infotech
02-22-2007, 07:30 AM
I've been DE shaving for about 60 days now. I have tried every thing under the sun to get good shaves with it. I've read SMF, B&B, got the sampler pack from LetterK, sampler pack from Scotto, and even tried a Gillette Slim Adjustable because I thought the Merkur HD might be too aggressive. I've watched Mantic's videos (great resource and taught me a lot I didn't know but should have) and read Leisure Guy's excellent blog.
After all of that I have had one great shave with the Merkur HD and a Merkur blade, and a whole lot of other mediocre shaves... That one was BBS; I didn't have a 5 o'clock shadow until 6 or 7 and was truly amazed. That shave has kept me motivated to keep going through the razor burn and bumps but it was also the beginning of the end. After that shave my neck started getting red spots, bumps after each shave and my whiskers felt tougher than normal when they grew back. Maybe that's my imagination but they just feel different when I use a DE than when I use a Mach3. Using a Merkur blade was out of the question because the redness and razor burn on my neck was terrible. When I got the blade sample pack I realized that the Derby and Gillette are my favorites but they still leave some redness and irritation on my neck. I've read that's a problem with a lot of people, even those that have been shaving for 6 months. To me that's unacceptable when I can use a Mach3 with no irritation except a couple of red bumps on my Adams apple occasionally. Still, that one shave kept me going but now I'm losing patience with it all.
I've been using my Mach3 for the week and the redness is once again going down and because of the badger brush and good shave creams I'm getting good, even shaves with two passes and my face feels good after shaving. My girlfriend even commented on how soft my face felt this morning. That’s the first time she's said something like that in weeks.
You all are going to like this next part. The mach3 blades I'm using are from the last pack I bought about a month ago. They have all been used at least three times and have been sitting in the shave drawer untouched since my last shave with one a few weeks ago. I can get three to four weeks out of one cartridge. Over the years I got into the habit of putting used cartridges back in the plastic container they come in just in case I get in a pinch and have to use one again. The point is that I can get an irritation free, even, smooth shave from a used Mach3 Turbo blade but I can't from a brand new Derby, Merkur, or Gillette DE blade. My shaves come out uneven and my neck looks like hamburger meat if I try and get it smooth. When I say uneven I mean there'll be longer whiskers on one side of my face than the other and patches of whiskers that I missed even though I happen to go over that spot two or three times. I know blade angle, blade angle, blade angle. I think I've tried every blade angle possible but the only way I can cut those whiskers is to push down ever so lightly, otherwise there are 5 or 6 growing in an E-W direction that don't get cut. Yes, my beard is pretty light there. I can count the whiskers. My beard is pretty light for the most part. I can't grow a full beard, mustache, or goatee but there's enough that I have to shave every day. I'm finally starting to get some growth on my checks but primarily whiskers grow on my neck (some spots don't have any), chin, upper lip, and side burns. Maybe the DE is too much for it.
So after all of that there are still some really good things that have come out of DE shaving. First and best is I get up earlier in the morning than I used to so my days are less rushed. Second, the brush and new creams are great. Third, I've learned a lot about shaving technique. Now I do get the close shaves I've always dreamed of using a Mach3. I know (because I had one) that a DE is capable of very close shaves but if I can't get one after three passes, touch up, and 30-45 minutes at the sink it just isn't worth it at this point.
I love the brush and creams so I'm going to stick with that every day. As for DE? I'm going to make that my Saturday Special. That's about the only day I have the time it takes to experiment with blade angle, pre-shave routines, and every thing else that goes with DE shaving. I'll also have Sunday to recover if needed.
After all of that I have had one great shave with the Merkur HD and a Merkur blade, and a whole lot of other mediocre shaves... That one was BBS; I didn't have a 5 o'clock shadow until 6 or 7 and was truly amazed. That shave has kept me motivated to keep going through the razor burn and bumps but it was also the beginning of the end. After that shave my neck started getting red spots, bumps after each shave and my whiskers felt tougher than normal when they grew back. Maybe that's my imagination but they just feel different when I use a DE than when I use a Mach3. Using a Merkur blade was out of the question because the redness and razor burn on my neck was terrible. When I got the blade sample pack I realized that the Derby and Gillette are my favorites but they still leave some redness and irritation on my neck. I've read that's a problem with a lot of people, even those that have been shaving for 6 months. To me that's unacceptable when I can use a Mach3 with no irritation except a couple of red bumps on my Adams apple occasionally. Still, that one shave kept me going but now I'm losing patience with it all.
I've been using my Mach3 for the week and the redness is once again going down and because of the badger brush and good shave creams I'm getting good, even shaves with two passes and my face feels good after shaving. My girlfriend even commented on how soft my face felt this morning. That’s the first time she's said something like that in weeks.
You all are going to like this next part. The mach3 blades I'm using are from the last pack I bought about a month ago. They have all been used at least three times and have been sitting in the shave drawer untouched since my last shave with one a few weeks ago. I can get three to four weeks out of one cartridge. Over the years I got into the habit of putting used cartridges back in the plastic container they come in just in case I get in a pinch and have to use one again. The point is that I can get an irritation free, even, smooth shave from a used Mach3 Turbo blade but I can't from a brand new Derby, Merkur, or Gillette DE blade. My shaves come out uneven and my neck looks like hamburger meat if I try and get it smooth. When I say uneven I mean there'll be longer whiskers on one side of my face than the other and patches of whiskers that I missed even though I happen to go over that spot two or three times. I know blade angle, blade angle, blade angle. I think I've tried every blade angle possible but the only way I can cut those whiskers is to push down ever so lightly, otherwise there are 5 or 6 growing in an E-W direction that don't get cut. Yes, my beard is pretty light there. I can count the whiskers. My beard is pretty light for the most part. I can't grow a full beard, mustache, or goatee but there's enough that I have to shave every day. I'm finally starting to get some growth on my checks but primarily whiskers grow on my neck (some spots don't have any), chin, upper lip, and side burns. Maybe the DE is too much for it.
So after all of that there are still some really good things that have come out of DE shaving. First and best is I get up earlier in the morning than I used to so my days are less rushed. Second, the brush and new creams are great. Third, I've learned a lot about shaving technique. Now I do get the close shaves I've always dreamed of using a Mach3. I know (because I had one) that a DE is capable of very close shaves but if I can't get one after three passes, touch up, and 30-45 minutes at the sink it just isn't worth it at this point.
I love the brush and creams so I'm going to stick with that every day. As for DE? I'm going to make that my Saturday Special. That's about the only day I have the time it takes to experiment with blade angle, pre-shave routines, and every thing else that goes with DE shaving. I'll also have Sunday to recover if needed.