Tired of all the blood and gore

[Dr_Optical]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking here for a while now and decided to join so I can get advice from a few of the experts.

A little background first. I'm 52 and have shaving pretty much the same way since my first shave. My beard is tough as a wire brush and seems to be getting worse as grow older. With my current equipment and product I cannot shave without bleeding. The problem area is around my mouth, especially my upper lip. In order to get a close shave I have to scrape and scrape the same area over and over in multiple directions. I'm not cutting myself as much as what appears to be scraping off flesh in an effort to get at the toughest hairs. My neck and cheeks are less of a problem.

I've been using a Gillette Mach III cartridge razor for many years. Previously I had used the version that does not have the lubricating strip (Mach II maybe?) I preferred the earlier version because my beard will shred the strip on the first shave. They apparently are no longer available so I've been making do with the newer version. A few years back I purchased a Merkur DE and Merkur blades as an attempt to get a better shave and was sorely disappointed in the results so I'm back to the Mach III for now.

I've been using Col Conk's Almond shave soap and a badger brush which have been a big improvement over the canned stuff I had used previously. More recently I made a purchase from Amazon of Lucky Tiger shave cream and J.M. Fraser's Polar Ice shave soap. The Lucky Tiger, for me, clearly outperforms the Fraser's. Especially if I apply and let it set for about 15 minutes before i shower and then use it again when I shave afterwards. Even with this I need to drag the razor over the same areas several times in order to get a close shave. It's a little more comfortable but I still draw blood every time I shave.

When I use a moisturizer regularly I tend to have a more comfortable shave, but only if I remember to apply the day before I shave. It doesn't help the bleeding though.

I want to try a DE razor again and am hoping to get a few recommendations before I make the plunge. So if there are any of you that also have a tough beard and have found a razor that gives you good results I'd love to hear from you. I'm also going to try glycerin as a pre-shave or maybe jojoba oil. Please chime in if you have any experience with these also.

Thanks! I look forward to hearing your suggestions.

Andy

[Dr Roadrash]

When are you getting cut, is the lather slick enough? razor skipping? is it with the grain, or against? Blades make a big difference for a tough beard and depending on the issue you may need a more agressive razor, I know I did. The Merkur blades don't get much love around here I would switch blades first.
Aaron

[elsmooth]

Hey Andy!

You're definitely in the right direction, moving towards higher quality creams and soaps. I've a very tough beard, and I find that beard prep is without a doubt the most important element to getting the hair removed with the least amount of resistance.

I'll address your question specifically now. You asked about a razor...I personally use the Edwin Jagger DE89 (also referred to around here as the EJ DE89). My blade of choice is the Feather. This combo for me is the winner so far. The razor itself is not overly aggressive, and paired with the Feather (arguably the sharpest blade out there) it is the best I've found.

Without reservation, I recommend the EJ DE89. I also recommend you buy a sampler pack of blades (that includes Feathers). You have some good creams already, so you probably can pass (for now) on loading up on more.

Don't forget to look around the site further and review the tutorials! Good luck and keep us posted!

[Sledgehammer39]

Welcome Aboard!

[California Cajun]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking here for a while now and decided to join so I can get advice from a few of the experts.

A little background first. I'm 52 and have shaving pretty much the same way since my first shave. My beard is tough as a wire brush and seems to be getting worse as grow older. With my current equipment and product I cannot shave without bleeding. The problem area is around my mouth, especially my upper lip. In order to get a close shave I have to scrape and scrape the same area over and over in multiple directions. I'm not cutting myself as much as what appears to be scraping off flesh in an effort to get at the toughest hairs. My neck and cheeks are less of a problem.

I've been using a Gillette Mach III cartridge razor for many years. Previously I had used the version that does not have the lubricating strip (Mach II maybe?) I preferred the earlier version because my beard will shred the strip on the first shave. They apparently are no longer available so I've been making do with the newer version. A few years back I purchased a Merkur DE and Merkur blades as an attempt to get a better shave and was sorely disappointed in the results so I'm back to the Mach III for now.

I've been using Col Conk's Almond shave soap and a badger brush which have been a big improvement over the canned stuff I had used previously. More recently I made a purchase from Amazon of Lucky Tiger shave cream and J.M. Fraser's Polar Ice shave soap. The Lucky Tiger, for me, clearly outperforms the Fraser's. Especially if I apply and let it set for about 15 minutes before i shower and then use it again when I shave afterwards. Even with this I need to drag the razor over the same areas several times in order to get a close shave. It's a little more comfortable but I still draw blood every time I shave.

When I use a moisturizer regularly I tend to have a more comfortable shave, but only if I remember to apply the day before I shave. It doesn't help the bleeding though.

I want to try a DE razor again and am hoping to get a few recommendations before I make the plunge. So if there are any of you that also have a tough beard and have found a razor that gives you good results I'd love to hear from you. I'm also going to try glycerin as a pre-shave or maybe jojoba oil. Please chime in if you have any experience with these also.

Thanks! I look forward to hearing your suggestions.

Andy

The part of your post that got my attention was Merkur blades. Their razors are great, but their blades aren't good. You need better blades. My favorites are Medical Personnas and Astra Superior Platinum.

The other thing is learning the direction your beard hair grows. I didn't know this until, well, Age 54, and if you keep shaving and shaving in the wrong direction that area is going to get pretty tender.

I'm 56 and really enjoying shaving since I went to the retro equipment and learned how to shave, really for the first time in my life.

[noahpictures]

Welcome to B&B!

