Feeling tugging with brand new blades, what's the problem?

It's happened with pretty much all the different blades I've tried (dorco, personna super, wilkinson sword and bic chrome platinum) so I don't think the blades can be at fault which leaves;
1. Razor - Cheap ebay razor, looks like a tech clone, I am waiting for a gillette new short comb that I bought to arrive, maybe this will help?
2. Technique/Angle - I've only been de shaving for a couple of weeks or so but I'm getting better and I am pretty good at using little/no pressure I think (I have significantly reduced my irritation in recent shaves).
3. Pre-shave - I shave after a shower, this morning I shaved with cold water as I was pretty tired and a little hung over and I thought the cold would help me wake up a bit, also I find I get less irritation shaving cold. Is it possible that shaving cold meant the whiskers were a bit stiffer due to the cold rather than hot shave and this caused the tugging? But even then I have had tugging with the personna blade I used before the bic (first shave with the bic this morning) with hot/warm shaves. I have proraso green cream, body shop macca root cream and another shave cream just called "shave" that I use. I sometimes also use Oscar shave oil but I don't notice any appreciable difference. I think when I first started de shaving I was making my lather a but dry so I'm making it a bit wetter (and hopefully slicker) at the moment but still getting tugging.

It seems counter intuitive to me that a brand new blade (especially the bic which I have read is considered on the sharper side, not feather sharp but above average sharp) should be tugging my hair. Any help or advise is appreciated!

tl;dr - Getting tugging even when using a brand new blade, tried four different blades, is it my cheap razor, poor technique or poor preshave? Do I need a more aggressive razor? Maybe a fatip or a parker 99r?

Edit: it'd be a 94r not a 99r.

I don't think it's the blade, but it could be a few different things. My first thought was the pre-shave routine. In my experience, if I do not spend at least a couple of minutes with lather on my whiskers prior to shaving, the razor doesn't cut through my beard efficiently. I use a modified version of Kyle's Prep (minus the hot towels, which are nice). Perhaps give that a try and see if it improves anything.

The other thing that occurs to me, as you mentioned, is lather quality. Try loading additional product (say 2x as much as you're using now) and adding water very slowly until you have an end product that's both slick and creamy. Does that change anything? How about if you add slightly more water to the mix?

If neither of those things work, it could be that your blade angle needs some work. Or, perhaps that razor is too mild for your skin/beard and you should try something a little more efficient.

Let us know how it goes.

If you got stuck with a Junjie after trying to order a Rimei, a well-known fraud scheme, it's definitely the razor. The real Rimei is quite nice.

franz said:

I don't think it's the blade, but it could be a few different things. My first thought was the pre-shave routine. In my experience, if I do not spend at least a couple of minutes with lather on my whiskers prior to shaving, the razor doesn't cut through my beard efficiently. I use a modified version of Kyle's Prep (minus the hot towels, which are nice). Perhaps give that a try and see if it improves anything.

The other thing that occurs to me, as you mentioned, is lather quality. Try loading additional product (say 2x as much as you're using now) and adding water very slowly until you have an end product that's both slick and creamy. Does that change anything? How about if you add slightly more water to the mix?

If neither of those things work, it could be that your blade angle needs some work. Or, perhaps that razor is too mild for your skin/beard and you should try something a little more efficient.

Let us know how it goes.

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Thanks for the tips, I don't think it's the blade either. I have tried Kyle's prep but only once, I think it might have been a bit better but I don't really remember. I'll try it again and pay more attention.

p38thadl said:

If you got stuck with a Junjie after trying to order a Rimei, a well-known fraud scheme, it's definitely the razor. The real Rimei is quite nice.

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I feel like there's a decent chance that happened, mind you at the time I ordered my razor I didn't know what a rimei was nor was I trying to buy one, I just wanted a cheap razor to try De shaving with. In hindsight I should have done a bit more research. Hopefully the new will be more efficient otherwise I might just drop the $30 for a Parker, I know they get less love than a merkur or something but the price is right.

