I've been awake for a while and since sleeping wasnt really comming quickly I decided to take an abnormal amount of time on my shave. I'm still using the merkur blades I got with my razor, did some hand strops and did my shave. I thought I would try out mantic's routine in the 10 minute shave video, which worked very well, 3 passes done rather quickly. the problem is I didnt feel the BBS I was hoping for, there were alot of rough patches all over my face.. I spent almost double the amount of time on touch ups alone! great news is I haven't gotten the razor burn, but I was hoping that my shave wouldnt take SO long! is this a blade problem? a technique problem? I kept the razor at a good angle the whole time and didn't apply pressure. I am just frustrated it took so long.
Try some other blades, merkur are not bad but not the most popular, also I personally dont worrie about the time my shave takes, the more relaxed I am the the better the shave for me, I do get BBS but not always DFS is the norm and Im good with that, As Randy said get the most out of your passes, you will know this if the same spots are missed on most of your shaves so far are the same place.
that was another goal for today. I was depressed by all the seeming trouble spots, I think I'll try again in a couple days with a brand new blade.
I am also a newbie at this whole DE thing, and this morning I switched to a new shave cream (C.O. Bigelow from Bath & Body Works) and got the closest shave I've gotten yet with NO irritation. Shave cream definitely makes a BIG difference I'm learning. I'm not BBS but I'd say this is my first shave that I'd call a DFS although I do have a couple of trouble spots that I haven't quite figured out around my jaw line. I do my own modified version of the 'standard' approach from Mantic's videos as well in that I do a WTG, XG, ATG and then I add a 4th pass that is ATG again and that seems to get me quite nice and smooth. I'm still on the first blade that I tried out of my combo pack and I'm thinking that once I hone in on my preferred blade I might be able to cut out that 4th pass and get similar results.
If you are new, I'd say technique. That is the only thing that you can't rush in the traditional wet shave game. Give it some time and keep your chin up. Don't change too much too often so you can form a baseline and then when you know it ain't your technique, start tweeking things. And keep asking questions and reporting your issues.
The harder you chase BBS the more it will elude you. As Bob said keep it slow and work on your technique. I was at this game for almost 4 months before the lather making became consistant and comfortable shaves were the norm.
Yup. I've heard more than one person remark they've gotten their best shaves when they weren't even trying for BBS.
I have resolved to just a 3 pass with minor touch up on the neck only. Theres a part on my neck that if I shave ATG even with a brand new razor it's pain and blood and bad news. XTG works ok if I go XTG one way then the other.
Me too. For me, it's low on my neck line where those straggler and rogue whiskers grow sparse and kinda by themselves. I really hate those whiskers.
Ok, for me Merkur blades just blow...really crappy shaves. Also I take approx. 15 minutes to shave. That's just me. I like the "me" time. I prep, wash, lather, shave and repeat. Love it. Can't get me out of there. It just starts my day out on a positive note that all the aholes out in the rest of the world can't deflate.
We all have our trouble spots. Shaving is like real estate, technique, technique, technique. And location, location, location-know your trouble spots. Try to use the same products and if u do change, change one element at a time. The BBS will follow if u chase technique. You are both doing great.