Thread: New to DE and having problems

In 30 years I only ever used DEs. Before trying Str8s a year ago I was too tight to buy cartige razors. And being too myopic to see my face in the mirror over the sink I had always shaved by touch while in the shower.

These are the things I've found out over the years.

Don't use force. When you find yourself using force it is probably time to switch to a new blade. The first shave on a new blade is the most likely to nick you too (as your old blade got duller you might have been adding more and more force to get the same results).

Multiple short (light) redundant strokes are better than a 3-4 inch draw. This lets you cover the same area that is still moist multiple times and progressively shortens the hair. It helps you learn and keep the correct angle for that part of your face.

WTG/XTG/ATG really only helps IF YOU KNOW THE DIRECTION YOUR HAIRS GROW. Seriously - Chart your beard direction after about 3-4 days without a shave. My beard goes up, down and sideways in the damnedest places. I've even got a hurricane like whorl on the right side of my neck.

Hair moisturizer before shaving might actually be toughening your beard. Some moisturizes work by coating the hair to make it feel softer while others really do soften the hair. There is a wiki somewhere here or on B&B that covers this.

All I can add to the excellent advice posted so far is that it is impossible to over estimate the benefits of applying a hot moist towel to your face before you lather up. An ordinary facecloth soaked in hot water and wrung out will really help soften those stiff whiskers.

goshawk

+1 to everything mentioned here. Especially the 2-3 day beard growth it lets you clearly see the direction of the hair growth and IMO gives a very forgiving shave.

Only thing to add would be watch your wrist, as mentioned earlier the DE's have no swivel/pivot so you have to keep your wrist locked straight and use your whole arm for the strokes.