Thread: Skin rest and edge finish

I thought I'd start a new thread- this is related to a post on the need by some to rest their skin on some interval due to skin irritation/red bumps.

I've never experienced the need to rest the skin or have had any red bump issues, and I'm guessing it is probably due more to skin type and/or technique but...

Does anyone think there is a correlation between skin irritation and the finish of the edge? For example, edges finished with a coticle are characterized as "smooth", and does that reduce irritation?

Maybe someone who has some skin sensitivity could send their razor out to a honemeister with a coticlue and see if there is any difference (I'd hone one for free on my coti, but note I've only honed a handful of razors so far)

-Chief

An interesting challenge, sir.
I have been wondering about that.
I offer free honing (no postage) for someone that suffers skin irritation problems from his straight razor, just to find out if it would be possible to tailer the edge to the needs of sensitive skin.

Best regards,
Bart.

I would consider this more of a techniques issue than a sharpness one. For example I rarely get any irritation no matter what I do with a real straight. I can get irritation from using a shavette, however, more care to my techniques and blade angle prevents it from happening.

I am one of those fortunate souls who has never suffered from the razor bumps or ingrown hairs. Not even in the beginning when my technique was lacking. I do think from my own experience that the edge off of a coticule or an Escher feels smoother than that off of some synthetics. Hard to quantify and maybe it is one of those YMMV things but that is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Even when I have a sharp edge, sometimes I get razor burn. When I learned how to ensure the edge and the sides of the blade were smooth, this problem improved. With my face, it seems that the smoothness of the SIDES of the blade, and not just the distal cutting edge, is related to the smoothness of the shave.

I get irritation from my henckels that I do not get from my KB.

As far as I know they were honed by the same person.

I have to agree its a technique issue. You just have to figure out the right angle and the correct direction of strokes and number. I don't think you can tailor an edge to a skin type. The edge should be as sharp as practical and the differences between using a coticule or escher or another stone are not large enough to cause or ameliorate skin issues. My opinion of course.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I have to agree its a technique issue. You just have to figure out the right angle and the correct direction of strokes and number. I don't think you can tailor an edge to a skin type. The edge should be as sharp as practical and the differences between using a coticule or escher or another stone are not large enough to cause or ameliorate skin issues. My opinion of course.

No doubt the sharper the edge the better, but if it is the roughness of the bevel that contributes to skin irritation, then it would be a reasonable hypothesis that a blade honed with a coticule would reduce skin irritation (due to the "sandblast" effect of rolling garnets vs. a fixed scratch pattern). Need somebody with skin irritation to take Bart or I up on our offer to hone 'em to find out...

-Chief

Just IMHO, the reason the old barbers I knew in north NJ 25 years ago all sharpened their razors on Belgian coticules was because of that forgiving edge. OTOH, I don't know what else was available to them for honing razors in the way of synthetics at that time. Also I'm talking a half dozen or so men. There may have been many others that used an alternative but those guys swore by the Belgian 'soap' stone.

You know, the only real way to test this is with a double blind study with a decent N. Bart, what if we modified your "honing experiment" proposal a bit-- if we can get 20 people with skin irritation problems to agree to be test subjects, then...

We find 3 idential razors, Bart hones one with a coticule, and two other honemeisters with synthetic + paste. All three honemeisters send their razors to a third party (the scorekeeper), who then lables them ABC randomly, and ships them to three test subject on the list.

The test subjects shaves with their razors for a week, notes their irritation level, then sends the razors back to the third party, who will keep track of the results, randomizes the razors, and sends them back to the 3 honemeisters, and the process continues.

This could take awhile, but would provide pretty solid data on this point...

Those that are interested in the experiment in any way could cough up some $$ for the 3 honemeisters and the scorekeeper to offset their shipping fees...

If we could get more honemeisters to volunteer, that would further reduce honing skill bias (the "scorekeeper" could coordinate who hones during the experiment).

Any interest? I would volunteer for the scorekeeper/coordinator role.

-Chief