Printable View
Been shaving my head on and off for about 13 years with cartridge razors. It felt surprisingly natural. Easier than my face, with the exception of behind my ears. That said, I may try it one more time before I decide whether or not to continue with it. This time, I just had my hair cut down to a #2 and I mowed it down from there. I may cut it down to a 00000 razor (near skin bald) and then try.
Definitely not as smooth as a cartridge, but felt cool doing it! May pick up a DE and try that too
Well, did it again tonight. I think it may be the last time. No real issues, it just isn't as enjoyable as I was hoping it would be. I'm shopping for some better soap, and if I can get something slick, I may try one more time, but not with the stuff I have. VHD - cheap walmart soap. Get an okay lather but nothing great. I just got some Mama Bear's cakes in. I tried the cedarwood one tonight and couldn't get it to lather for the life of me. I ordered an unscented as well, and think I'll probably try and trade it/sell it off before bothering opening it. Not impressed. Maybe it is my water.
Anyway, I picked up 3 DE's at an antique shop. All Gillettes. Two super speeds and one Slim adjustable. I snagged all 3 because it was a good deal. Gonna clean them up, try them out and see what I like best and then sell the others. I ordered some Derby blades because of reviews I read, though I think I may find some sort of sampler pack to see what other blades I may like.
Tyson Ive been a head shaver since 99. Ive tried about everything. I don't do disposable blades on my face. But on my head the products made by the HeadBlade company is fantastic. Everything from pre to post shave. I use my same prep an wet shave technique. The results are amazing. An its pretty cheap too. Keep that dome smooth lol
Was at the local grocery store and found stuff called "slick "for shaving heads or for any kind of shaving.Its a yellow container with picture of a guys head (BLK. and white) around 6 bucks.Picked it up and used it on next shave WOW ------its great stays on your face and beard.
Yeah semper that's the shaving lotion made by headblade. Its fantastic stuff. Its all Ive used for years on my head.
I've seen the headblade, but honestly, dollar for dollar, I'd rather work with either the DE or straight. On that note, of the Gillette DE I grabbed at the antique shop, I cleaned them all up and I've decided to test them out and see which I like best. I'm testing all of them with Derby blades for consistency.
So far, I have tested one. I originally thought it to be a super speed, but it is actually a Milord from somewhere in the 1940s from what I have read online. Having never used a DE before, I can say, that was the smoothest shave, both face and head I have ever had. Effortless really. However, the straight is more forgiving on the little bumps on the back of my dome. So, needless to say, I did a little bit of bleeding. Nothing too bad though.
I'm not an every day or even every other day shaver. Maybe do my face 2-3 times a week, and my head 1-2. Next I will be testing out the Super Speed and I will report back in case anyone is interested!
I've been a head shaver since 2004. I have been using straights since 2009. I rotate between five different razors. I like the Feather Teakwood DX the best if I'm in a hurry I use a Dovo Shavette. I also use the feather ss razor and a feather artist guild razor and the dovo inbox olive wood.
I have been shaving my head for about 10yrs mostly with just M3. The last 6 months with DE, then just recently with a straight razor. I also haven't seen much of a difference between straight and DE as of yet, at least on the head. Good luck with your journey!
Thought I would update again. I tried the head with the flair tip, and I didn't care for it at all. Rough. Bled a lot. Felt unbalanced. So needless to say, I sold it.
Couple days after that, I tried the Gillette Slim adjustable. Sorely disappointed. I figured with an adjustable razor, I could find a setting that felt right. Wrong. Length and balance was good, but the shave was not. It was so bad, that I quit halfway through and finished with a straight. So, this razor has been sold.
The Milord still feels good! The straight is tolerable. Honestly, the fusion cartridge feels the best and is the easiest, but I am far too cheap to buy replacements.
I'm still hunting flea markets and yard sales looking for other vintage razors to try out. If I pick any others up, I'll give them a go on the head and let everyone know what I think!
If you keep at it with a straight razor you do eventually get a nice smooth head shave - like everything, practice leads to good results. I've found the best results come from good stretching. I know of others who've developed an against the grain pass (e.g. Birnando, I think) and get nice results too.
