Newbie

**BADGER HAIR** · 01-30-2012, 06:24 AM

Hi all. Newbie here.

Been doing the DE shaving now for about a month and i think i hit my stride last week. I have been using a merkur 34c, with Gillette 7oclock blades. Using TOBS eton college shave cream as well as sometimes using proraso. Been going good. Shave after the shower, so no biggie there.

The problem i have been having is latelty, i have been getting little nicks ALL over my face. i do not apply pressure so i do not know if its maybe the 7oclock blades? Its the blue wrapper of the super stainless. any idea, maybe try different brand of blade?

**turtle** · 01-30-2012, 06:27 AM

Welcome to B&B

You do not go into your shave technique. How many passes? If you stop at pass X do you still have weepers/nicks? There are several types of 7 o'clock: yellow, green, blue, black wrapper.... which one are you using?

**Snargle** · 01-30-2012, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by BADGER HAIR

Hi all. Newbie here.

Been doing the DE shaving now for about a month and i think i hit my stride last week. I have been using a merkur 34c, with Gillette 7oclock blades. Using TOBS eton college shave cream as well as sometimes using proraso. Been going good. Shave after the shower, so no biggie there.

The problem i have been having is latelty, i have been getting little nicks ALL over my face. i do not apply pressure so i do not know if its maybe the 7oclock blades? Its the blue wrapper of the super stainless. any idea, maybe try different brand of blade?

Hello and welcome. Yes, sampling several different blade brands is a good idea. I'm not sure it's the blade causing the nicks, though. That's usually something in either your lather, angle, or general technique. I'd start with the lather...if it's not slick and cushioning, the blade will catch and dig in, causing the blood-letting.

**BADGER HAIR** · 01-30-2012, 07:08 AM

Thanks guys for the tips, sorry for the lack of detail

Currently i am doing:

Pass 1: WTG
Pass 2: XTG on the upper face, and the neck is ATG
Pass 3: ATG (both upper and lower)

Short strokes, flipping over the blade every 2-3 short strokes

The blades I am using are these:

**demaro** · 01-30-2012, 07:12 AM

Welcome to the group. Blades are not the problem , Keep working on angle and no pressure , you will be just fine..

**mattymatt** · 01-30-2012, 07:22 AM

I agree with every thing already said. Your technique will improve, trust me. Welcome to B&B!!

**Optometrist** · 01-30-2012, 07:30 AM

Welcome to B&B!

**Sledgehammer39** · 01-30-2012, 07:36 AM

Welcome Aboard!

**BADGER HAIR** · 01-30-2012, 07:38 AM

That's everyone. I will keep at it.

Prior to being a DE user, I was strictly an electric buzzer guy. Use the buzzer pre-shower, then after shower, use a blade to catch all the thick hair on my neck. was thinking about going back to this and using a DE blade rather then the throw aways. never had any nicks or anything using that style

**ThePatrician** · 01-30-2012, 08:07 AM

Welcome!

I agree with everything said above. One problem I am currently struggling with TOBS over is keeping it hydrated enough. Mine starts to dry out on my face, and I've noticed that whenever I use it and it dries out I get small nicks and weepers. Is this happening with you?

~Matt

**BADGER HAIR** · 01-30-2012, 08:16 AM

i have been using proraso for the past 4 weeks and JUST switched to TOBS this week. Now that I think of it, the weepers began when i started using this cream. Interesting, never thought it could correlate.

**Artistik** · 01-30-2012, 08:48 AM

Welcome 2 B&B! If the lather is drying out, add more water to the mix. TOBS is good cream, but the lathering technique for me is not the same as proraso.