Thread: Can I be allergic to certain blades?

I have three razors, all are from Solingen Germany, and I have been getting what I think is a rash on my chin after I shave. I plan on my next razor to be a Sheffield to see if that makes a difference. I am just curious if anyone is allergic to certain razors or maybe my face just isn't used to being shaved with a straight yet.

If you have a reaction to one blade and not another it is far more likely that the edge on one razor is not as good as the other. It also takes a while for to perfect your technique.

It's more like the reaction is less or more depending on which razor I use. It's crazy, never had anything like this before I started shaving with a straight.

Hmmmm, maybe it is my technique as my chin is a tough area that I try to get BBS more and more each time I shave.

Different razors have different grinds, and different edges. Some will have a harsher edge than others, and may be less forgiving when it comes to improper technique. I have never heard of anyone being allergic to steel, so I'll say it is your specific razors having different edges. When using the ones that give burn, use as light a touch as possible, and maintain the correct angle. Also, don't hesitate to do a really thorough prep. Best of luck.

There are lots of different allergies out there, and i'm most certainly no expert in that area!
However, i would guess you are reacting to your edges, not your steel.
Proper prep, a truely shave ready edge and good technique should, IMHO, solve your problems.
Good luck

PS Nothing wrong with getting a Sheffield blade, I love mine, but I find it difficult to see this fixing your rashes.

Here is an old thread on the topic that I remembered on allergy to stainless steels. Seems the nickel might be the culprit in that case. Do a search for "allergic" and for "rash" and you'll come up with a lot of pages to sort through. Don't discount the possibility of a particular soap or cream either. BTW, years ago I went to the doctor for syptoms I was experiencing that were skin allergy related. I told him that I never had skin problems from soap and water. His reply, "Things change."

I have to say that the likelihood that your razor is causing an allergic reaction is fairly low. Because of the short amount of time that the razor is in contact with your face you would have to have fairly serious allergies to have a quick reaction.
What is more likely is that the edges aren't up to snuff, your technique isn't up to snuff OR what is also likely is that you have an incompatibility with certain types of steel. What I mean by that is that each steel offers a slightly different edge from the next. A friend here on SRP (who has shaved with nearly every type of razor) has trouble with certain steels (I can't remember which). He has just found that the edges created on this steel just doesn't agree with his skin. If this is the case it is an easy fix and an excuse to purchase a new razor (not that you need one). Plus if that wasn't the problem you can probably resell the razor for what you purchased it for (provided you actually wish to resell).

Just to remove one factor from the equation, why don't you try wiping down your blade with some iso or other disinfectant, both before and after a shave, and see what happens?

Sounds like good old fashioned razor burn , to me . I would recommend you gain more experience before you attempt the BBS shave .

If it were an allergy to the steel, I would think you wouldn't have to shave to duplicate a rash

As an experiment try rubbing the razor some place like underside of your forearm, as in a stropping action.

You may want to do a control with another razor too.

Although I too think likely the edge quality or technique