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Hi all,
Im new to SE (just had my 2nd shave today). I also shave my head using a DE. I would like to use a SE for both my face and head but a little nervous. I tried just above the sideburns and found the hair really thick and felt some tugging so I stopped. Anyone out there shaves their head with a SE? any tips?
Use a good quality soap, do good prep and be careful about how you move the razor.
Hmm... advice from a man who never shows his actual head. :thinking:Quote:
Originally Posted by HNSB
Yep, also go slowly while you figure out the best angles to use. Shaving behind my ears and around the back of the head were the trickiest spots to master.Quote:
Originally Posted by HNSB
Keep the styptic handy, too!
i shaved as far back and around as i could see... then i finished the back with a disposable.....
careful with razor placement......
I use a straight for my head-shaves.
I also use a DE or a Feather disposable on occasion.
The straight requires good prep, low angles, very careful placement of the blade when starting the stroke, and as mentioned, a styptic close by.
In the beginning I used a 2-mirror set-up, but nowadays I go by feel on the back of my head.
It does wear the edges a bit more than a regular shave, IMO.
Good luck.
Couple pointers.
At first you might use two mirrors, but will become comfortable doing blind in no time.
When shaving the back of the head, approach the skin spine side first, gently rotating the blade till kisses the skin, and feel the blade angle you want.
Use the razor with both hands. Some areas back there I think would be dangerous if not comfortable being ambidextrous.
As noted above, same for me, the area requiring the most attention is right behind the ears. Especially that little crevice there.
I have many more follicles per given area on my head than I do on my face. This requires shorter strokes up top than my face uses.
It will feel like learning all over again. I used to think when guys would say 'your skin needs to get conditioned to the straight razor' was just a nice way to say hang in there. It is true. Even though I also used a DE on the head for a while, when went to the straight, I had that new guy frustration of poor shaves. Even the easy area just above the side burns.
It's not entirely impossible but as described above, it's a lot of work and, for me at least a bit tedious. For straight razor quality that can easily be operated behind the back, I would recommend a SE (single edge) safety razor (i.e. Gem 1912 or Lather Catcher). While not quite as aggressive, I've also had good luck with a heavier DE (i.e. Fatboy or Slim Adjustable)
I'm probably not one to be giving advice since I'm only a week into this SE shaving thing; however, I will parrot other's comments I've seen to be applicable. Don't be afraid of the blade and remember where your ears are! I seriously forgot the latter and hacked into my ear......it took forever to stop the bleeding! My third head shave in though?.....no nicks with just a little touch up ala' disposable.
What's a SE? Do you mean a straight or one of those single edge safety razor thingys? Anyway, I suppose it doesn't matter. The most important thing is to avoid cutting yourself while at the same time removing hair. Master that, and you master shaving your head.
You cannot see the back of your head, so that is the trickiest part. Go carefully and use short quick strokes, almost like buffing (short strokes are a more controlled movement, quick strokes so your muscle memory from the previous "didn't cut you and used the correct angle" stroke is more easily retained).
Be systematic. Be careful. Relather regularly as it will probably take a while the first few times. Use the relathering as a guide to where you are up to so you don't miss any hair.
Eventually, with practice, patience, and perseverance your headshaves will reduce in time. So do not worry about that for the moment - speed comes with time. I can do my head in under 5 minutes nowadays, less if I rush.
I have a head shaving video somewhere on here that I made several years ago. Somewhere in the videos section, most likely toward the back of the queue. I think. It is not great quality, but shows one way you could approach the task, though not the only way of course. It might help, but then again it might not. But it could be worth a look if only to show it can be done relatively efficiently if you are prepared to put the time into it.
James.
Not true! HNSB's avatar used to show an unretouched photo of his head until he discovered morphing. (Or until he actually started to mutate).Quote:
Originally Posted by roughkype
I shave my head 1-2 times weekly with a straight. I use a hand held mirror + bathroom mirror to do the back. I too have found that it does dull the razor quite a bit more quickly than face shaving. On the plus side, I have found that pre-shave is not really important in noggin' shavin'.
I like 6/8' blade for the head, as there is more surface area to cover and you wont' have to wipe the blade as often as you would with a narrower blade. I usually do one WTG and one ATG pass. Consider a stroke or two on a barber hone after each shave to keep your blade extra sharp.
I like to use some witch hazel, then glycerin + water, or moisturizing aftershave after. Like mentioned above, head cuts tend to bleed pretty good, so be prepared for that.
I use a Feather non sharpen (RG or my SS model) to shave my head, no problems at all. WTG and ATG.