New razor is dull already?

Hello everyone, I'm new to the DE world and wanted to reduce my impact on the environment, was tired of paying $15 for a pack of blades, and I just wanted my routine to be a little more manly. I just bought a Parker 90r razor and love it. It came with a 5 pack of 7am razors. The blade worked great the first time, didnt even cut myself. It was hard to clean the gunk off afterwards though. But...the second time...I should have used some sandpaper instead. It was horribly dull. So, my question is: What am I doing wrong? Is there a much better blade to use? Or am I an idiot who should give up?

First of no you shouldn't give up. There are many more variable present when shaving with a DE over your cartridge razor that you may or may not have thought of. The first one would be the blade perhaps 7ams are not right for you. I would suggest finding a variety of blades because each brand is different. I doubt its your blade angle because other wise your first shave would have been a total disaster. I would try a different blade and see what that brings you welcome to B & B and good luck if you keep having problems keep posting you'll always find someone on willing to give advice.

idiot, no ... not at all. You are new to DE shaving and like any other skill it will take some time to learn. Different razor blades act differently in different razors (not to mention different to different people). You should get a razor blade sampler pack from west coast shaving, so you can try a variety of blades with your new razor. Something will work for you, if you are patient and willing to experiment.

Also, welcome and spend some time soaking in all the knowledge and tips of the many shaving masters here (present company excluded).

Good luck.

If you have hard water, that can often cause problems with lathering and the "gunk" on the blade.

You can try distilled water instead and that might make a big difference.

Welcome to B&B, we're glad your here.
The above advice is very good. +1 on the blade sampler from West Coast Shaving. I would suggest shaving with each type of blade for at least a week or even two before trying another.
Personally I have found the Derby blade to be an excellent blade for folks new to DE shaving as well a for the more seasoned whisker wacker.
The are shape and very forgiving not to ,emtion their low cost.
I get 3 to 4 good shaves from a single blade.
There are plenty of things to try alone the way on your journey to a great shave but don't change to many things all at once.
Enjoy and do stick with it, the rewards are awesome.

Gummy;

You didn't say what kind of soap/cream you use, but developing consistency in lather is a skill of its own. The blade indeed might be the problem, but sometimes is worthwhile to change one thing at a time to see where the problem is. I would guess that the prep is the major culprit here, but change the blade and try everything again.

Good luck,

BobS

Welcome to the site. I have a few weeks experience with the 7AMs and can tell you it's probably nothing you've done, but rather the blade itself. They don't seem to last very long and the quality varies even within the same pack.

If you're looking for blades that give a smooth shave but don't do much damage if you slip try Derbys. They're also a little more consistent quality-wise.

7am's (in my experience) are simply miserable. Try some Derby blades - or pick up a DE sample kit.

joel said:

7am's (in my experience) are simply miserable. Try some Derby blades - or pick up a DE sample kit.

Click to expand...

Agreed - there are a LOT of lousy blades out there - stick with one of the known quantities to start with (Derby, Crystals and Dorcos are all good for beginners) and you can get a great sampler from westcoastshaving.com.

joel said:

7am's (in my experience) are simply miserable. Try some Derby blades - or pick up a DE sample kit.

Click to expand...

+1 Definitely try a sampler from www.westcoastshaving.com

+1 to all the above. One other variable that has not been mentioned is beard preparation. For some people (like me) it makes a BIG difference. A simple wash the face and leave it wet may not cut it (pun intended) for you. Without prep to soften my beard, a razor will actually get stuck in my whiskers. They are that coarse. I've even gone so far as to use shampoo and conditioner on my beard. Be sure and read Kyle's sticky on the subject. Just don't give up!

-Clarke

Just to reiterate the above for good measure. 7am's are not the greatest. get a sampler pack of blades. Every razor/blade/face combo can and most likely will be different.

Good luck, and be patient. Everything will be fine in the end. DE shaving is a marathon and all the scents from your products should be enjoyed during this venture.