What's new

One Year Update...

I have just used the Feather, and well they aren't the less forgiving ones
But
They do a GREAT job, slice the hair like butter, works great, and I believe you can really get a fine shave with out any burns or cuts or nicks with them after a while of getting used to :thumbup1:
 
I'm starting to wonder if perhaps I made an enemy on this forum after the "kiss my face" shave cream recommendation lol.

That had to be the worst shave I've ever had with that stuff :scared:

It didn't soften my beard at all, when I moved the blade across my skin, it jumped/skipped like crazy.

You've heard that commercial for Servpro, their motto "Like it never even happened." Well, KMF should be "Like you never even shaved"

I haven't changed the blades yet, but even with the crappy blades, the Proraso was a billion zillion times better than KMF. So now I'm back to square one. I don't think better blades would improve the KMF experience all that much, if any.
 
I want to echo the better blades sentiment, while I have never used the blades everyone here raves about I have noticed a major difference from store brand blades to better quality. I perfer WS.

I would add the biggest thing that helped my irritation was adding witch hazel or an alum substitute to my post shave.
Major improvement- no more ingrowns, no more bumps, white heads, etc.
 
Witch hazel is like seabreeze right? What do you add it to? Doesn't that have alcohol in it?

Witch hazel (pure witch hazel) is a plant extract used to soothe inflamed or itchy skin. It has a mildly unpleasant odour which doesn't last long. You don't need to add anything to it. I found one sold with an atomizer, I find it a really nice way to apply it. It sprays on evenly across my skin.

Thayer's Witch Hazel has a version with alcohol added, I think, which is maybe where you are thinking witch hazel is mixed with alcohol. But you can go to any largish health food store (one that sells personal beauty products) and find witch hazel pure without any trace of alcohol in it.
 
My heart goes out to you. Really. let me see if i can add my 2c to the mix. You've got a great razor. You're using great soap. Proraso, whether tube or soap, is great, and combining the two is fabulous. I'll assume that you're mixing a good lather, because you'd have mentioned it if you weren't. Certainly it's hard not to get a great lather with Proraso. you might consider adding the Proraso Pre/Post to your routine.
given the foregoing, there are two more variables: Blades and technique. Drugstore blades are likely not the premium sort. Now here's the thing: I use Feather blades, and they work well for me. Last week I found a box of Merkur blades, slipped one into my HD, and lo and behold--irritation. The next day, put a Feather blade in, and no irritation. I can use a Feather blade in any of my razors: my 3 Merkurs (HD, Futur, Slant--aka "the devil's razor" ) and get a fabulous, irritation free shave. Slip in a Merkur blade, and those old memories come flooding back in a hurry. My guess--the Merkur blade isn't as sharp as the Feather, so I have to work a bit harder with it, and that means I may be applying excessive pressure.
The second item is technique. When I first resumed shaving with a DE last June, after a hiatus of 30 years trying every new cartridge gimmick to come down the pike, I experienced irritation on my neck. I turned to the forum for help, and was told that I was probably applying too much pressure. Of course, they were wrong, because I knew that I was going as lightly as I could. But, they were right. I gradually learned to find the proper angle and to apply zero pressure to the blade. And here's the thing: zero pressure means precisely that. I want you to imagine the razor suspended in mid-air, with no hand attached to it, sliding down your face at the proper angle, moving downward solely due to the force of gravity. that's zero pressure. Now--attach your hand to the razor's handle. The purpose of your hand will be to hold the razor at the correct angle. It will not--repeat--not--push the razor against your skin. Not even the tiniest amount. The razor will descend solely of its own accord, with your hand controlling the angle and nothing else. That's what we mean by zero pressure. Once I got that part figured out, the irritation magically disappeared.
this has got to be tough for you--having been at it a year, and still encountering irritation. My advice--be patient with yourself--work to achieve zero pressure. Yes--it can be done. I was such a know-it-all at first, and knew they were all wrong, but I gradually learned what they meant by zero pressure. If you're not applying any pressure to your skin, there's no way the blade can irritate it.
Here's what you'll do next. Make one zero pressure pass. Then feel your skin. You will notice that you didn't get a smooth shave. That's the whole idea. Now rinse with warm water, grab your brush and re-lather. Shave again. This time it will be closer. but again, with zero pressure there should be no irritation. At this point, you're probably not ready for against the grain, or across the grain, or BBS. Just practice with the grain strokes, making two or three passes. Each successive pass will reduce your beard slightly, until your face is relatively smooth. (remember--with a DE, it's multiple passes, not increased pressure.) Do it for a week. Then try ATG, XG, building up gradually as you become more confident of your technique. In time you'll find yourself in the zone. It's a remarkable feeling. You're in the zone when you've finished shaving, there's nothing left to shave, and you're disappointed because you can't find a single additional hair to cut. You have to wait 24 hours and that really bugs you.
After the shave is equally important, and here you'll have to experiment to find out what works. Proraso makes an after shave splash and a balm, either of which is terrific, and the two combined are great. DaVinci Water (a hydrosol)--or any other hydrosol) and an ASB helps. Some people don't like alcohol, but Ice Blue Aqua Velva really does a fine job of closing up those micronicks, and if you follow it with Nivea ASB, you've done something really nice for your face.
Again, be patient with yourself, and let us know how you're faring.
We're all rooting for you.
best,
 
