Thoughts after a few shaves...

[kmccoy]

Well, my Merkur HD arrived last Friday, so the long weekend gave me a few good days to kick off my DE shaving experience and be able to take my time doing so. Using the $10 Tweezerman brush I ordered a couple weeks ago and a free sample of Susie's Bubbles soap (making lather in a separate bowl) here is how it went:

Saturday, Day 1 - was a little nervous with the blade, but I took it slow, used the advice learned here (short strokes) and did pretty well. Only one real cut on the neck that bled a little. I did get some comments from the wife later that night that above & below my lips was a little "prickly". The shave was pretty rough around the lips, chin and neck. I later realized I went against the grain on the neck, that's why I got cut and it was pretty rough.

Sunday, Day 2 - definitely more confident going in and made sure to focus on more detail (aka spend a few more minutes double-checking my work). The neck still gave me problems though and I had a few more little cuts after trying to go with the grain (upward strokes). Probably due to incorrect blade angle on the upward strokes.

Monday, Day 3 & today - about the same as Day 2. Still having problems getting the neck smooth. Probably due to a combo of - not wanting to cut myself, just getting used to the angle of the razor, and all the curves and bumps along the way. I also have a birthmark (mole) in between my nose and upper lip that I am deathly afraid of cutting open, so it's somewhat rough in that area as well.

Any advice you guys have is welcome and appreciated.

[crankymoose]

what blades are you using, if you are using the Merkur's that came with it quite a few don't care for them and have poor results, try a sampler pack from westcoastshaving.com, Derby's or Crystals seem to be preferred for starters

[Chuckaluck]

you cant go wrong getting a sampler from West Coast Shaving! Derbys are very forgiving, they worked much better than the Merkurs for me. I change blades after every 4 shaves also.

[drandall]

a couple of points that bear repeating...

1) remember that you're trying to whisk the lather off the face with a very light touch. do not bear down. at first, i recommend holding the razor low, near the bottom of the handle to help keep the pressure light. a sharp blade will do the cutting. it really doesn't need any pressure. you'll just end up with razor burn and cuts

2) it's virtually impossible to have a good shave with bad prep. a hot towel on the beard for a minute or two can do wonders. i also recommend some kind of pre-shave...either hair conditioner on the beard while in the shower, or a product like proraso pre/post or trumper's skin food. an often overlooked part of the prep is also the amount of time you work the lather into your beard before shaving. give the shaving cream time to work before you start cutting. again, the softer the whisker, the easier it will be cut.

3) do not shave up against the grain at first. give your face time to toughen up a bit and get used to the razor. do 1-2 north to south passes and an side-to-side pass if you need some additional beard reduction

4) avoid any products that contain alcohol (after shaves and splashes) if you have sensitive skin or find you're getting razor burn. instead, get an alcohol-free after shave balm...something with soothing ingredients like aloe and witch hazel.

5) try some different blades. it's amazing how different they can be. derbys are popular here, so are crystals and red personnas. all of these are good matches for your merk HD.

best of luck and don't give up!

david r.

[kmccoy]

@crankymoose - I'm using the Merkur starter blade, but I ordered some Derbys so I will refill with those probably tomorrow. I noticed a little tugging this morning, so the blade is probably done after 5 or 6 days.

@drandall - I have been holding the razor at or near the very end and using almost no pressure at all, so that's not the issue. I always shower before I shave which is usually the extent of my prep, so I'll look into some preshave applications or maybe just let the soap/cream sit for a little extra time. No way I'm giving up though, I think the shaves are still as good or better than before, and that shiny razor just looks cool sitting there next to my brush.

[David P]

Actually, my sampler pack just showed up yesterday. I was going to do some searching on which I should try first, all I know is to NOT use the feather yet.
edit***OOPS, I thought this was a thread I started... the title is almost the same... pretty much the info I was hoping for though

[crankymoose]

good luck with the Derbys, let us know your progress. If your using a Merkur for 5-6 shaves that could be an issue too. I got no problem with them but they only last about 3 good shaves for me 4 at most. I did find Derbys to be more smoother hope they work for you.

[Consettmag]

Lots of great advice there and congrats on the Merkur HD, should last a lifetime.

I agree with the Derby blades they are the tops for me but no blade/razor combo is any good without good prepping, as stated.

A shower is a great way to start, the hotter the better for me. The only other bit of advice I can give whilst showering is - use a sponge! I plonk it on my face, let it soak up loads of the hot water and squeeze it every now and then, giving the face a great gush of hot water all at once, really softens those whiskers.

Another thing with the sponge is by rubbing lightly everywhere on the face ATG, cheeks, neck, it really makes all the whiskers stand to attention. Try it, you'll feel the difference. I've had noticably better shaves as the hairs seem to be more upright, almost vertical and ready for the chop as my whiskers seem to grow parallel to my skin - it's like they kinda know what's coming!! :biggrin:

Hope this helps and good luck, you'll get there. :cool:

[SMOKE]

a couple of points that bear repeating...


2) it's virtually impossible to have a good shave with bad prep. a hot towel on the beard for a minute or two can do wonders. i also recommend some kind of pre-shave...either hair conditioner on the beard while in the shower, or a product like proraso pre/post or trumper's skin food. an often overlooked part of the prep is also the amount of time you work the lather into your beard before shaving. give the shaving cream time to work before you start cutting. again, the softer the whisker, the easier it will be cut.

3) do not shave up against the grain at first. give your face time to toughen up a bit and get used to the razor. do 1-2 north to south passes and an side-to-side pass if you need some additional beard reduction

4) avoid any products that contain alcohol (after shaves and splashes) if you have sensitive skin or find you're getting razor burn. instead, get an alcohol-free after shave balm...something with soothing ingredients like aloe and witch hazel.

5) try some different blades. it's amazing how different they can be. derbys are popular here, so are crystals and red personnas. all of these are good matches for your merk HD.

best of luck and don't give up!

david r.

+1 Especially on blade selection and prep. IMO..even after a hot shower, prorasso Pre worked into your beard for about a minute, a quick wrap with a hot towel, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the difference!

Regards,