Like steel wires

First shave yay. After waiting for about 2 weeks ok 1 but it felt like 2 i shaved for the first time with a straight i was amazed of the lack of razor burn i guess its true that these razors are more gentle on the skin. Isn't that a little ironic 3 blades held almost on the skin with a smooth bar and aloe strip built in to a vibrating pivot head with god knows whats in it shaving cream is worse for your skin than a single blade that sits directly on the face and soap that is actually...well soap.

anyway wanted some help from anyone who knows something that will soften facial hair mines very thick and wiry, the razor catches and skips like a rake on gravel around my cheek bones and chin, facial Hair grows in lots of different directions around there too.

the razor was sharpened by some guy named lynn abrams i guess he's kind of a big deal around here,stropped it once on linen and leather strop before 2nd shave and it shaves my cheeks really well so i know its not the razor(probably lack of experience) but thought a good product to soften the hair would help any ideas?

Probably a combination of pressure & angle, not pulling skin tight enough

I find myself just shaving most of the time. Then I realize that my other hand COULD be doing something...so I start stretching skin and WOW what a difference it makes. I can't believe I forget to do that...

Other than that, it's perhaps your angle. I found it tough to get right on the jaw at first and still do at times.

Keep trying. You will have a ah-ha moment or two as you unlock the clues.

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Originally Posted by Bluerain

a good product to soften the hair would help any ideas?

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Apart from correct shaving angle, time with a hot towel & good lather.

Another way to soften the beard is to use Barbasol as a pre-shave. Barbasol has stearic acid in it that softens the hairs. BTW, stearic acid is a natural ingredient.

I find that after my shower I lather up and let it sit a bit as I strop. It helps to soften the bristle of the beard.

Yep, best to shave moist whiskers, right out of the shower or after a face wash. I like Aveeno's body wash; it seems to soften up the barbs a little. I also do my shave so the spots with the toughest whiskers (mustache and chin) are last, and stop to rinse and relather them after the rest of my face is done. That way they get a lather presoak, and I'm not trying to shave over drying lather.

Stretching is also key, as it stands the barbs up better for the blade to knock 'em back down. You may not get to smooth skin on the first pass, might take a couple of passes with the grain to be ready for an against-the-grain pass.

More pressure is never the answer. Slightly modified blade angle will help you more. I do most of my face at 15 to 30 degrees, I'd say, but do steepen the approach in the tough-whisker zones, so maybe 45 deg on and under the chin. That's for WTG passes. Any ATG passes are with the blade almost flat to my face. If you try a steep blade and an ATG together, you're likely to sink the blade well into your flesh. And, I can tell you, you won't want to do that twice.

Keep your pressure at no more than it takes to scrape off the lather.

What grind are you shaving with? For a really tough beard you may want to try a wedge or near-wedge.

Best wishes

I have a wiry beard as well, started shaving in 6th grade...
what I do is take a shower and put some water on the stove. when it's piping hot I fill the sink with it and soak the brush. I also place a wash cloth in the steaming hot water.
When out of the shower I lather up my face and then apply the hot cloth on my face, be careful, this is VERY hot.
I lather again and shave, sometimes I have to redo the wash cloth thing between passes for a smoother cut.

Even if I don't shower I use this wash cloth method and it never fails me.

why is a wedge better? i thought full hollows were

Less flex I suppose. I can see how that would help on a though beard

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Originally Posted by unit

I find myself just shaving most of the time. Then I realize that my other hand COULD be doing something...so I start stretching skin and WOW what a difference it makes. I can't believe I forget to do that...

Other than that, it's perhaps your angle. I found it tough to get right on the jaw at first and still do at times.

Keep trying. You will have a ah-ha moment or two as you unlock the clues.

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you are right my left hand was the worst problem i wiped the mirror with a towel then left it in that hand still too used to a DE i guess

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bluerain

why is a wedge better? i thought full hollows were

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No one said a wedge is better just that it might be better for you if you have a stiff beard tho there are the odd full hollow stamped for tough beards eg the Fili EPBD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bluerain

why is a wedge better? i thought full hollows were

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They're different. I don't like big wedge blades, Prefer hollows or 1/4 hollow...

My stiff stubble seems to like the razorock preshave/shave gel right after rinsing with hot water, rub it in until it just starts to foam then work up your cream/soap; gets really slick, and doesn't dry out the lather like others I've tried, but to each his own.