So I think this new DE shaver has finally figured out something....

[jb4647]

A little background. I’ve been a wet shaver mostly since I started shaving at 17 in the fall of ’89. Shaved with some disposables at first and then, as luck would have it, the Gillette Sensor came out in early 1990. Used that for a few years….moved to the Sensor Excel when it came out and then have been a Mach 3 man since its debut in 1998. I also dabbled with a Remington micro screen during the 90’s as well.

In ’99 I began doing the shaving cream/brush thing….trying different soaps/creams till I settled upon the cream from “The Body Shop.”
Last year stumbled upon this blog and the videos from Mantic, Geofatboy et al and decided to give DE shaving a try with a Merkur HD. Bloodbath resulted and gave up. Of course, the lure of DE shaving, once it takes hold, is hard to resist.

More research, more youtube watching…more purchases of razors (Edwin Jagger DE89L, various ebay Gillette Super Speeds from the late 50’s, creams, razor sampler packs etc…).

In my attempt to get close to a BSS, I’ve had the typical razor burn/nicks/weepers etc and have had an on again/off again DE experience over the past month or so.
Finally, had an epiphany, forget about getting a BSS at this point….hell forget about getting a DFS. Just go with an acceptable look. Thus, until I can really learn blade angle/pressure/lathering etc….I’m going to just do WTG shaves…..i.e north to south.

I have found that with a DE I can do a couple of passes of WTG and get rid of visible hairs from everything above the jaw line. Below is a different matter but even then the hairs are really hard to see unless you are inches from my face….which I would hope my office co-workers are never are!

So here’s the secret to being satisfied with this level of shaving: Don’t touch your face. I found if, after my shave and during the day I rub my face, especially against the grain I will notice I don’t have a close shave. That’s it. MY hands will notice it, my eyes won’t and neither will anyone else….unless they rub my face ATG….which they won’t be doing if I can help it.

So the way I figure it, if I can forget about touching my face and just concentrate on WTG techniques over the next month or two, my DE shaving skills will improve and old cartridge habits will die off. Only then, perhaps this Fall, will I attempt to trying shaving across the grain. If that works out then I’ll trying shaving AGAINST the grain in 2013.

I’m 39 now and hope to be shaving for at least the next 40 years or so I figure I’ve got enough time to be patient and learn how to do this right.

[Vlad]

Exactly right. I do ATG for special occasions, or if I'm really taking a long shave, otherwise it's just too hard on my sensitive skin to do it regularly. Some guys can, though, so it's worth a try later on if you want.

[RobAtSGH]

Fantastic!

I agree that the quest for BBS has probably ruined more new shavers than necessary. I know that when I started with a DE, I suffered through more than a month of razor burn because I was trying to shave too close with bad technique. Now, my standard mantra is - aim for comfortable and acceptable, and super-smooth will come with time. A lesson which, by the way, I'm having to re-learn as I use straights more and more.

[General]

Excelenté!

I found that the answer to my issues were just the same as you explained above. Never consider going for BBS and DFS just make sure it's SAS and no one in the office will ever notice. Recently I have had a few DFS without even trying and it's just so rewarding. It's one of those "need to experience it to understand it" sort of thing.
And now I can go XTG every morning on the 2nd pass. (Only do two passes)

Keep at it and bless your attitude towards patience. Wish I could have some

[jb4647]

Excelenté!

I found that the answer to my issues were just the same as you explained above. Never consider going for BBS and DFS just make sure it's SAS and no one in the office will ever notice. Recently I have had a few DFS without even trying and it's just so rewarding. It's one of those "need to experience it to understand it" sort of thing.
And now I can go XTG every morning on the 2nd pass. (Only do two passes)

Keep at it and bless your attitude towards patience. Wish I could have some

Thanks! Although I can only HOPE I can be patient for the next couple of months. Everytime I rewatch one of those youtube shaving videos I think "Oh, I can do that now!"

