Any of you seasoned shavers have a "coming to Jesus" moment regarding your technique?

I have been wet shaving for a number of years now and have my technique pretty much dialed in at this point.

However,

I am currently considering the possibility that i may be using too much pressure in my shaves and i am re-evaluating my technique.

I am also exploring the possibility that my daily BBS quest may be somewhat excessive and that sometimes, a DFS is just fine.

It is quite unsettling i can tell you!

Have any of you seasoned veterans re-evaluated and modified your shaving technique after years of doing it a certain way?

 

I quit chasing the baby years ago and settle for DFS. I only use a 2011 R41, but do use a rotation of blades.

 

I still chase the baby. I do it through constant refining of my technique. Gear will only get you so far. One of the ah-ha moments for me was when began to really work in my lather. I found out that in my case the thick lather that was chasing looked good but was under-hydrated. I began to add more water, a little at a time until the brush (I face lather) glided across my face. I found that a properly hydrated lather contributed greatly to a smoother and closer shave.

 

I find that it's harder to describe the attributes of razors. Better technique makes shaving easier, but clouds my thoughts about the tools. I can get real close shaves from an r41 one day, then get just as close from a tech the next. I know these are at different end of the extremes, but i find them easy to use, harder to describe the nuances. It's a strange place, because most will tell you I usually have an opinion on everything. Maybe I'm getting old.
If that's the case, GET OFF MY GRASS, what was the topic of this thread?

 

I have never been able to describe the nuances between razors. I have some I thought were sub-par in the beginning, but the better my technique gets the more I realize that the problems I have had with any particular razor are user error. For months, I went back and forth between my Timeless Bronze and my ATT. Both are great shavers. After some time I went back to my Merkur Futur (that I thought was only a meh razor) and it shaved wonderfully. I know the razor didn't change. Use the same bladed and had it on the same setting.

 

I'm still not great, and honestly what I'm doing might be wrong, but:

1) I shifted my metric for success from "as close as possible" to "as little irritation as possible" as the first and most important metric.
2) Related to point #1, I realized what angles I could and could not get away with. Sometimes just a slight angle against the grain, vs 100% against the grain, got nearly the same results with a LOT less irritation.
3) Pulling my skin tight + a good angle got me better results than no skin pulling from that same angle.

I'd rather have a slightly less close shave, in exchange for a lot less irritation -- which is what I think you all mean by "chasing the baby."

 

One or two passes and done. Hair grows back.

A few years ago, I did have an accident. I dropped my brush in the sink. I didn't have time to start over and went with the thinner lather. It ended up being one of my best shaves to date. Ever since, I have used more water in my lather and gotten great shaves.

 

Interesting. My mind is immediately taking this to the most extreme scenario, involving an oxygen tank and a pool and shaving underwater.

 

If I’m pressed for time I will get in the shower with a Schick Injector and some preshave oil.

Just the other day I got a fantastic shower shave with my 1973 StickSchick.

 

To answer the OP; I would say that most of my technique refinements have come gradually. I may have had a few aha moments but in general I think it’s been a very long and slow coming of age.

 

The Zen shave - when all the facets come together and you get that perfect shave without effort. It happens by training the different techniques until they are The Way you shave without conscience effort.

That's something Cartridge shavers need to un-learn when switching to DE razors. Carts require mashing that 3 to 5 blades surrounded by glide strips and lube pads just to make contact with the beard. A DE, SE, SR, or shavette has actual blade exposure and works with less irritation when a light touch is applied.

Time and place for a BBS, like a wedding or other social function. Regular go to work shaves only need SAS (socially acceptable) or better. Chasing the baby to a BBS just about guarantees some skin scraping, nicks, etc. With incremental improvement the baby will come to you!

My metric for wet enough - the lather rinses off the razor easily. If it clings it's too thick. Open blade shaving (SR & Shavette) needs a wetter lather. That same hydration level works well for DE & SE.

Eventually all razors become blade holders, assuming the razor isn't broken. Blade choice also becomes less critical. Not saying there aren't bad razors or blades but the difference a month after starting Wet Shaving and a year later can be striking.

Any of Y'all interested in joining The 30 Day Rule Focus Group? Pulling these technique training ideas together is what happens there. We always need more Coaches & Cheer Leaders!

 

The only coming to Jesus moment I had was when I nicked myself on my lip and it wouldn’t stop bleeding. I sort of thought that was it...
“I’m coming home Jesus”

 

At this point, I wish I could talk about great shaves, and about the next great shave... But I think there comes a time when every nuaince is so dialed in, there is nothing left to talk about.

This concept is one of the reasons why I do not make an effort to post in the SOTD thread.

I started here on TSD in 2010, IIRC, and so many of the members, and vendors either have moved on, or passed away.

I continue to visit TSD, and offer an occasional post, because this became my shaving home so many years ago.

I do not have children, and not much family to speak of. All y'all are my daddy and my mommy, that tought me how to shave properly, and I thank y'all for that pleasure.

 

I've discovered that I can sweep the razor over every area many times (blade buffing) without suffering irritation as long as I keep the pressure to a minimum. If I increase the pressure just a bit, the razor may remove the hair more quickly, but I'll be sorry afterwards.

As for chasing that BBS, not everyone's face can handle it, and the shaver is the only one who can see the difference.

 

i went from 30+ years of uncomfortable cartridge shaves at twice a week to almost daily fantastic shaves with gillette safety razors in a 3ish year period..dfs+ shaves with little to no issues..bbs achieved if i go after 2 small trouble spots on the lower neck not noticeable by others ..no one is rubbing my face while i fix their cars..great technique learned here over the years at the 30 dc..

 

Using very sharp blades with a feather light touch is what did it for me. No pressure beyond the weight of the razor.

Also figuring out how I like my lather consistency

 

No, but I know a guy who had a come to Mohammed moment. Another had a come to Buddha moment.

 

Super reply.
Do you have a link to the 30 day thread plz?

 

Sure do. You can find the thread in Forums / Shaving / Shave School / (month & year) 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion. This month's thread (<-link to Opening Statement) includes a video of a Stunt Shaver video. It's worth a read & view, then either read almost 200 pages or skip to the end and jump in. Generally there's a theme but the plan is to encourage folks to either stick to one set up, Rule, for a month to work out kinks and develop technique, or to Focus to explore similar facets of a particular type of gear - comparing soaps, brushes, razors, etc.

The group is populated with a cast of characters. Be aware we share the nitty gritty details beyond simple SOTD photos. If you aren't familiar with CT (custom titles) this is a great place to pick one up. Right there under my forum name is "DoH!". It's my reminder to think before posting.

 

I've remodeled it in two ways: 1)-I now shave with my glasses on(makes a big difference to me), 2)-I begin with my cheeks, then the jaw, finally the neck. (It used to be jaw first).