First DE shave, no injuries!

[Ashe]

Gentlemen,

One small step for mankind but a huge step for this man! I just finished my first DE shave!

Setup:
- Edwin Jagger Best Badger brush
- Merkur Classic Long Handle
- Gillette Platinum Blade (tried those first since the Swedish platinums are widely available in Europe and I can pick up large amounts in a store approx 10 min drive from here)
- Taylor of Old Bond Street - Mr Taylor
- Alum block
- Sofri Cool Moisture Concentrate cream

I must say, my lather sucked. This does not have anything to do with either the cream or the brush. I fell for the Omega synthetic vs EJ Best Badger meaning too much water in my brush while lathering up in my bowl. I am going to practice the lathering tomorrow since I am able to create perfect lather with Bodyshop cream and the Omega brush. I will master that soon.

While knowing my lather was not good I thought to myself "ah what the hell, I wanna try it". After heating the lather bowl in my sink and using the towel technique for 2 minutes (am doing this already some time and it really is both enjoyable and a very good prep) I started lathering up my face.

Once all lathered up I took my Merkur Classic Long Handle and watched the mirror closely to make sure I was keeping a proper angle. I read like a gazillion threads about letting the razor weight do the thing, holding the razor at the tip of the handle and holding an approx 30degree angle between the blade (not the razor head) and my face. I was scared about cutting or nicking myself but I must say that I don't see where all the fuss comes from. I listened carefully for the cutting noise of the beardhairs and one of the things that was in my mind at all times was not to go for the perfect first pass, but instead reduce beardhairs with each pass.

I didn't cut myself a single time and I did 3 passes (a fourth one for my chin). First two passes were with the grain and the 3rd was accross. I will most likely do more against within the next couple of weeks when I start to master the technique.

Initially I let the weight do its thing while holding the handle at the tip between my 3 fingers, but I soon realized that just a little extra pressure made it go smoother. I must admit that during the first pass it was merely taking away lather instead of cutting beardhairs but at least that pass made me a little more confident that it's not too dangerous a tool you're using, at least when you're careful.

So, after the 1st pass I heated up the lather again in my sink, lathered up again and put a very little amount of pressure while taking the razor handle a little bit more firm in my hand to have a better control. This was nothing compared to the Gillette Mach 3 I had to hold rather firm with more pressure. I let the blade slide down slowly over my right cheak and I heard the cutting sound of hairs being cut, not pulled! This was in fact a wonderful moment. I, the all time Mach 3 user, was cutting beardhairs with a classic old DE setup and it made me feel wonderful! I was still very hesitant about the jawlines, my upper lip, and right under my chin but I did it with great care and while not alot of hairs were cut, I heard some of them were bing cut and I saw my sink filling with little hairs when rinsing the razor.

3rd pass with again a little more confidence and in some smaller spots even against the grain and not a single cut.

Once this was done I rinsed my face with hot water after which I splashed cold water on it and held my alum block under cold water after which I slided it over my shaven area. It stinged in the majority of the area (meaning my shave wasn't perfect for my skin) but that was only for one minute. I then rinsed my face again with cold water after which I patted it a bit dry.

Since I don't yet have an AS balm I put some Sofri Moisturizing cream on my face and it felt great.

While my face is really not BBS I have a weird experience: the places where it's easy to become BBS with a Mach 3 gilltte (cheaks, chin etc) there's still some stubble if I feel over it. The area where I was most afraid of cuts and stubble (my neck) is actually very smooth, much better than I expected. I thought it was going to be the other way around. It also seems the head of the Merkur Classic is perfect for shaving between my nose and upper lip. It's BBS over there without irritation.

The result of my first shave was far better than I imagined: while still some stubble I managed to do multiple passes with, across and sometimes even against the grain and I don't have any razor burn or irritation. I don't have any cuts or nicks either. I think I just had a very good start and most likely I will also experience bad shaves but this first DE shave was a success according to my expectations!

For the rest I rinsed my razor, bowl and brush and put the brush upside down in its stand. Can't wait for the next shave!

[Jim]

Wonderful, Congratulations on a great first shave! I know you have been on the board long enough to know that this is the start of a great shave -give it time,now you can relax.

Well done!

[fuerein]

Congrats! It only gets better with practice so keep up the fun!

[mrob]

Congrats! Sounds like you're a pro first time out of the gate!

[htownmmm]

Way to go! :w00t:



Marty

[thatbrian]

"Initially I let the weight do its thing while holding the handle at the tip between my 3 fingers, but I soon realized that just a little extra pressure made it go smoother."

I found the same thing. When I use the weight of the razor only (I have a heavy razor) it did not cut the whiskers. I now use light pressure, especially on the first pass and I'm having much better shaves.

[Nick75]

Way to go Benjamin! I'll be having my first DE shave tomorrow :eek: (Merkur HD arrived today after I'd already shaved). I just hope mine goes as well as yours...

[jaffacake2000]

how do i know im cutting beard-hair not my skin, is it i dont let the blade touch the skin and just keep above the skin on my beard-hairs? or it can touch the skin very lightly but no scrape on it?

[Gatorade]

Nice first shave! Got the jitters out of the way. Technique will come. Focus on being acceptable in apperance and then get better as time goes on.

[gc_30286]

jaffacake2000

"how do i know im cutting beard-hair not my skin, is it i dont let the blade touch the skin and just keep above the skin on my beard-hairs? or it can touch the skin very lightly but no scrape on it? "

it can touch. just keep your skin tight (by streching it) use light pressure and the right angle and the blade will glide across your skin. its pretty wierd sometimes i think about how sharp the blade is and still wonder how i manage not to cut myself.

BTW late congrats ashe!

[Ashe]

Thank you GC! (Do you have a name? :wink:)

I'm in my second week of DE shaving and I'm still going strong. Not really BBS as compared to my Mach 3 shaves but the "after DE shave feeling" is much better than what I experienced in the past.

You will quite easily feel/hear the difference between cutting beardhairs and cutting your skin. If you're using the correct angle of blade (not razor head) vs face and if you're using good lubricating lather you'll feel the blades slide over your face and hear the popping sounds in your ears of hairs being cut (make sure you eliminate any environmental noise and don't let the water running).

Don't think you're doing a bad job when after your first pass there's still alot of stubble: A good DE shave is based on reducing hairs in an enjoyable way with each pass.

During my first pass the majority of the hairs are gone already and there's a clear difference between the hairs in my sinkwater after my first pass than is after my second or third pass).

I had one problematic area which was my chin and I'll tell you what worked for me: I used long strokes all the way in every area of my face but I find that on right above, on and below my chin, very short strokes with sufficient rinsing do the job much better than longer strokes. In my experience shorter strokes assure better angles than long strokes. My sidebums and the the middle part of my neck are shaved with longer strokes as well. The side areas of my neck are done with shorter strokes and not completely against the grain, more across the grain downwards and upwards (my beardhairs grow to the left on my left side and to the right on my right side). My skin over there is the most sensitive so I become fairly BBS not going against the grain.

Anyway, there's still alot to learn before I even think about getting it fairly under control. I'm learning new things on a daily basis and enjoy the whole ritual. :001_smile

[gc_30286]

sorry,

matthew