Thread: Close, but not quite close enough

I'm not quite sure where the last month has gone! It seems to have flown by in a blur of uni work and training.

Anyway, I'm now shaving with a SR (I have two now), and I'm finding it a different experience to the shavette, much more forgiving, and far less harsh on my face. The shaving experience is made interesting by the incredibly limited space to put anything down in my bathroom, but somehow I seem to be managing.

So, I took the advice given to me, and have been applying it to my shaves with the SR. As was suggested, I left it a few days not shaving and found my first pass on my cheeks was closer to an XTG pass then WTG, and similar is true on the sides of my neck. Bearing this in mind, I've adjusted the directions of my passes slightly and seem to be getting a better result now. This also helped around my chin, and, with a bit of playing around, I've managed to work out the best angle of attack for my chin, and the results are getting better every time.

In terms of the soap I'm using, it's one made by Signature Soaps. I've been playing around a bit with how I lather it, and I seem to be getting more consistently good lathers, with a noticeable improvement to the quality of the shave with the better lathers.

Originally Posted by RSully

although whilst it feels bad compared to my cheeks, the mirror tells me it's infinitely better than my old cartridge was). Is it just a case of continued practice and trying out different things until I find something that works?

I'd encourage you to think about this quote from your post. How long did you shave with a cartridge razor...more than 2 weeks? If so, therein lies your answer. With time you'll get better shaves, but, how good a shave are you chasing? If you shaved with a cartridge for 3 years and didn't know any better, why chase BBS now?

As to use of your hands on different sides of your face it depends on what is most comfortable and works for you. I've been at this a while and still switch around sometimes to see if a slightly different grip, or direction or even crossing over with my other hand works better.

The main thing is that you enjoy yourself and take victory in the fact that you're getting better shaves than you were before. Enjoy!

Just be patient and stay with it.

It can take upwards of a hundred shaves to REALLY get it dialed in.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

I'd encourage you to think about this quote from your post. How long did you shave with a cartridge razor...more than 2 weeks? If so, therein lies your answer. With time you'll get better shaves, but, how good a shave are you chasing? If you shaved with a cartridge for 3 years and didn't know any better, why chase BBS now?

As to use of your hands on different sides of your face it depends on what is most comfortable and works for you. I've been at this a while and still switch around sometimes to see if a slightly different grip, or direction or even crossing over with my other hand works better.

The main thing is that you enjoy yourself and take victory in the fact that you're getting better shaves than you were before. Enjoy!

The reason for chasing BBS now is simple. I've spent a couple of years having to shave most days with a cartridge razor, and always been frustrated that I can't get a really close shave, and there was always the feeling of more stubble remaining. I'd read about SRs giving a much better shave, and BBS being attainable, as well as them being more comfortable to shave with, so decided I would try them out.

Every time I shave, I aim to try out something slightly different, to see what impact it has on the shave.

Originally Posted by RSully

...The shaving experience is made interesting by the incredibly limited space to put anything down in my bathroom, but somehow I seem to be managing.

So, I took the advice given to me, and have been applying it to my shaves with the SR. As was suggested, I left it a few days not shaving and found my first pass on my cheeks was closer to an XTG pass then WTG, and similar is true on the sides of my neck. Bearing this in mind, I've adjusted the directions of my passes slightly and seem to be getting a better result now. This also helped around my chin, and, with a bit of playing around, I've managed to work out the best angle of attack for my chin, and the results are getting better every time.

In terms of the soap I'm using, it's one made by Signature Soaps. I've been playing around a bit with how I lather it, and I seem to be getting more consistently good lathers, with a noticeable improvement to the quality of the shave with the better lathers...

In regards to having limited space, I get what you mean. Once a week on Sundays I shave in my bedroom at an old shaving stand; with a porcelain bowl, jug, soap holder set. It certainly does mix things up a bit.

I found a while ago that the hair on my cheek (esp my L cheek) grows pretty much sideways. Since then I've always attacked this area by coming up against the hair growth on that area (as in ATG) on that first (and 99% of the time only) pass.

Even though that makes the first pass for that area a ATG pass it works for me (often a WTG pass might be generally recommended for a first pass).

I honestly now feel some soaps are just hard to lather. A few years ago I thought it was 'just me', but now I feel some really are harder to lather than others (although I've found pretty much all creams acceptable). TOBS soap is really easy to lather, for instance...

Sounds like you're getting on very well; well done; it's tricky in the beginning!

Carl

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

In regards to having limited space, I get what you mean. Once a week on Sundays I shave in my bedroom at an old shaving stand; with a porcelain bowl, jug, soap holder set. It certainly does mix things up a bit.

I found a while ago that the hair on my cheek (esp my L cheek) grows pretty much sideways. Since then I've always attacked this area by coming up against the hair growth on that area (as in ATG) on that first (and 99% of the time only) pass.

Even though that makes the first pass for that area a ATG pass it works for me (often a WTG pass might be generally recommended for a first pass).

I honestly now feel some soaps are just hard to lather. A few years ago I thought it was 'just me', but now I feel some really are harder to lather than others (although I've found pretty much all creams acceptable). TOBS soap is really easy to lather, for instance...

Sounds like you're getting on very well; well done; it's tricky in the beginning!

Carl

It sounds like the hair on my cheeks is exactly as you've described yours. I may try starting with an ATG pass on them tomorrow and see how that goes. I had a break through with my chin today, and managed a much better shave on it - now I just need to try and work out what it was I did to get that!

I may take a walk up to the shaving shop in Leeds at some point and have a look at getting another soap to try, maybe TOBS seeing as they have it in there. It's just a case of finding the time to get up there though

Originally Posted by RSully

It sounds like the hair on my cheeks is exactly as you've described yours. I may try starting with an ATG pass on them tomorrow and see how that goes. I had a break through with my chin today, and managed a much better shave on it - now I just need to try and work out what it was I did to get that!

I may take a walk up to the shaving shop in Leeds at some point and have a look at getting another soap to try, maybe TOBS seeing as they have it in there. It's just a case of finding the time to get up there though

I bought the TOBS Sandlewood recently and it's great. I can't help you with the chin as I have a beard thingy; I've only shaved my chin with a straight twice!