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So I've been str8 razor shaving with my new Feather AC for several days. I'm sure its tyocial of newbies, but I'm having a bear of a time negotiating my chin! I tread very softly with little or no pressure as others have advised, but I seem to commonly perform surgery on my chin!
Any advice?
RK
On the chin, I normally recommend taking it on in sections. Go after the section under the lower lip first as it is flat. then the two sides as this area is mainly flat. Same for the top part of the bulb of the chin. Save the rounded part for last. The key is to be able to lightly maneuver the razor keeping the cutting angle as you shave the rounded part. You can try shaving from side to side on this part as it may prove to be a little more flat taking the rounded part on from there. This ends up really being just a practice thing and it will get better as you get better at knowing your razor and getting comfortable with it.
Take your time.
Have fun.
You could also try stretching the rounded areas into flatter sections.
It is fun! So long as I don't loose too much blood!! LMFAO. I worship at the styptic alter until I improve.
Rich
I'll give that a go, Twisted. TY
Visualize the contours into smaller flat planes and adjust your strokes accordingly, this should work well if you apply the technique Lynn has suggested.
Good advice given already..I use small little baby type strokes as well and it seems to work well for me:)
All sounds like sage advice. Perhaps now I'll be less likely to slice and dice my chin. 😳😁
Thanx
Well, I changed two variables this morning. I tried Tabac soap (like) and tried a zone approach to my chin using nano-strokes. The Tabac lathered up nicely and seemed to lubricate well. As for my slightly cleft chin, no ritual blood letting. Just a couple of weepers. I'm getting there!!
Rich
That's the part that takes the longest to master. Give it a try each time you shave, but don't keep going over the same area again and again. If you can't get it to work, make note of what you think might improve it next time, then finish up with your DE / cartridge. No need to punish yourself while you're learning.
It also helps me to wet the chin with fresh lather right before shaving it. Then small, light strokes.
Excellent. I'll keep that in mind.
The chin and adams apple are always in the way
Yes, the chin is hard. I found the key was realizing you have to be really good at adjusting the angle of the razor for each area of the chin. It has to almost be instinctive which is why it's so hard for rookies. It comes with practice. It's one of those things others can give advice but the advice goes only so far. It's the putting it into practice that's the key.
I can relate to this, I have been shaving with a straight now for about eight months and I still miss the odd stragglers on my chin and neck it's that Arrrgh moment when your rinsing off and can feel a bit of stubble. Thebigspendur is so right about it being instinctive you do get a feel for it after a while, I put my errors down to bad lighting, my glasses misting up, the mirror misting up, and / or having the shakes from the pub the night before, not necessarily in that order!
I see what you all mean. I am getting a feel for the razor. Apparently it's not a matter of broad stokes, but finesse!
TYVM
I'm also fairly new to straights, I started with a normal straight where I just really couldn't get under the nose and the chin area very well. But once I moved to a feather, it just seemed easy.
For me, I keep the following things in mind...
1. Soap, soap, soap. This is probably the most critical component as it determines how smoothly and easily you can manuever the razor over your face. This also impacts irritation levels. So make sure you have a good Soap. So far I like the Col. Conk soap the best, but I'm still new and experimenting with various soaps (I have tried MWF and while it has a great lather, it's not as smooth and protective for me).
2. Sharp Blade, for a feather this isn't an issue, they are incredibly sharp assuming a new or relatively new blade.
3. Think of your face as containing "planes" (ie flat surfaces at different angles), and try to visualize these planes as you shave.
I find that I use an upward stroke from my neck to my chin, to shave the bottom. I go from my lip down to my chin for the top. Then from the sides I come from the cheek, to the tip of the chin for each side. This covers most of the chin, but I also find I can ride the chin edge from cheek to the tip of my chin as well (diff angle than the sides, almost underneath the chin).
I did find it significantly easier to do this with the Feather instead of a normal straight due to how sharp the feather blade is. Also don't try to force anything. The feather blade is so sharp that you really can't even feel it cutting the hairs. Simply run it across the area, if you need to do a second pass it's no big deal, far better to run a second pass than to cut yourself trying to force it. I'd also suggest that you do what you can with your Feather, and if you need to, simply use a regular cartridge to finish the job, this will help you get more experience using the Feather without cutting up your face, eventually you will simply get more and more with your feather until you don't need the cartridge anymore, but again no need to punish yourself trying to do it all at once with the feather. Take your time, it will come eventually.
I do still tend to use the same sweeping strokes I used with my normal straight without any problems, so I don't see the need to change to short strokes to use the feather, but do whatever method works best for you, don't feel like you must force yourself into a certain method for it to work, each person shaves differently.
I only feel the need for nano-strokes when negotiating the tip of my chin. A slight cleft doesn't help any! Neck and cheeks survive broader stokes and I am concentrating on just letting the blade do the work without any added pressure. I slip up a bit when I get cocky. There's a lesson there.
Rich