My Worst Ever DE Shave!!

Hi guys

Arrived home this evening to shower and shave before going out for the evening.

Loaded GFT HD with a new Wilkinson Sword blade, lovely, relaxing 10 min prep, lathered up and off i went.

First two straight down passes were great, then upward pass OUCH slight NIC just under chin but not to worry only minor and continued OUCH again slightly bigger NIC on left jawline, something not right here, switch out blade and replace with new WS blade, re-lather and off I go again.

All seems fine, going smoothly, final stage of upward pass, YOW, OUCH!!! This time I have a 1 inch long gash on my lower right cheek and a smaller NIC on right upper neck!!

Alum bloc seems to have little affect on the larger gash but better on the others. I'm thinking I got a duff set of WS blades here, havnt cut myself this badly ever, even when I first started DE shaving.

Damn it!!

Regards
Nigel

Bummer!! I find that going ATG greatly
increases the risk of irritation and nicks.

- Scott

sebell said:

Bummer!! I find that going ATG greatly
increases the risk of irritation and nicks.

- Scott

Click to expand...

Hi Scott

To be honest I have shaved this way for 3 months with a DE and only nicked myself twice (use no pressure)

My neck is also quite red and I have an awful shaving rash now, something I havnt experienced since DE shaving (or as badly with my old sensor) so I'm thinking its the WS blades as I note that both blades and a third I have just opened are ever so slightly bowed!!

Nigel

Bummer Nigel. I'd say give 'em one more shot tomorrow and if either third times the charm or three strikes and they're out.

Nigel,

No doubt. It sounds like your technique
is solid, but you need a nice sharp and
smooth blade.

- Scott

sebell said:

Nigel,

No doubt. It sounds like your technique
is solid, but you need a nice sharp and
smooth blade.

- Scott

Click to expand...

Blade was certainly sharp, but bent!!!

Neck and cuts all very sore this morning so no shave today!

Nigel.....if it makes you feel any better..... here's a verbal hug for you

And at least you didn't have to pay for it, other than the cost of the WS blades.

iron maiden said:

Nigel.....if it makes you feel any better..... here's a verbal hug for you

And at least you didn't have to pay for it, other than the cost of the WS blades.

Click to expand...

Awwwww thanks, made me feel better already LOL

Just a guess, and I understand this may be considered heriacy, but did you check the razor you were using carefully (didn't mention in thread). I had the same issue with a Tech +wilks and it turned out to be a lose thread (ever so slight wobble). Maybe swap out to another model?

I have also had very bad luck with those blades - very inconsistent. Get a different brand of blades....

sorry man, hope it all heals quickly.

Put some Velva on and walk it off.

Sorry about the rough ride. Please post your solution when you find it.

Vanity said:

Just a guess, and I understand this may be considered heriacy, but did you check the razor you were using carefully (didn't mention in thread). I had the same issue with a Tech +wilks and it turned out to be a lose thread (ever so slight wobble). Maybe swap out to another model?

Click to expand...

Yeah, have now swapped back to Dorco blades for tommorow (hopefully) as no shave today neck and cuts wayyyyyy too sore today, so just plenty of Aloe Vera Gel and I will see how it is tommorow.

No loose thread, but the blades all seem ever so slightly bowed (bent) as mention before (even unused blades), think I just have a bad batch

Nigel, old chum:

You're certainly not a "newbie" around here, and you've had good results. Your technique is good, your prep is probably above reproach-- when something radical like this happens I would definitely make an immediate switch of "SOMETHING!" Given that the technique hasn't changed, that prep and lather are about the same, sometimes you just get (1) a bad blade (2) it just doesn't let the razor close up well. I'd switch, even in mid-shave, and see if things behave. Do a few days with something comfy, (like your Dorco, or a Derby) and go back to the Wilkinson.

I had a similar situation 2 days ago, where my first trip down my face felt like Freddie Kruger had visited. In this case, I simply hadn't fully closed the TTO mechanism on my FB...things settled right down, but let's just say it re-defined the term "aggressive."

I have some Wilkinsons in my rotation, and I have to say that my experience is they're not terribly consistent from pack to pack and blade to blade within each pack. Still, (here) they're inexpensive, and generally worth the 20 cents per blade for occasional use.

Sorry about the shave. Stop by your local veterinarian supply and get some "Bag balm/udder balm". It will work wonders-- just stay away from dairymen who would undertake to milk your ears and nose.

Tom

Izzy said:

Yeah, have now swapped back to Dorco blades for tommorow (hopefully) as no shave today neck and cuts wayyyyyy too sore today, so just plenty of Aloe Vera Gel and I will see how it is tommorow.

No loose thread, but the blades all seem ever so slightly bowed (bent) as mention before (even unused blades), think I just have a bad batch

Click to expand...

Dude,
I have just shared your pain. At the beginning of the week, I finished the block of Wilkinson shaving soap I was using, and moved onto some Edwin Jagger Aloe Vera stuff I had got a while ago when buying blades from a web retailer in the UK. First impressions were good - the soap has a nice smell - and the lather was beautiful. I shave in a single-pass, two-stage process, starting on the RHS of my face and moving to the left. It all seemed OK until I started to lather up the LHS of my face, at which point the RHS started to sting a bit. By the time I'd finished, my whole face was on fire, and no amount of cold water would put it out!

I tried aloe vera gel on it, but I reckon the stuff my girlfriend has must have a little alcohol or witch hazel or something in it, because it just made matters much worse! Close-up, my face looked like a freshly-peeled strawberry - not a pretty sight. Like you say, I was way too sore to shave the next day, and had to shift back to my Wilkinson FX cartridge razor for a not-too-close shave before my work Christmas party on the next-again day.

The Jagger soap has been relegated to shower duty, and I've now moved onto some absolutely superb Kent stuff instead - but that is another thread I think. I can't remember ever having had such a severe reaction to any previous shaving product - has anyone else experienced this with the Jagger soap?

Niall