Thread: Only using the front half of my blade.

I seem to only be using the front half of my blade, that portion feels the most comfortable for me. The problem is my cheek next to my mouth, I can't quite figure out how to shave this portion. I am going to keep shaving, and I am sure it will come but if anyone has any pointers I could sure use them. My face is taking a beating in this learning curve.

Plus, I can't seem to get my lather slick enough. Ugh!

As another newbie, I probably use the toe and center of the blade the most. I have a mustache and so kind of had to learn to use the heel for the cheek next to my mouth to cut the line for my mustache. Fill the cheek with some air while doing this to get the skin stretched right. Not too much but not too little, either. Just experiment a little with it. After almost two months of doing that it feels pretty comfortable, but at first, not so much.

As for the lather, I made the mistake of using about three different soaps for the first month and was always getting different results. When I just started using one soap to try to learn, without variables it finally clicked a couple weeks ago and I've been making really good lather.

It seems to me that a lot of times things are not working quite the way that you'd like and then without any real reason it just suddenly starts working really well.

Just take your time and enjoy the little victories as they come.

The secret to nice slick lather is good soap with the right amount of water. It's not as easy as it sounds. The soap of course is the first challenge. Are you bowl lathering or face lathering. Lathering on the face after you load your brush and start to apply it to your face if it is too dry introduce more water by dipping just the tips of the bristles in a bowl of water. I think mst people use the whole blade, just not always at the same time. Parts of my face I use a section of the the blade, say the tip while doing my side burns and more the middle of the blade on my cheeks. I think maybe you are putting too much pressure on the tip or leading the tip too far forward in your stroke. It's a tough one to say for sure. I used to spend a lot of time looking in the mirror running my finger over my face trying to imagine what the blade angle etc would look like at this angle or that in an attempt to map my beard and figure out the best shave. I am going to say it took about two months of daily shaving to get pretty good at it and still quite a few aha moments over the next month.

P.S.
Skin stretching is important!

Early on, I had a bias towards the forward part of the blade. As time passed and technique improved, I use the heel more and more. Particularly around my chin, lower lip and mouth. Careful focus and tracking of the toe is important as it kind of gets swung around like the end of a sword, leaving the nose particularly vulnerable.

Originally Posted by RezDog

P.S.
Skin stretching is important!

On this note, I tend to get so involved with watching the blade etc I forget to stretch my face. I really have to make an effort to remember to do this.

Originally Posted by RezDog

The secret to nice slick lather is good soap with the right amount of water. It's not as easy as it sounds. The soap of course is the first challenge. Are you bowl lathering or face lathering. Lathering on the face after you load your brush and start to apply it to your face if it is too dry introduce more water by dipping just the tips of the bristles in a bowl of water. I think mst people use the whole blade, just not always at the same time. Parts of my face I use a section of the the blade, say the tip while doing my side burns and more the middle of the blade on my cheeks. I think maybe you are putting too much pressure on the tip or leading the tip too far forward in your stroke. It's a tough one to say for sure. I used to spend a lot of time looking in the mirror running my finger over my face trying to imagine what the blade angle etc would look like at this angle or that in an attempt to map my beard and figure out the best shave. I am going to say it took about two months of daily shaving to get pretty good at it and still quite a few aha moments over the next month.

I may be trying too many soaps all at once, I have just purchased a tub of Caties Bubbles, I think I may make that my everyday soap for a while. At least until I can get the lather I want on a consistent basis. I think my issue is not enough water. Should the lather have larger bubbles when I bring it to my face, or in the bowl should I take care of those and make it thicker, then go to my face.

BTW, I tried face lathering, but I think my boar isn't broken in enough just yet and it irritated my face.

I am not much of a bowl latherer, however I would have to say that large bubbles don't last and you should work it longer in the bowl. When I bowl lather I start with a tiny bit of water and as the lather starts to work I add a little more water. When adding water the amounts are very small. Otherwise it my fall for lack of better words and take quite a bit to get thick again. I brush that your face likes is always the best one. I went through several brushes to find that the first one I had was pretty darn nice, and then I got gifted a couple of nice customs that are just a step above. There are so many different shaving style and techniques that you really do need to try a few different things before you find your perfect brush and technique. That is where meets come into play. I recommend that everyone should go to the meets, as often as they can. There is so much to know and learn and different gear to check out.

i have had the same problem with m boar brush it irritated my face i changed to an older boar i had and it worked no irritation so i think your right on the brush the more you use it the softer it gets. i also got a better lather and shave with the older brush

+1 to what Shaun said, large bubbles is not a good lather your lather should be like a whipped cream , dense and slick. Also I use all my blade at different sections , as to get next to my mouth and moustache, goatee area , I grab my chin and stretch away from the ear and come back from my ears to the trim line next to my mouth in an XTG pass gets tight to the beard Line If this makes any sense . One of the reasons if you can see a mentor in your area and get some hands on. Your still really new , after a few months or a hundred or so shaves you will figure it out. Tc

Yes, I am an admitted boar whore.. there, I said it. Again.

And, exclusively a face lather'r...

My high level notes include making sure the brush has soaked well.. I do while I am in the shower. Don't be afraid of loading the brush well, but while you are loading, swirl in a manner that loads the bristles, yet doesn't build a billowing lather; Save that for your face. I like to start with a rather dry brush for a few reasons, so I give it a really good shake after soaking. Why?? 1) I don't want lather scattered all over myself and the bathroom, 2) less water in the brush aids in loading soap rather than making lather (see above) and, 3) I can add more water as the lather thickens on my face.. I can't take it away.

Also, as you try new soaps, consider that a soap that doesn't seem to lather well for you when loaded from the puck or tub might lather better if applied as a stick. Case in point, I hated Cella until I put it in a twist up tube and applied it directly to my face. I also have MWF in both stick and puck.. more for variety than anything else.