Shaving intervals

[sirplatypus]

For whatever reason, whenever I shave off a week’s worth of hair it goes fine, but whenever I attempt two days worth I invariably destroy my skin.

It’s been a while now, I’m wondering if there’s something I could use to help. The razor is a gc84, and I’m using stirling soap and astra greens. Maybe preshave oil? I always found it annoying to handle but a reddened face is worse.

 

[brucered]

It's technique and user error. Preshave oil is not necessary if you can make a quality lather using a quality soap/cream. A hot shower is all that many do, myself included.

If GC84 is an 84 blade gap, try a less aggressive razor. How many passes are you doing? 2 max for this guy. WTG/ATG. And ATG isn't even on my chin or upper lip, only WTG or XTG for me there.

Shaving more frequently will improve your skill level as well as condition your skin for more frequent shaves. At least that's what I have been lead to believe.

Every other night works for me and I skip weekends. Shaving at night will allow a bad shaves to recover before morning, if that is a concern or you work days.

 

[psfred]

I suspect too much pressure and too steep a razor angle, both of which will damage your skin.

That said, I have rhino hide for a face, only time I've gotten irritation bad enough to use aftershave or balm was with a wide open Slim and a wide blade, and when I used a straight razor the first time.

Make sure your lather is thin and very slick -- it's easy to make whipped cream lather that is too dry, leaving your skin unprotected from the edge. Slick is all that counts, I've had great shaves with the lather literally dripping off the razor while I shaved. You skin should still be slippery after the razor goes past, if it's sticky instead, add more water to your lather or use less soap. My personal rule is that if I have to rinse the lather off the razor during a pass I have too little water in the lather. It's only there to make your face slippery so the edge of the blade slides over the skin without abrading it.

Too much pressure will overcome the lubricating quality of the soap too, causing irritation, and too steep a razor angle results in the edge scraping the hair off rather than neatly cutting it, while also scraping your skin.

The longer hair of a week's worth of may indeed "cushion" your shave, plus it requires more attention I think. On top of that, your skin is all healed up from the last shave. Shaving again a couple days later may simply cause your already irritated skin to react more strongly that it would have after a week.

There are a few other much less common issues that cause irritation though -- try some plain stainless blades, occasionally someone has skin that reacts very badly to platinum coatings, giving them a red, itchy face. If that fixes the problem, don't use platinum blades.

The other unlikely but known issue is allergy to something in the soap. I greatly prefer unscented or nearly unscented soaps, and find most commercial shaving soaps to be somewhat over-scented. Try using ordinary bath soap that you like -- lather won't hold up well, but it will be slick and stay slick

 

[sirplatypus]

Thanks for the advice.
I can tell by the way it shaves that it’s not any kind of reaction but a lack of healing and cushioning. My face is unbelievably sensitive to just about anything in the book. I have tried doing just wtg/xtg, and xtg/atg, same problem. I suspect since other conditions are generally the same that the extra cushioning on top of a fully healed face is why I don’t struggle after a week, although it could be that I’m subconsciously being more hasty when there’s less growth.

My lather is kept very wet, but I also definitely have an issue with using too much pressure. Maybe I should try using my kcg on days when I recently shaved and save the aggressive razor for bigger growth. I definitely need to work on slowing myself down and not making the mistake of thinking less hair means a faster shave.

Tough to practice shaving more often because my face gets messed up easily but doesn’t necessarily heal quickly.

 

[WetShaveVet]

Good advice from @brucered and @psfred. After a week your whiskers are going to be very soft. Nearly everything will work. The Game Changers are not steep angle shavers so watch that. They work better with a traditional 30 degrees or so for a shaving angle. The .84 might be too much for your skin. Maybe something less aggressive would be better? I have shaved nearly every day for 45 years. I can't use the .84 everyday but I can use the .68 and the .72. And, figuring out the lather is a must.

After a shower I apply Crown Shaving Pre-Shave Gel to keep the whiskers soft and hydrated while I make the lather. The whiskers which are softer after a shower will dry and start to harden up again within minutes after a shower.

 

[nemo]

Shaving more frequently will improve your skill level as well as condition your skin for more frequent shaves. At least that's what I have been lead to believe.

This is true. I'm getting to shave about six times more than you although I don't need more practice.
Try doing a single pass shave every day, minimizing your irritation, and it'll also give you a chance at learning good prep.

After one week I'd look like a sloppy derelict -- I shave almost every day.

 

[sirplatypus]

I found my kcg too mild, which led me to use too many passes or press too hard so that I wouldn’t feel like a rough sponge after shaving. Maybe buying an 84 was too much. Perhaps after I’m done with this year’s gruyere I’ll look into a gc 68, and I’ll definitely mind my blade angle the next time I shave.

I will say I always feel like my palmolive lathers are slicker than my stirling puck lathers, at times I wonder whether I should give up on soaps and just stick to creams, but the scent and longevity seem too nice to leave behind.

 

[sirplatypus]

This is true. I'm getting to shave about six times more than you although I don't need more practice.
Try doing a single pass shave every day, minimizing your irritation, and it'll also give you a chance at learning good prep.

