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  1. #1
    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    Default Str8-Edge Shaving & Follicle Bump Woes

    Okay, so in the title is the main problem and it can be seen immediately after the shave (ATG or aggressive XTG) or the next day. The next day is the most reliable onset of mild folliculitis. It is not ingrown hairs, not sycosis, just mild mechanically-induced follicular bumps.

    I know how people like the traditional, historic, iconic old-timer gentlemanly blah blah whatever to this. For me it is the harshest shave for my skin. I don't have much chemical sensitivity (some of the el cheapo alcohol-based aftershaves can leave me with artificial "razor" burn but many other don't) but I can easily mark up my skin, anywhere, just by roughly grazing a smoothed (i.e. not recently clipped) fingernail over the skin. I could put my jersey number on my body as one of the "skins" in a pick-up basketball game. Nothing is harsher than having a piece of sharp metal literally physically raze down terror on my columns of keratin directly, with no piece of metal in front of it to slightly push down the skin (such as in the DE safety blades).

    I've got the pre-shave prep thing goin' on, had been doing it for some time. I'm not fooling around with pre-shave oils or anything. I've read Kyle's pre-shave prep sticky at badger & blade. Had been using the traditional moist-heat towel pre-shave prep without additional B.S. successfully for a good, long time with a double edge. Funny to find out some of the strengthening hair conditioners can actually increase the resiliency of the hairs. So, we can rule out the pre-shave oil blocking the absorption of water and softening compounds of the shaving soaps and creams (don't use pre-shave oils, never have and never will). I've done a pre-hot-towel of soap washing or used two beard softening products (neuter-o-gena's (to neuter your maleness!) face-clearing face wash (salicylic acid) and Nivea's equivalent (the one with some coarse "scrubbies" for enhanced exfoliation). When I use the beard softeners I don't bother to do the soap washing because the pre-shave cleansers/softeners do a pretty good job of taking off the skin oils. So we can rule out natural oils getting in the way of the softening effects of the soap lather or cream.

    I've recently moved and because of moving all the boxes from the apartment to the truck, from the truck to the new place and in the new place to the basement I've had a surge of androgens (hormones) from all the full-body lifting that has created a resurgence of androgen-induced acne. I've used the opportunity to go full-out immersion into the world of straight-razor shaving beyond anything I'd done before (having much hotter tap water available is another source of inspiration). I'd previously only str8 shaved here and there, trying to keep alive in mind & memory what to look for, stretch for, refining technique in a discontinuous and disorderly fashion (not recommended). So now I'm really stepping up to the plate.

    In keeping with this relatively "newbitistical" return to straight-edge shaving I am reducing all variables in true scientific fashion by using my first shave-ready straight-edge, a 6/8 Dovo "Best Quality" honed by Chris Sebell I acquired from Christmas day of 2007. I had to re-hone it on my Spyderco ultra-fine synthetic sapphire (ceramic encrusted with sapphires) honing tablet. This tablet is, by hair-shaving standards, defective but there is thankfully a small region just large enough to (hopefully) swirl circles safely enough for re-honing purposes.

    I've purchased a few eBetray razors and had them professionally honed by the legendary likes of Josh Earl and the super-rupper Kenneth Rupkalvis (sp?) so I know a sharp (or at least sharp enough) razor when I feel it. I've got good, delicate hands and was made for this (honed away chips on several razors and brought 2-3 to shave-ready status myself in miserable fashion (too long a story to tell here) so could trust myself to work on a previously perfect str8). I'm not bragging, just preemptively eliminating negative variables. The Dovo is quickly and easily removing the little straggly hairs around my mouth, and it is these precise, "assassin" tasks that require a light, swift, somewhat bold touch that defines for me whether or not a razor is sharp enough to be safe. I've taken my self-honed eBay bad boys to the 8,000 grit Norton level, more old-school, and had perfectly smooth results on the most heavily bearded parts of my face (which doesn't account for much) and while those parts have fairly coarse, thick hairs I don't count well-shaven heavy parts of the face to be the success because they are much easier to stretch well and the skin lies comfortably on top of the jawbone. It is the hairs around the mouth, and the moustache (especially in the dip of the philtrum) that compels me to higher than the Norton's level of fineness. So I know what a sharp blade can do! And my re-honed Dovo is up to par (have a 10 dollar microscope per Lynn's advice from the DVD and it's looking good visually, too).

