Continued improvement/challenges

I've had several shaves now and here's what's happening:


1. Not BBS but much smoother on the sides, neck and chin
2. getting really close with the grain on the upper lip but can't get as close on the chin without going against the grain.
3. Razor burn on chin with several small spots of bleeding. If I could get this resolved, I'd be a happy shaver because I can't seem to improve this.


Now, I've had to take it back to the .5 paddle after every couple of shaves. I guess I expect this since I am still getting comfortable and still in the learning curve. I've also just received a 3" latigo strop from Tony :y so my stropping technique needs adjusting because going from a paddle to a hanging strop is a little different. To any other newbies reading this, Tony's stuff is fantastic!

Lessons I'm learning:

1. I find that one long pass on the sides of the face is better than several short strokes
2. I need to stretch my skin much more than I was originally doing
3. LIGHT touch, especially on the against the grain passes.
4. This is too much fun :D I can't ever see me going back to a Fusion or other multi-blade type razor.

You only mention going with and against the grain; you might want to try a cross-grain pass on those areas that are giving you trouble. It does nearly as well, and is a lot easier to pull off without nicking yourself especially in those areas that are difficult to get a good stretch. You can go cross-grain in both directions for even better results (this is how I shave my upper lip and chin).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mparker762

You only mention going with and against the grain; you might want to try a cross-grain pass on those areas that are giving you trouble. It does nearly as well, and is a lot easier to pull off without nicking yourself especially in those areas that are difficult to get a good stretch. You can go cross-grain in both directions for even better results (this is how I shave my upper lip and chin).

---

I've tried cross grain and it's OK on the sides, I really rip up my chin so I've stopped the cross grain there. I haven't found a way to go cross my upper lip yet.

The chin is where it comes especially useful. I could never get it totally clean without going cross-grain. Try to work on that (be careful with the angle and gentle with the pressure).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

The chin is where it comes especially useful. I could never get it totally clean without going cross-grain. Try to work on that (be careful with the angle and gentle with the pressure).

---

I'll try again. Can you give me any type of reference for a good angle? I seem to have to go almost flat (spine almost on the skin) to avoid cutting myself.

It's not the angle that will prevent you from cutting yourself. Just use an angle that will cut your hair in that area (about 20 for me), stretch the skin and go gently across. The main thing is to be careful about positioning the blade and moving it without sawing/slicing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by steve

I'll try again. Can you give me any type of reference for a good angle? I seem to have to go almost flat (spine almost on the skin) to avoid cutting myself.

---

You may be using too much pressure.

Going across the chin is an advanced maneuver in shaving. I wouldn't recommend it until you have quite a bit of shaving experience. I think its advanced because its all done by feel as far as the proper angle and lack of pressure as well as proper stretching. Also there is a tendency to want to slice doing that maneuver more so than any other so caution is the watchword here. I've been shaving for 4 years now and if I'm not concentrating on what I'm doing when I come across the left side of my chin that is the only place I will on rare occasion nick myself.

I just shaved tonight after doing the following:

1. 10 laps on the 1 micron pasted paddle and 20 on the .5 (I did this because I noticed a small blemish in the edge)
2. stropped 30 laps on my leather hangins strop and it didn't feel sharp enough
3. 10 laps on the linen followed by 10 on the leather again

I did a hot towel prep with Colleen's shaving cream. 2 passes on the neck and cheeks (with and against). 3 passes on the chin (with, cross, against). Only a couple of small bleeders and minimal razor burn and the results are near BBS, the best shave to date. Firestart, your advice on going lightly on the pressure was a big factor in reducing razor burn and nicks. Thank you!

Looking forward to my next attempt.

Something else which I find helps cut close without irritation is using a slight (15-30º) cutting angle. This is where you lead each shaving stroke with the tip[ of the razor slightly and let the heel trail a bit. This modest cutting action really helps clip those hairs and I find it actually safer than the straight push.

X

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by xman

Something else which I find helps cut close without irritation is using a slight (15-30º) cutting angle. This is where you lead each shaving stroke with the tip[ of the razor slightly and let the heel trail a bit. This modest cutting action really helps clip those hairs and I find it actually safer than the straight push.

X

---

I think this is what Scott referred to as guillotine. I'm a little nervous to try it on my chin. I'll give it a try though and see. Thanks

X:

I got up the nerve to try shaving with the tip leading a little. It did reduce my razor burn to just a minimal sting and my cuts were greatly reduced. Smooth as can be, though. Now I suppose that the remaining cuts/burn can be taken care of with adjusting angle, pressure and skin stretching.

I've now gotten to the point where my cheeks and neck are BBS consistently and I get near BBS on my upper lip and chin area. Trying to cut closer on my upper lip is my next big step I need to figure out.

Oh, and I'll say that Ilija suggested doing 10 laps on the linen side of the strop and 30 on the leather in segments of 10 each with lessening pressure. This seems to work very nicely and I'm looking forward to continuing to experiment with this.

Thanks all for the suggestions!

My razor was getting a little dull so I took it for a ride on the pasted paddle, got it to pass the thumbnail test and shaved without stropping it.

