Thread: New adventures

Hey Everyone,

I'm TCRG and I am from London England. I thought I would introduce myself and tell you my journey so you guys can guide me to a better shave. I have already spent quite a while browsing the forums and I am very thankful for this communities advice.

I will try to tell you a little about myself so that hopefully your counsel might help others in the same situation as me.

First of all, I had been toiling with the idea of straight razor shaving for quite some time. The idea of mastering an art has always been appealing to me. So far, my shaving routine has been nothing short of a chore. I am unable to shave everyday as the razor burn becomes to intense. So I shave twice maybe thrice a week. I find that the longer my beard is the more easily I can get a clean shave.

The last few years my shaving routine has been a shower and a shave. I have been using a 2 blade disposable razor and the real shaving company's shaving cream applied with a synthetic brush. Needless to say, this is the routine of a man that has tried it all (but SR) and has now given up.

Just a description of my beard. I have very sensitive skin and tough hair. The hair from my sideburns to my jawline go downwards, moustache included. But (and this is the annoying part), the hair on my neck make some very strange pattern which twist and turn which in some areas make it practically impossible to shave with the grain. That and the fact that I have a very pointy Adams Apple make my shaving experience quite unpleasant. If I shave more than 3 times a week I get razor bumps around my neck and because I do a job that requires me to wear a shirt and tie, the chafing from the collar makes it even worse.

So anyway, recently I decided to try and look for a solution again. I bought a pure badger brush and I went to l'occitane for a decent set of shaving cosmetics (thanks for your feedback on them). I am now making some decent lather and I am enjoying the experience a bit more. This led me to investigate the idea of SR a bit more. After thinking about it I decided to buy a shavette with the idea to upgrade to a SR in the future (when I become worthy).

I am managing to shave my dominant side side burn and cheek WTG. Although I still feel that the shave is not very close and because I have to finish with the disposable razor I still have the problem of not being able to shave every day. Which means I can't practise everyday. But because I am very eager, I still do and so my face is in quite a discomfort a lot of the time.

Today, I shaved with the shavette the dominant side of my neck and I find it very difficult. I do not know which way to shave to make comfortable.


Having said all that I am happy to perceiver but I definitely need your moral support and words of wisdom.

One more thing, as I am new, when you use acronyms can you explain them the first time so I get used to them.


Thanks for everything and please forgive my poor prose.

Your newly devoted fellow Straight Shaver,

TCRG

I have sensitive skin also and started straight shaving with shavette. Always had razor burn on my neck. Would suggest either a DE (double edge) closed comb safety razor or a true straight for more comfort. Safety razor also useful to tidy up when learning to use a straight. I still use mine when in a hurry. Unlike a cartridge razor use no pressure only the weight of the razor. Merkur and others make good ones for very reasonable prices. Am also relatively new. Sure more experienced members will chime in soon. Hope some of this useful to you. All the best reaching a comfortable shaving experience.

I do not use a shavette but some of the biggest causes of skin irritation from shaving comes from using too much weight on the razor and a bad angle. For an idea of weight to use there was recently a thread on here about "just wiping the lather away" as describing the weight to use. Also the idea is not really to remove all the stubble in the first pass. The idea is to reduce the stubble through multiple passes. Trying to everything in a single pass usually means using too much pressure. The angle used when employing a shavette is different, I think, from that when using a straight razor so I'll let someone who uses a shavette address that.

Bob

Thanks, I will try the DE (one more acronym learned)

Originally Posted by dmnc

I have sensitive skin also and started straight shaving with shavette. Always had razor burn on my neck. Would suggest either a DE (double edge) closed comb safety razor or a true straight for more comfort. Safety razor also useful to tidy up when learning to use a straight. I still use mine when in a hurry. Unlike a cartridge razor use no pressure only the weight of the razor. Merkur and others make good ones for very reasonable prices. Am also relatively new. Sure more experienced members will chime in soon. Hope some of this useful to you. All the best reaching a comfortable shaving experience.

Originally Posted by TCRG

Thanks, I will try the DE (one more acronym learned)

When you try a DE still try and use next to no pressure. To find the angle to use place the head of the DE flat on your face with the handle straight out, parallel to the floor, and rotate the handle down till you can feel the blade. That should get you a good angle to use but you can adjust from there. You will have adjust as you go to follow the curves in your face as the DE's head does not pivot as the cartridge razors do. Good luck.

Bob

Thanks, will let you know.

Originally Posted by BobH

When you try a DE still try and use next to no pressure. To find the angle to use place the head of the DE flat on your face with the handle straight out, parallel to the floor, and rotate the handle down till you can feel the blade. That should get you a good angle to use but you can adjust from there. You will have adjust as you go to follow the curves in your face as the DE's head does not pivot as the cartridge razors do. Good luck.

Bob

I'm in a similar position to you, I've recently started using a shavette and have a SR on the way and I've got fairly sensitive skin and was suffering from razor burn. I've found paying attention to the angle, and not having the blade at too great an angle, and applying some post-shave cream have completely got rid of this issue.

I know both of these have worked for me, as today I had to great an angle and suffered from razor burn on my neck, but it wasn't as bad as before I was using post shave cream. It's well worth looking at what there is posted about the angle of the razor, as well as pre/post shave routines to try avoid razor burn.

The big key for me is all about the skin stretching. The better the hold/stretch the smoother the shave and the less irritation, especially on my neck.

Stretching, pressure and angle.

I thought I had it down when starting out but I was way off. I had serious irritation until using a more shallow angle and NO pressure against the skin.

Now a year+ later, with a nice crisp fresh off the stone Jnat edge I get the best BBS shaves. For comfort I finish with a coti.

Thanks to you all guys,

Yesterday I decided to shave for the second day in a row and I tried to apply all your suggestions: stretching, angle, pressure and a DE to finish the job (after I had shaved my sideburns and cheeks on both sides with the SR) and I ended the shave with no burns, no bumps and a smooth face (can still improve on that).

Once again, thank you for helping me perceiver.

TCRG