CANNOT figure out Safety Razors- HELP!!!

I’ve used van der hagen before. Idk. Not so special to me. I’m asking for some real nice luxury creams or soaps. DLreno, are you saying to use a soap stick AND apply cream lather as well??

Also, what do u guys think of me trying the TOBS Jeremyn?

 

After reading through this thread, it sounds like you could be a perfect candidate for a slant bar razor. I went from a Merkur 34 C to the 37 C and it made a huge difference in closeness and comfort. I also agree that trying more blades may help, but some guys are simply not good fits for the EJ razors. As we all know YMMV.

 

I just read thru this entire thread. I note that this gentleman emphasizes that he has an extremely coarse beard. And I note a couple of you suggest he try another razor. I have to agree. I have a coarse beard as well - more like 8/10 than the 10/10 he suggests - but, an Edwin Jagger is just an exercise in frustration to me. The razor is just too mild! There is so little beard reduction with each pass that it takes about 5 passes to achieve anything!

I think you should bump it up a bit, and so as to give yourself the best chance of success maybe get an adjustable razor. This will enable you to dial in a setting that will finally work for you. You can help pay for the new razor by selling the Edwin Jagger - I bet someone here on the forum will buy it!

Good luck to you my friend.

 

Try TSD Lanolin soap. You should probably go with the Sensitive-unscented soap just to be safe.

You can also try Razorock Tea Tree, Stirling, Mike's, Barrister and Mann, Cella, and the list goes on.

 

See I feel like the Lanolin Soap wouldn't be good for me as it has all those similar usual ingredients to Proraso and TOBS

i've heard good things about the "mike's natural shave soaps". Maybe i'll give that a try

what about creams though? i feel like creams are always a better thickness of lather as opposed to soaps

 

Mike's has Lanolin in it.

As far as creams go, look at Palmolive, Speick, Dr. Harris, Ingram, Barbon, Arko.

 

Stick only, though at times I uber it up with some MWF or other puck semi-loaded on the brush. The key for me is to lather extensively directly on the face.

There is some truth to that. I do best in the EJ with sharper blades such as 7 Oclocks (Blue, Yellow, or Black), Polsilvers, and Feathers. I agree that an adjustable is a wise starting point. I have not tried one, but I understand the Futur is one of the most aggressive adjustable razors out there. My Slim or Fatboy set on 7/8/9 is adequate for me depending on the blade.

 

I have a question, when you make your first stroke, can you hear a LOUD sand paper sound? If you are not hearing that, your angle is not correct and you will get nothing but pain and a terrible turn out.
Sorry if Im stating the odvious but I have shaved with Dial soap and had a fine turnout,
My beard is a 10 out of 10 also, like a bears butt, crazy thick and course, I can have darn near a full coverage beard in about 10 hours.
Its all (for me) about the sweet spot. Once you hit the sweet spot (correct angle) it just clicks , thr birds sing, the sun comes out. Truly, once you get it, you get it.
Again , for me, I can even get by with water only as long as I use no pressure and still get a smooth shave.
Make sure you hear the loud mowing sound, if not, it will NEVER get you where you want to be.
Good luck and dont give up, its worth it.

 

I put the blade at 30 degrees and listened for it when I shaved with the DE. I heard whiskers being cut a bit, but it wasn't that true sandpaper sound that I would hear in all the tutorial videos.

will try one final time next week , guys

 

Ya buddy, I think its odvious. If your beard is anywhere as thick as mine, you will be able to hear the first few strokes all the way in the kitchen. Forget the 30 degree stuff. Your face is not exactly the shape and size as the next guys.
Try this: put the round head of your razor on your check, handle sticking straight out, lower the handle JUST UNTIL THE BLADE touckes your face and make a short stroke, no sound? lower i tiny bit more, listen for sound, if no sound lower a tiny hit more.
Do this a tiny bit each time, lowering the handle TINY bits at a time until you get that loud sanding sound. If you do that, a little at a time, you will find YOUR perfect angle.

I learned this way when I was young, my father showed me because I was slicing my face to pieces, at 14 I had a full beard. It worked for me , I watched my father many times and never got it until my dad made me start with the handle out like I told you. I felt like a moron, but it worked, it took me about 4 adjustment strokes and its served me for 30 plus years.

 

and 30 years of BSS shaves? you can go against the grain with one of these things easily?

 

I have never had a bbs shave until I used a Gillette Silver Blue blade, with that blade, yes, every single time.
until I found this forum I kept my old school routine to myself because my shipmates thought I was odd. I have used the same drugstore blades my dad tought me on most of my life, I used to get them at K mart.
In all fairness, at several times through the years I have tried the multiple blade razors (Evry couple of years someone buys me a grooming set with a mach 1 or similar razor in it) and they HAVE NEVER gotton me bbs, close respectable shave, but my mane is so harsh I wind up rinsing the razor fod 5 minutes after every stroke due to clgging.
I hate those things. I have sliced my fingers so many times trying to dig out the hair thats all jammed up in there.
Also the mach 1 types shave me in stripes, one side gets clogged and I dont know it until later that I have a stripe of hair on my neck.
I also have to make so many passes, it dries out my face terrible.
But in short, to answer your question, 4 passes with a Gillette silver blue, baby butt.
5 plus rough scratchy passes with mach 1, stripes of hair sometimes and stubble on neck every time.
Even a junk Derby gives me smoother shaves than a cart.

 

Sorry, yes, I go in this order:
With the grain,
Against the grain,
across the grain east to west.
Across the grain west to east.
BBS.
Havent had a nick in years,
Do this every day of my life , it takes me about 35 minutes to shower and shave.

 

Just a thought but if an unscented cream caused an allergic reaction, I think I'd stick with soaps. Creams have extra ingredients in them to make them stay together and it may be those ingredients that are causing you an issue.

The ATG pass takes a little practice. Going WTG, most people say to use the weight of the razor to do the work and no extra pressure. When going ATG, you have to control that pressure yourself since gravity is probably working against you. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy but you might get a little irritation from the ATG pass at first.

 

I can't give any better advice than you've gotten, but focus on patience, angle, and technique; nothing else matters if the blade isn't properly contacting the face.

In the excitement of starting something new, it's easy to be seduced all the options available. I feel like any person, using any functional razor, a fresh blade, and reasonable prep, should be able to get a decent shave, even if it's not the Platonic ideal. I haven't used anywhere near the wide range of products that many shavers have, so I should admit to a possible bias, but I stand by it.

 

My two main creams are the ones mentioned by burnout961, Kiss My Face and the Real Shaving Company. I think you would really like the Kiss My Face. It comes in several different scents and is very mild. I also cannot use the Proraso green any some Sandalwoods but have no problem using the KMF and RSC creams.

Are we related?? lol. I ask because this is exactly what my father had me do when first starting out. That was 40 years ago this year.

 

kiss my face comes in a squirt bottle? do you still use a brush with that?

 

Yes, and it lathers up nicely.

 

so where do you squirt the cream at first to lather it up? in your hand?

 

You can do that. Or put some cream directly on the brush and build the lather on your face.