3 passes (with ,cross, against) gave nice and smooth results all over except the upper lip which I am still not comfortable doing anything other than straight down.

Added one more cut to my chin area because I tried to cut some of the hairs on the side of my mouth (where moustache and beard join) with the tip of the razor and just dug in too much. Total cuts on chin to date = 7. I hope they don't create permanent scars. So far though, they have not dissappeared.

I'm learning to be proficient using both hands and have learned a very painful lesson to take each side of my chin on the cross grain pass with each hand. In other words, from left side to center with the right hand and from right side to center with the left hand. I've tried going straight across from L-R with one hand and have given myself 2 additional cuts right in the center. When I take it very lightly with almost a flat blade angle (spine almost on the chin) and work from each side to the middle, I get no cuts. Live and learn :o

Now, I hope I'm not dulling the razor by stropping. I thought I was doing OK but at least I have a measurement now for what sharpness should be.

BTW - my razor burn is almost non-existent today. I used plain witch hazel right after shaving (which has 14% alcohol) and almost no sting. I finished up with a mixture of witch hazel and Clubman aftershave and no sting. Very pleased!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by steve

I think this is what Scott referred to as guillotine. I'm a little nervous to try it on my chin. I'll give it a try though and see. Thanks

---

It does improve the shave, and also seems to reduce the likelihood of a nick.

Steve, I'm having the same problem as you with my chin. I hate to admit it but I usually do the 2nd pass with one of my DE's. Hopefully as i improve, the chin problem will also improve. The area of chin that gets nicked seems to be getting smaller. I've only been at it about 3 plus weeks. Good luck. :hmmm:

The chin is a challenging spot:

1. It takes a good base of knowledge to hone a razor sharp enough to shave the chin
2. The chin is a protrusion, and although we rarely mention it, no stroke with a straight razor should begin on a facial protrusion
3. What I do is pull the chin into little sections and pull the chin flat in order to eliminate the protrusion and shave in very small sections. I break the chin itself up into probably 10 different areas.
4. The chin area is best shaved with a very low angle.
5. You don't need BBS around your chin for every shave, you don't contact your chin like you do your lip area. As the beard dries it'll recede into the skin. It'll feel BBS after the whiskers dry.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

The chin is a challenging spot:

1. It takes a good base of knowledge to hone a razor sharp enough to shave the chin
2. The chin is a protrusion, and although we rarely mention it, no stroke with a straight razor should begin on a facial protrusion
3. What I do is pull the chin into little sections and pull the chin flat in order to eliminate the protrusion and shave in very small sections. I break the chin itself up into probably 10 different areas.
4. The chin area is best shaved with a very low angle.
5. You don't need BBS around your chin for every shave, you don't contact your chin like you do your lip area. As the beard dries it'll recede into the skin. It'll feel BBS after the whiskers dry.

---

I do the same thing basically. I break my chin into about 3 areas and use an almost flat angle (meaning the spine is almost on the skin). I have difficulty in stretching my chin, though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Going across the chin is an advanced maneuver in shaving. I wouldn't recommend it until you have quite a bit of shaving experience.

---

That may be, but it's a heck of a lot less advanced than shaving the chin against the grain. The chin in general is an advanced area to shave.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mparker762

You only mention going with and against the grain; you might want to try a cross-grain pass on those areas that are giving you trouble. It does nearly as well, and is a lot easier to pull off without nicking yourself especially in those areas that are difficult to get a good stretch. You can go cross-grain in both directions for even better results (this is how I shave my upper lip and chin).

---

I've got a couple spots that I can only get at with a cross grain for some reason. My hair grows crazy though. I pull them tight and do my best and they do quite well.

As a newbie shaver, the chin is my most hated "protrusion" as well. Pretty much all of the nicks I've given myself, with the exception of a few careless nicks to the ears, nose, and jawline (yeah, it's a good thing I'm a quick healer), have been on my chin. The worst part is that I pretty much have to get it BBS when I shave, because some folks that I work with that don't like me and have heavier collars keep a close eye on my shave (and anything else they can bust my balls about). As I tell people who ask me what the hell I am doing in the head, "The best hobbies are the ones you pay for in blood." Hah! I have gotten some pretty good shaves on it, though, using the same techniques posted by AFDavis. Break it into small sections, go slowly, and STRETCH...that's the key. The only really hard part of it now is that area of skin that isn't on the front of your chin and also isn't really on your neck yet, that transitional area.

Well, I got a great shave today. After doing an experiment in stropping I started my shave and restropped for 5 passes on both linen/leather between my 1st and 2nd passes on my face.

I ended with with a very smooth shave and no cuts or nicks :y I count about 9 all total (mostly on my chin) and I do hope they don't leave scars. I don't really want to look like Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre :eek:

I've still got the area dead center on my chin that's left after I attack my chin from left to center and right to center. But all in all, it was one great shave.

I've also re-watched a little video from someone called Lynn :) and he suggested that on the neck you stretch the skin sideways. I've tried this and it makes an immense difference. I get hairs on my neck halfway down that grow up and flat. Doing this (which is taking the skin on the neck and stretching it toward the back under the ear) as made a huge difference. I was already getting smooth shaves on my neck and this just made it smoother.