[Smott]

Good idea! I think of it like learning the piano. No matter how slow and careful you are, there's really no way you're going to be able to play the most complicated pieces without learning the basics first. We build up to more challenging works as we go. Likewise, in shaving we start with Hot Cross Buns and Mary Had a Little Lamb—just simple WTG passes that help us improve positioning and pressure. As we gain more experience, we find ourselves with the capacity to do more.

Hmm, speaking of which, maybe we need to start holding shaving recitals! ;)

[ackvil]

Glad to hear you are not obsessing about a BBS shave.

[kpeople]

I go with the same method. About 99% of my shaves are solely WTG, and occasionally touch ups ATG if there's a stubborn stray hair that didnt get caught.

My face just cant handle the irritation most of the time, and I don't mind a little roughness here and there.

[jb4647]

Yup, just stop rubbing your face during the day. Looked in the mirror today at 2p and it still looks like I got a good shave!

[Zamonium]

I’m 39 now and hope to be shaving for at least the next 40 years or so I figure I’ve got enough time to be patient and learn how to do this right.

When I had been shaving DE for about 9 months, I decided to try for the fabled four-pass shave. I wanted that four-pass feeling so bad! I even decided that I would try to do it once a week on (yeah, I know...) Four-Pass Friday!

I got a DFS on my first try, almost BBS! I also ruined my face for a day and a half. Seriously, I was still healing not from nicks, but from razor burn, the next morning when I went to shave.

Instead, I should have focused on learning to lather. Shaving four passes through dry, powdery lather is not a good idea.

Point is, I think I'm going to wait as well. I don't need BBS on my underchin any time soon.

[johnh]

I don't bother trying for BBS so much. I have two passes : (WTG, ATG above -- WTG and XTG / cleanup below) and go for CCS or DFS below the chin and that's it. No more burn. Maybe worth trying.

[mistercitizen]

Great observations!

One thing I struggled with when I started DE shaving about 4 months ago..... and I still struggle with quite a bit now..... is the tendency to try to overdo it. Let's face it, when we are trying to learn something new and perfect technique, we tend to have unrealistic expectations of what we want to achieve and what we are capable of acheiving. It is only after months and years of practice and screw ups that we get to the point where things become second nature. When I think about how much pressure I put on myself 14 years ago when I graduated and got my first job.... I look at young guys now right out of school and think how my expectations of myself back then were so much higher than what I expect these younger guys to be able to do. Pressure is one thing you don't want while DE shaving We all should learn that first.... and even most newbies are aware of that.... but it's alot easier said than done. DE shaving starts to get really fun when you learn when to apply the "less is more" philosophy. "Less is more" applies to pressure, number of passes, light, short strokes with a locked wrist..... "less is more" does not apply to the number of razors, brushes, blades, aftershaves, creams, soaps and balms . Like I said.... you need to learn when to apply the "less is more" philosophy in wet shaving.

Ben

[Whilliam]

Welcome. Learn. Enjoy!

The pressure we put on our blades is nothing compared to the pressure we put on ourselves. Relax and enjoy the experience.

[Go West Young Man]

It's something we all struggle with, men are not known for starting small!

[KipNoxzema]

Men are known for hurrying, too.
I just tell myself to go slow and enjoy. The world can wait. The ritual becomes a pleasure and you won't want to stop.

[StubbleShaver]

I seem to be able to get a BBS no problem, never had no matter which awful blades or razor i've been using :P

[Sledgehammer39]

Excellent Post!

[jjg34]

This is great advice. I've had an on-and-off relationship with wet shaving in the past 4 years, mostly using creams with a cartridge since my poor technique with a safety razor chewed up my face. I recently re-dedicated myself to shaving with a safety razor after a period of persistent razor burn with cartridge razors. This time, instead of chewing up my face trying to get a BBS shave, I've limited myself to two passes with some clean-up. You can't really tell it's not BBS and I've found my face feels pretty darn smooth an hour after my shave with little to no irritation.

[ShaveThis]

Welcome. Learn. Enjoy!

The pressure we put on our blades is nothing compared to the pressure we put on ourselves. Relax and enjoy the experience.

Word!