Thread: Help

Ok, so lately I have been getting bad shaves with my sword blades but getting an decent shave with my strights so I wasnt too worried. but for the past 2 weeks or so I have been getting totaly horrid shaves with tugging, pulling, irratation and ingrown hairs.

My usual routine is as follows, I work 2 days on 3 off so the first day I use the straight to get through the 3 days of growth, and the second follow up with a DE because its more comfortable to get that tiny ammount of stubble than the straight (and Im in the military so skipping the second day of shaving is not an option)

1st day- hot shower, rub conditioner in the beard and let it sit for about 5 mins rince, and let the how water soften my hairs, VDH is the puck in my mug for the past 2 months and has preformed well for me, later up and shave away...

2nd day- same as first day except use the DE

Poste shave is Witch Hazel and a Talc powder, has been ever since I started.

So I am sitting at work today with a torn up and irritated face wondering where am I going wrong, now even my straight is bothering me (all 3 of them) can anyone shed some light for me?

Well, usually tugging and pulling is a sure sign your straight needs to visit the hones.

I could see that for one of them but not all 3 of them especially when 2 of them have been to the stones in the past 3 months and get uesed 3-4 times a month each. but I will be sending out the W&B in a week for a good honing and rescaling.

Maybe the VDH? It's a glycerin based soap which won't have as much cushion as a tallow based soap. If you're also getting it with the DE, watch your pressure and angles, maybe it's drifted a bit, I have to recalibrate once in awhile.

I have used VDH in the past with nothing but good things to say about it, IDK its just weird that this is happening on the straight and DE side of the shave, my body could just be in a F you mode lately, but will try cahnging types of blades and soaps later this week.

Your prep sounds ok. The blade sounds like its not what it should be. Soap and creams never made the shave for me. I even used dial 3 for a buck hand soap for giggles and the shave was fine. Its all about the blade technique stropping stretching.