Thread: Shaves improving. Face is tender???

Was having a good shave this morning. I was hearing the razor cut the whiskars. I stropped before the shave with a kangaroo strop (bare). Got finished and when I went to wipe my face off I saw 4 or 5 very small spots of blood (nicks). I use styptic pencil. A few minutes later I noticed my face had a tender feeling. This happens most of the time actually. I don't have much of a pre-shave routine. I dont have a scuttle. I put some water in a bowl and a smaller bowl in that to raise a later. I heat the bowls and water for 2 min. in the microwave. This gets a nice lather until I get a scuttle. I use a hot towel on my face for about 30 seconds max. Then I apply soap which is very warm. I let it sit for a minute then apply soap again which is still warm in my make shift scuttle. Then I shave and apply soap a time or two more to areas I haven't shaved yet just to keep the area warm. Then I wipe face. If I have nicked myself and notice it I use the styptic pencil right away. Ok, my honing/stropping seems to be improving slowly which I expected, especially the "slowly" part. My actual shaving is getting more comfortable and coordinated. I've gotten used to using my left hand for the left side of my face. I've read where other people have very extensive pre-shave habits and this may be my problem. The lack of a routine to speak of. I want to keep shaving as simple as possible right now and would prefer to add one task at a time. If my tender face is resulting from not doing something prior to shaving what would anyone suggest? I don't want to take an hour to shave. Right now from the time I decide to shave it takes me about 20 minutes. This includes 1 or 2 minutes of stropping to start. I am now shaving my cheeks chin and neck. Everything except the mustache which I plan to remove soon. May grow it back but I want to learn to shave that spot. Any help is appreciated.

Jack

sounds like one or two things: pressure and/or blade angle since this sounds like razor burn. try lowering your blade angle a bit and see if it helps. only ponces need an hour to shave. a 20minute shave is a nicely pampered shave. my normal 3 pass shave is around 10 minutes from the time I pick up the brush to the time I rinse the lather out of it. but I have been doing this for over 30 years.

enjoy,
jim

Keep your lather wet,
Keep a low blade angle (spine close to face),
Keep very light pressure on your skin, almost like you were brushing off the hairs from a very delicate surface,
Use skin stretching to help the hairs stand up and present a tight flatter skin surface to the razor,
Be sure that your razor is really shave ready.

HTH

This sounds good. I will try lowering the angle. I have been thinking the angle was supposed to be higher. Now sure why I thought that. Common sense would indicate to keep the razor as close to parallel with the skin as possible but from somewhere I got the idea to "raise" the angle. Also, I've heard time and again how little the pressure should be. The amount of pressure I've been using didn't feel very light to me. So I'll work on that also. I was hoping it was something to do with my technique that could be corrected quickly. I was thinking 10 different people were going to recommend a different soap or pre-shave gel or any number of different things. Two replies and both suggestions are very close is encouraging. As far as my razor being "shave ready" I think it is. I'm doing the honing and stropping. Being new to this I know there is some improvement in that area. I did buy a shave ready razor and it was a little bit better than mine so I know what to look or feel for. Someone (pro) did evaluate my honing and said the razor was as shave ready as a razor that had been honed well, used and stropped a few times. Still, it would be considered shave ready. I'll be working on those skills as well though because I know improvement is needed. Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate it.


Jack

You're progressing well, and things will be even better if you follow the other advice here. The only suggestion I'd add is to use a soothing aftershave... I use Thayers After Shave Witch Hazel with Aloe. It cools the whole face feel and acts as an astringent.

It has virtually no odor, so I then use an scent of my choice.