Blade grab (chatter)

etown883 · 01-07-2010, 12:13 PM

Well a sort of newbie here. Been using doing the wet shave thing for about 6 months with mixed results, but have a new problem that I can't seem to fix. I notice that as of late when I make my strokes downwards, the blade seems to grab against my skin, its not cutting me, but there is a chatter as i try to make a pass. Does anyone else have this problem? current set up is a standard Merkur, Derby blades, Taylor cream and a C&E brush. Thanks for any help!

**dpmtherrien** · 01-07-2010, 12:20 PM

By what your saying it sounds like you need a different blade. Not every blade will work good for everyone. Get a good sample pack and try other blades.

I'm not sure if this is the answer for whats happening there, but its a good place to start.

**Jim** · 01-07-2010, 12:22 PM

Your lather may be suspect are you getting a good dense lather? Has your water changed or gotten harder?

**RichGem** · 01-07-2010, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by dpmtherrien

By what your saying it sounds like you need a different blade. Not every blade will work good for everyone. Get a good sample pack and try other blades.

I'm not sure if this is the answer for whats happening there, but its a good place to start.

Ditto. A blade sampler pack should be a requirement for everyone. You can get a pack from westcoastshaving.com and some other more exotic blades by a careful search of b&b (njguy and dridiot spring to mind). Derbys specifically have had qc issues, you may have gotten a bad blade or two. FWIW, avoid Merkur blades, they don't get a lot of love around here and with good reason. However, you will also find that one man's best blade is another man's rusty beer can and vice versa.

**Crawford Montizano** · 01-07-2010, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Jim

Your lather may be suspect are you getting a good dense lather? Has your water changed or gotten harder?

+ 1 Have to agree with Jim. I had this same issue when I started out as well so I worked on my lather making skills. Once I got a usable lather the "chatter" and skipping stopped and the razor glides over the skin. Have you read the sticky on lather making? Even it you are not using a soap as described, the pictures are worth a thousand words.

Happy Shaving and Welcome to B&B!

**Go West Young Man** · 01-07-2010, 12:33 PM

+1 on trying different blades. I spent months agonizing over prep and lather, then realized that something as simple as switching from Bics to IPs could solve my irritation problems.

**Augustiner** · 01-07-2010, 02:29 PM

You're getting mechanical resistance either from 1) friction or 2) blade (too dull) on whiskers (too stiff, not adequate prep to soften)

There are 2 variables to reducing shaving surface friction. Making a good, hydrated lather has already been mentioned, but this is only one of the variables and will not fully prevent blade chatter. To maximize blade glide, the razor head must also be dripping wet.

In order to decrease friction and "catching" the razor head should be DRIPPING wet with WARM water from the very first stroke when applied to your face. The razor should never contact your skin if it isn't wet with warm water. If it is wet, the blade will slide through a nice wet lather smooth as silk without catching at all.

While shaving make sure you swish your razor head out often (ideally after every 2-3 strokes) in warm water. Then leave the razor wet when you put it back to your face. You will find the blade just skates over your face as if on ice.

If this adjustment doesn't fix the problem then it indeed could be a dull blade against stiff whiskers. I used to use Derby blades and sometimes I would feel them tugging or catching just like you described and it hurt like hell. The worst for this that I tried though was the 7 a.m. blades. I couldn't believe how much they tugged at my face, those blades suck. Anyway, now I use Astra Platinums in a sledgehammer slant and it plows through my beard like a hot knife through butter with no resistance at all.