Hi thanks for the long reply!
To answer your question, I do get a great lather with Proraso cream. And I keep it warm in a bowl sitting on top of a candle warmer. As a matter of fact, for the 2nd pass, the lather is really really warm after sitting on the candle warmer during the 1st pass.

As far as the zero pressure thing goes, I can say that I try very hard not to PRESS the razor against my beard, however, I do have to "help" gravity pull the razor down my cheek. If I don't, the razor ends up just getting stuck on the beard and doesn't cut. I experience that with any of the creams/soaps I've used, but especially with that kiss my face stuff because it didn't soften the beard at all.

So now I'm left to think the the blades must be the problem. If the grocery store blades I'm using don't cut and/or just get stuck on the beard without any pressure, then I have to assume than the better blades you speak of will cut from the weight of the razor alone.

This brings another question to mind: What about the neck? On my neck I have to shave up (south to north) because if I shave down then it's like the same thing as shaving up on my face (against the direction of growth) So I can't exactly let gravity do the work on my neck as gravity of course doesn't go up lol.

Other places where pressure is needed is the whole chin area, haven't once gotten that area smooth, especially just under the chin below the curve.

The thing I am bummed out about is that I'm right where I was before switching to the DE razor in that I shave, then wait around 2-3 days for the beard to grow back long enough that it can be cut. The irritation isn't horrible like it was with my electric, but then again, the electric got me perfectly smooth.

What does ASB stand for? Maybe I will try the Proraso balm. I've been using Nivea and it sure doesn't seem to do anything as far as soothing the skin. Tried the regular, the sensitive, I think it's all the same stuff with a diff label on the bottle. What is a hydrosol? Where can I buy those? I will look for the witch hazel too. Is it a cream or liquid or?

Are these the "Feather" blades you speak of?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270103151701
 
the feather blades can be purchased here. This is the best price I've seen.
ASB refers to After Shave Balm, and Nivea is one of the best, but we all have different skin and that's why there are so many different products. One size really doesn't fit all.
You know your own skin best, and I would experiment in an attempt to find the best direction for shaving. One of the advantages of the feather blades is that being so sharp, you'll be inclined to use less pressure.
Here's what works for me: I do two passes downward, i.e., with the grain, and one upward , i.e., against the grain . If I try and go across the grain, I end up causing irritation. you'll find what works best for you. I assume that you are soaking your beard well before shaving, .e., in the shower.
Be patient, all of us are rooting for you.
 
Just wanted to make sure that I had the right blades. I think I might just buy the ones on ebay first, 10 as opposed to 100 and if I like them I'll order the 100 qty from the site you linked me to. I'll post another update once I try the feathers out =0
 
What about what I said about the neck and having to go UP, which in my case is with the grain? It's pretty hard not to apply pressure and go up at the same time :confused1
 
Dax,
This is one of those things that gradually gets better/easier over time. Don't hesitate to experiment with different products, techniques, and blade angles. It is only through experimentation and repetition that you will ever find the "happy place" that gives you close and irritation free shaves.

On your face, try going with a less aggressive angle. Continue to lower the handle until you just get to the point where the razor will glide smoothly without catching (following the no pressure principle).

On your neck, true N-S passes can be difficult both do to pressure and in attempting to navigate the hills and valleys of this terrain. I've had great success attacking this area with diagonal passes. For me, the diagonal passes seem to travel through the uneven surfaces more easily.

Your decision to experiment with some other blades should prove helpful. It will establish/confirm the value of your current blades and perhaps lead you to a better one.

If after all of these changes you still find your shaves wholly unsatisfactory, you might consider trying some other razors. You could go with a more mild razor such as a Gillette Superspeed or you may wish to try an adjustable razor that will allow you dial the most comfortable setting for your skin and beard type.

Good luck, and keep us posted.
 
Thanks for the input, I understand the no pressure thing and the angle of the razor and everything. I'd like to think I have good technique from reading countless posts on the forum. So I'm really hoping once these blades arrive that all will fall into place. I'm optimistic :biggrin:

I'll reply to this thread once the feather blades arrive.
 
Top Bottom