Thread: Micro Nicks

I used to get them with the DE and the Feather blade particularly. Very seldom with a straight. I posted this about the multiple pass shave and the gradual stubble removal technique in the Wili here .

I assume you know about that and you're practicing it. I find that I have to fight the tendency to try to get smooth on the first pass. I tend to feel the area I just made a pass over and want to go right back if I feel stubble.

I resist the temptation and rinse and re-lather and get it on the second pass. Another thing is lathering in a bowl. I know that there are a lot of successful and satisfied face latherers out there but I'm not one of them.

When I used to shave with a DE the face lathering was alright but with a straight I find I get much better shaves if I lather in a bowl. YMMV.

I've had some of my worst shaves straight out of the shower, to the point where I won't do it anymore. The extended steaming seems to make my face puff up just a bit, and get too much of the oils off my skin, so when I go to shave the razor seems to stick to my skin and snag on every little irregularity instead of just skimming over them. The same thing can happen if you use the hot towel too much.

One other thing to be aware of is overshaving trying to get BBS with a wet face. One of the bases for wetshaving is that the water softens the whiskers, but what is not as well appreciated is the *way* the whiskers are softened. The water swells the whiskers making them larger in diameter (and less dense). But it also makes them longer, and after the shave they dry out and shrink back down in diameter and in length, receding back under the skin, which is why we can get stay BBS for hours after the shave. But by the same token, it is no sin if you don't get perfectly BBS during the shave because the post-shave recession means that as long as the whiskers are short enough you'll be BBS 15-30 minutes later. If this saves you an extra pass and razor burn or weepers then it is well worth it.

Maybe once summer hits, having too much steam may be a problem, but its so dry right now that my face drys quickly if there isn't lather on it.
Jimmy, I know what you are saying, with the straight being so much more capable than the cartridge, it is very tempting to try to do it all at once.

Besides all the excellent advice that you have received already, I must point out the benefits of aloe vera. I had some problems with razor burn, presumably as a result of less than optimal technique and heavy hand ;-). After I started using aloe, those problems went away. My skin now feels softer and my complexion has improved. You may want to consider giving this a try, I think that you would like the results. There is no substitute for good technique but aloe can help reduce the effects of razor burn, cuts, nicks, bumps, etc...

Al raz.

Thanks, I have an aftershave that is aloe based with lots of good stuff in it. nice and cheap too.

Problem largely solved. I changed the stoke path of the razor, lightened up, and BAM, perfect(ish)
Thanks guys. it really is hard to believe how little pressure should be used compared to a cartridge!