Great to have you here, Tom. Just practice and be patient. Your technique will come around.
New Guy In Town. Astra SP. Bad Idea!
- Thread starter Tom5746
- Start date
I wonder if you got a bad blade. Astras have always been pretty good to me. Now I have had an occasional crappy blade.
Oh and welcome to a great new world.
I tried a number of different blades (Merkur, Derby, Wilkinson Sword) before I landed on the Astra SP. It was my go-to razor once I found it, for about 2 months. But then I started being less satisfied with my shaves; what happened was my technique improved greatly. I dropped a Feather into my 34c, and it gave me an effortless shave. Part of me wonders if I should have tried the Feather sooner, or if I would have been to unskilled to handle it. But the ASP gave me decent enough results to focus on other aspects of my shave: pre-prep, angles, focusing on how my grain is oriented, aftershave choices, etc.
My point is this: I suggest you find a blade that you can get decent enough shaves with in order for you to continue improving your technique, and learning your face. Once you're more familiar with the mechanics and geography of your shaves, then you're going to be able to appreciate the differences in blades. (in my mind it's better to focus on getting a shave without irritation, than to spend your time drawing blood in pursuit of a BBS, but ymmv)
Welcome... I'm only a few months ahead of you in this trek, but it seems like you're just as hooked as the rest of us!
(oh, and make sure you get a Gillette Slim
)
My point is this: I suggest you find a blade that you can get decent enough shaves with in order for you to continue improving your technique, and learning your face. Once you're more familiar with the mechanics and geography of your shaves, then you're going to be able to appreciate the differences in blades. (in my mind it's better to focus on getting a shave without irritation, than to spend your time drawing blood in pursuit of a BBS, but ymmv)
Welcome... I'm only a few months ahead of you in this trek, but it seems like you're just as hooked as the rest of us!
(oh, and make sure you get a Gillette Slim
)
+1. And welcome to B&B.
Welcome Tom; The first shave with a new blade does not predict future results. Put the Astra SP's aside for now and go back to the ones that worked for you and stay with the same razor/blade combo for awhile and let your techique improve and it will.
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Welcome to Badger & Blade!
Agreed, as most suggest just stick to one blade that works and practice technique.
Op, your expirence with the Astra SPS was like my first experience with feathers. I've been wetshavung for a little over a year now and before I had my technique down I popped a feather in my slim adjustable. It was a very bloody and painful experience that made me stay away from feather blades until recently. I only tried them again after I purchased an Edwin Jagger de89lbl and man it was an awesome shave. Looking back now I'd be willing to bet I either used too much pressure, or didn't prepare my lather properly , or who knows. When I was really getting my technique down I used astras SPs, and I still do, but everybody's face is different.Anyhow while learning I picked up a 50 pack of derbys, because I had read they were fairly mild and smooth and forgiving and they were and I used those until I ran out and then I moved onto something a little more agressive. Had the derbys not been mild and forgiving to me I would of kept searching until I found the best blade for me to learn on. I will also say I have gotten some bad blade in a package on a few occasions, and had that been the first time I had tried that paticular blade I would of written it doff and moved to the next brand. I might suggest giving a blade another chance or even trying another if you have more than one. Astras for me are nearly as sharp as feathers but for me they are smoother.
