No irritation, but poor shave

[domingo3]

I've never had a BBS shave, but I also have never experienced razor burn. I've read some guides, including The Wanderers Guide To DE Shaving . If I follow the rules, I get a really poor shave. If I do a whole lot of passes, including many ATG, the shave is decent, but I can still feel and hear the whiskers if I rub a finger ATG. Doing so many passes, I skip re-lathering inbetween each one. Sometimes I use featherlight pressure; sometimes, just to see, I use pressure, and it doesn't seem to have any negative effect. I don't use any aftershave. From what I've read, the purpose is to soothe irritation, of which I have none, so I don't see the point.

I've taken advice from replies to my previous post and spent more time paying attention to the angle that I'm using. It does seem to help, but a single pass still gives unacceptable results. I only stop doing more passes because I'm getting tired of shaving.



I've been shaving directly after showering, then using a brush and soap or cream.

The razor is a Weishi (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PKHIDRA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and I've been using a sample pack of blades. I've used the ones the razor came with, Gilette, and Shark. Shark might be the best I've used so far, or it's just the most recent.

I don't want to dump a bunch of money into buying a collection of razors if I'm not getting any better results than a cheap disposable, but could it be that I need a more aggressive razor? Is there something else simple that I'm not doing? I was under the impression that a lot of rules were there to protect people's faces. Not that razor burn or weepers should be a goal, but if I'm not getting that even when using poor technique, what does that mean?

 

[Twelvefret]

Beard mapping to learn which direction your hair grows has really helped me.

Making lots of hydrated lather and using it also makes for a better shave.

I've gotten some Sea Breeze which has glycerin. You might consider this as an aftershave for the hydrating benefit.

You have the basics down already. Perhaps it is time to consider an inexpensive vintage single edge like the Schick or GEM type razors. The DE users who have gone over to the GEM type are plentiful. Go to the SE section and look at the Micromatic Monday thread I started.

You could pick up a GEM or Schick for less than $15 if you look. The blades will be readily available, last longer than DE blades, and are readily available.

Lastly, enjoy the ride

 

[ackvil]

If your angle is correct and you are still not getting a decent shave after numerous passes, then, by all means, get a more aggressive razor. Perhaps an adjustable razor where you can set the level of aggressiveness may be a good choice.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Congratulations. You're getting consistently comfortable shaves without skin damage, which for many people is a significant achievement it itself. By all means, go the extra step/s to creep up on the closeness.

As ackvil mentioned, an adjustable might be the next logical step, so you can fine tune the shave to get the best results. Do bear in mind that different blades might favour different settings for best results.

 

[musicman1951]

If your angle is good you probably need a different razor or blade. Blades are cheaper. You might want to try a Feather - that will tell you if you need a sharper blade for your beard.

You might look for a less than pretty Gillette adjustable razor for sale.

 

[BigJ]

Sounds like real progress to me!!

You consistently get C&C shaves with no razor burn! Many guys would be very happy with that.

If you would like to get closer shaves, then you may consider trying to upgrade your set-up, including your hardware and software.

The least expensive upgrade is to find the optimal blade for a particular razor. This involves trial and error and (in my case) working through a bunch of blade options: well worth the effort IMO! Upgrading your razor may also be worthwhile. My guess is that a more aggressive razor may be in order: so many options!! You don’t go into details on soaps, brushes, etc. Those software aspects also make a real difference. For many here, including yours truly, going through the various options is a fun experience!

In the end, you are the only person that you need to please!

 

[cw62803]

Great advice above. You can get a vintage Slim adjustable in great shape for about $25. If it doesn't work for you, you can easily sell it for what you paid. Trying a blade sampler with some good Russian blades like Gillette Silver Blue, Perma-Sharp, Gillette 7 O'clock, and Polsilver may also be worthwhile.

 

[Invicta]

I've taken advice from replies to my previous post and spent more time paying attention to the angle that I'm using. It does seem to help, but a single pass still gives unacceptable results.

A single pass won't get a very close shave but on the other hand don't chase BBS. Finding a blade that works for you can take some time so keep working through the blade samples. I find Astra SP, GSP work well but usually something from the PPI stable will be near the top of your list. Be patient and your shaves will improve.

I don't want to dump a bunch of money into buying a collection of razors if I'm not getting any better results than a cheap disposable, but could it be that I need a more aggressive razor? Is there something else simple that I'm not doing?

The Weishi is a mild razor but is still capable with the right blade. Going by your stubble description (introduction post) I think it is worth persevering with the blade sampling and improving your technique. Always shave on a lathered area and not dry and don't be tempted to use pressure; the blade does the work.

 

[ajkel64]

Some great advice above. My $0.02 worth is to try a blade sampler pack and see if this helps and maybe try a Gillette Slim as it as adjustable and try some different settings. Otherwise you could try the SE route. Schick Injectors are cheap and readily available.