After one week I'd look like a sloppy derelict -- I shave almost every day.

This will probably come in handy, when my face heals up from this morning I’ll try that as a routine.

 

[Old Hippie]

Another factor that some of us deal with is water temperature. I really, really like lather scuttles but unfortunately warm lather tends to make irritation more likely. I might like a brush scuttle; I McGyvered one together a while back and the results were suggestive.

Because of that I don't do much in the way of prep, as it just magnifies the problem for me. Cool lather and rinse works. As a head-shaver I like to shave about every two or three days. Ideally I can keep to my normal routine of MWF shaves but lately I've been doing UHSa which interferes with other routines and makes me realize I'm maybe a little too stuck in my routines sometimes.

O.H.

 

[sirplatypus]

Another factor that some of us deal with is water temperature. I really, really like lather scuttles but unfortunately warm lather tends to make irritation more likely. I might like a brush scuttle; I McGyvered one together a while back and the results were suggestive.

Because of that I don't do much in the way of prep, as it just magnifies the problem for me. Cool lather and rinse works. As a head-shaver I like to shave about every two or three days. Ideally I can keep to my normal routine of MWF shaves but lately I've been doing UHSa which interferes with other routines and makes me realize I'm maybe a little too stuck in my routines sometimes.

O.H.

I didn’t get much of a difference when trying cold vs hot water shaves, but I would definitely believe that my angle is less than ideal and an 84 gap razor is just too much. I don’t have a scuttle, but I also live in a warm climate where the cold water isn’t really cold.

 

[Jay21]

I’ve always thought Astra SPs are a little rough. Also, I don’t think the GC 84 is overly aggressive. Ride the cap at a shallow angle with a smoother blade like a Gillette Platinum, Gillette Silver Blue, or Dorco Titan should help with irritation.

 

[dmshaver]

Welcome to B & B, enjoy!

 

[BigJ]

Great advice above!

As a daily shaver, all I can only reinforce the main message, ‘Technique is the key!’

 

[Three_Bravo]

I too have the same issue. I have an odd work schedule where the most days in a row I work is 3. The first shave is always awesome, somtetimes to the point that when I apply splash there is no burn at all. the second day can be sort of tough with some nicks. the 3rd (and rare cases 4th) days can be awful.

@psfred advice sounds logical, and it is likely something I need to work on myself with the lathering. I can whip up a large amount of lather out of almost nothing but it does seem "dry."

 

[Goblin]

How long have you been using a DE razor?

How many shaves have you had?

I suspect it may be that the razor is too aggressive for your level of technique. It seems quite possible to me that the reason your KCG didn't work out was nothing to do with the razor, but a bad shave angle, again due to an undeveloped technique.

Well, you seem to be gradually coming to similar conclusions.

The advice to shave WTG only every other day is good. Really, you need to be able to do WTG shaves every 24-48hrs without irritation, before you think about adding more passes XTG or ATG. They won't be super close shaves, but they will be close enough. Closer shaves will come as you develop your technique, but if you try and force close shaves from the start it's going to cause problems.

Map the beard again to make sure you aren't just copying someone else in respect of what is WTG - it could well be different in different parts of your face. Try going back to the KCG with Astras. Shave after showering and wash the beard in the shower - at least 2 minutes continuous exposure to water. WTG passes only. Good angle. No pressure. Short strokes.

Reference Desk and Frequently Asked Questions

Reference desk for information and frequently asked questions about wet shaving for men

www.emsplace.com

 

[The Blackadder]

I was exactly in your same position a couple of months ago. Actually, I was about to throw in the towel. Not only is my face really sensitive to bad shaves, it also reacts to a number of things. And don’t even get me started on tugging or pulling. Just a little tugging during the shave would keep me awake at night due to itching. So, after 8 months I’m just shaving comfortably. What has worked form me is the following:

- Use cold water for everything
- Check your prep routine
- Find a razor and blade match that really works and stick to it. Same goes for soaps, AS, etc
- Bowl lather. Face lathering also irritates my skin, even with really soft synthetics
- Do not allow the razor to tug. If you feel any tugging, relather the area and add more water, check the angle or change the blade
- Forget the alum
- If two passes give you irritation, do just one WTG and some touch ups, at least while your shaves improve
- Go for a less aggressive razor. I just went from the Henson ++ (which is really mild) to the mild, and the nonexistent blade feel has made a great difference

Keep at it and things will get better. I have still a lot to learn, but I’m happy I’ve made some improvements

 

[sirplatypus]

I’ve been at it since late spring of 2022, so hardly the most experienced but not a total novice either. I have the grain fully mapped, and unfortunately it’s very uneven and not easy to follow at all. My experiences with gsb and platinums were both subpar, but I found the astras work. I could always revisit blade testing since I still have my samples. The kcg was a fine razor, I just found it hard to get close with it.

