OH THE BURN!

Hi everyone,

I had an absolutely great shave yesterday. I waited 2 days to let my skin rest from the 5 shaves I did throught the week, and I used my best shaver, a Genco round point. It was actually the first time I could get BBS on my neck and cheeks! I was able to go ATG on my neck, FANTASTIC! I was particularly proud of this shave because I got no irritation on the neck even with ATG.

Today was a different story. I ended up getting wheepers and some MAD razor burn all over my face! Which was not the case yesterday. I switched razors today just to give my other razor a go. It is a less known razor, a new electric, and I have noticed in the past that this razor "stings" more than my genco. Note, my prep was not as good as yesterday.

here is the question... Which of the effects below could cause this to happen?

1) Am I experiencing the difference in shaving with an "aggressive razor"
2) was it the weak preparation?
3) was it because my whiskers were really close to my skin today since I had a BBS shave yesterday afternoon.?

Thank you...

If your saying you got two shaves with one razor, the first good and then the second one bad; that would likely be ineffective stropping.

I am saying that I got two shaves with 2 different razors. The first great shave was with a genco, and the second shave was with a new electric razor that I have not used in a while.

FYI, I stropped the blade last night, as nice as I can strop. I was getting good draw with an even stropping sound whilst keeping the blade flat. I did notice that I was leaving a mark around 1 foot long down my strop. It looked like the razor was scratching the strop very slightly.

It may have just been you skin was sensitive after shaving for a week then healing for a day. Sometimes after I shave and then give myself a day off then go back the next day the shave can be rough kinda like my skin was in the healing process and I interupted it.

Your prep, lather, stropping, or razor could also be to blame you'll have to try it again to find out it is the only way to know for sure. If your prep and lather is good and you still get a bad shave it may be the razor because your stropping should be adequate since your other razor worked fine.

Let us know what you find out:)

Could be far off the mark but I tend to have similar problems with "over shaving". If I actually let stubble grow, the shave is comfortable damn near every time. If I shave every day or twice a day WTG, I'm fine. Its when I start doing back to back ATG shaves that I start getting minor issues. Its usually minor minor ingrowns under my chin (probably because my angle is wrong) but sometimes I get minor razor burn.

GENCO IS a good shaver. i have never heard about electric . is that in our don't buy list?

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Originally Posted by fatpanda

Hi everyone,

I had an absolutely great shave yesterday. I waited 2 days to let my skin rest from the 5 shaves I did throught the week, and I used my best shaver, a Genco round point. It was actually the first time I could get BBS on my neck and cheeks! I was able to go ATG on my neck, FANTASTIC! I was particularly proud of this shave because I got no irritation on the neck even with ATG.

Today was a different story. I ended up getting wheepers and some MAD razor burn all over my face! Which was not the case yesterday. I switched razors today just to give my other razor a go. It is a less known razor, a new electric, and I have noticed in the past that this razor "stings" more than my genco. Note, my prep was not as good as yesterday.

here is the question... Which of the effects below could cause this to happen?

1) Am I experiencing the difference in shaving with an "aggressive razor"
2) was it the weak preparation?
3) was it because my whiskers were really close to my skin today since I had a BBS shave yesterday afternoon.?

Thank you...

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I don't have a clue, but...

1. Two shaves: two razors. >Don't use the 2nd razor, particulary since it's an electric and doesn't respond well to stropping.

2. Straight razor is now leaving scratches on your strop. Don't strop the razor until the nicked edge is repaired.

3. Don't use the nicked razor unless you want to similarly scratch your face.

4. Hope you like growing a beard. :tu

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Originally Posted by Bruce

I don't have a clue, but...

1. Two shaves: two razors. >Don't use the 2nd razor, particulary since it's an electric and doesn't respond well to stropping.

2. Straight razor is now leaving scratches on your strop. Don't strop the razor until the nicked edge is repaired.

3. Don't use the nicked razor unless you want to similarly scratch your face.

4. Hope you like growing a beard. :tu

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Why do you think his razor is nicked? Maybe I'm missing it but I don't think it is? I agree that the razor probably is not as shave ready as the Genco, but if it were nicked sure he would notice this?

Also Electric is not on the do not buy list. The trade mark was traded around but if memory serves at points it was owned by Freidmann and Lauterjung- the owners/makers of the esteemed PUMA razors. A picture would be nice and helpful. Do you have one?

The sharper the blade and nicer the touch, the less burn you will experience on any growth. Sometimes new straight shavers will find themselves forcing the issue a little too much when there isn't much to shave. Adding a less sharp/slightly dull blade to the shave only makes the shave more prone to be irritable.

In the early days of straight shaving, I would get the razor burns while going for too much too soon, but the razor burns faded away within an hour or two.

Pabster

Hi panda,in your post, #2 you asked if it was "the weak preperation?" was your prep different when you shaved the first time?

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Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

GENCO IS a good shaver. i have never heard about electric . is that in our don't buy list?

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Electric Cutlery was an old US company. I can't speak for their quality as I've never used one, but there are a couple in the SR database:
The Electric Cutlery Co "Unspecified" 11/16 - Straight Razor Place Wiki

Thought I was gonna get one at an antique store but it was just an Electric Cutlery box with an overpriced, mismatched razor inside.

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Originally Posted by fatpanda

1) Am I experiencing the difference in shaving with an "aggressive razor"?

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Yes. Different edges/razors take a different approach/pressure/angle. You may develop "preferences" over time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fatpanda

2) was it the weak preparation?

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Yes, sometimes the prep turns out better than other times, certainly in the beginning of your leaning curve. Prep plays a role in protecting the skin. Good prep can prevent irritation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fatpanda

3) was it because my whiskers were really close to my skin today since I had a BBS shave yesterday afternoon.?

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Shaving always does some damage to the skin, even if you didn't feel it yesterday. In it's very essence the tingling feeling of a BBS skin is the result of a mechanical peeling of your skin, by the edge of the razor. It is not only the result of the whiskers that are gone. The next day, your skin is not completely healed. In time your skin will learn to cope better with a daily shave and your technique will adapt to the demands of your skin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fatpanda

Thank you...

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You're welcome.:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bart

Shaving always does some damage to the skin, even if you didn't feel it yesterday. In it's very essence the tingling feeling of a BBS skin is the result of a mechanical peeling of your skin, by the edge of the razor. It is not only the result of the whiskers that are gone. The next day, your skin is not completely healed. In time your skin will learn to cope better with a daily shave and your technique will adapt to the demands of your skin.)

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For a goofiest beard contest I shave without soap (dumb I know) just water, and if you look at the razor edge after a pass there's a little bit of soggy white stuff on the bevel- epidermis! Yay!

Anyways. I feel like your skin does adapt as I think mine is in the process of that right now.

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Originally Posted by khaos

Why do you think his razor is nicked? Maybe I'm missing it but I don't think it is? I agree that the razor probably is not as shave ready as the Genco, but if it were nicked sure he would notice this?

Also Electric is not on the do not buy list. The trade mark was traded around but if memory serves at points it was owned by Freidmann and Lauterjung- the owners/makers of the esteemed PUMA razors. A picture would be nice and helpful. Do you have one?

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khaos,

He noted that the razor was leaving marks on his strop, hence my assumption that the razor was in some fashion damaged. Oops. My other assumption is that the next razor used was said to be an electric indicated to me that it was a unit driven by an electric motor. Double oops. Assumptions can be so troublesome in that I should have understood that electric really meant "Electric" and that a marked up strop could indicate some problems with the razor.

Mea culpa; consider my comments withdrawn. Shave on boys, shave on.