    My thing is the "razor" bumps, follicular-head bumps the day after a close shave. Anything. Mach3 (got a shave stand/drip-tray/badgerbrush/razor setup for Christmas), disposable (hot showers/sauna at the YWCA), double-edge safety razor (Weishi was the first, inherited a Gillette WWII army-issue from my father's father through father, Gillette Goldtech from a co-worker). It isn't the quality of the razor or the shave, it's the closeness. I have sensitive skin, not chemical, just sensitive to the abrading action of any shaving implement. I have no allegiances, no subconscious adoration or ill-will towards anything to enhance or sabotage the shave.

    I've done the pre-shave pre with clearing the skin of oil, moist heat treatment, shaving, and post-shave of cold rinse shock, alum block, witchhazel or skin tonic (which contains witchhazel (Kiehl's or C.O. Bigelow's traditional skin tonics)) and an aftershave balm (or not, to allow for just the witchhazel or skin tonic to work without potential interference). I have tried Clinique's after shave balm (too expensive and doesn't feel like it works well enough). ProLab series' "Ultra Razor Burn Relief" aftershave balm, two of Nivea's balms ("extra soothing" and "cooling"), Neuter-o-gena's triple protect and regular balm. I have also tried using a moisturizer, regular vaseline intensive care and organic herbal stuff and Gold Bond Ultimate, some Maui "Plumeria" moisturizing body lotion too.

    I have definently found relief from the razor burn aspect, hygiene isn't an issue (any aftershave or alcohol-containing balm takes care of that) and moisturizers aren't the solution, either. It is more mechanical action on the follicle heads. I've had the burn last an hour or two, or half a day. When the burn disappears the smoothness of the skin, with the invigorating feeling of mild tenderness (with or without the zing of an aftershave), remains. Whether the razor was at 8,000 (Norton) or 12,000 (estimate for my current Dovo finished on my highest hone) or taken to the insanely-awesome professional level of an Earl or Rupkalvis edge (lost Sebell's 30,000 pasted strop level on this Dovo). Level of fineness beyond ease of mouth-hair removal doesn't matter. Mach3/disposable/DE/str8 doesn't matter. Astringents, alum blocks, aftershaves and balms/lotions don't effect my problem. Mine is one of shave induced folliculitis.

    In addition to the mechanically-induced folliculitis I have sporadic outbreaks of the sycosis. Nodules (tiny bumps) can be called folliculitis or sycosis, but the larger bumps that could be mistaken for ingrown hairs are also sycosis. With proper second hand (non-dominant hand) pulling/stretching technique the acne and sycotic bumps don't become bleeders.

    My neck is not a problem; neck is sparsely beard and a single WTG pass is all that is required for visually clean shave. The beard along the jaw & chin is acutely angled from left-to-right (faces right) and a WTG as downwards cutting is almost a XTG. Diagonal down-left is very serviceable. Right to left is pseudo-ATG for this region. I won't even flirt with an upwards ATG because it is 1) not necessary and 2) exacerbates folliculitis too much resulting in a sloppy appearance the next day.

    The reason I bother to type this is because, in spite of the acne and sycosis from the first str8 shave, I have achieved a genuine respite from the tiny follicle bumpiness from shaving two and a half days straight (pun intended). Now they're coming back so this will officially be the third day. I took the second shave to a pseudo-ATG level of smoothness on a heavier bearded part of my jaw. No cuts or even day-after bumps! I did lighter strokes on the patch with the pseudo-ATG pass. Delighted to learn great smoothness and no bumps so with this progress I am posting.

    I am looking for any more advice possible. This also could be an anchor post to see if regular "hardcore" shaving in an aggressive direction could be the solution to the day-after bumpiness problem.

    I have good knowledge of diet/nutrition. I know about reactive hypoglycemia (the carb crash) and its concomitant jitters. I know about the effects of various common drugs like caffeine on the neurophysiology, in this case the neuromuscular system and motor neuron function. I've given myself very good str8 shaves on a few drinks of alcohol. The ease and deftness of living on the blade (cutlery) translates well to the proficiency of a straight-razor/DE shave. So that's not a problem either.