If I was in your position, I would change two things. The first, is the shave prep. I would not use cold water at all. I would first rinse with hot water, and I mean as hot as I could stand. Then I would put some Noxzema on the shave area and rub it in for maybe a minute. Then I would rinse with very hot water, again as hot as I could stand, for a few minutes at least. If you have oily skin at all, that should take care of any oil on your whiskers and let the hot water soften them up nicely. I also wouldn't use any shave oil at all. Then I would change the razor to a Merkur non adjustable razor, just because they're known good shavers. I'm sure your New would be just fine too.

thisISjoel said:

I might just drop the $30 for a Parker, I know they get less love than a merkur or something but the price is right.

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The Parker 26C is a great razor. I wouldn't worry too much on what gets a lot of love around here. The most passionate are usually the loudest.

I'd say razor or prep, I have varying experiences with blades (I'm testing a bunch) but I've found at least two or three that could very well be daily shavers for me. Of course there were a few blades that were just junk too. Lots of reviews here on different blades but I think you've got to find the one that works best and there should be at least one.

As for cheap razors I don't know much about them, but I bought the Lord L6 on a whim and it was decent. I was trying the longer handle but decided I like a shorter one, my oldest son though really enjoys that razor. I think it was $9 on amazon. Gillette Tech's are a great razor and don't cost too much on eBay.

Best of luck,
-Stephen

I'm leaning towards prep.Try a double soap and hot water wash,then a hot wet towel pressed around neck and face for 3 minutes.Leave face wet.Work the lather onto your face for 2 minutes,even if the lather looks great on the first swipe.Use very little pressure when shaving,take your time,short ,angled strokes.After the shave use cold water to rinse,and if you feel irritation use witch hazel before using aftershave,or use a cooling balm.

Disclaimer: after 6 months DE shaving I’m still a learner.

I was having issues with tugging occurring on my second pass, which I thought was XTG. When I finally got around to 'carefully' mapping my beard, I discovered
that what I thought was XTG and ATG was mostly wrong. Now that I better understand the different directions of my growth patterns, esp. on my neck, I find the tugging rarely happens.

So, for yours truly it was mostly a technique issue. This is just my own personal experience, for whatever it may be worth. Best of luck!

I think it was prep, this morning I had pretty much unlimited time for my shave and this is what I did;

1. Shower, nice and hot.
2. Towards the end of my shower I put some shaving oil on my face and stayed for another minute or so in the shower keeping my face out of the water letting the steam and heat (hopefully) help the oil do its thing.
3. Used my body shop synthetic brush to whip up a nice lather using body shop macca root cream and shave cream combo. As much as I don't love the body shop brush it does whip a nice lather.
4. Worked the later into my face for a minute or two.
5. Shaved. WTG, XTG, GTX, ATG, clean up. Too many passes, I'm sure, but until I get a more efficient razor it seems to be the only way I can get close.
6. Cold rinse, alum block, natio razor relief.

The result is pretty much the best shave I've had since changing to DE, pretty much BBS everywhere except the neck with only one little spot of irritation on the neck. Happy days

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions in this thread

thisISjoel said:

I think it was prep, this morning I had pretty much unlimited time for my shave and this is what I did;

1. Shower, nice and hot.
2. Towards the end of my shower I put some shaving oil on my face and stayed for another minute or so in the shower keeping my face out of the water letting the steam and heat (hopefully) help the oil do its thing.
3. Used my body shop synthetic brush to whip up a nice lather using body shop macca root cream and shave cream combo. As much as I don't love the body shop brush it does whip a nice lather.
4. Worked the later into my face for a minute or two.
5. Shaved. WTG, XTG, GTX, ATG, clean up. Too many passes, I'm sure, but until I get a more efficient razor it seems to be the only way I can get close.
6. Cold rinse, alum block, natio razor relief.

The result is pretty much the best shave I've had since changing to DE, pretty much BBS everywhere except the neck with only one little spot of irritation on the neck. Happy days

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions in this thread

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Your getting there bro!

