Had my first DE shave today after using a cartridge for 20 years. Not bad but this is going to take practice and getting used to. I am used to shaving WTG, across the grain and against the grain and did the same today with my DE razor. The flat parts of my face worked out beautifully but upper lip, jaw line and neck were tough. I had trouble maneuvering the razor in these areas. These areas also now burn a bit. Also had some small nicks. Prepped with a homemade preshave oil, lathered with Truefitt and Hill cream and finished with the T&H balm. Shaved with a T&H safety with Pace razor and silvertip badger brush. Any suggestions on how to improve? I know I need to exercise some patience here and that there is a learning curve but I want to get to a comfortable shave. I know it will be worth the effort! Thanks guys!
Sounds like your off to a great start. Don't worry bout' the burn..you can expect it'll just keep getting better the further you go. After a while the awkwardness your experiencing will give way to a refined muscle memory and utter familiarity..the razor will become an extension of your hand. Lol they'll be calling you DE hand. And welcome to TSD!
Glad it went well! Keep at it and work on your technique. Technique is as important as what blade & razor you're using. If your first shave went well you should be great at it in no time!
For new or returning traditional shavers using a DE setup, I recommend getting a good sampler pack of blades and then using the 30 day rule. What is the 30 day rule you ask? THE 30 DAY RULE. Find a razor, then a blade that will not cause issues with your face (that may take a few different blades in a sampler pack to find a suitable choice or it maybe the first out of the gate) and select a soap or cream that is easy to generate good lather. Once you find those, and it may take a couple of weeks to find this combination, order a quantity of that blade enough for 30 days, and then spend 30 days using nothing else until you build up your technique. The 30 day clock starts when you have the right blade for you. After 30 days, change one and only one variable and work for another week then change another after another week. At that point you should be able to make better decisions because your technique is now in place. This will help you to avoid buying too much gear and stuff too soon without having the technique down to enjoy it all.
Go grab a favorite drink, some munchies, get comfy, then click here ---> ***CLICK*** Stick with it. It'll only get better!
Welcome to the Den , sounds like you have problem areas like many other , mine is the part undermy jawline extending to my neck. But as said above it will just get better with time and practice
Be sure to use no pressure, especially on the areas that get irritated. What you are experiencing is not unusual. I had similar problems when starting wetshaving, and so have many others. Practice really does make perfect, and your shaves will improve over time. The 30 day rule is good advice, for the reasons GDCarrington stated.
The 30 day rule is a good way to go. I kind of did the opposite starting out and wanted to try everything, So I bought quite a few things. Your shaves will get better over time with technique. Alcohol free witch hazel or an alum block is good with taking care of irritation and or nicks. They never fail me.
Hey there! I am new too, but two pieces of advice I found helpful were to only do WTG passes in the beginning to get a feel for the blade and also to hold the razor by its weight center. That allowed me to maneuvre it more easily in my problem areas. Hope it helps!
+1 on the Witch Hazel. For me however, I quit using the Alum because it gave me irritation. It took almost 9 months to figure that out, I always though it was my technique. Now I skip the Alum and use mostly just WH or a good splash, followed by a balm. I agree for the blade sampler. I initially just got a huge pack of blades that ended up tearing my face up, but didn't have anything else to try. That's one thing I wouldn't wait to try different kinds. Soaps, creams, pre-shaves, aftershaves can all wait as it is not likely the cause of your razor burns. Stick with it! Your skin will also need to get use to the change.
