Comparison of SR to (Nasty) 5-Blade Cartridge

So, I was a Gillette Mach 5 Man before I entered the cutthroat (no pun intended) world of the Straight Edge. I love the practice, love the endeavor, but I'm getting concerned I'm not doing something right.

I shave on my cheek and it's BBS. I shave anywhere else (lips, chin, undersides) and it's worse than my 5-Cartridge shave! I went for one section, and my wife said it looked as though I was trying a new style of beard! I bought the Razor from SRD, so I'm not doubting it's the sharpness, as I strop with almost NO pressure, and do about 20 round trips per side. But when I went to the trouble area my wife mentioned with my 5-Blade, it's BBS compared to the areas I got with my SR! And the 5-Blade is almost 3 months old, ready to be tossed!!!

My question is, is my angle off, am I just going the wrong direction, or is my razor actually dull already? I should mention when I do undersides, it's very difficult to get started, almost like the razor is hanging onto the hairs rather than cutting them.

I will also mention this is still my first week of shaving.

You have probably already seen this but just in case:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ead-first.html

If it is your first week it may be a bit early to be working through a full shave. Did you try shaving with your razor before attempting any stropping? From SRD it should have been good to go right out of the box. Try to catch/cut arm hair with the razor pulling down your arm toward your hand and with the blade off the skin hovering at about mid-hair level... If the blade catches and pops/cuts hair this way at the toe, the heel and mid-blade then it is most likely plenty sharp enough to shave so that leaves you with angle and technique.

Read through Lynn's post above if you haven't and try to follow as closely as possible and work from there.

Hang in there... It definitely gets better! :)


Shawn
-----

Well, I've definitely read through that multiple times, and I can DEFINITELY tell that it's cutting hair. I have tried multiple times to get that "popping hair" (both just down the arm as well as dropping a hair on an upturned blade) and have never attained it. So is it "sharp enough" that it's doing something but not sharp enough to get a BBS shave? I don't feel scared at all about shaving under there, I feel confident in my ability to shave there, I'm just wondering why it's not getting it as smooth as my ol' cartridge did.

Stick with it,
I can almost guarantee your angle, pressure, and stropping are off a bit.
Start small (I took the bull by the horns and paid for it, but I got there)
Move at a pace that keeps you happy, if that is fighting it so be it.
It will come for you, some get it quick some take time.
I have been at it a while and I still play with one area on my neck,
smooth 2 and 1/2 directions but not quite bbs unless I irritate it.
It grows W to E across my Adams apple, I am thin and cannot make it flat even with stretching.
The rest of my shave far exceeds what I could get with a cartridge.
Put it out here we are here to help.
After all it is obvious we are here to try and corrupt the masses :p

Give it some time friend. Using a straight takes a little skill you will learn. going against the grain will always give a little more resisitance to the blade I have found. I bet the Mach 5 does the same if you pay attention.

Hmmm... Yeah, you are definitely on the right track! So, you get the stubbly thing after multiple passes? Some people do 3, others 2. I still have a bit of stubbly feel after my first pass when I go from chin to chest but when I reverse going chest to chin during my second XTG pass I get the smoothness I'm looking for.

Not sure about the trouble with getting hairs to catch... When I've honed properly and I do that either the hairs just burst as the blade comes in contact and the end goes flying away... Or, if the hair is thicker sometimes I feel the edge catch the hair and then pop and rarely, for whatever reason, the hair will split with one part remaining attached and the other coming off like a fillet.

Either way, if the hair pops or catches mid-hair then you are set. If you are using a hair held by your hand make sure to really choke up on it... Hold about 5mm or so away from where you want to cut and as you do pull the razor up and away slightly from the hand holding the hair. It should catch/pop.

Play with blade angle by laying the blade flat against your skin prior to your stroke then raise the spine up off your skin very slightly and try a pass... Repeat that over the same trouble spot until you get the angle/feel to come together at the same time you are getting the shave you want.

But, it just takes time and you shouldn't push it if it is getting frustrating. When I started I did what I could with my SR then finished with Mach III (I was never cool enough to go beyond 3! ;-) ) and just walked away.

I wonder if there is a way to mass-Skype so someone can point the phone at the mirror and a bunch of Members can shout out ideas like on The Price Is Right? That wouldn't be intimidating or distracting, nah! ;)

You are WAY getting there if you are working this far into a shave in a week... Hang in there!

