Thread: Scratching myself when I touch the blade to my face

While shaving my sideburns and cheeks, I have noticed I am getting like red marks, almost like very light scratches or knicks right at the top of my cheeks. At the spot where the blade first touches my skin. What could be causing this? It the angle, am I just going to hard to start? Any ideas?

Does it continue thru the stroke or only at the start? If at the start it may be too much pressure. If thru the stroke you may have a Nick in the edge.

It's only right at the start. I honestly didn't even notice it. And then shortly after shaving my wife asked what the red lines were on my cheek.

Sounds like you are useing too much pressure when putting the razor to your face. I break concentration once in a while and do that. It's easy to do if your razors are extremely sharp. Try less of an angle so the edge is not going into your skin.

Originally Posted by Juniormahlie

It's only right at the start. I honestly didn't even notice it. And then shortly after shaving my wife asked what the red lines were on my cheek.

This has happened to me a couple of times - usually right up where I start below my sideburns. I have attributed it to indecision on blade placement for that very first touch. I think there is just the tiniest bit of side to side movement on contact with the skin. Not enough to really slice but enough to cause marks that are visible. Maybe that's what's happening for you. I find that a more decisive first stroke making contact as I am moving downward eliminates the issue. I don't try to place the blade and then move it in the stroke - I start the stroke above my intended start point and make skin contact while in the downward motion.

Adam

Most probably you have some chipping near the toe. When you shave, you are shaving with the middle of the blade, but when cutting your sideburns you are using the tip and more pressure.

Even though the blade is 3 inches long, we only shave with about 1 inch at a time.

Look at the edge with magnification, from the side and straight down on the edge.

Some times you can strop out small micro-chips with a pasted strop, sometimes they will need a touch-up.

Could be a little of everything. If you come in with the blade angle too high, it's going to act like a cleaver and dig in. Same if you approach too fast, or use more pressure than you need to. And of course, you have to be careful not to make any lateral 'slicing' motions. Those were the usual source of those little red stripes when I was learning how to shave. It's been a while since I had one, probably means I'm due any time now.