    Any advice/encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks for reading this much.

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  3. #2
    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    Default logical adjunct

    "logical adjunct"

    I guess I should also state at this time that I use the following shave creams and soaps:

    creams:

    avalon organics "peppermint"; anthony "logistics for men" unscented; kiehl's "white eagle"; Polish "Wars" and "Cussons lider"; proraso (C.O. Bigelow)

    soaps:

    mama bear's "british leather", "dragon's tears", "sage & lavender", "awakenings" (mentholicious!); wilkinson's; crabtree & evelyn's "nomad"; herban cowboy's "dusk"; several of "chelsea's soap garden" glycerin soaps; jb williams' triple-milled puck

    For clarification, I have no chemical sensitivities to any of these. I will not be using the Kiehl's cream again for something as intense as a straight-razor shave. Other than that they all seem to work well enough. My problems are too much lubrication for effective stretching with the non-razor holding hand (second hand or non-dominant hand) with some of them and the typical problem of weak (watery) lather or dense (quick drying) lather from the triple-milled williams puck. I have a dropper of food-grade glycerine but am not playing around with super or uber-lathers (don't feel a need to). Have a dropper of olive-oil and won't use that either. I'm too much of a newbie to delude myself into thinking I should mess around with quality shaving products. I will be using the acne controlling neuter-o-gena face wash more than once a day to control for the acne variable and then move on to experiment with the nivea "face scrub" as a pre-shave and and skin-maintenance protocol.

    As I said, I have just now started to see some very promising signs on a patch of heavily bearded jaw that functioned as a diagnostic test area. Very promising results. Will resume the third straight str8-razor shave with proraso (1st kiehl, 2nd proraso used as soap (brush/lather (first time!)), 3rd proraso traditional cream (fingertips, no lathering). Day 4ish coming up later today.

    I understand the prospective patch of perfection was a combination of very delicate pseudo-ATG swiping. Easier to do on the area and had perfect non-dominant stretching technique, which must have been a factor. Stretching or no the bumps inevitably spring up the next day. I think this is a test of frequency of hardcore shaving's abrasions on the skin and some issues of skin conditioning as a secondary co-factor.

  4. #3
    Senior Member northpaw's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AxelH View Post
    ...I have achieved a genuine respite from the tiny follicle bumpiness from shaving two and a half days straight (pun intended). Now they're coming back so this will officially be the third day.

    ...I am looking for any more advice
    Hmm... you say you've shaved with a straight before, and that you know what a sharp blade feels like, how to prep correctly, etc. If all that is true (not suggesting that I doubt it, just that it does require a considerable amount of experience), then it's your shaving technique. You should be able to cut the hair without abrading the skin so much. It's just a question of experimenting with different approaches until you get it right.

    However, for now, put down the razor. Give your face a day (or better, two) to rest and heal before you try to refine your technique. You're right in ascribing the bumps to mechanically induced irritation. More mechanical irritation at this point will not help.

    For what it's worth, I went through a period where I got obsessed about the point (or just underneath it) of my chin. Even after several passes, I could still feel whiskers when I ran my hand against the grain, so I'd go over it again, or add a little pressure. Pretty soon, I had some real chicken-skin there, which only made the situation worse. After eventually tiring of walking around with an irritated chin, I gave up going for perfection, only to later accidentally stumble on just the right angle and motion. It got pretty easy after that.

    My advice, in a nutshell:
    start slowly - just go for a socially acceptable shave for now
    rest your face - a day or more if irritation lingers
    stick with it

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    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by northpaw View Post
    Hmm... you say you've shaved with a straight before, and that you know what a sharp blade feels like, how to prep correctly, etc. If all that is true (not suggesting that I doubt it, just that it does require a considerable amount of experience), then it's your shaving technique. You should be able to cut the hair without abrading the skin so much. It's just a question of experimenting with different approaches until you get it right.
    Yep. Did the shave after logging off at around 2pm. Proraso cream, Kiehl's formula no. 010 (post-shave skin tonic); alum block (didn't sting as bad as the previous shave); Nivea "cooling balm. I think the Nivea's might be harsh compared to the Neutrogena ("triple protect" and "post-shave healing balm"). I'd waited so long the skin started to look a little bumpy again. This time went at a diagonal upwards motion, south to north on the right side of the chin, on the jaw. Kind of a new "move" for me. Don't remember using it before. When I was shaving just a few times a month I couldn't establish a rapport with myself. So went more aggressively. But, didn't sting as much with the alum block or AS balm.

