Troubleshooting, days between shaves

So i've been at it for 2-3 months now. Get some great shave, and some not so great shaves...

It seems i get my best shaves when I leave 3-4 days between shaves. Anyone experience something similar?

Any advice?
Bowl lather Col Conk almond with a badger brush
Merkur HD w/Astra Platinum - WTG, XTG, XTG (other direction)

I suggest to you that with 3 or 4 days growth the quality of the shave SEEMS better. It may not be really better. Keep working on your technique and you will soon be getting great shaves everyday.

I shave almost every day, and when I skip a day, I don't notice a better shave.

What is going on with your great shaves besides the time between shaves?

What might be different with the not so great shaves? Your kit seems fine. Sticking to WTG ATG ATG is the way to go! I think it is prep and technic. Concentrate on both of them, read the stickies, and make small changes/improvements in both areas. Refining lathering and razor technic comes a bit at a time.

Have you tried a blade sampler to mix things up? Watched Mantic's videos? Tried any advanced strokes like buffing and J-hooking?

Let us know if you find any value in mixing it up a bit ... to stimulate your creative interest. Have fun!

hey,

I too have noticed that when I wait more than 2 days and have extra growth my shave is some what better. I think it may have to do with the fact that the blade has more to grip on to and cut...but this may just be for me....

I'll admit I'm the same way - if I shave every second day, the shave is generally smoother.

I attribute it to the fact that my skin gets more time to recover between shaves, so I can afford to be that little bit more aggressive to get a BBS shave. But of course I only do this when I don't have meetings on a day when I'm planning to skip a shave.

I'm the opposite. I generally shave every day and find that if I skip a day, my shave is noticeably worse.

Sometimes this helps, when your learning to control your pressure. I notice when I have more growth I tend to slow down more and pay closer attention. But that's my two cents.

Mark.

I get a better shave after two or three days. My shaves are too close that not all stubbles are exposed on the following day. So after two or three days, I'm able to get most of the stubbles.

I second the other skipping-makes-for-slightly-better-shaves posters.
I have no idea why it happens.
It just does.
It's not a big difference and I shave about 6 times a week, but it's there.
Definitely.

A little more hair to get between the blade and your skin. A little more time for damage to heal.

I usually shave every 3rd or 4th day, just because I can, I'm retired. But I do find that having longer whiskers tends to slow down the shave and lead to a bit of pulling. Its O.K. though because I've got the time to make the shave come out good, but I find that 2 days gives me the best shave. When I was working and I had to shave every day, the shaves were good, but I was also exposed to the possibility of irritation and razor burn.

I have found that I get a better shave with at least a 2 day growth, but then that's me, and as with anything shave related, YMMV.

I think its best if you find what works best for yourself. Use any advice given as something to try and experience as you find your own best technique.

I'm a newbie myself to DE shaving but I agree that I've always had a closer shave with 2-3 days of growth when shaving with cartridge razors. I'm also lucky that my growth is not as fast as others and not as coarse so I can actually go 2 days without a noticeable "beard".

I've always just surmised that more growth give a blade more to work with.