James.
Been following. My question concerns how to do the back of your neck using a straight?
I dye my hair and the 'fuzz' that comes up below the hair line is white and with the rest dark brown its very noticeable. I've been doing it blind, just by feel with a DE, but thought I'd give the Str8 a try. I can do the sides that I'm able to see but how are you setting up to see this area when you do your whole head???
I can only speak for me, but basically you don't see the back of your head - it's done by feel. Which is why practice and time are important when head shaving with a straight.
In your particular case I can see the problem - if you are just trimming the hairline along the neck area it's probably quite important to have it neat and straight. Maybe with practice you can do that "blind", but I seem to recall some people in the past using a double mirror setup (not sure how successfully). If you decide to try that just be careful - I've never done it but I can imagine a double reflection might get a bit confusing. Could be worth a couple of "dry runs" first to make sure you know how the reflected image corresponds to your actual hand movements.
James.
i keep my hair something like a high and tight but with a defined edge i use the double mirror method
and switch hands for each side till i meet in the center but i have been shaving my head with balding clippers
for 15 years before i started with disposable razors a year ago and straight razors the last few months so i have worked my dexterity up actually shaving my head is what gave me the push to straight razors because the multi blade disposables clogged up so much and would where out almost every time i used them.
I shave my head with a variety of straights. Definitely no clogging as with cartridges. You have to develop techniques for your specific head. They are all snow flakes, with no two alike. Stretching the skin is tough with a full head of lather so you have to plan it out. When shaving the back of the head blind it is best to bend the head down to stretch the skin on back of your head. I do cross left to right and right to left on the back because of teenage acne ridges. The top of the head can be challenge as the skin can bunch up and you risk nicks or worse. Stretching the skin on top is crucial. And if you are brave and have a good edge you can tackle against the grain passes.
If you take the time to learn to shave with and maintain a straight you will never go back to cart or DE? My DE just sits lonely in it's stand hoping for a chance to play but never seems to get in the game.
Have been shaving my head a good while now usually with what is left of my unused Gillette plastic blades until this year I chose to shave my head with my straight razor. I would have to say the first five shaves were tricky since I had to get use to shaving my head with my straight razor and it is a two handed operation. While one have holds the razor the other has to stretch the skin and feel where the uncut hair is located especially in the back of the head. In the end you get use too it like shaving one face with the straight razor I still use the fusion blades for the third clean up pass at least until the remaining run out.
I agree with you I only use a cartridge razor when I'm traveling by plane.Quote:
Originally Posted by Avenolpey
I thought I would kill two birds with one stone here, as my reply is really just a way to subscribe to this thread. I've ventured into the head shave for the first time just this week, so I want to see what people have to say, and advice given to the OP may well apply to me. I used to clip my hair from #1 through to #3 in a progression. I would always shave the back of my neck 'blind' with a DE to keep a neat hairline, so I thought I would try for a head shave this time around just for the hell of it.
I used clippers to knock it down as close as they could go before using a Merkur slant with an Astra blade to do the shave. I found the only issues I had was at the crown at the back. I just couldn't get it smooth. I had other places that felt a little patchy but they would be fixed with more practice I would think.
I don't know that I would have time to make a regular thing of head shaving. I think my practice will have to come over a longer period of time, with various hair lengths between head shaves. For the moment I'm chrome :)
Attachment 166914
Mick
You look kind of scary, but the scowl doesnt help with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by MickR
No I don't normally scowl, I took the photo on my mobile 'phone for a joke 'selfie' to put on facebook. I had the caption "I got a new haircut! You got a problem with that?! Didn't think so!" added to it. :)
Mick
I started shaving my face and head with straights a few months back. That being said I find that using three razors per day produces the best results for me. One for my face, and two for my head. Shaving my head dulls a razor in one pass so I use one for each pass to get a truly smooth shave and touch up the blades between shaves. Additional benefit is the excuse I can give SWMBO for having a 21 razor 7 day set. Just my 2 cents.