    Quote Originally Posted by northpaw View Post
    However, for now, put down the razor. Give your face a day (or better, two) to rest and heal before you try to refine your technique. You're right in ascribing the bumps to mechanically induced irritation. More mechanical irritation at this point will not help.
    Sorry I wasn't thorough enough. I have keratosis pilarus. My regular body skin is sensitive enough to my own dead skin it clogs easily and has a little immune problem. AKA chicken skin... pores are bumpy on large regions of my body that never receives the tender caress of a loving blade. I think my skin is just more easily irritated and gets bumpy. The follicles were probably already bumpier than other people's skin, so it's easier to clip off the tops of the follicles. No bleeding, I don't have a smattering of 'lil bleeders, blood spots. After the shaves most of the coarse hair follicles just have a little bit of skin, a tiny tatter hanging by a "thread". I can actually rub off many of the little buggers (at the risk of exacerbating the next day's bumpiness).

    The thing is, my bumps had gone down (at least weren't much visible) except for a few cases (and obviously some of the nodules on the neck) and were starting back up by the time I'd gotten to the 2pm shave. I had gone from the initial shave's day-after bumpiness to a smoother appearance by the 2.5 shave. This is what I was pursuing, especially with the patch on the jaw that had been shaven closer and was very blemish/bump free (not to mention smoother).

    Quote Originally Posted by northpaw View Post
    For what it's worth, I went through a period where I got obsessed about the point (or just underneath it) of my chin. Even after several passes, I could still feel whiskers when I ran my hand against the grain, so I'd go over it again, or add a little pressure. Pretty soon, I had some real chicken-skin there, which only made the situation worse. After eventually tiring of walking around with an irritated chin, I gave up going for perfection, only to later accidentally stumble on just the right angle and motion. It got pretty easy after that.

    My advice, in a nutshell:
    start slowly - just go for a socially acceptable shave for now
    rest your face - a day or more if irritation lingers
    stick with it
    Even though I was more aggressive today than the previous shave and had some redness that seemed like a burn I went out into the cold (lower twenties, no wind) and took about a half hour outside exposure of a walk. I looked at my face about an hour in, then an hour and a half in, under fluorescent lights (indoors at those points (went to a building)). Fluorescent lights are the worst, most unflattering light.. and great for spotting every irritation of a shaven face. It was healing up pretty quick. By the time I got home, about two hours later the redness that threatened to turn into a full-fledged burn had subsided. Just minor pinks here and there so far. A little tender but not painful or anything.

    Quote Originally Posted by northpaw View Post
    "It got pretty easy after that."
    Yeah, I hope so. I squatted down, balanced on the balls of my feet at a fountain in a coy pond, casually rest my chin on a hand (which was on an elbow) and realized that, even pushing upwards on my face, the shave was smoother than most daily shaves. (not on the chin (scratchy), on the sides near the chin))

    Quote Originally Posted by northpaw View Post
    start slowly - just go for a socially acceptable shave for now
    rest your face - a day or more if irritation lingers
    stick with it
    So I'm just chasing after what was fairly smooth reuniting with the blade on consecutive days. I seem to have healed up, had a burn (redness and tenderness) for about 2 hours again (just like the first ever razor shave) and it subsided with nice afterglow. Of course, the most interesting part of this is the next day's sycosis situation. Nice shave today but waiting to see tomorrow's results. I will definently take your advice and not shave before 2pm. hell, I might as well not even think about shaving until I see what the morning brings... [shudder]

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    Wow, I'd say that you have beyond-sensitive skin. Mine is sensitive, to the point where I usually shave every other day (my job permits this), but nothing like what you describe. At all.

    You'll probably get a bunch of "it's not the equipment, it's the operator" comments, which may be true in some cases but certainly not in all. If you believe technique/prep is not an issue (too much pressure, etc) then I'd say you are just one of the unlucky few whose face just can't take the rigours of shaving. Then I'd say you might want to see a dermatologist, but I'm assuming you've taken that route already since you have stated a specific condition (keratosis pilarus).

