New to Safety Razor Shaving
Gentlemen,
I've been using a Merkur 34C for about 4 shaves now. I'm finding the experience intensely enjoyable, but obviously something like this requires a little finesse. I'd been using Mach 3 blades for the last 14 years, so this is quite a bit different. My skin can be rather tough I guess, and I'm blade conscious. I've used a Mach 3 with nothing but water and gotten a good shave countless times. However, I'm hitting a few bumps you might be able to help me with.
#1: Getting a good lather.
I'm using some Van Der Hagen Luxury puck soap for my lather. The first time I used way too much water, so the second time, I tried making it bone dry. There was some difference in the lather, but I didn't really feel like I was getting a thick lather still. Since then, I got a tip about face lathering working well with this soap, so I've been lathering on the face instead of in a bowl. That seems to be a little better, but it's still not very much/very thick lather. I am using a Van Der Hagen badger hair brush, if that helps (though the thing sheds like crazy. I plan on replacing it eventually).
Q: Is this typical of puck soaps? Or am I doing this wrong? Am I better off with a cream? (Taylor of Old Bond Street for example).
#2: Razor Burn.
Never in my life have I experienced razor burn. Not even once. However, I've noticed that with each shave, my face feels more and burned. I actually ran out to the store today to get an after shave balm to help calm the fire on my neck and jawline because it was pretty intense and getting visibly red. I know the angle of the shave is important, but it seems difficult for me to maintain on certain parts of the face/neck. I have a very sharp jawline, and a protruding adam's apple that are posing a few problems. After paying close attention to my growth pattern, I was able to make improvements on how clean a shave I was getting in these areas, but OH LORD THE BURNING.
Q: Am I using too much pressure while shaving? Is it incorrect angle? Too many passes? I'm being obsessive about these areas, so I think I go over each area 2-3 times on each pass. I make 3 passes. (With the Grain, Across the Grain, and Against the Grain), any tips on how to shave difficult areas that are not very flat? My cheeks/sideburns are just fine, and I don't have to worry about my chin due to a goatee/moustache, but the neck and underside of the jaw are the bane of my existence right now.
Re: New to Safety Razor Shaving
As far as lather, try a different soap or a cream perhaps. If you have a bath and body works near you, you can get the C. O. Bigelo cream for ten bucks a tube, and it's good. Also if you have a L'occitane near you. Their shave soap puck is really excellent, for ten bucks as well. Barring that, you'll likely have to order over the internet.
As far as number two. You're almost certainly using too much pressure. The cartridges pretty much train you over the years to press harder to get closer. You have to unlearn that. You'll have to make a more conscious effort to just let the razor do the work and not use any pressure.
