Considering going back to cartridges from DE

I say this with a heavy heart, but also a healthy dose of frustration and irritation (literally).

I really, really wanted to like this, but I've had a few shaves now, spaced out every 2-4 days, and it's been a disaster. Best case is I get a bad shave (equivalent to 1-day stubble) and only mild razor bumps on my neck. Worst case is I dare to try getting a little closer, and I look like an acne-ridden teenager with chicken box a day later.

Things I've been doing:

-Carefully mapping out my (admittedly bizarre) hair growth directions
-Hot shower before every shave
-Lather with Tabac cream or Col Conk or VDH soap.
-Shaving with EJ89 and 70's Super Speed, Astra SP blades.
-Alum block afterwards, followed by witch hazel, followed by Nivea sensitive aftershave balm.
-Trying distilled water.
-Trying grapeseed oil pre-lather.
-Doing all this at night in a (futile) attempt to reduce irritation.

I'm so careful with the angle that I often end up not even catching the blade, so I don't think that's my issue. Pressure-wise, I'm being gentle and slow enough that it takes me a good 30-40 minutes to shave, so I don't see how that could be it. The blades seem to catch fairly often when I move this gently, but it seems like any noticeable contact with skin results in a red bump the next day, so I don't know what else to do.

At this point, I just had to shave with probably 30-40 razor bumps (or whatever they are) already on me from my Tuesday shave, and it may have been the last straw. I've always had some problems with some irritation on my neck, but it's been much worse since I started with the DE and has even spread to my chin and cheeks. Incredibly frustrating.

Can anyone think of anything I could be missing? Sorry to vent, but I feel like I just wasted several weeks and $75.

Hmmmmm......:thinking: Have you tried a blade apart from the Astra SP? When I started DE I started with the 'supposedly forgiving' Derby blade. They hardly removed any stubble and I got horrible razor burn. Derbys are not for me.

Could be your blades, some work for some and some don't. I tried the astra's and didn't like them at all, they felt dull to me like derby's and both gave me some irritation. You can go to wal-mart and pick up some wilkinsons for about $2 and give that a shot, I like those myself, feather, and personna blue labels. If the wilkinson's don't aggrevate your skin, then you know it was the blades. It could be the aftershave balm as well. I used nivea sensitive ONCE, and it turned me red as a beet. Don't use distilled water, your skin needs minerals and other electrolytes to balance it's moisture. Distilled water will "pull" moisture out of your skin, and combine that w/ the toning from the witch hazel, and that can cause dryness which can cause irritation, which can lead to razor bumps from razor burn. Just my $.02

Thanks for the tips - I was thinking of trying the Feathers, since my whiskers generally seem pretty individually thick/resistant to cutting, but maybe I'll try the Wilkinsons.

I just tried the distilled water once, so I wouldn't think it would be the culprit. Does anyone know if razor bumps/burn that don't show up until a day or so after shaving - especially when wearing collared shirts indicate anything in particular?

Thanks.

Most vendors now offer sample packs..you could then try numerous blades to see which one works best with your skin type and razor :)

Yes. They (bumps and burn) certainly can show up later. Sounds like you may be trying to shave too close. And sometimes you skin needs some time to adjust to a new way of doing things. A DE blade sampler, available from just about any online vendor of wet-shaving goods, would be a good investment.

Yeah, I think I'll get a sampler pack and give it another shot. I have a feeling I'll prefer the Feathers; the Astras feel pretty dull to me, and seem to catch and skip over hairs quite often.

I'm not sure if the issue is shaving too close, though; I'm not usually even attempting a second pass, and I usually am only at about 5-o'clock-shadow length when I finish.

If you can do it with a cartridge, then you can do it with a de. It's just a matter of finding what works. Experiment, but try only changing one variable at a time, so you know what works without a doubt.

I don't like Astra, Derby, Merkur, etc. I would suggest Feather if your having problems cutting the beard (it's my blade of choice). I am unfamiliar with the Super Speed, but the 89 is a moderately aggressive razor. I would suggest you don't use less pressure, rather use no pressure. A sharp blade, at the correct angle, will not need to be pressed against the face at all. Take short strokes, guide the razor, but do not press it against you face at all. I think your shaves will be much more enjoyable. Before you try it again, make sure you face is healed. Even with the best equipment and technique, it is difficult to shave over razor burn. It took me quite a while to catch on to what no pressure means as carts encourage it to get a closer shave. Stick with it and you will be glad you did.

My two pennies worth. What type of DE are you using? I have a FatBoy that just hates any blade I use in it; however, my go to razor is a Futur that has way more blade hanging out works great. I prefer to use Astra blades, but have used most of the rest with little or no difference in the shave, although the Feathers take a light touch. My thoughts are that maybe your being heavy handed ( to much pressure on the razor) or that the razor might be to aggressive. I must add that I do have a light beard, and very sensitive skin. I was also thinking along the lines of to many passes. If you are just starting off with a DE, they tend to be less forgiving then their 5 bladed offspring. You may want to settle for one or two light passes. As for the razor bumps and how to treat them. I found that shaving in cold water seems to help when I have them bad. I also use an Alum Block right after the shave to stem them before they happen, and for the razor burn I do tend to get along the neck line, Plain old Aloe Vera plant always works for me. Seriously, I hate to see anyone go back to the crud they sell now for razors. Experiment a little and I assure you once you figure out your sweet spot you'll wonder why you ever shaved the other way.

