Thread: Facial issues and Shaving

Can one evaluate errors in shaving technique as it relates to razor burn, razor bumps, and razor lines . For example , poor lather, or, pressing to hard etc . What causes what ?
Thanks

Could be razor is not totally shave ready. Could be pressure; angle of razor; lather not lubricating. If you have been shaving for some time I would go with razor sharpness.

The least mentioned thing is skin stretchingand holding. In my shave routine it is super important or I get nicks and rashes.
Lather, pressure, angle and sharpness are absolutely as important.

There are so many different variables that it is difficult to pinpoint a direct cause-to-effect when it comes to straight razor shaving issues... However, in my 3 years of straight razor shaving, here are the few trends that I've noticed regarding less than stellar outcomes from my morning shave.

Wheepers - Blade needs refreshing on the stones
Razor Burn - Too many passes. The only time I get a burn-free 3-pass shave is when I haven't shaved in a few days. If I've been shaving daily for a week and I try a 2-pass shave on Friday, I'll likely get light burn.
Cuts - Blade angle not shallow enough. Need to be especially careful near round parts of my face, as the angle needs to be constantly adjusted. I have more cuts on the chin and cheekbones than elsewhere.
Dry Skin - Try a different type of soap.
Razor Bumps - I always get a couple at the base of the neck, not sure how to get rid of them
Razor Lines - Not familiar with this term... What is this?

Again, there are so many variables, but this is what I noticed with my face. Someone else may have different correlations.

Hope this helps!

Your question is a very good question......... and one that I've not seen asked before.

For me..... a short, quick and very definitive partial answer is on the same line as Rezdog.

I've discovered after about 9 months of straight shaving that I can shave my neck against the grain with no irritation only is I am careful to stretch the skin quite a bit. Insufficient stretch on my neck = instant irritation with the straight.

For some reason this is not much of an issue for me with a DE or SE razor, where ATG is fine on the neck with minimal skin stretch.

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I call poor landing on my face with the razor . After the shave you see a small line. I think this is poor landing.

Originally Posted by shallard

There are so many different variables that it is difficult to pinpoint a direct cause-to-effect when it comes to straight razor shaving issues... However, in my 3 years of straight razor shaving, here are the few trends that I've noticed regarding less than stellar outcomes from my morning shave.

Wheepers - Blade needs refreshing on the stones
Razor Burn - Too many passes. The only time I get a burn-free 3-pass shave is when I haven't shaved in a few days. If I've been shaving daily for a week and I try a 2-pass shave on Friday, I'll likely get light burn.
Cuts - Blade angle not shallow enough. Need to be especially careful near round parts of my face, as the angle needs to be constantly adjusted. I have more cuts on the chin and cheekbones than elsewhere.
Dry Skin - Try a different type of soap.
Razor Bumps - I always get a couple at the base of the neck, not sure how to get rid of them
Razor Lines - Not familiar with this term... What is this?

Again, there are so many variables, but this is what I noticed with my face. Someone else may have different correlations.

Hope this helps!

Razor lines, which I've also heard referred to as "cat scratches", can occur when you've got some mirco-chipping on the blade edge. So when you shave, you'll get these scratches / lines down your face pretty much exactly in the line where the little chips are on your razors edge....I've had it happen a few times when I started honing...too many laps on the CROX or diamond can collapse part of the bevel and boom...you'll bleed and have some nice lines on your face.

Originally Posted by hasstar

I call poor landing on my face with the razor . After the shave you see a small line. I think this is poor landing.

I thought that is what you had meant. My guess is that it is from popping the razor against your skin at a wrong, too much gap, angle.
Did that at the beginning a bit and still on occasion have it happen even now.

Bob

Originally Posted by Phrank

Razor lines, which I've also heard referred to as "cat scratches", can occur when you've got some mirco-chipping on the blade edge. So when you shave, you'll get these scratches / lines down your face pretty much exactly in the line where the little chips are on your razors edge....I've had it happen a few times when I started honing...too many laps on the CROX or diamond can collapse part of the bevel and boom...you'll bleed and have some nice lines on your face.

Wow, you'd think if it left scratches on your face it would have left light scratches on the leather strop prior to shaving. Just last week had a razor that was shaving just fine suddenly leave light scratches on my leather strop. Went back and did a high number of laps on the linen strop, then back to the leather. That cured it and the shave was excellent.

Bob

I have had the odd razor line in the past.

For me this was caused by a number of issues. One was poor landing as you say for sure. Another was having the blade against my face without moving it, I then found that even the slightest lateral movement would leave a line.

I haven't had one of these for months, then I got one last week, but for a completely different reason. That reason was, I was thinking about something else instead of concentrating on what I was doing!