Thread: Comparing DE blades to str8's

"I hate the DE blade. Ive tried to shave like 3 times and at the slightest angle, it just cuts (ATG passes). No gliding or softness here. Just tugs and almost gets "caught" on every stroke."

You shouldn't even try going ATG after only shaving with a DE 3 times. More likely then not your angles are all off and you aren't getting rid of enough stubble on your earlier passes because of that. So when you then try to go ATG you are snagging and pulling because you have too much stubble remaining.

Learning how to use a DE (or a straight) takes time. You have to get the feel for how you use the tool and also for what does and doesn't work with your face/beard. Spend a week or two shaving skipping the ATG passes totally... if you are too scruffy after the shave it is feedback that you did a bad job on your earlier passes. Work on that. After you can get consistently good shaves without the ATG pass is when you add in the ATG to shoot for BBS.

Whatever you routine with the M3 is very likely going to be wrong for the DE and the straight is another animal all together. You go in trying for ATG with the straight on your first shave and you will be sorry.

Shawn

Mind the angle of the blade. Mach 3 and the like pivot and have multiblades and are basically made for people who shave wrong.
The optimal angle is very different than a Mach 3. A Mach 3 is best 'dragged' handle first, where the handle angles close you your skin, whereas a DE razor is typically best in an angle where the handle is further from the skin, closer to perpendicular to the surface.

As for straights, IMO, they're harder to learn, but if you have a good touch, they're less likely to cut than DE. Try and get the whole edges and angles thing down first, with the DE.

Ok will try to remove more stubble in the WTG pass as that is my problem. But the truth is, a DE will cut you more than a str8 and not be as comfortable, right?

Originally Posted by shawn

"I hate the DE blade. Ive tried to shave like 3 times and at the slightest angle, it just cuts (ATG passes). No gliding or softness here. Just tugs and almost gets "caught" on every stroke."

You shouldn't even try going ATG after only shaving with a DE 3 times. More likely then not your angles are all off and you aren't getting rid of enough stubble on your earlier passes because of that. So when you then try to go ATG you are snagging and pulling because you have too much stubble remaining.

Learning how to use a DE (or a straight) takes time. You have to get the feel for how you use the tool and also for what does and doesn't work with your face/beard. Spend a week or two shaving skipping the ATG passes totally... if you are too scruffy after the shave it is feedback that you did a bad job on your earlier passes. Work on that. After you can get consistently good shaves without the ATG pass is when you add in the ATG to shoot for BBS.

Whatever you routine with the M3 is very likely going to be wrong for the DE and the straight is another animal all together. You go in trying for ATG with the straight on your first shave and you will be sorry.

Shawn

The problem with the DE could be as simple as picking the wrong blade for you. I had the same problem when I used DE's and eventually settled with Treet blue's for a great one or two shaves per blade and the best I found were Astra Superior Platinum for 3 or 4 great shaves. Also at that time I could get the Astra's for 11 cents per blade. I have used the three blades you mentioned and couldn't get a good shave from them. I also didn't like the famous feather blade. That is all behind me now because of the switch to a Straight.

bj

I wouldn't expect the best shaves for a time too. Educate yourself as much as you can, hang out here and ask questions, like you're doing. Think of this in stages. The ATG pass should not be in stage 1!

"Ok will try to remove more stubble in the WTG pass as that is my problem."

Consider doing two WTG passes as well. I tried the standard WTG,XTG then ATG with the DE but it ended up working better for my face to do WTG, WTG then XTG or ATG. If you aren't getting rid of a lot of stubble on your earlier passes you definitely need to work on that or in essence you are starting off with ATG pass which won't be comfortable.

"But the truth is, a DE will cut you more than a str8 and not be as comfortable, right?"

That is a little hard to say. I have gotten a far worse cut with the straight (my mind wondered for a second and it bit me good) then the DE but had more nicks with the DE. Part of the extra nicks with the DE was really learning how to shave properly with the DE coming from a cartridge. After learning it the nicks went away. When I went to the straight from the DE (only a couple of weeks ago) I already knew how to shave my face and just had to get the feel of the straight itself. I certainly think learning the DE before the straight was very helpful to me as moving to the straight was much easier then I thought it would be. If I had to learn how to shave with the straight coming from a cartridge I think it could have been messy.

As far as comfortable the DE was comfortable (after I found a couple of razors I really like) but the straight does seem better in this regard. Basically no tingling at all with the alum block when I'm done where I would have a little with the DE. Part of this is likely that I only need two passes with the straight to get about the same quality shave as took three on the DE. Haven't gone ATG yet but really haven't needed to either.

Shawn

Wow thats hard to believe that 2 passes not including an ATG pass is about the same as 3 passes with the DE including an ATG pass. That is pretty damn close. I couldnt imagine not going ATG.

Originally Posted by shawn

"Ok will try to remove more stubble in the WTG pass as that is my problem."

Consider doing two WTG passes as well. I tried the standard WTG,XTG then ATG with the DE but it ended up working better for my face to do WTG, WTG then XTG or ATG. If you aren't getting rid of a lot of stubble on your earlier passes you definitely need to work on that or in essence you are starting off with ATG pass which won't be comfortable.

"But the truth is, a DE will cut you more than a str8 and not be as comfortable, right?"

That is a little hard to say. I have gotten a far worse cut with the straight (my mind wondered for a second and it bit me good) then the DE but had more nicks with the DE. Part of the extra nicks with the DE was really learning how to shave properly with the DE coming from a cartridge. After learning it the nicks went away. When I went to the straight from the DE (only a couple of weeks ago) I already knew how to shave my face and just had to get the feel of the straight itself. I certainly think learning the DE before the straight was very helpful to me as moving to the straight was much easier then I thought it would be. If I had to learn how to shave with the straight coming from a cartridge I think it could have been messy.

As far as comfortable the DE was comfortable (after I found a couple of razors I really like) but the straight does seem better in this regard. Basically no tingling at all with the alum block when I'm done where I would have a little with the DE. Part of this is likely that I only need two passes with the straight to get about the same quality shave as took three on the DE. Haven't gone ATG yet but really haven't needed to either.

Shawn

"Wow thats hard to believe that 2 passes not including an ATG pass is about the same as 3 passes with the DE including an ATG pass. That is pretty damn close. I couldnt imagine not going ATG."

Not going ATG on the DE. Two WTG then XTG. Sometimes I'll do ATG after that but normally don't bother as it isn't needed.

"I couldnt imagine not going ATG."

Get better at your earlier passes.

Shawn

Originally Posted by OldFashioned

But the truth is, a DE will cut you more than a str8 and not be as comfortable, right?

Actually, for me it was opposite of that. I got maybe two or three minor nicks with a DE after a couple months use. I've already had more nicks than that after only a couple weeks of straight shaving. And I've had one really good cut on my upper lip when I wasn't paying attention. A straight will definitely bite worse than a DE, imo.