When I moved from cartridge to a straight, I noticed it took a while for my face and neck to adjust to this new shaving method. Never used a DE but I'm guessing it'd be the same for those. Now I don't get any irritation. If I do, I know the blade has dulled or my angle is off.

When you use too little pressure, nothing happens. When you use too much, you get all the stuff you are describing. Get some Feather blades, use no pressure at all and see what happens.

I know that the thing that caused me most irritation was my brush - going round and round in the style you see in old movies. The points of the bristles are then pushed into the skin and this left my neck, especially, raw. I now go side to side more like a paint brush and get very little irritation from it.

I'll +1 trying a new blade. I have been using my de for over a year, now. It amazes me how some blades leave me raw, some don't give me a close shave, and some are just fantastic on my face. And, you really do have to find your own perfect blade. Get a sampler. For me, the Polsilver super iridium de blades were like a light being turned on in a dark room. Good luck.

From the SRP library (wiki) ;

The Multiple Pass Shaving Technique

Here is an explanation of the multiple pass shaving with the gradual stubble removal technique. The first time a friend told me he was doing three passes in a shave, a pass, rinsing and re-lathering and then doing another pass and then yet another I thought he was 'round the bend. He explained to me the principle of gradual stubble removal technique. At this point in my shaving experience I had forty some odd years of mostly using a Gillette "Good News" disposable. I would do one pass as quickly as I could and call it good always trying to get all of the whiskers down to a clean shave with that one pass.

Multiple pass shaving is most effectively done varying the direction of the pass according to the grain direction of your whiskers. To find the direction of the grain of your whiskers rub the area with your finger tips back and forth, up and down. It will become apparent to you in which direction the whiskers go. The easiest pass is with the grain. This should be the first pass. Rinse, re-lather and do an across the grain pass. If desired following another rinse and re-lathering an against the grain pass can be done. This is optional and need not be done on the whole shaving area. Some shavers do the ATG in specific areas and not in others.

I personally don't normally do a third pass . I find I get bbs with two passes and if I choose to do a third I tend to get irritation. The main thing is to avoid the tendency to feel that you have to have a bbs shave with the first pass. Using the gradual stubble removal technique will give you the closest shave and if light pressure is applied rather then heavy no irritation or razor burn. On the advice of a longtime barber I hold the razor securely enough for safety but allowing the blade to move if the razor pulls. If the razor does pull never force it and try to push it through the whiskers. Following this advice I rarely get a nick. Smooth shaving.

NCGuy, I'm assuming you've got a decent brush, know how to create decent lather. You also may check that the lather's not drying on your face as you go. So you could, until you get quicker, shave your face section at a time. Or at least touch up areas with lather that have been waiting idle while shaving other sections to make sure the lather has good glide. And..your only going with the grain, right?
And please dont be too dicouraged about the prep and shave time in the beginning. If it's any consolation or encouragement my first few wet shaves probably took around 45 minutes. In fact I was bragging to friends when I got them under 30 minutes.

Tend Skin works pretty well to treat razor bumps and ingrowns for me. But, it can burn my freshly shaved skin pretty bad sometimes. I get them (ingrowns and razor bumps) at the base of my neck semi-regularly. I've been reading the tea tree oil works nearly as well and is more gentle. [Of course prevention is usually better than a cure]

It's a shame that you are struggling. Maybe trying too hard, too much pressure and too close a shave. In theory a DE should work as well as cartridge razor. I can get razor burn from anything if I press too hard. Alum blocks dry out my skin. So maybe just lighter pressure, cool soap lather and a rinse with cold water afterwards, no chemicals/ alcohols.

I had trouble when I started and at the time was using a local barber for head shaves, he did a face shave without a hitch so I knew it was my technique.
With plenty prep and Merkur blades, believe it or not, I get good results.
Keep trying it will be worth it

Don't give up on DE's just yet. Part of shaving is all about finding what works for you. I am a huge fan of the feather blades, give them a try.

Everytime you use a cartridge razor an angel loses her wings.

Don't back down from the DE...
take a stand...in no time at
all any doubts will be vanquished
and you will stand victorious...an
inspiration to all...for generations
to come...

Terry

Thanks for the encouragement, all!

After a couple of days, my face has calmed down significantly (as has my temper...), but I might give it a couple more days to heal before trying again. I ordered a sampler pack that includes some Feathers, which I'm anxious to try.

The pressure issue is perplexing to me. I did several weeks of research before beginning, so I was extra careful to not use pressure... and the blade simply wouldn't cut. It would bounce and skip all over the place, like a kid dragging a rake across the ground. I would try not to push through, and try again, but at some point, I had to use a little pressure or I literally wouldn't get any shave. Could be a sign my beard needs sharper blades, maybe?

I also wonder if the above issue makes it more difficult to do clean passes. If a stroke skims or bounces over a small part of my face, I've been patiently trying again until the razor actually cuts something; I suppose that could be causing irritation. To be clear, I'm not cutting hairs multiple times per pass, but I do sometimes have to use several strokes to get one actual cut.

Thanks for the shaving-by-section idea, too, I think I'll try that. I have very hard water, and it does present lathering challenges.

Onward...

Look at how wet and thick your lather is, and probably the angle you're using also. I use a de on my head and whenever I get the angle too open to where the blade can't cut, I get that skipping you describe.

Also, if your water is so hard it's causing problems, try using bottled water to lather with. It's not like it takes that much.