some people do use them. The big thing is, make sure you prep well before the shave (after a shower is good-it really helps soften the beard) and then use a good hydrated lather. You can get some excellent shaving creams and soaps in your chemists--you are in Britain, right? Try a Palmolive stick, or Erasmic stick or cream--these are pretty well regarded.
i will try the palmolive, i am also thinking of trying tabac, that also seems pretty popular aswell. the burning seems to be after the first pass, like the kent cream is too dry on my face and quickly dries away, i have to keep re-lathering, and maybe it is drying my skin out when it is drying away. does this sound logical to you? that palmolive is really inexpensive aswell isnt it? thanks a lot - homer
It sounds like your Wapi may not be quite sharp enough. Was it honed? How long ago? And are you stropping and taking care not to roll the edge? One thing that can happen with straights that are not quite sharp enough is that you can inadvertently use a bit too much pressure which can induce razor burn. You may also go over the same spots too much as well. Angle is also important. What angle of blade to skin are you using? Around 30 degrees is a good starting point when first using straights. You can vary it from there to suit your own particular needs. It could also be the cream, of course. But the fact that you mention some residual stubble can be an indicator of a less than optimal edge, or incorrect/too aggressive angle, or too much pressure being applied, or combinations of these (and more lol). Lots of moving parts with a straight shave. Be systematic with what you do, so that any changes can be associated with the results you obtain. Patience and persistence are the key. Good Luck. James.
Palmolive is dead cheap, as I understand--as little as 60p some places. Now, when you say the cream is drying fast...that's a problem. Your lathering technique might need some help--have you watched mantic's videos on youtube? Make sure that you aregetting enough water AND cream. Don't skimp on the cream, and make sure that your lather is well hydrated. Problems with either of those can cause razorburn.
I've experienced razor burn from Sandalwood based soap, a pity because it's a scent I love, could be something in there. Other than that it could be that your angle is a little steep, spine of the razor too far of your face, try adjusting it and see how it goes. Between 1 and 2 spine widths was a rule of thumb that I found useful here. As to leaving patches of stubble, it will be like that at the start, was for me anyway, but with time (about a month in my experience) you'll get it down. Also, how's your stropping? Good stropping is essential to a smooth shave and keeping a good edge for as long as possible.
