Can Someone Please help me determine why these cuts occurred?

Ok, the title pretty much says it all, the cuts only happen when im going against the grain, and they all occur in a single swipe, all at the same time. The rest of the shave went pretty well though... They dont happen all the time. I Still have yet to experience a buttery smooth shave. I think this might be caused by the razor, but it is quite possibly my technique... but im pretty sure its the razor! Assuming it is the razor, can someone give me an educated guess of what is wrong with the razor? As in if you've experienced this and knew the bevel was off or something? Thanks!

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Sorry its sideways...

All too familiar I'm afraid:)
Your upper lips growth direction is more than likely in a downward direction.
That will steer the blade, when going upwards, in to your skin, resulting in too much pressure.
A very light, but super confident buffing stroke at a very shallow angle is the possible fix, that is if your skin will actually take that pass at all.
There are quite a few out there that have a skin type that simply will not allow for such a pass.

Oh, and for me, nothing is more important than a truly super-sharp razor for the fools pass;)

Haha well thanks for the input, but i most certainly did the exact same thing yesterday with no trouble, But i think my razor was a little sharper yesterday...

That looks familiar! Even now after DE shaving for over 3 years I still avoid ATG on my top lip. I thought that with a straight it would be different and to be honest some mornings it is. What makes a difference on those mornings it works I'm still trying to work out but things that are in the mix include full reduction WTG, XTG both right to left and left to right one more XTG each way across the full top lip. Now whilst doing this use the pressure of a gnat and keep the angle really.really shallow. Good prep is obvious as well but try some pre shave oil for each pass before overlaying the lather.
What's happening on your top lip is similar to the effect multi blades have the hair is forcing the blade down and pulling the follicle up causing the blade to slice into the top of the follicle holding the hair shaft. If the rest of your shave feels ok I don't think the problems with you blade, more likely technique. It took me over a year to be able to do a 4 pass shave on my neck with a DE razor solely down to angle and the lightest pressure. This helped with the switch to straight. Hope this helps

Thanks! You know ironically enough, I've never had a problem with multi blade cartridge razors, so this is definely strictly related to shaving with a straight!. Im sure it is mostly my technique, but im sure that my blade could be much sharper, (for all of the factors involved in that :P)

Ah yes but multi blade shaving requires no specific input even though it yanks those hairs right out of the follicle you as the user don't have to set any angle the razor does this for you.
Questions:-
1. What makes you think the blade is not sharp enough?
2. How long have you been using a straight
3. Have you had the blade honed by someone who knows what they are doing
4 How does it shave the rest of your face
5. what exactly is your pass routine, as when you're ATG the stubble should be almost gone before you attempt this.

I still think it's going to be technique try laying the blade completely flat on the upper lip, work with about an 1/8th of an inch move blade up and down in a kind of scrubbing movement and SLOWLY increase the blade angle a fraction at a time until it starts to remove stubble. Repeat across the top lip still just shaving a small section. Once you've completed all across the top lip at 1/8th start again at the exactly the same lower point where you've just shaved and do the same thing but this time increase the area covered by another 1/8th. Continue until you have completed the upper lip area.
One more thing if it were me I'd leave that upper lip for a couple of days at least to settle down again because where you cut will be raised until healed properly.
And finally some people use two hands to steady the blade and maintain the angle when shaving this area.

Please be careful you know what they said about the man who cut off his nose when asked how he smells a wit replied "Terrible!!"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anthony1954

Ah yes but multi blade shaving requires no specific input even though it yanks those hairs right out of the follicle you as the user don't have to set any angle the razor does this for you.
Questions:-
1. What makes you think the blade is not sharp enough?
2. How long have you been using a straight
3. Have you had the blade honed by someone who knows what they are doing
4 How does it shave the rest of your face
5. what exactly is your pass routine, as when you're ATG the stubble should be almost gone before you attempt this.

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When i was using multi blades, i would only use very sharp blades (a new cartridge lasted a few shaves...) so there wasnt any tugging in any direction really ;)
1. I will answer this in the following questions :P
2.I have been using a straight for about 5 months. I have a brand new revisor razor, and it is my first straight.
3.It has not been honed by someone who knows what they are doing, that is why I will send it out in the next week or two to a gentleman on the forums.
4. WTG passes are all pretty comfortable everywhere with the exception of my chin (more evidence of why I i think the bade is not sharp enough, as it pulls there). ATG is sometimes good, sometimes bad.
5.WTG all of my face. And when I have enough time to do some more pampering ;) I do XTG on my chin first, and the ATG everywhere.

I do like your idea, that does sound very smart! I shall try it :D I am still going to send the blade out thought to make sure its a limiting factor in my learning experience. Because lets be honest here, what do i really know> ;)

Also just to re-verify this lip cutting business does not happen every time I go ATG on my lip. Its not very consistent. Thanks!

Ok great idea to check out the blade by getting it honed by someone who knows what they are doing, that's your definitive start point. Then you'll know the razor is good. Always shave your chin and upper lip last the growth here is the toughest on your face normally. A not so sharp razor will probably shave WTG and XTG without too much trouble.
When I first started straight shaving it took forever to get the chin in particular smooth and I'd have to finish with a DE. However as the days went by it got better and better, I put this down to increased confidence better technique including angle and pressure.
Some days I still struggle with the chin!
Keep going don't get impatient and one day the perfect shave will materialize out of the blue, just remember you're learning a skill and this takes hours of practice to get right.
If it doesn't feel right stop and try and work out where you're going wrong, if you don't get an answer then stop altogether finishing with another method. Try a DE as back up this may help concentration on the right angles
One final point I hope your using a brush and soap for the lather as this will give you a far better glide than canned foam.

In my experience weepers (the colloquial term we use for tiny blood spots like in your pic) are far more common with a dull blade than with a sharp one. Keep in mind that to shave ATG comfortably and efficiently your razor needs to be optimally sharp. See how it goes when you get your razor back from a fresh hone job.

I've always thought, rightly or wrongly, that those blood spots are not the result of cuts but rather what happens when a dull razor (or a razor at the wrong angle, or skin that's not taut, or skin that has been previously traumatised, or some combination of these) tugs at or yanks the hair.

Like I said, I'm not sure that's actually correct but it's the visualisation I use when I try correcting it. Maybe thinking of it like that can help you.

James.

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

I've always thought, rightly or wrongly, that those blood spots are not the result of cuts but rather what happens when a dull razor (or a razor at the wrong angle, or skin that's not taut, or skin that has been previously traumatised, or some combination of these) tugs at or yanks the hair.

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Yes, or a toothy/jagged edge doing something similar.

I have NEVER done an ATG pass on my upper lip. I find two passes with a sharp razor are enough.

As stated above - its called the fool's pass for a reason... too dangerous for my taste.

Good luck with the technique.

Yes, I agree that those weepers look like a pretty common result of the ATG pass above the lip.

I have eventually become comfortable with my technique for the Fool's Pass, but if I have even the _slightest_ doubt about the sharpness and smoothness of my razor (or if I'm rushed or sleepy or distracted, or if the stars just don't seem aligned right), I do not even attempt it. WTG and from-the-outside-in pass above the lip is perfectly fine.