Shawn
-----

Folks who use straight razors are on a very thin line between getting good shaves and terrible one. With more time you will start recognizing what is causing the bad shaves. Your technique will improve. However, technique can only take you so far. If you rig is under performing you have a problem. Meaning, if the edge is a little dull or your lather is not great you will not get there. You can get those great shaves to distinguish from the bad ones. Though the bad ones are serve you in there on way. I wish you well on this journey. Peace and love.

A lot of us used a cartridge razor or DE to "clean up" when first starting out. Keep working on effective lathering, beard prep, and angles; I remember one of my :idea: moments was when I eased off the pressure and let the blade do the work. Keep fighting the good fight and have fun!

This is not intended to be patronising, but have you mapped your growth? Neck and chin hair grows in all sorts of weird directions, no scratch that, my whole beard grows in weird directions. It has taken me about 3 months to get reasonable shaves, though it still takes me a while.
Also your mach 5 is doing 5 passes at an angle set by Gillette, as oposed to one pass at an angle set by you, don't give up, but don't practice your face raw either. I found a mentor, described exactly what I was doing to him, and with a bit of messaging my shaves improved no end. Not that forum posts are a bad way to go I just got overwhelmed by the volume of responses to some of my queries.
Good luck, don't panic, and remember you can always have another try tomorrow.

Stick with it. It takes a while, but its worth it. Every 5-10 shaves you will gain insight to the straight experience.

As far as I can tell thee are three things to getting a stellar shave. Assuming the blade is sharp.
1-lather
2-streatching
and for the money
3-pressure ( too much = mince. Too little = shaggy. )

I love this site but often times it seems to me folks over think the process.

During my early days I had similar issues. Your comment "it's very difficult to get started, almost like the razor is hanging onto the hairs rather than cutting them" indicates your angle may be too aggressive. Start with the razor flat on your skin then as you start to move it lift the spine off your skin no more than 1 spine thickness (2 at most). If this works you can then increase the angle until you find the balance between angle, smooth movement & actual whisker removal. If this doesn't work the edge may need a touch up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pfries

Stick with it,
I can almost guarantee your angle, pressure, and stropping are off a bit.
Start small (I took the bull by the horns and paid for it, but I got there)
Move at a pace that keeps you happy, if that is fighting it so be it.
It will come for you, some get it quick some take time.
I have been at it a while and I still play with one area on my neck,
smooth 2 and 1/2 directions but not quite bbs unless I irritate it.
It grows W to E across my Adams apple, I am thin and cannot make it flat even with stretching.
The rest of my shave far exceeds what I could get with a cartridge.
Put it out here we are here to help.
After all it is obvious we are here to try and corrupt the masses :p

---

I am also thin and had issues with making the adams apple area flat. To shave this area I do the following:

At/below adams apple: I tilt my head back slightly and do a half swallow and at the moment of the swallowing motion I stop and hold my breath. This causes that area to be smooth and shaveable.

At/above adams apple: I again tilt my head back, but even a lesser amount, maybe 5 degrees or so. Then I force my adams apple down, kind of like if you're trying to make your voice hit the lowest note possible. Again I hold my breath and shave that area.

Both techniques have really helped and worked well for me. I have to hold my breath though because the second I take a breath my adams apple moves.

Not sure if this will help you or anyone else. I'm not perfect at this (nowhere near it as a matter of fact) but in all things I awlays try to be of help if at all possible.

Try this on for size...

Day One:
Genco Seneca Chief Razor (honed by Glen, so I know it's scary sharp)
SRP 3" Black Latigo Strop
Proraso/C.O. Bigelow shave cream
Van der Hagen Boar Brush
Alum Block
Master's Bay Rum
Results are BBS!

Day Two:
Genco Seneca Chief Razor
SRP 3" Black Latigo Strop
Proraso/C.O. Bigelow shave cream
Van der Hagen Boar Brush
Alum Block
Master's Bay Rum
Results are only DFS

Day Three:
Genco Seneca Chief Razor
SRP 3" Black Latigo Strop
Proraso/C.O. Bigelow shave cream
Van der Hagen Boar Brush
Alum Block
Master's Bay Rum
Results are BBS again!

