Unsatisfying Shaves?

Gents,

I have been shaving with straights for about 4 months, and DE's for about 7, and tonight nothing went right with a vintage Solingen straight for me. If I'm shaving with a SR I typically do it at night, after stropping, then take a fairly relaxed shower where I wash my face several times. After that I use Proraso pre-shave cream and leave it in while I lather up.

Tonight However, I decided to forgo the shower, and use a similar routine just in the sink. I even lathered my face and left it on for a while before rinsing and using the preshave, then lathered again. I was using a well known, well liked, and reputable glycerin shave soap. I got about 2/3rds the way through my first pass and just had to stop. I couldn't dial in the lather, and the razor was catching quite a bit.

Now I know enough at this point that technique is a huge part of shaving this way, but does anyone else just have an "off" day? I ended up finishing the failed pass with a Gillette superspeed and then doing one more with it, leaving the bathroom rather frustrated.

surely I can't be the only one... Did I doom myself by not using my usual routine?

Yes, I've had an off day, that's why there is another straight on the counter, waiting to take over, or my faithful vintage Gillette DE.

No, I think maybe you're getting a few different things working against you all at the same time. I'm about 40 minutes from downtown OKC and I would be glad to have you come over and we can check your razor, lathering, stropping and anything else you'd like to try. You can PM me if interested. :D

Regards,

Howard :)

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Originally Posted by SirStropalot

No, I think maybe you're getting a few different things working against you all at the same time. I'm about 40 minutes from downtown OKC and I would be glad to have you come over and we can check your razor, lathering, stropping and anything else you'd like to try. You can PM me if interested. :D

Regards,

Howard :)

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Thanks, PM Sent!

Received!!/Answered!! It'll be fun!! :D

Howard :)

Once you have been doing this for a while most of it is pretty automatic though you still have to focus on the shaving though. About the closest thing to an "off day" is if you are in a hurry or can't concentrate and for many that can lead to facial damage.

I had a combination of thin lather and tired edge gang up on me yesterday; it was a cream I don't use that often and a blade I haven't used in a while. While the blade is my most reliable, I haven't touched it up in a while and the weak lather didn't make up the difference. I should have fixed the lather, but instead I just grabbed a fresher razor from the stand. I've been at it now for a few years, so just shrugged it off. Not the first unsatisfying shave I've had, but not a crisis either. It happens--but less frequently as you go on.

Have fun at your mini-meetup! Best wishes and happy shaving.

Agree the lather is more than 50% of the shave!

I'm going on 5 years into SR shaving. I have 26 razors in my rotation. All ebay vintage (Not necessarily recommended, but it's the way I went). A few used to give me problems that I attributed to not quite sharp enough - not smooth, a little more abrasion and sub-par shave. One thing I figured out is I tended to "try a little harder" with those problem razors. I was pressing a little harder and going over spots more than necessary to get a close shave resulting in discomfort. By really focusing on very (very!) light pressure, watching my angle and making sure there is lather where I draw the blade over my face, my "problem" razors shave as well as any I have. Just today, I used my Schumate Barber Deluxe that was my "worst" performer. I got a super-close BBS shave with virtually no alum sting.

A technique I have used - especially AGT - is start by placing the spine against my skin and gently rolling the edge onto my skin until it makes contact then rolling just a bit more until the spine is just off my skin.

To your point, if you vary your routine, just make sure you use the same light touch and low angles with the razor. Don't let one or two poor shaves convince you the razor is the problem. It may be the razor, but really focus on your technique before you blame it.

Shave on!

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Originally Posted by RMarsh

Did I doom myself by not using my usual routine?

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When we stop experimenting we stop learning.

Maybe you had a bad day, maybe not. I would try it again in a few days and see if the results are different.

I love to shoot archery. I never change anything after one bad shot.

After 2 or 3 I start wondering! :D

Yep, just had an "off" day too. Lather wasn't good, shave wasn't going good either. I stopped with my first razor and got my new shave ready Dovo Flowing from SRD and tried that. It just wasn't clicking. Lather was so bad I had to rinse bowl and brush and start over just to finish the shave. Very unsatisfying. Hope it's just a fluke. The night before was great!