    If your job allows it perhaps try shaving every other day, or every two days or once a week or whatever it takes. But as a daily event it doesn't sound like it's worth the pain

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    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan82 View Post
    Wow, I'd say that you have beyond-sensitive skin. Mine is sensitive, to the point where I usually shave every other day (my job permits this), but nothing like what you describe. At all.
    It pleases me to no end that my freakishness can amuse you. Let my misery and suffering delight all!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan82 View Post
    You'll probably get a bunch of "it's not the equipment, it's the operator" comments, which may be true in some cases but certainly not in all. If you believe technique/prep is not an issue (too much pressure, etc) then I'd say you are just one of the unlucky few whose face just can't take the rigours of shaving. Then I'd say you might want to see a dermatologist, but I'm assuming you've taken that route already since you have stated a specific condition (keratosis pilarus).
    Never seen a dermatologist (costs too much). Taking a soak in a chlorinated whirlpool helps relieve them, as does exfoliation with a loufah sponge. I'll settle for exfoliating my face with a trusty, rusty old razor!

    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan82 View Post
    If your job allows it perhaps try shaving every other day, or every two days or once a week or whatever it takes. But as a daily event it doesn't sound like it's worth the pain
    YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME, RYAN82!!!!

    [clears throat; self-consciously presses down and straightens clothing]

    So I obviously had more explaining to do what with the keratosis pilarus and sensitive skin that turns red very easily. I can scratch out red ascii characters on my skin and "wear" a jersey number. Bumps are very easily made, especially because of the folliculitis, which on the face is mild but exaggerated by shaving from any kind of razor.

    Part of the reason I'm excited was an improvement in perceived bumpiness after several consecutive shaves. But before tomorrow's diagnostic check-up I'd like to say..

    I think my first razor should have been under 6/8 width. I think the Dovo 6/8 full hollow was too much blade for a str8 hymen breaker of a razor. I just think that for people with relatively sparse, easily shaved faces, especially if the size of the face doesn't call for a larger blade, then the sellers, IMO, should look to sell first-time razors at 5/8ths or below. That's my opinion.

    That said.. I've got an eBetray find honed by Mr. Earl, an American-made (yeah!) Geneva 4/8ths that wowed me the first time I used it. With very little experience at straight razor shaving I stropped it (never tried shaving a newly-honed razor without stropping like some newbs like to do) and put it to my prepped face. Wow. Freakin' awesome! I was, of course being relatively inexperienced at using this archaic shaving implement, anticipating a good but difficult, prolonged shave. It went by faster than I thought. I had finished shaving before I realized it. Just so awesome. I'm definently better at a 4/8th than a 6/8th razor at this point. I had brought a W&B 5/8th wedge to old-school shave-ready status on the Nortons (8k) and given myself a very smooth shave on the easy areas, but that little Geneva blew my mind. I've also been very impressed with a 4/8th C.V. Heljestrand (Eskilstuna, Sweden) but I can't remember who honed it (Rupkalvis or Earl). Superb.

    More than a year ago I honed an eBetray find, a 6/8ths Chas M. Beach (German) #85 with wooden scales that magically warped themselves back into perfect form (!) when exposed to the humid warmer-month air of Minnesota. Even though it's on the larger side of comfort I'm eager to finally try out that square-tip spike of a 6/8th bad boy on my sensitive, poorly bearded face! Brought it up to the 12k estimate of the Spyderco ultra fine hone, a touchy, angst-ridden job keeping it in the "safe zone" of that imperfectly machined tablet. Earl volunteered to check it out and try lapping it with a diamond hone but I was hesitant to spend the money (at least for shipping) and he had moved on to other things. Some day I'd like to get that thing fixed and have all three levels of the spyderco dry hones functioning flawlessly, so I would be the only weak link in the project. At least I can refresh an edge to about 12k.

    Because of what I've read of people "dialling in" their newly honed razors I'm not going to screw with a brand new edge. From reading others I'm under the impression that even if brought to 15k or 30k the new edge isn't as smooth and forgiving on the face, even with careful, thorough stropping. I wonder how common and/or inevitable it is for a freshly honed razor to be less forgiving and more irritating for the first half dozen or so shaves.

