Thread: question: angle of approach

Originally Posted by Arthur

While I'm here, a wedge sounds like it might be what I'm looking for in the heft department. What should I look for?

Also, my beard is COARSE. I'm talking filed metal shavings coarse. I'm thinking the heavier razor would be better for me in general.

I have the same problem! You might want to look at the sticky on the 800-pound gorilla method and other mods to it, at this TSD link. The first recipe is at posting #10, but skim on through it because there are multiple variations that people have found beneficial.

You might want a heavier razor sometime. I would wait until you can shave well with what you have before going off in too many directions. Full wedges are probably not the best for a beginner, but as always YMMV.

being impatient + being obsessive about closeness + razors not very sharp = recipe for disaster

i'd say you better prepare for some suffering and discomfort. get an alum block that should help a bit, good moisturizing aftershaves too and if i'm you i'd probably use antibacterial ointment as well - you'll be missing more skin on your face than necessary.

i sometimes do the fool's pass and as long as the razor is very sharp it doesn't present a problem, the hollowness of the blade doesnt seem to be an issue - i've done it with my most hollowed blades as well.

[QUOTE=gugi;392474]being impatient + being obsessive about closeness + razors not very sharp = recipe for disaster

+1 on above statement.
Now I don't worry about BBS shaves. I go for comfort and that's good enough. The smooth face will come in time.

I'm gonna just throw this out there... I kinda figured out what worked best for my face, some of it isn't conventional. I basically just went WTG XTG ATG my first time shaving, got some cuts the first few weeks, but I'm better now. For the whole mouth area I make an "O" and roll my lips in, go WTG strictly, then from the outside towards my mouth, regardless of grain direction- this allows me to take a second, easier cut free pass before I go ATG. Then I go ATG and its a lot easier. At that point it's more like a clean up pass than anything else, so I've never snagged. Also, try and shave your mustache exclusively with the toe, while minding the heel. I feel this is easier than shaving with any other part and risking your nose. You can curl your lips in, but your nose will always be jutting out like a tree in woods marked for deforestation...

I got the lip tonight, finally. What I finally settled on is puffing my lip out for 1 N-S pass, then 2 diagonal passes, 1 toward and 1 away from my mouth. It's BBS unless I puff my lip out (because I didn't go ATG at all.) Good thing I don't walk around with my lip puffed out. Now then, the neck remains a mystery. I got some ideas from Fritz in another post, hopefully it will be the answer I needed!

Originally Posted by khaos

but your nose will always be jutting out like a tree in woods marked for deforestation...

Not if you slip on that fool's pass

Originally Posted by mparker762

Not if you slip on that fool's pass

Slow and steady wins the race on that one, eh?

Originally Posted by mparker762

Not if you slip on that fool's pass

My point was that if you use just the toe, you'd have to be some kinda of genius to dismember your nose. But yes. Using the heel on the fool's pass is like marking you tree nose for doforestation. Slipping is like hiring a lumber jack.