My thoughts: Lots of growth = uncomfortable. Period.

So I have come to the conclusion that I think is pretty obvious due to my thread title- When straight shaving with lots of growth, it will be uncomfortable. Now I don't shave very often, maybe twice a week, but I have had a few times recently that I went for longer. Over a week without shaving at least. On all of these occasions I then lopped it all off with a straight and got less than comfortable shaves. I think this is just how it goes. My beard isn't even that heavy or rough I'd say. I think that the smoothness and comfort of the shave has a direct link with how much growth you are actually shaving. This last shave did it for me- no more letting it go for that long. It was just very uncomfortable. I even used two different razors with similar results so I knew it wasn't the blade. It seemed that all the cut hair got in the way of cutting the rest by staying on the blade or face. I don't know for sure. So I went for a second pass which was much better except for the irritation from the first. Regardless I got a close shave in the end, but shaving off over a week's growth in one pass really told me to never do that again lol.

+1>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I'm glad you posted this. I've never yet let my beard grow longer than 3 days so I can't say how 7 days works for me or doesn't. Interestingly, I find a 2 or even 3 day beard growth gives me a more satisfying and sometimes even more comfortable than my daily shaves. Maybe my face, (like muscles, if given a day or two of rest between workouts) feels better during a shave?:shrug: My daily shaves are almost always irritation free.

Chris L

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Originally Posted by Chris L

I'm glad you posted this. I've never yet let my beard grow longer than 3 days so I can't say how 7 days works for me or doesn't. Interestingly, I find a 2 or even 3 day beard growth gives me a more satisfying and sometimes even more comfortable than my daily shaves. Maybe my face, (like muscles, if given a day or two of rest between workouts) feels better during a shave?:shrug: My daily shaves are almost always irritation free.

Chris L

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Everyday BBS=skin gets some irritation from going ATG everyday

2-3 days= awesome, fresh skin shave

4 or more days=pulling and discomfort on the first pass

This is a perfect example of YMMV, I found that after a week of hard work, and no shaves, that I got one of the easiest, most comfortable shaves, ever, when I decided to be civilized again...In fact this morning's shave was a 3 day growth, and BAM a nice smooth BBS shave, I normally shave everyday but every now and then I will get a slightly irritated face, and yes I take 100% of the blame on those days for not going with very, very, light strokes.....

I have to agree with sixgun. YMMV on this subject. Some of my best shaves follow a three or four day weekend. After seven days, I almost always get an effortless BBS shave. However, I am always cognizant of the need to use a really light touch.

A good test of the shave worthiness of your razor is when you shave after a 2 or 3 day hiatus from shaving is your shave comfortable and close or do you get pulling or any discomfort at all. if the answer is your shave is not as comfortable as you like or maybe I should just say the razor should act like a hot knife through butter then you know your razor needs attention or possible your shaving technique needs it.

I am a plodder along, an occupier of the rut, an expensive (read not free) thinker who converted from bearded to smooth face after about 35 years of really long stubble. Things tend to be black or white for me, unlike those in my Human Resources office for whom everything is painted in shades of gray - the door, it's never open nor is it closed. I encourage my painters to use all the colors in the fan deck, except gray.

Back to shaving: since my conversion after all that time in fuzz, I have shaved daily. I grew a beard every day, there is no reason I can't work at ungrowing it every day. Not to mention that I think stubble makes one look unkempt and I still have to go to work daily and it would be my luck that HR probably would view my gray to be for the first time not to their taste in hues.

Maybe when I get to retire I'll practice stubble; in the meanwhile the Mastro thanks me, Le Grelot (rasurpur.de) thanks me, Classic Shaving thanks me, Vintage Blades thanks me, Tim Zowada thanks me... without so many thanking me, I may have been able to retire to increased stubbleness earlier.

Strop, suds, shave; strop, suds, shave...all above, you're welcome.:nj

I sometimes go a week without shaving if it's a nasty week and I'm just sleeping and working. never had a problem shaving it off; I can feel a bit more pull when I'm shaving, but if it's a sharp razor it isn't a big deal for me.

Glen and all the rest- I am saying that my uncomfortable shaves come after maybe 10-14 days growth. I mean long hairs and lots of 'em. I think there may be a threshold for comfort and that each of us has a different threshold. I do in fact get perfectly comfortable shaves after 3, even 5 days or so. This is why I used two different razors Nelson, because they were both in fact very well honed. So I just think that I can get optimal shaves up until maybe 10 days growth and then the comfort declines, some people may have different thresholds, but this is what I've consistently experienced.

I find I get terribly uncomfortable shaves when I try it every day, if I do it every 3 or 4 days, usually the result is very good. However, today's shave of about 1.5weeks growth was very unpleasant, I too needed to grab another razor to finish the job and it too struggled.
I think more than a weeks growth is pushing it for most blades, so I shall not be letting my growth get too long again.

That's the only reason that I keep my old Braun electric around. The slide-up trimmer will knock a weeks worth of growth down to a manageable 'two-day' growth in no time.

