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The Angle of the Blade

So, I have been shaving with the straight for a good part of the summer, and while I have been getting better and more confident, my skin has usually been bit irritated.

Today I decided to lower my angle a bit (I have been maintaining about 30-degrees until today). I got the spine just a bit off of my face and got a much smoother shave. I did 3 passes with almost no irritation (though I am still not getting all of my chin area smooth).

Now I am questioning the exact angle to shave at, because I feel I was lower today and produced a much more comfortable and confident shave than I usually do at about 30-degrees (maybe I have been shaving at 45 or something), though probably not as close. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I had no irritation and will probably work with a lower angle for awhile.

Thanks.

edit: great, just noticed the other angle thread on the front page ><. sorry about that, it clears things up for me (especially the diagram).
 
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The diagram and angles are all just suggestions. The correct angle is the one that works best for you. However, its recommended to use as low of an angle as you can because it prolongs edge retention. Some people even shave with the spine against the skin!
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
That's interesting. I seem to need a bigger angle to cut my whiskers. I will try reducing it as my technique seems to improve!
 
The diagram and angles are all just suggestions. The correct angle is the one that works best for you. However, its recommended to use as low of an angle as you can because it prolongs edge retention. Some people even shave with the spine against the skin!

That's kind of how I take every little piece of advice given on here. They're guidelines, and darn good guidelines, but sometimes you just need to tweak things a little to find what works best for you.
 
That's interesting. I seem to need a bigger angle to cut my whiskers. I will try reducing it as my technique seems to improve!

having to use a bigger angle can also mean youre compensating for a blade thats a little dull
 
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