Ok, I think I did it wrong :(

[Paul10]

I'm new to shaving with a Safety Razor and this morning tried my new Merkur HD classic. I got the lather on good (using proraso) and inserted the Merkur blade that came with it and started shaving. I made a N to S pass, a across pass and finally an upward pass. Not bad but felt I wasn't getting a close shave.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm not using much pressure, I'm doing short strokes and I think I have the angle correct.

Hmm, is there only one way to put in the blade? Maybe I have it in wrong?

Any common suggestions?

[Larry C in Texas]

Hi pmaapl,

Do you have a name you go by? As far as the shave goes, I'm only a beginner with less than 20 shaves under my belt, but I would ask about your prep? Was your beard moist, either by shower or hot towel? If your whiskers are not softened up, then you may be getting some skipping. The other thing that may be an issue is your razor angle. The 30 degree guideline is just a guideline. I need to go a little more aggressive than that to get any cutting done on my whiskers. Did you hear the whiskers being cut when you were shaving? I use that to judge if I have my angle correct. If I don't hear cutting, then I slightly increase the angle (handle tilted more toward the floor). Certainly, don't use any more pressure - that's a recipe for burn. There is only one way to put in the blade, so you have that correct. Work on angle and prep, IMHO. I'm using a Merkur HD and Israeli blades, but your setup should work great.

I'm sure the more experienced hands here will chime in, and I would certainly take their advise more than I would mine. But, those are the things I have to work on when I shave.

Good luck and welcome to B&B.

[Mr.Benn]

Merkur blades have a less than stellar reputation. It sounds like your best bet would be to order one of letterk's blade sampler packs (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2379).

[Creslin]

I wouldn't worry about really close shaves while you are just starting. Using no pressure and not going for BBS will allow you to get used to the razor as well as develop muscle memory. It's also allows great forgiveness while you are perfecting other techniques like making proper lather.

I'm real retentive so I was going for BBS fromt he outset. This caused me to develop a muscle memory that involved a bit too much pressure. That plus feather blades and not the best lather technique have made for quite a few rough weeks. I'm now paying much more attention to my pressure and my lather and not going for the BBS. The result is that this morning I got the best shave yet and the least irritation.

[Paul10]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try what you guys suggested. I know it takes practice. You know what I found helpful..watching the videos that have been on the boards: http://people.tamu.edu/~mherro/

Thanks,
paul

[Queen of Blades]

I'm new to shaving with a Safety Razor and this morning tried my new Merkur HD classic. I got the lather on good (using proraso) and inserted the Merkur blade that came with it and started shaving. I made a N to S pass, a across pass and finally an upward pass. Not bad but felt I wasn't getting a close shave.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm not using much pressure, I'm doing short strokes and I think I have the angle correct.

Hmm, is there only one way to put in the blade? Maybe I have it in wrong?

Any common suggestions?

Did you use the Merkur blade that came with the razor? It is usually suggested NOT to use that blade.

I also would suggest letterk's blade sampler.

Good luck!

[rtaylor61]

Paul

Pardon me for climbing on my soapbox, but here I go. Please, PLEASE, forget about N-S, S-N, etc. If you start at the top of our cheek and shave downward to your lower neckline (the famous N-S pass), odds are pretty good that at some point, you are shaving against the grain. Since it is the weekend, skip a day of shaving and spend some time rubbing your hands over your beard. Learn the direction in which your beard grows. Diagram it, make a chart, commit it to memory, whatever. Then, with your next shave, focus on shaving "with" the grain for your first pass. For pass #2, shave "across" the grain, and stop. Give your face time to adjust to your new tools. No, it won't be a perfect shave, but it will be a good shave. After a week or two, add the necessary "against" the grain pass. When you have learned the direction of your beard growth, each pass may consist of different directions. But armed with the "growth" knowledge, you will find that you are getting great shaves.

Best of luck, and keep asking questions!

Randy (stepping down off the soapbox)

[Paul10]

Today was better.

When I bought the razor, I also purchased a pack of feather blades so I put on of those in this morning. Before the start, I examined my beard and tried to determine with the grain vs against. I made 2 passes, one with, then one across. My 3rd pass was just to clean up based on feel.

This was much better and I got a much better shave today. However, I got a few more nicks today than yesterday. I'll be working on angle and pressure tomorrow.

Well, at least I'm progressing.

-Paul

[Tito]

Glad to hear things went better. It will take some time before you start getting stellar results.

Prep is fundamental. I like and use the hot towel method along with the Proraso P/P.

Good Luck!!!

[mrob]

Progress is the key, not perfection. Just keep at it and soon you'll be dispensing valuable advice to someone who has a problem similar to what you've encountered.:wink:

[crispy]

Those nicks were from those Feather samurai blades! :a45:

[PalmettoB]

Paul:
I finally got to see those videos, too, and even though I have been at it for about two months, I still got some good ideas there. The "practice. practice, practice" part that folks are telling you is spot on. Seems like I don't get same shave twice, but I learned not to get frustrated and try again the next morning.

In fact, I guess that is one of the great things about this whole wetshaving deal/hobby/obsession: I actually WANT to shave in the morning, and so I know I will keep learning and getting better at it.

[rtaylor61]

Paul,

Congratulations! You are on your way. Now, remember, let your face adjust to the new tools you are using. Don't get in a hurry to add that final "against" the grain pass. Wait a week. Maybe two. Being confident with what you are doing is great. Being overconfident is not. You've spent a lifetime NOT getting great shaves. Spend a few weeks working up to a great shave. Your face will appreciate it, and you will learn a plethora of shaving information by taking your time.

Randy

[Paul10]

Thanks again for all the responses. Yep, those feather blades are sharp :) Its funny, with todays shave, it was closer but not fully yet. Also, just when I think I figure out the way my beard grows, I'm wrong. That is probably one of the toughest parts - knowing the direction of the hair.

Thanks again. This is a cool board.

-p

[Keith5698]

I know for me that has been one of the trickier things (along with lather and technique :001_tongu ) My hair seems to grow in so many directions. But I'm just going to take my time, and keep learning, adjusting, and I know the payoff will be worth the effort.

[crispy]

Yea, mapping the direction of the hair on my face is pretty tricky too. It just seems to come in time. If I actually tried to draw a diagram of it, it would look like one of those football playboards with all the squiggles, arrows, x's and o's. :wink2: