Thread: The wall of beard hairs

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

Jerry every time you get back into the cool group you say something like stroking another mans beard. BACK TO THE UNCOOL! Tc

No awkward deed goes unpunished when you run with the cool dogs.

Wow. That's way more than expected!

Trying to answer questions and give more context
1 - I'm facing this issue even with freshly honed razors. Both SRs I used were freshly honed. One was from Phil at ClassicEdge and the other was by gabrielcr78. Using a board strop or a firehose+leather hanging strop makes no difference. Stropping on CrOX followed by 50 laps doesn't help much either.
I use guillotine strokes with a straight for the spots I can't hit WTG.
2- My DE is a MingShi2000s. I often set it at 2 or 2.5 (I feel my shave is just NOT close when I set it at 1). Because it is an adjustable, I 'ride the cap'. I don't remember all blades I tried with it, but I don't remember any solving the problem.

For my next shave, I'll try the scything motions and update.

That ok @TC. Im getting used to the rollercoaster ride. Ha.

Consider that this is whisker reduction in passes. There are some areas I won’t touch against the grain unless I’ve already hit it twice from different angles.

Something to consider, back in the day when men routinely went to a barber for shaves barbers didn't tell their customers " sorry your beard is too tough I can't shave you without causing serious damage".

Barbers were trained not only how to use a straight but how to map out a beard and the correct way to approach the job sitting in front of them.

That is the key to doing it yourself. Not just the proper sharp razor and the correct angle to use but from what direction to approach the problem.

If you have a mild beard it's not that big an issue but if you have a wire steel beard that becomes critical.

if its not the equipment its the guy looking at you in the mirror, I say this because technique can make a razor that seems dull, become sharp. I am in the category of my beard is kinda like rebar that is grey ,grows fast and if my handling of the razor isn't spot on I don't get the results I like. for the first few months I was going thru hone guys like there was no tomorrow, every razor was dull and not cutting my beard the way I thought it should, I mean with a DE I got great shaves for 40 years.

so finally I got it down, and wen back to some of those razors and they were sharp now. long story to tell but most shaving issues are the guy wielding the blade as long as his razor is properly sharp and of decent steel, along with great stropping abilities, cause with out great stropping then you will need to hone al the time, but so far ive proved that I can get lots and lots of shaves even with the worst beard type around. maybe get with someone who is very good with a straight and let him watch you shave. might see whats wrong Tc

I do not believe that you mentioned how frequently you shave. I have a tough, fast-growing beard and seem to have difficulty if I go more than 36 hours between shaves. Normally, I try to shave within 24-32 hours.

I am not familiar with your DE razor, but all the adjustable razors I know about are safety bar/closed comb razors. I would suggest you try an open comb razor with a very sharp blade such as Feather. Some open comb razors are very aggressive, but others are no more aggressive than many safety bar razors. Open comb razors tend to be more efficient if you have a heavy beards. However, a properly honed straight razor may be your best bet.

I know you said you stropped with CrOx. If you purchased your CrOx from a reliable shaving vendor, it is probably close to 0.5 micron. If you purchased from another source, it might larger than 0.5 micron. However, for your beard, you might well benefit from even smaller pastes/sprays.

Diamond sprays and Cubic Boron Nitride pastes and sprays are available down to 0.1 micron. I have used 0.5 and 0.25 micron CBN pastes for quite a while, but a several months ago, I purchased 0.1 micron CBN spray (Ken Schwartz at CKTG). I purchased the spray out of curiosity, doubting that it would have a significant benefit relative to my 0.25 micron paste. However, I proved myself wrong. When using 0.5 micron paste followed by 0.25 micron paste followed by 0.1 micron spray, I got the best shaves of my life. The edges were very keen, yet smooth. My straight razors now slice through my beard with little resistance.

Update. I shaved after 4 days. My razor is a Merkur Futur clone. I used the blade that came with it. It is its 3rd shave and I palm strop after each shave.
Used Himalayan heights soap and cremo white preshave. The brush was my Omega pro 49.

I set the razor at the lowest setting because I wanted to focus on the angle. I shaved with scything motions. I felt the wall WTG but the motion was helping, I found. That being said, I had lather left on my neck after the first pass, which indicates a bad contact.
Did 2 passes everywhere and a third on the neck.

Overall, plenty of hairs left. Irritation but no stinging from the alum.

Originally Posted by RayClem

I do not believe that you mentioned how frequently you shave. I have a tough, fast-growing beard and seem to have difficulty if I go more than 36 hours between shaves. Normally, I try to shave within 24-32 hours.

I normally shave every ~3 days. In part because of lack of time, in part to let my skin recover from the irritation. I could give a shot to more frequent shaves.

Originally Posted by RayClem

I am not familiar with your DE razor, but all the adjustable razors I know about are safety bar/closed comb razors. I would suggest you try an open comb razor with a very sharp blade such as Feather. Some open comb razors are very aggressive, but others are no more aggressive than many safety bar razors. Open comb razors tend to be more efficient if you have a heavy beards. However, a properly honed straight razor may be your best bet.

The MingShi 2000S is a Merkur Futur clone. I also have a vintage Gilette Slim. I would like to avoid purchasing more stuff though. If I do purchase something else, I was thinking of the Double Open Comb, which is apparently great for sensitive skin.

As for straight razors, I've been giving more attention to DEs because of my difficult grain pattern that is really making it hard to shave WTG at some spots (and the time).

Meanwhile. I will give a shot with Bic and Feather blades and see what happens.

Originally Posted by RayClem

Diamond sprays and Cubic Boron Nitride pastes and sprays are available down to 0.1 micron. I have used 0.5 and 0.25 micron CBN pastes for quite a while, but a several months ago, I purchased 0.1 micron CBN spray (Ken Schwartz at CKTG). I purchased the spray out of curiosity, doubting that it would have a significant benefit relative to my 0.25 micron paste. However, I proved myself wrong. When using 0.5 micron paste followed by 0.25 micron paste followed by 0.1 micron spray, I got the best shaves of my life. The edges were very keen, yet smooth. My straight razors now slice through my beard with little resistance.

Tempting. I was thinking of doing the same thing via a super fine grit sharpening stone.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

so finally I got it down, and wen back to some of those razors and they were sharp now.

I guess I'll experience the same thing sooner or later. Its the frustration that is getting to me.

Another shave, this time 36 hours after the last one. Using Cremo on a brush with a new Bic blade. The razor is the same Futur clone at the lowest setting.

There was no 'wall' this time and the shave was satisfying. So I guess that regular shaves are gonna be necessary for me.