Thread: Question for Jimbo about head shaving

I've started shaving my head with a str8 (thx 4 the video, BTW) and I'm not nicking myself anymore, but I have two problems.

(1) Results are not uniform. It looks OK, but I can feel stubbly patches where the shave is less close than in other places.

(2) Head shaving seems to wreak havoc on the edge, so I put a very coarse edge on my very thick Allen razor & reserve that for head shaving.

Do these issues straighten themselves out with practice? I don't have either problem when shaving my face.

Do you use the same razor on your head & your face, or do you have a dedicated head razor?

Hi Johnny J,

Sorry - for some reason I missed this until now

1. Initially that does happen (did with me at least). As time progresses and you become more familiar with the contours of your head and the grain of your hair, you'll probably find the stubbly bits become less so. If you're doing a single pass shave as I do, you may end up going with a steeper angle to get a smoother shave as well. In addition, the sound the razor makes and the feel of it can help identify areas that need touching up. You can also rub your head with your hand to find those areas and go over them.

My areas were mainly on the back of my head where you can't see - being systematic and thorough can help too. I also have a little trick for the back of my head that you may have seen in the video - when I re-lather to do that part, I make sure some of the lather is reapplied on the already shaved crown area. I use it as a reference so I don't miss any areas going down the back - take straight-ish passes down the back and use the areas where the lather has been wiped off as a guide for the next pass.

Stretching is just as important on the head as it is on the face as well. You can use your hand and also move your head (chin down on your chest for the back, for example).

2. My hair certainly seems to grow thicker (on the parts I still have hair) on my head. I don't have a major issue with the edges, but I mainly shave using an 8k edge I do use a small amount of scything motion especially through the thicker hair areas. I don't have a dedicated set of razors I use for my head, but I do use two separate razors each time I shave - one for the face, and one for the head. I used to favour heavier grinds or larger razors for my head, but nowadays I don't have a preference.

Hope this helps.

James.

+1 on everything Jimbo has said, his words have turned out to be prophetic in my case. I no longer worry about my ears!

Kind regards,

OK, I'll keep at it, then. I think the edge destruction could be because I'm pressing too hard, once again. I'm not as familiar w/my head, so I don't have the same finesse as with my face. That makes sense. My face is like barbed wire; it's not possible for my head hair to be worse. Thx for the tips!

Yeah - one thing I've noticed is that my head skin is less sensitive than my face skin. There can be a temptation to use more pressure on the head because of that I guess. On the plus side though, I can get away with a slightly steeper blade angle on some parts, which can give a slightly closer shave.

One thing I can recommend - try Bruno's "aftershave test" (I think it was Bruno who coined that phrase - apologies if I'm wrong). After you've shaved your head, whack some alcohol-based AS on the dome. It's a good indicator of whether you've used too much pressure, or gone over an area too often or whatever.

James.

As a fellow head shaver (mabe we will get our own area one day) I have found the need to hone a little more often than before I started to use the straight on the head. I use the same razor for the face and head and have found I don't mind the smaller thiner grinds they seem to cut hair just as well.

Don

OK, I'm a couple more head-shaves in. Another piece of the puzzle is that I can't do a decent head-shave with too much growth, b/c the hair on my head grows denser than the hair on my face & it's like hacking through a jungle. To get that nice light touch, I have to shave my head every day. Dunno if I really want to do that (I'm not actually balding yet) but I'd like to master the skill.

The denser growth can be an issue - for me on the sides and back of the head. That's where I find good stretching, really sharp blade, and a small scything motion can help. Also shorter strokes can be useful sometimes too.

James.

+1 on everything Jimbo said. Sharp blade a must. I think this is why I might go back to the hone a little more often then face alone shavers. I am gald I do my own honing now. I would alwas have a blade out otherwise.

Don

Originally Posted by junkinduck

+1 on everything Jimbo said. Sharp blade a must. I think this is why I might go back to the hone a little more often then face alone shavers. I am gald I do my own honing now. I would always have a blade out otherwise.

Don

Yeah, this is a good point Don. I don't know about anyone else, but my head skin is far less sensitive than my face skin. It can take, and has taken in the past, a fair bit of punishment: too much pressure, overly steep angles, using not so sharp blades. Problem is that you might get away with it for a shave or two, but continued use of a dulling blade will end up cutting your head, for sure. You definitely don't want to be muscling the razor through the thicker parts of your hair, and if it feels like you are then it's time to take out the hone and get it sharp.

I have a fairly large razor rotation, which is perhaps why I don't notice my edges being effected as much as others have mentioned. I also mostly shave off an 8k stone, although I'm slowly working through my rotation using a higher grit atm.

I've also been thinking about creating more robust edges for the head - maybe the double or triple bevel idea to create a convex edge may make edges last longer. I also use a pasted hanging strop for touch ups occasionally - this can create a convex edge too, I've heard.

James.