Ok, I think it safe to say it was definitely prep.

This morning after my shower I put some proraso green preshave cream on my face then applied a hot towel with a little vick's rubbed into it for a couple of minutes, then did it again this time with the preshave cream and some proraso green lather. Lathered up and went to town. Great shave, still a little neck irritation but otherwise extremely nice shave. Looking forward to getting my hands on a more efficient razor though, still needing too many passes to get close.

For me my first experience with a preshave product was one of the worst things I tried. The babershop where I bought my razor and brush gave me some preshave oil with my purchase so I started using it when I was brand new to shaving. I used it but I was getting massive tug and pull so I tried a few different things and what seemed to be the cause was the preshave was breaking down the lather giving me a horrible shave. I then tried it without my preshave and saw a big improvement even though I was still using the same Merkhur DE blades. When I got some different blades I tried a preshave treatment to see what would happen and got the same results. I got away from using preshave treatments and have been happy. I have very coarse whiskers thought not too dense so YMMV.

I just got a pack of the Bic Chrome Platinum blades last week that I have been using. For me these things are great, I can now do a four pass shave instead of the 4.5 passes that I was having to do with other blades.

When I first started I misjudged the direction of the whiskers on my neck. They grow in two different directions so you might just want to double check that as well. I know when I got the correct mapping on my neck it really did help the irritation.

Hope the new razor will do the trick for you.

Bad Karma said:

For me my first experience with a preshave product was one of the worst things I tried. The babershop where I bought my razor and brush gave me some preshave oil with my purchase so I started using it when I was brand new to shaving. I used it but I was getting massive tug and pull so I tried a few different things and what seemed to be the cause was the preshave was breaking down the lather giving me a horrible shave. I then tried it without my preshave and saw a big improvement even though I was still using the same Merkhur DE blades. When I got some different blades I tried a preshave treatment to see what would happen and got the same results. I got away from using preshave treatments and have been happy. I have very coarse whiskers thought not too dense so YMMV.

I just got a pack of the Bic Chrome Platinum blades last week that I have been using. For me these things are great, I can now do a four pass shave instead of the 4.5 passes that I was having to do with other blades.

When I first started I misjudged the direction of the whiskers on my neck. They grow in two different directions so you might just want to double check that as well. I know when I got the correct mapping on my neck it really did help the irritation.

Hope the new razor will do the trick for you.

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I've used the bic for my last 3 shaves and the last 2 have been great! I will have to go back though and try some other blades with my new pre shave routine.

Shaved with a feather for the first time tonight, took my time and kept the pressure extremely light. No extra visible irritation than what I usually get (one spot on the neck) but the alum block revealed that I had perhaps taken one or two extra layers of skin off.

Overall it was a little underwhelming really, I was hoping I could do less passes but I still did a 4 pass shave to get what can only be called dfs at very best. I think this is the final nail in the coffin for my cheap ebay razor (I am waiting on a short comb new but also thinking about grabbing a fatip or a Parker or something) it's just so mild, I want something more efficient. I want 2 pass shaves with maybe a bit of clean up! That's not so much to ask, is it?

EDIT: After about an hour or so my face to "cool down" I'd say the shave is for sure DFS so I was probably a bit hard on the feather. Still keen for a more efficient razor though!

Sounds like you have figured it out. Well done.

BSAGuy said:

Sounds like you have figured it out. Well done.

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Thanks

I'm only like 3 weeks or so in so I know I still have a long way to go with technique and just experience but I LOVE shaving this way. I have gone from someone who shaved once a week, as quickly as I could and hated it to someone who shaves every other day and loves it!

thisISjoel said:

Thanks

I'm only like 3 weeks or so in so I know I still have a long way to go with technique and just experience but I LOVE shaving this way. I have gone from someone who shaved once a week, as quickly as I could and hated it to someone who shaves every other day and loves it!

