Thread: Shave Slump

It pains me to say this, but for the previous two weeks or so, I have gone through a stretch of discouraging shaves. I have had one or two good shaves in that period, but it seems that overall, these past couple of weeks have given me nothing but grief with my shaves.

I do not know if it is because my expectations have risen and I am expecting a perfect BBS shave all over? I do not know if perhaps my technique has changed and I have developed some bad habits? I do not know if it is the addition of a couple of heavier blades (grind and weight) into my rotation?

Whatever it is, I have not been 100% happy with my results lately. I am not getting bad shaves by any means, just not as close and comfortable as I am accustomed to.

Anyway, I know that athletes, writers, artists, etc. all go through slumps. Maybe I am just in a little shave slump right now.

My plan is to take a few days off from straights and turn to my DE. This should give my mind and my skin a rest and hopefully I can return to form after a few days.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Hmm, I've never heard of shave slumps before. The only thing I can think of is you are doing something different. Maybe you are losing focus or are distracted. Maybe a head thing.

Maybe the razor is not as sharp as it could be? Few passes on a barber hone and good stropping might help? Or maybe the stropping has gotten a little sloppy and you've rolled an edge a little?

As my technique becomes less and less a variable, and as I more and more shave with razors I've honed myself, I'm attending more to the blade as the variable.

Just a thought anyhow, ignore or heed as you find helpful!

I go through that all the time! :P

Even today I just went WTG and had a great shave...and then I cut my thumb Styptic pencil hurt a lot and it still didn't stop bleeding. I mean, come on! I week of mediocre shaves and then the one day I get a good shave, I get cut.

the easiest way to solve this is to go buy more stuff.

Originally Posted by volleykinginnc

the easiest way to solve this is to go buy more stuff.

Ha! That is exactly what I was thinking!!!

I am browsing Rasurper.de as we speak!

Yeah this kind of thing happens. Happens to me when I don't shave as often for extended periods... so for me it could be a 'form/technique slump'.

I recommend a 3 day break... nothing invigorates more than whisking away 3 days worth of growth with a shave ready razor followed by a very hot towel then a generous splash of Bay Rum. Always does the trick for me. I wish you great shaves.

I used to get shaving slumps often within the first few months of straight shaving. I narrowed it down to a couple of possibilities:

1) Razor is now dull
2) I forgot how to shave the way I was to get great results
3) I keep changing my razor rotation too much

Turns out the last one was my problem. I kept switching razors on a daily basis and I wasn't used to a different razor every day. I stopped and stuck with one razor for about three months...problem solved.

Are you using different blades often?

Fbones24,

I really sympathize with you !

I suffer from these slumps now and again

The first was a stropping slump about a year into straight shaving, caused by my grip on the razor tang changing a whole 1/8 of an inch - you wouldn't credit it !

I am now, thankfully, coming out of a honing slump

The only slump, touch wood, I haven't had is with the actual shave !

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Sounds to me like its probably a dulling razor, or sloppy technique from being complacent. I just say this because these are the sources of my own slumps.