As far as soaps go, I like my stirling pucks and don’t think they’re an issue. I would believe that my razor is too far out of the beginner friendly realm though. I left the kcg behind so I’ll probably get myself a gc68 once I’m in the gruyere restock period. As far as water exposure goes, on mornings I don’t shower I usually sit there with a wet wash cloth on my face for a minute or so.

I usually bowl lather, although lately I’ve been face lathering because I put a sampler puck in my old spice mug I use for the bowl. Brush is a yaqi 22.

I was also considering trying out bic chrome platinums if anyone has an opinion on those. Perhaps in the interest of experimenting I should stay out of the 2024 sabbatical….

Would love additional thoughts on anything I’ve mentioned here, but the surefire shots sound like practicing wtg only, carefully watching angle and pressure, and paying close attention to the lather. May also be worth messing with razor and blades, but my technique has never been consistent enough for me to really pin down the right blades other than knocking off the ones that I never seem to do anything right in. I mostly settled on astras from a good first two shaves and as a decent middle ground option.

 

[Goblin]

Mmm...you have been at this a while so you should have the basis of technique, although I believe it takes much longer to build this up if you only shave once a week or so. To put that in context, I usually suggest new folks should just stick with a set of gear that seems okay for 30-60 shaves before making further changes, but if you only shave weekly, that could take more than a year!

I think perhaps sharper blades (BIC, Feather, Gillette Platinum or Permasharp) in the KCG might help, plus the attention to technique of course. Also, that washcloth prep probably isn't enough unless you have fairly easy growth. Something more extensive might help.

Did we learn something from those technical posts about pre-shave prep?

I can't find the posts about beard strength and hydration and what was ideal. But, my take-away was that just water was enough (for a couple of minutes). Room-temperature was good, and so was cold water. I do still use a really *small* amount of regular soap along with some water for my...

www.badgerandblade.com

If I don't shower before a shave (which is very rarely) I wash my beard with warm water, then use warm water to face lather up a nice, sloppy, thick lather and let it sit on my face for a few minutes. Then I rinse with warm water and make more warm lather for the actual shave. It would probably be quicker to just shower, but that's not always practical. Softening them wiry whiskers is so important for comfort, closeness and avoiding irritation!

 

[sirplatypus]

Mmm...you have been at this a while so you should have the basis of technique, although I believe it takes much longer to build this up if you only shave once a week or so. To put that in context, I usually suggest new folks should just stick with a set of gear that seems okay for 30-60 shaves before making further changes, but if you only shave weekly, that could take more than a year!

I think perhaps sharper blades (BIC, Feather, Gillette Platinum or Permasharp) in the KCG might help, plus the attention to technique of course. Also, that washcloth prep probably isn't enough unless you have fairly easy growth. Something more extensive might help.

Did we learn something from those technical posts about pre-shave prep?

I can't find the posts about beard strength and hydration and what was ideal. But, my take-away was that just water was enough (for a couple of minutes). Room-temperature was good, and so was cold water. I do still use a really *small* amount of regular soap along with some water for my...

www.badgerandblade.com

If I don't shower before a shave (which is very rarely) I wash my beard with warm water, then use warm water to face lather up a nice, sloppy, thick lather and let it sit on my face for a few minutes. Then I rinse with warm water and make more warm lather for the actual shave. It would probably be quicker to just shower, but that's not always practical. Softening them wiry whiskers is so important for comfort, closeness and avoiding irritation!

Might be time for me to go back to the drawing board then. Like I said I left the kcg behind while traveling so I’ll get myself something else that’s mild, and then try the blade experiments again. I think for now what I’ll do on that front is a wtg shave every day or two and judge performance that way. Same points as before about lather and technique, but I’ll definitely aim for more extensive prep. Will hairs still soften appropriately in cold water, or will it take longer?

 

[ButterfaceX]

Yes, as stated above by so great members...technic and consistency matters immensely. Not only does consistency matter in your technic but also in your overall process (compatible hardware & software for your face). From my experience of 50 years of traditional shaving, it is never just one thing. You have to shave smart be open and try to minimize the areas that are causing the problems.
Yes, yes...technic is king. But other areas can also impact your results.
First, I think the RR GC 84 might be the wrong razor for you, if you have not be able to master it. Consider some other easier slightly less aggressive options. The Karve Outlander maybe and good one to try. Also there CB line also giving you more finite options for your face and stubble.
I have very sensitive skin with fast growing gorilla thick and dense stubble growing every which way.
So prep and during the shave steps are critical.
Pre shave steps my help, so be creative and try. Also I am not just talking about a one time prep shave. Now I have found this helps my skin and stubble.
I use my own prep shave oil mix. Hell of a lot cheaper and high quality.
After the pass, light rinse, I use a mix of aloe , gylcine and water.
These in between steps can help with a few things. Skin protection, stubble hydration, skin moisturizing and assists in skin recovery from the stress of exfoliation and irritation.
You can experiment with this, it may help.
Thanks all got for now..
Got to fly..
So you are tasked to try..
Again consistency in the process, never shave a dry area. Light smooth gliding touch.
BFX
U can do IT