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I am also someone who used to shave 1-2 times a week with carts. Now, I don't feel right if I'm not shaving every day. Now, I'm still a newbie and I probably don't have any business offering anyone advice, but I'm a Yank and we have a habit of telling others what WE think they should be doing, so here's my $0.02. Take it or leave it.

So, it seems like you've figured out that a lot of your shaving woes are related to prep. That's awesome that you've identified that so quickly. Along with prep, I would suggest that you're lather needs to be right. I have to admit that although I thought that I had the whole lather thing figured out very early, I truly didn't know how to make an effective lather until ~4-5 months into my 7.5 month journey into traditional wet shaving. I thought that "lather porn" was the way to go. Oh, how I was wrong. Slick, wet, and yogurty lather is where it's at! It's not pretty, but it works the best (IMHO).

Razors. I would suggest that you wait for your NEW SC to arrive. I wouldn't buy any more razors right now. I think that you will find the NEW to be very efficient. Just take your time to get to know it. If it works for you, stick with that blade that just worked for you in that NEW razor and also stick with the WHOLE set-up that is working (soap, brush, & etc) for a solid month.

I understand that way of thinking is restraining and you will want to try different things, but I did that. I'm here to tell you that once you find something that works, stick with it for a while so you can develop your technique and THEN try some different things. (and ONE different thing at a time!)

When I started out, I was trying so many different things that I had no idea what was working and what wasn't. THAT, truly sets back your technique developing.

I think the NEW SC will help with the efficiency of your shaves. Just wait for it to arrive.

Also, welcome to B&B! This is a great place to find what you are looking for.

Enjoy your shaves!

First of all, welcome to the forums.

Second, asking for advice is the best idea, there is so much experience on this forum.

It sounds to me like you are on your way to solving your issue. I would just like to add that when encountering problems, slow down, shorten your stroke, and perhaps tighten your skin by "bullfrogging", stretching the skin with your hand or simply turning/tilting your head.

I'm glad to hear you are enjoy your new routine. Just wait until you start exploring different products and scents, it can be change a chore into such a rewarding experience.

Blade4vor said:

I am also someone who used to shave 1-2 times a week with carts. Now, I don't feel right if I'm not shaving every day. Now, I'm still a newbie and I probably don't have any business offering anyone advice, but I'm a Yank and we have a habit of telling others what WE think they should be doing, so here's my $0.02. Take it or leave it.

So, it seems like you've figured out that a lot of your shaving woes are related to prep. That's awesome that you've identified that so quickly. Along with prep, I would suggest that you're lather needs to be right. I have to admit that although I thought that I had the whole lather thing figured out very early, I truly didn't know how to make an effective lather until ~4-5 months into my 7.5 month journey into traditional wet shaving. I thought that "lather porn" was the way to go. Oh, how I was wrong. Slick, wet, and yogurty lather is where it's at! It's not pretty, but it works the best (IMHO).

Razors. I would suggest that you wait for your NEW SC to arrive. I wouldn't buy any more razors right now. I think that you will find the NEW to be very efficient. Just take your time to get to know it. If it works for you, stick with that blade that just worked for you in that NEW razor and also stick with the WHOLE set-up that is working (soap, brush, & etc) for a solid month.

I understand that way of thinking is restraining and you will want to try different things, but I did that. I'm here to tell you that once you find something that works, stick with it for a while so you can develop your technique and THEN try some different things. (and ONE different thing at a time!)

When I started out, I was trying so many different things that I had no idea what was working and what wasn't. THAT, truly sets back your technique developing.

I think the NEW SC will help with the efficiency of your shaves. Just wait for it to arrive.

Also, welcome to B&B! This is a great place to find what you are looking for.

Enjoy your shaves!

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For sure! I used a new soap for the first time with the feather blade (I know, introducing two new variables isn't the best thing but I did it anyway) and the first pass the lather was way to dry. After a quick dip of the brush though subsequent lathers were pretty good (at least as far as I can tell). I definitely recognise that all areas of my shave still have heaps of room for improvement and I'm looking forward tp the journey.

Thanks for the reply