1. Another vote for Edwin Jagger DE89 series.
2. Blade Sampler that includes Personna, Astra SP, Shark and Feather blades.
3. Glycerin. I use it all the time as a preshave and to build lather.
4. Shave stick soap (Irisch Moos, Tabac)
5. Witch Hazel alcohol free.

I recommend Bullgooseshaving and westcoastsgaving.

[BTJR99]

Like everyone else said you need to get your hands on a few different blades to try out. My facial hair is also very tough and the Personna Labs in a Merkur HD have been giving me very good results.

[chuckr9]

Welcome aboard. Also, don't skimp on the prep: tough beards need to hydrate more (shower, 1st lather with rinse, then lathering to shave might help, hot wet towels if you have time also).

[wallstreet77]

Hi Andy,

I have not been a member in B&B for too long, but I’ve been shaving for almost 20 years and have picked up a few tricks along the way.

It sounds to me as though you need a tutorial on technique. I used to think that brute force would help give me a closer shave. That’s not the case however and in watching videos and reading tutorials I have gotten a lot better in my technique and have therefore been able to get much better shaves with next to no irritation.

The basic fundamental to ‘beard reduction’ is to use 3-4 passes on your face in order to get a smooth shave. You should start with the grain (WTG), then across the grain (XTG) and finally against the grain (ATG) if your skin can handle it. You should apply fresh lather at the start of each pass in order to reduce friction and give comfort to your shave.

I have found that if you go over your face with a 4 pass shave you really need not apply any pressure whatsoever to get a great shave.

I also want to mention that soaps/creams make a HUGE difference. Obviously, soap & creams were made to reduce friction during your shaves but I never realized how big of a spectrum that covered depending on the quality of soap/cream you use. I’m using soaps made in England i.e Edwin Jaggger Aloe Vela, Dr. Harris Marlborough, and TOBS sandalwood and this has made a HUGE difference with beard irritation. These soaps are so smooth that the razor literally slides over my face causing no irritation at all. I highly recommend any investment with a top quality soap/cream and that will make a huge difference in your shaves.

As for hardware, I use a Gillette Super adjustable short handle and use the appropriate setting depending on how tough my beard is. I use the 9 setting which makes the razor super aggressive when I have not shaved for a few days, right down to a 1 setting on a 4th pass when I am just doing finishing touches and require a delicate touch.

Hope that helps and good luck with your shaves.

[urkel]

welcome to the forum. i let me beard go for several days and find the r41 a very good tool to use for a thick covering. used with a sharp blade it does a darn good cut with minimal effort. polsilver and voskhod blades work good and feather blades extremely sharp but don't last more than a few shaves.

[kingfisher]

What wallstreet said.

I like Feathers in my Fatboy. I use it on an aggressive setting for a first pass and then dial it down for subsequent passes. Alternatively, I use Trac II for the first pass and the Fatboy for second pass and touch-up.

[Dennard]

Welcome, Andy!

[Dr_Optical]

Hey, Eric. Thank you for the reply. After reading your post I immediately went to Amazon to see about the DE89 and found a few different varieties. DE89lbl, DE89bl, DE89L, etc. Are the various suffixes significant? I'm glad to see that it is relatively inexpensive compared to many.

Thanks again for replying. I'll look forward to trying the new razor and blades.

Andy

Without reservation, I recommend the EJ DE89. I also recommend you buy a sampler pack of blades (that includes Feathers). You have some good creams already, so you probably can pass (for now) on loading up on more.

[Dr_Optical]

Welcome to B&B!

1. Another vote for Edwin Jagger DE89 series.
2. Blade Sampler that includes Personna, Astra SP, Shark and Feather blades.
3. Glycerin. I use it all the time as a preshave and to build lather.
4. Shave stick soap (Irisch Moos, Tabac)
5. Witch Hazel alcohol free.

I recommend Bullgooseshaving and westcoastsgaving.

I'm glad you replied. I was just reading your "Shave Off Challenge" earlier this morning. That's how I got the idea to try the glycerin. I'm also going to try dipping my razor in alcohol. Do you have any thoughts on jojoba oil? Also I believe in that thread I read something about using the glycerin to make uberlather. Can you point me to a link that can explain this?

Thanks,
Andy

[Dr_Optical]

Thanks to everyone that replied. What a great response! I'm ordering my new razor and blades soon and will let you know how it goes.

Andy

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to B&B !!

[turtle]

Welcome to B&B

Pre-shave prep might do more for you than you think. As has been said, save after a shower if you can. What I do is wash my face with Nutrigema soap (glycerin based clear soap), working it into a lather with my hands. I don't rinse it off, I put a hot damp town on my soapy beard. When the towel cools, I re-heat and apply again. When it cools the 2nd time I use the towel to wipe off the soap and lather up. This seems to work for me but everyone is different so you may need to try a few things before you find what works for you.

Maybe try a "slicker" soap/cream

[Mad Man]

Hey, Eric. Thank you for the reply. After reading your post I immediately went to Amazon to see about the DE89 and found a few different varieties. DE89lbl, DE89bl, DE89L, etc. Are the various suffixes significant? I'm glad to see that it is relatively inexpensive compared to many.

Thanks again for replying. I'll look forward to trying the new razor and blades.

Andy

Hey Doc,

the various "codes" on the end of the number refer to variations on the handles; some of the EJ's have a smooth handle, others have a "lined" or "grooved" handle.

http://www.theenglishshavingcompany....dge%20razors@b

check the link above and drill down to see the individual razors and codes.

Ejoy!

[Dr_Optical]

I see. Thank you!

[Banjoman]

Welcome to B&B, Andy!