Just wanted to ask is it normal for the blade to sort of drag across your facial hair or is it meant to cut cleanly without any sound. Cause often when I'm cutting the thickest parts it sort of drags it doesn't glide along smoothly and I often have to apply more force. Seems like the blade can't slice through the hairs too well and there's a sort of scratching sound as the hairs meet the blade. - I'm using Derby Extra DE Blades & Proraso red shaving soap. Help appreciated
It may make some sound, but it shouldn't feel like it's dragging or pulling. If it does (and especially if it's irritating you) try less pressure and/or a different brand of blade.
Yes, they will make a sound. Some razors, especially Single Edge razors, seem to make a lot more sound than other razors. I use the sound to make sure that I have the correct angle between the razor and my face. When the sound stops I know that I have changed the angle to where it is no longer cutting.
Can prep also be a factor? How long should you wet your face for with a towel before shaving? Some tips.
Prep can certainly be a factor. For instance, do you shave before, during or after you shower? Do you use a pre-shave balm or oil? I don't know how long to wet your face though. I'll leave that question for the guys here.
my best shaves come after washing my face with warmish water and a facial soap. I set out my things, soak my brush, then start to wash my face. then I leave it wet while I make lather. Prolly stays wet, tops, four minutes. without hydrating the shave quality diminishes dramatically.
I don't use pre-shave balm or oil at the moment, I usually just hold a warm soaked towel to my face for a minute or two then lather up with shaving soap and shave. Maybe I could do with some though to give my hair that extra moisture. And I usually shave after I shower but sometime after so the effect might be diminished.
Derby blades are pretty infamous for being on the dull side and tugging more than most other brands. You might consider trying some different blades. A sampler is a good idea and pretty much all the online retailers offer one or several different blade sampler packs. Prep is very important for me to get a comfortable shave. I put some lather on my face and scrub it in with my fingers. Then let it sit for a few minutes to get the whiskers hydrated before applying the lather I'm going to shave with.
Towels are what I use for prep. One hot for a few minutes, then lather and apply the reheated towel for another few minutes. Some razors are noisier than others. Some blades are sharper and make less noise. If the dragging is uncomfortable in any way, I would try a sharper blade than Derby.
Derby is on the bottom. Feather is on the top. Everything else I between. Try a Gillette they are middle to upper level sharpness.
Cheers that summed it up nicely. While I won't knee-jerk buy more blades till I give Derby a fair shot, if they don't work out then I know what to look at.
When you are finished with these blades try Feather. You will have no problems. Just go slow and don't add any pressure. Like the razor and blade do their job. Good luck!
I wouldn't put Derby on the bottom, but Turkish blades in general are at the bottom of my list of favorite blades. The Russian Gillette blades are well liked. I prefer Astra Platinums, they are smooth shavers and can be bought on Amazon for under $10 per hundred with free shipping. ...and yeah, Feather makes the sharpest blades. I'd use them exclusively, but they are expensive compared to other blades that perform reasonably well, and they get dull after two shaves.