    So I'm staying away from brand-new edges that I've made for this str8 immersion experiment. I'll have to get back to you guys on that, whether it is in newbie or honing sub-forum, on that self-honed Beach #85.

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    It sounds like you are making some nice progress and taking the time to review the details.

    Welcome to SRP!

    Pabster

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    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    Well, today's post-shave (the real post-shave situation) is a success, much like the previous day. No tatters of dead skin on the ends of those little ant hills. No sycotic big bumps, not more on the neck. A few pimples receding on the neck. Just signs of dry skin. I have combination skin and the spike in androgens from the move is over, as the non-oilyness of my face can attest.

    The only part of my face that could be "troubled" by the previous day's shave is the moustache region. Had a few small specks of blood on that area which healed up easily before the shave was over. One new pimple (white head) on the moustache whose blame is questionable on a German shaving implement. A little irritation and the classic sign of over-shaving but no tatters of dead skin, looks like a "back off" as SouthPaw's advice rings true. Won't do the moustache region today. Rest looks very good, no excessive irritation anywhere else. Looks good, actually.

    While there is a lack of the folliculitis the flat whiteness of dry dead skin is evident. Had used the acne controlling neuter-o-gena face wash before retiring yesterday night. Put some of the floral smelling Maui body moisturizer on the dry shave areas. No tenderness (feels nice) and, as people who've done the proper stretching that pulls the columns of hairs up and out a little (beyond skin at rest) know, the length of facial hairs protruding above the skin line is discernibly shorter than a quick DE safety razor shave.

    Verdict: excellent shave with a feature-length movie visual redness under fluorescent lighting conditions. Better shape than a standard, isolated Str8-shave. Continued improvement, including the right side (above the easy-to-do jawline) on the right side with the more aggressive motion which can be described as pseudo-ATG.

    Next time I'm going to put more moisturizer on my face before sleep.

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    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    Well, yesterday I didn't bother to shave at the 24-hour point (1ish, finished the shave at closer to 2 than 1:30) and logged onto the internet through a wireless router on my neighbor's computer (which is why this post is being written at 12:30pm and won't be uploaded to this site until neighbor returns to turn on her 'puter). I did a nocturnal shave!

    Lovingly stropped the sixer Dovo (she was my first ya know..) while downloading and watching various youtube videos of experienced men with superior beards proficiently shave off their scruff or beards with incredible ease and speed. My skin is definently not like theirs. They can go ATG with relative ease and what appears to me a disasterous dearth of stretching. I would pay quite a price with my ever-present folliculitis/sycosis chickenskin if I didn't make an extra effort to flatten the landscape. I'd never had a fast enough connection to view on-line videos so this was quite a treat to me. I have the fantastic combination of rough and sensitive skin. Decided to use the modified reverse grip I'd seen in several of the videos to accomplish more of the pseudo-ATG upward passes on the more difficult hairs that are steeply slanted. I was emboldened by the effectiveness and speed with which I had accomplished a difficult region of the right side of my face. Emboldened by the lack of irritation/burn and sycosis. So modified grip did indeed facilitate that area.

    I took it even closer last night. Still missed a few hairs that were facing right, steeply slanted. Insanely. It's not so much a shaving action as it is shoveling!!! I've got to find the perfect stretch to lift those f__kers. I just can't take it. I mean, the stropping, the preparation, the effort for everything overwhelms me and I want to finally take on those evil little dark hairs that persist through every shaving implement I've ever used.

    They're little lines of black on an otherwise near-perfect shave.

    Achieved a very close shave, the mustache area had no visible irritation (redness) by midnight so did the whole face again. The part of the mustache that was most irritated the previous day was as clear as the rest so decided to take it more aggressively and do a well-stretched
    XTG pass with the tip of the Dovo, short little swipes, baby steps. Well, it turned out very smooth and like the rest of my face when I woke up this morning there was NO irritation. In fact, the whole face looked smoother than it's been in a long time! Of course, if you know my skin type (rough skin, keratosis pilarus with regular, non-shaved mild sycosis and a sensitivity to mechanical abrasion/bruising) than you know it is a temporary alleviation of the mild facial keratosis. The str8 shave really doubles as an exfoliation part of a facial (the cosmetology/salon kind, not the internet kind). The bumpiness' return is inevitable. Despite the lack of irritation this morning the real diagnosis of this str8 shave (I think the fifth consecutive one) will come around the 24 hour point.

