Thread: Ideal pressure is no pressure.......

When I first started with an SR a few months ago I had the same problem. Skin stretching made it better, but before that I ended up trying different angles and different light pressure with about 1" long strokes. I started back by my ear with about a 30 degree angle, then moved forward at a little less angle, and forward again with a little less angle. I then went to the other side of my face and did the same thing, but increasing the angle from 30. I then ran my hand over the areas to compare how well each angle did and chose what appeared to be the optimal angle. There was still plenty of hair left so I went across the areas again with my new optimal angle and varied the pressures. I wound up with razor burn and a few small cuts, but I also had my beginners angle and pressure. From there it was just small tweaks.

Thanks! Appreciate all the helpful info from everyone. Keep it coming.
I should also note and put it in my profile that I am legally blind in my right eye. Have been since birth. So when I move the razor to the right side of my face I have to flip the razor so that the scales are toward my right ear and use my right hand. Other wise I can't see anything that I'm doing. Anyone else have similar issues?

yep ,, I only have one eye lost the other 20 years ago , I will tell you this as time goes by andyou get more acclimated to how to shave with a straight it really isn't even a problem I have more trouble with my glasses getting in the way . you will figure out the angles in the mirror trust me soon you wont even noticed any blind spots,, oh and I do use both hands good luck ,, tc by the way that's a great offer from Lynn,, one of these days I,m going up there I,m about as far away as you

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

yep ,, I only have one eye lost the other 20 years ago , I will tell you this as time goes by andyou get more acclimated to how to shave with a straight it really isn't even a problem I have more trouble with my glasses getting in the way . you will figure out the angles in the mirror trust me soon you wont even noticed any blind spots,, oh and I do use both hands good luck ,, tc by the way that's a great offer from Lynn,, one of these days I,m going up there I,m about as far away as you

This makes me feel better. It gets frustrating trying to see what I'm doing sometimes. Especially when all my movements are opposite in the mirror. And yes Lynn's offer is great. I will be making a trip sometime. So far everyone I have encountered on this site has been helpful. Honestly Straightrazoerplace.com has been the best experience I have had on a web forum.

The amount of pressure I apply to the blade, varies on different areas of my face.

I feel your pain! My experience exactly. Read my thread here, something may help. I have learned that the lower the angle to the face at the start of the stroke, the less likely it is that the razor will dig-in and cut.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...-straight.html

Whiskers provide resistance to the razor. Thin and light whiskers provide light resistance and heavier, coarse whiskers (my curse) will provide heavier resistance, even for a super sharp blade. The trick is to figure out how much force you need to cut *your* whiskers but not irritate your face. It's a fine balancing act. And as someone else has mentioned, it also varies in different areas of your face. That's one reason why beard prep is so important -- moisture softens whiskers and reduces the pressure needed for the razor to cut through the whiskers.

As Lynn and others recommended (and not the first time) it helps to get a feel for that pressure by starting with a small area first. Then you can move on to other areas. It really does take some time to get a feel for the razor, your whiskers, and the grain of your whiskers.

So I think I may have found my enemy. The soap!
The soap came from the Van Der Hagen Men's Luxury, Shave Set so the soap is Van Der Hagen.
I tried shaving my cheek and not much luck on either cheek. So I finished up with my Gillette Fusion that normally does well with shave cream in a can. Ouch!!!! Even my Gillette nicked me a few times. Not a very close shave with either. Any thought?

Originally Posted by coryschmidt

Whiskers provide resistance to the razor. Thin and light whiskers provide light resistance and heavier, coarse whiskers (my curse) will provide heavier resistance, even for a super sharp blade. The trick is to figure out how much force you need to cut *your* whiskers but not irritate your face. It's a fine balancing act. And as someone else has mentioned, it also varies in different areas of your face. That's one reason why beard prep is so important -- moisture softens whiskers and reduces the pressure needed for the razor to cut through the whiskers.

As Lynn and others recommended (and not the first time) it helps to get a feel for that pressure by starting with a small area first. Then you can move on to other areas. It really does take some time to get a feel for the razor, your whiskers, and the grain of your whiskers.

This. My beard is tough. Even with a sharp razor and good angle/ pressure I have to use proper beard prep or it will be a fight.

experiment with various pressures but everything is very very gentle