Now, class, can you tell me what two variables could have caused this? :)

Hint: one has to do with the number 30

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 75kyle

I am also thin and had issues with making the adams apple area flat. To shave this area I do the following:

At/below adams apple: I tilt my head back slightly and do a half swallow and at the moment of the swallowing motion I stop and hold my breath. This causes that area to be smooth and shaveable.

At/above adams apple: I again tilt my head back, but even a lesser amount, maybe 5 degrees or so. Then I force my adams apple down, kind of like if you're trying to make your voice hit the lowest note possible. Again I hold my breath and shave that area.

Both techniques have really helped and worked well for me. I have to hold my breath though because the second I take a breath my adams apple moves.

Not sure if this will help you or anyone else. I'm not perfect at this (nowhere near it as a matter of fact) but in all things I awlays try to be of help if at all possible.

---

I am reading the replies and trying to think of my own tips to give you but then I come across this post of yours and find I have already learned something from you! :) The thing about holding your breath after swallowing, I just tried it in the mirror and see what you mean how it goes smoother and flatter, nice!

My beard sounds like yours that it goes W to E at the Adam's apple so it is difficult to get it perfect there, especially when trying to get used to shaving with the left hand!(that gets easier surprisingly fast). I also was exactly like you at the beginning as well in that I could shave the cheek no problem but when I got to the neck and chin it was impossible sometimes. It turned out in large part to be due to the sharpness of the blade, coupled with a not so great stropping technique, but also to do with the angle of the blade etc. The tip about starting flat and increasing the angle was great for me.

I also believe and have seen others say that your face needs to become conditioned to being shaved with a SR. Whether this is true or if it's simply that one's technique gets better over the course of the first few weeks(which it undoubtedly does), I don't know, but it certainly seemed that way to me. Also do check out Youtube for great videos on stropping, honing etc. Obviously Lynn's DVD is to be watched and re-watched also! :)

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your future shaves, definitely don't give up anyway, there is much enjoyment to be had from it :)

Regards

Daniel

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brenngun

Start with the razor flat on your skin then as you start to move it lift the spine off your skin no more than 1 spine thickness (2 at most).

---

+1 on this suggestion. As a fellow newbie, this technique works like a charm. Real feedback from the blade and skin when you hold the razor properly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MBR1965

A lot of us used a cartridge razor or DE to "clean up" when first starting out. Keep working on effective lathering, beard prep, and angles; I remember one of my :idea: moments was when I eased off the pressure and let the blade do the work. Keep fighting the good fight and have fun!

---

This was the biggest one for me as well. Buffing strokes, the right angle, and easing off the pressure have made my face much happier.

To the OP, like everyone else said, you just gotta keep at it. No matter what anyone would have you believe, shaving with a cutthroat is HARD, and learning to do it takes time, patience, and persistence. The gentlemen here will do whatever they can to get you there as painlessly as possible, and when you finally have it down, you can hold your head high knowing you have a skill that few people can boast, and you'll be ready to share your stories and experience with the future newbies that pop up.

Like everyone else said best thing to do is stick with it and it will get better as you go. I also use to have some problem areas in the neck that I can never seem to get a good shave until one day had kind of "ah ha" moment and finally figured out what I needed to do to clean up the problem areas. It can really be any number of little things such as your angle is quite right or your shave direction isn't what you thought or even that you aren't quite getting the stretch done well enough. Stick with it and hopefully it will come to you sooner than later.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cooldude9210

So, I was a Gillette Mach 5 Man before I entered the cutthroat (no pun intended) world of the Straight Edge. I love the practice, love the endeavor, but I'm getting concerned I'm not doing something right.

I shave on my cheek and it's BBS. I shave anywhere else (lips, chin, undersides) and it's worse than my 5-Cartridge shave! I went for one section, and my wife said it looked as though I was trying a new style of beard! I bought the Razor from SRD, so I'm not doubting it's the sharpness, as I strop with almost NO pressure, and do about 20 round trips per side. But when I went to the trouble area my wife mentioned with my 5-Blade, it's BBS compared to the areas I got with my SR! And the 5-Blade is almost 3 months old, ready to be tossed!!!

My question is, is my angle off, am I just going the wrong direction, or is my razor actually dull already? I should mention when I do undersides, it's very difficult to get started, almost like the razor is hanging onto the hairs rather than cutting them.

I will also mention this is still my first week of shaving.

---

Does the tip of the Mach 5 carry a head blade like this?

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...ning-tool.html

Might be useful in learning...