Thread: 6 shaves in Yikes !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

If you haven't already, watch some of Mantics shave videos. They are excellent

Originally Posted by pfries

FastEddie or me???

Eddie,
Hirlau is an accomplished DE shaver, maybe he can give a bit of insight.
I know I will be bugging him soon as I get ready to try them.

That advice was for Fast Eddie,,,,,,,,My DE knowledge is limited, but I do enjoy them. Keep your eyes open Pat for old Gillette razors lying around in antique stores & thift stores. There are some real deals just needing a good cleaning.

Originally Posted by FASTEDDIE427

Located about 20 mins South of Boston. And I'm using a merkur he 34c. I think. It's the beginner set up from shave nation

Well I am out in Worcester; I am not an expert in any way but am always happy to help. I would love also to start a Mass/NE meet up. I have yet to find a meet up for the Massholes. It's getting pretty hard to bring up wet shaving in casual convo, so I need to meet some fellow shavers. I have my own motives as well being a rookie I'd love to soak up some first hand knowledge.

Originally Posted by pfries

I do enjoy the ritual, I have made it my time out of the day.
Having 5 children, two grown now three still at home that time has become important to me, even if it is a quick shave which I hate to do.

Me too I've only been straight shaving for just over a month but it has become my little bit of "me" time. I don't have 5 kids just the one who is just over a year old. Once I get home from work I take over from mum, give the wee one her tea, have a little play, bath, milk and settle down for bed..........Then its bath for me and SHAVE time. Until I started with the straight I always used a mach3 and shaving was just overall something I did to look presentable at work, now I look forward to the end of the day when I can relax, get all the stuff out and take time out

Fast Eddie
I shaved 15 years with a de before I used a straight. I got that same look of blood spots as you as we'll. it took awhile for me to find the correct angle, and a blade that work for me and my setup. Really slow down, don't hurry it up. I can only get 2 good shave days out of a blade, than a new one. Your face is not used to that sharpness either, it takes time to toughen it up. A good practice is a shave in the afternoon without the shower when my face is less sensitive. This is my tests shave time when I have honed.

Making 3 passes before you get the angle and "stuff" figured will only create more weepers. I can get 2 days before I need another shave with one pass on the de. It is all technique.
Like it was said. Let your face heal. Make 1 good pass. Then add in small spots. Treat it like your straight shaving, baby steps. Makes it better.

With lather, maybe try and work those sensitive spots a bit with a face lather to try and get lather all around those hairs for skin protection. Don't over work the area.

This is all about experimentation to find what works for you.

Have fun man, it gets better.

My face looked way worse than that when I started. I could have played a role in a bloody horror movie. A styptic pen will stop the bleeding. It will leave a white residue, but you can wipe if off after a short time. I usually shave first thing in the morning, eat breakfast, then wash my face of residue.

Here's what I did to overcome the shaving problems:

1) Hot shower to soak my face and hairs, and don't let your face dry before you shave. Shaving in a hot shower is the best.
2) Good lather.
3) Skin stretching.
4) Beard reduction;multiple passes.
5) Shaved the night before, then in the morning, for about a month.
6) Merkur slant with the right blade (Astra), replaced weekly.
7) About 1 month before my face was conditioned to blade shaving.

Something magically happened after a month. I think it was skin conditioning.

Jake

Too much pressure
Lather quality
Dull Blade

I have not mastered the DE ye, but I am becoming more proficient. I see less red bumps like you have. There is also the possibility you need to try a different blade or a different razor.

Originally Posted by snakyjake

Something magically happened after a month. I think it was skin conditioning.

Jake

I think you simply got better at using the razor.

Originally Posted by FASTEDDIE427

...a precursor to eventually dropping alot of money on a straight razor...

Write a will.

Har. Just kidding. Before I picked up a DE for the second time in 40 years a guy gave me a tip. After prep and lather, place the top of the razor flat on the bottom of a sideburn. Slide it slowly down your cheek, no pressure, gradually tipping the handle downward until the moment you feel/hear whiskers being cut. Continue, keeping that angle (or flatter) and you should have no worries. Good luck!

aa1192- I'm in Southern NH and would be interested in a meet up. I am a rookie too so we will need to find a suitable source of knowledge to drain.......

Fast Eddie- +1 on Mantics videos. Notice in some of his videos he holds the razor by the very end. That makes it harder to apply pressure inadvertently. What blades are you using??