    Since I've been reading through tons of this site's many sub-forums: posts from experienced and newbie, restoration, honing, identification, re-shave/cream/soap/brush, I thought I'd get back at you by writing these lengthy posts. I forgot to use the alum block this time. Some have said it increases the redness/burn after a shave, while paradoxically reducing the tendency to form bumps. So after my last shave, which was the closest in a long time, given my apparent success in post-shave complexion, and that I was probably going to shave again before the bumps could form again.. I simply forgot to use it. Subconsciously, unfortunately but it makes sense. Used the same post-shave routine otherwise (rinse off Proraso shave cream, cold rinse, Kiehl's skin tonic no. 10 followed five minutes later with Nivea "cooling" balm, an organic herbal rich cocao butter based moisturizer before bed). I had the typical redness and tenderness, no pain. Slept on it so have no duration on the pinkitude.

    Writing this about 14 hours after the last (5th?) and most aggressive consecutive str8 shave my face feels like it could go for another right now. This is very encouraging.

    All in all the consecutive str8 shaves have been getting better, closer/smoother with less irritation than previous shaves. Especially compared to infrequent, isolated str8 shaves. One of the complicating variables (I've gathered from others, to me more conjecture because of my limited experience with consecutive str8 shaves) is the rawness of the str8 shave because of its relative youth off the hone. I did strop it well beyond the normal pre-shave stropping after the re-honing and I have a double-sided TM strop with latigo/smooth. I theorize the grippy latigo is better for taming the edge off a hone and I use it for shave-prep for about 20 laps before finishing on the smooth side. I have another strop, same double-sided paddle, smooth/smooth with 30k chromium paste on one side (haven't used the pasted side yet). It's weird, I've shaved infrequently enough to not experience the possibility of smoothness in my war against the bumps. Haven't even used the pasted side to renew the edge. One reason is because I wonder if I can go from a 12k (estimated) hone to a 30k paste (.5 micron) with any real effectiveness (I'm lacking the intermediate between that finest hone, the 1 micron paste, stupid me). I know for sure if I do have the discipline to keep using the same razor (Dovo sixer) to a point where it feels dull enough I will try refreshing it on the 30k pasted strop. I'm sure it will require less stropping/smoothing after a 30k paste than off an actual hone.

    New Question: can a razor be effectively refreshed if finished off a 12k (estimate) hone with a 30k pasted strop?

    If no one answers here I'll understand as it is not in the honing sub-forum. I'm guessing if it isn't actually taken to 30k that it can be somewhat refreshed, though may take some time (compared to a 15k paste).

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    snakyjake (03-26-2010)

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    Excited Member AxelH's Avatar
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    36 hours, no resurgence of disgusting bumps/mild-sycosis.

    Topologically clearer than it's been in a long time.

    Washed; stropped; wet and then lightly ran the alum over (read about it ina post can be used as a prep); creamed; moist/heat towel; re-creamed; shaved. I told myself to give myself a non-aggressive shave but you know how it goes. Went north-south on neck (all it takes); north-south on face (pseudo-XTG for my face); some XTG right-to-left on bearded portions and along jaw. Didn't use the aggressive reverse grip for the right side (the one problem area which isn't exhibiting the annoying sycosis during these consecutive shaves) but got a smooth, relatively thorough shave. Regular post-shave routine of cold rinse, alum, skin tonic, aftershave. Went out to expose face to Minnesota winter (20s, no wind). Came back from estimated 20 minutes exposure, applied herbal-rich cacao-based moisturizer. Looks good. Felt some tingly pain when stretching skin with funny faces outside, seems to have reduced to nothing, just tenderness, after about an hour. Face pinkness is healing up very fast now, one hour in and it's looking good. Face is getting better for sure.

    I dunno. I would have been posting a regular log of this even if I wasn't getting a qualitative improvement, but apparently the str8-razor phenomenon isn't mere romanticism regarding improved skin tone and complexion. The keratosis tendencies and combination rough/sensitive skin with weak bearding and coarse hairs is losing the fight against the might of German steel. Whoopee! (so far)

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