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Originally Posted by kelbro

That's the only reason that I keep my old Braun electric around. The slide-up trimmer will knock a weeks worth of growth down to a manageable 'two-day' growth in no time.

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Same here. I use an electric trimmer when the beard is longer. I believe the issue is that longer whiskers will prevent soaking down to the skin when applying lather.

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Originally Posted by Philadelph

Glen and all the rest- I am saying that my uncomfortable shaves come after maybe 10-14 days growth. I mean long hairs and lots of 'em. I think there may be a threshold for comfort and that each of us has a different threshold. I do in fact get perfectly comfortable shaves after 3, even 5 days or so. This is why I used two different razors Nelson, because they were both in fact very well honed. So I just think that I can get optimal shaves up until maybe 10 days growth and then the comfort declines, some people may have different thresholds, but this is what I've consistently experienced.

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Notice I said 3-4 day Hiatus from shaving not 10-14. I would imagine 10-14 would be a challenge that would require a different approach. Personally, about 4 days is the most I've ever gone.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Notice I said 3-4 day Hiatus from shaving not 10-14. I would imagine 10-14 would be a challenge that would require a different approach. Personally, about 4 days is the most I've ever gone.

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Like clippers? ;):D

Jordan

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Originally Posted by Chris L

I'm glad you posted this. I've never yet let my beard grow longer than 3 days so I can't say how 7 days works for me or doesn't. Interestingly, I find a 2 or even 3 day beard growth gives me a more satisfying and sometimes even more comfortable than my daily shaves. Maybe my face, (like muscles, if given a day or two of rest between workouts) feels better during a shave?:shrug: My daily shaves are almost always irritation free.

Chris L

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I agree with this. Recently I have gone on fishing/camping trips and acquired at least 4-5 days of growth between shaves and it feels smoover than an everyday shave. Right now I only shave every other day, without any probs/irritation.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Notice I said 3-4 day Hiatus from shaving not 10-14. I would imagine 10-14 would be a challenge that would require a different approach. Personally, about 4 days is the most I've ever gone.

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Obviously everyone's beard doesn't grow at the same rate. I can get away with looking "neat" for about a day and a half maybe two days max. However, I am pretty much a slob so I rarely shave more frequently than every other day and that is more than usual. Typically, because I am currently out of work and wallowing in self pity, I shave maybe twice a week. I know some guys who after ten hours look like I do after two days. Conversely, I know some guys who can go for days and hardly have a scruff. I maintain that the difficulty with shaving a week's growth as opposed to a day's growth is not that the longer whiskers are any harder but that they form a better water resistant layer thereby preventing the saturation of the beard with lather(water). If you use a stiffer brush and work it in all directions to ensure getting the lather down to your skin it will likely help. Or... you can just not be so lazy and follow the advice of the late great Benny Bell:
"Shaving cream, be nice and clean
Shave everyday and you'll always look keen"

I like to give my facial skin a day of recovery so I don't shave on Sundays...

Dan

I started a poll about this. Feel free to have a look...

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...out-shave.html

OK here's my take on it.

With a full hollow you're more likely to have a rough shave with a 14 day beard.

I know that with 3-4 days growth (I have a euro background) my shaves are a hell of a lot worse with a full hollow than with a stiffer grind. That said, if I shave every day and make sure I pay 100% attention to what I'm doing, I end up with the best results and smoothest skin.

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Originally Posted by keljian

With a full hollow you're more likely to have a rough shave with a 14 day beard.

I know that with 3-4 days growth (I have a euro background) my shaves are a hell of a lot worse with a full hollow than with a stiffer grind.

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Somebody knowledgeable please correct me, but weren't razors like meat choppers initially created to get rid of beards? At least that's what I was told once, and to me it makes sense. +2 on stiffer grinds for shaving stiff/heavy beard growth.

I mostly shave every day with no problem. On long weekends I will go 3-4 days without a shave and I think I get my best shave after the longer period. I just pull out my W&B 7/8 wedge and mow it down, no fuss no muss.:roflmao

Is there an argument to say what people may percieve as a better shave is actually just a more noticeable difference between beard and no beard? :shrug:

I shave BBS every day with no problem.

However, I have waited a couple three days in between on a rare occasion and have gotten really stellar shaves.

I don't dare go for a week or more between shaves. Work wouldn't permit it.

Anymore than 4 days I'd have to mow the growth down with clippers. I shave everyday and really need to,2 days and I look ragged:w. With Str8's I find it an absolute pleasure and actually look forward to shave.

With a 2-3 day growth, I'll go with a stiffer blade, my DOVO Bismarck or other large hollow ground blades are just too flexible and would not be an easy shave.

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Originally Posted by dward

I like to give my facial skin a day of recovery so I don't shave on Sundays...

Dan

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Firstly I'm a newbie to the straight but I love it.
I'm ex-army having joined as a boy soldier at 16. Having to shave every day without fail or face the wroth of some Senior NCO. As a result of this, the weekends are my days off so out of principle I dont shave however I do enjoy my Sunday evening shave with a couple of days of growth. It is a BBS, beautiful (I walk around the house for the next half hour feeling impressed with how good). It does tug a bit but its a good result in the end.