 

[Warlocks]

I would try the feather blade first. In my experience they are the sharpest vs what was mentioned but not as sharp as SE. If the feather blade doesn't work I would try another razor. You sound like someone that needs a more aggressive razor. There are plenty of adjustable DE razors and adjustable SE injectors that will let you find out how aggressive you can go.

 

[Sparki]

All the above are good ideas, and I have some from my side.

- One thing that helped me a lot with my neck area is beard mapping. Have you done that?
- Have you tried to do across the grain (XTG) as the first step? For my face I and head I do XTG and then one with the grain (WTG) and I`m done. Its not BBS but its good enough for me, or I could just do one XTG and be fine. I do BBS for special occasions but not for every day, that's just my choice.
- Do you have a tendency to make longer strokes? They should be small, few centimetres (1-2inc) per move, not like in commercials that you do the whole face in one move.
- Do you stretch a skin when you are shaving?

What do you want to gain from this shaving? If you are getting the same shave as with disposals and you are fine with price, conditions, speed, convenience and whatever else you might have on the list, just go with what is more suitable for you. There is no rule that you need to shave like this or that, you are the one who is deciding

Good luck and happy shaving.

 

[Shavely Manden]

I agree with what everyone else has said, just wanted to add a few thoughts:

There really aren't "rules" to wetshaving, just guidelines to help people out in the beginning. Wetshaving is really about figuring out what works for you, and that's not necessarily going to be what works for other people. Heck, I recently saw a post from a guy who does a one-pass ATG shave and gets great results. That sure wouldn't work for me (or most people, I bet), but he found what worked for him, even if it was quite unorthodox. You might find in the end that three passes isn't enough for you...if that's a shaving routine that's comfortable and convenient for you, there's nothing wrong with that.

Also, not every shave needs to be BBS, or should be BBS, for that matter. Took me a long time to learn that...for the longest time, I thought that I needed to make every shave as close as possible. But if you can look good and feel good without necessarily getting BBS, that's enough for an everyday shave. It might be better for your face to save BBS for special occasions.

I agree that it might be time for a more aggressive razor, but you might also try sharper blades. Feathers or Polsilvers might be good ones to try.

You should probably at least try an aftershave, even if you're not getting visible irritation. You'd be surprised how good it feels to apply an aftershave balm, even if the shave looks fine. There are some good, cheap balms (Nivea For Men Sensitive is one of my favorites, and it's available cheap from most drugstores), so there's really no reason not to give one a try.

 

[domingo3]

My soap and brush are nothing special, just whatever I found on Amazon that was cheap with decent reviews. I've always been shaving after a shower, lather the soap either in my hand or on my face then apply pinching the brush to make it a bit stiffer. I've also tried a warming shave cream. I think I've got a decent handle on the beard mapping. I don't ever take really long strokes. Usually a couple of cm at a time. I've tried different skin stretching and face contortions. Pulling tight with my hands is difficult because the rest of my face is slippery and it's hard to find a place to get a grip, so I haven't done much of that. Goals for shaving? I'd like to be able ditch disposables and to get a CCS on most days and get a BBS once in a while on special occasions.

I had a couple feather blades in my sampler pack. I had used one last month. Using it again now with a little better technique, I think it is one of the better shaves I've gotten. Not unique to the feather blade, but with pretty much all of them, as I'm shaving, it sounds like running my fingernail across sandpaper, but when I reapply lather, the stubble is still there, though maybe less dense. I've read some mentions about "audible feedback", but it doesn't seem to match what others are describing. Does this point to one thing in particular, or is it just normal?

I'm interested in trying a different razor, but trying to decide what. The description of SE razor's being stiffer, sharper, and shallower angle all sound appealing to me in theory, but I know that something sounding good doesn't necessarily point to the right thing. Any ideas from more experienced folks? I haven't seen any reasonably priced new SE razors. I was thinking maybe an adjustable shick injector, but buying a vintage razor makes me a little nervous because with no experience, I wouldn't know if something from Ebay is in good working order or not. For an adjustable DE, I was thinking either the QShave new on Amazon or Gilette Slim. The Slim looks a little nicer to me, but again, the vintage makes me a little wary.

I know a lot is trial and error, but I'd rather not make this into a collector's hobby. Recommendations on if I should look at SE or a different DE? Any specific suggestions on other razors not mentioned or other things to focus on based on what I've said?

Thanks for reading all this and the help you've offered so far.

P.S. The last bit might be irrelevant, but I figure I'll mention it in case it does have bearing since it's a bit weird. About 15 years ago I tried laser hair removal in hopes that I'd never have to shave again. Obviously it didn't work out that way. It reduced the number of whiskers on my face, but I can still grow a beard - just not as thick as before. It might have gotten rid of more of the brown and left more of the reddish whiskers. I didn't have a particularly thick beard before, but getting a decent shave is probably no easier than it ever was.