Thread: Shaving Irritation

Wasn't sure where to put this, but I thought I would get the most answers here...
Does anyone notice that a certain razor they use will cause more or less irritation?
Why do you think that is?

Poor Honing
Stropping
Lather
Technique
Steel
Grind
Prep

Maybe this would be a good poll?

All of the above!

If the bevel isn't set right, then it is going to be a bad shave.
Poor stropping can dull the blade or roll the edge. A rolled edge will definitely cause irritation.
Dry lather can pull moisture from your face which causes irritation. Some soaps do contain essentials oils that can also cause irritation.
Stretching the skin and correct blade angle will definitely keep you from irritating your skin.
The steel, well that could be debated hotly. I prefer Solingen steel and others prefer Sheffield steel and others prefer American steel.
I have an extra hollow that requires a lower angle when shaving. Occasionally I forget about that and the first swipe reminds me to lower the angle.
You left out beard prep. A good beard prep is essential.

No,,,, I've never had a particular razor give me irritation , while others didn't.
Either the razor gave me a close shave or it didn't,,, if it didn't, I look at the honing side of it first.

Good point added prep

I've had a couple of razors that I have never been able to get a really great shave from. A couple that I have always gotten really great shaves from. None that had caused an irritation for reasons that couldn't be explained. I think we all have had irritation here or there. In the beginning it was a combination of bad shaving technique and bad stropping. All of those were across the somewhat small razor selection I had at the time. I'm pretty sure that bad shaves following a bad nick on a strop is pretty typical.

I stopped the irritation by going from soaps to cream.

I used to have that issue but now after grinding broken glass against my skin it's become so tuff nothing irritates it.

Seriously though, if any razor causes irritation that's sure sign to me it simply isn't sharp enough.

Steel

All other things being equal. Or more precisely metallurgy which includes heat treat.
Take your pick, chippie hard edges, grain growth (giving rise to chipiness), soft substrates (retained austenite), the list goes on.

Joe

I've noticed differences in irritation depending on what hone a razor was finished on. I recently acquired some white Arkansas translucents, and have noticed that I get less redness, irritation, and weepers from the edges they give compared to the Chinese Nat that I had previously used. Indeed, I touched up some razors on the arkies that had previously been finished on the C-nats, and the same razors gave less irritating shaves.

Originally Posted by Deckard

Steel

All other things being equal. Or more precisely metallurgy which includes heat treat.
Take your pick, chippie hard edges, grain growth (giving rise to chipiness), soft substrates (retained austenite), the list goes on.

Joe

Joe that's where I'm at with it, I'm down to the steel. I know nothing about steel so most of what you said I understand, but don't understand if you know what I mean LOL
I figure a DE user selects a blade that works for them, because not all brands will be comfortable to everyone. Granted DE blades have a coating, but I figure the same might apply to a straight razors steel.