Still Nicking Myself and Hating It

Well, I found out I was getting irritation from the Tom's cream-- must be the peppermint oil. Switched to KMF Patchouli, and I'm getting better results. However, I just got my sampler pack of blades the other day and tried the Derby in my '67 SS Black Handle, and I cut the crap out of my face. It was awful. I realize my technique still needs to be developed as this is only my second week at it, but this was awful. I got Crystals, Israeli Red Personas, and Dorco's.

Which one's do you you suggest trying next, as the Derby's destroyed me? I thought those were the forgiving ones. Am I doomed to never get this DE thing?

Keep at it mate.Remember the 3 P's. Prep,Pressure,(lack of) and Persistence.It took me a few months before everything clicked.Believe me,the journey is well worth the effort.

Don't underestimate the angle of your razor. As a straight razor shaver I learn that every shave I shave the straight way.

Keep at it. You'll find a great combination that'll give great results. Some razor/blade pairings bite more that others. Keep a good technique and you'll find what works for you.

spinyeel said:

Keep at it mate.Remember the 3 P's. Prep,Pressure,(lack of) and Persistence.It took me a few months before everything clicked.Believe me,the journey is well worth the effort.

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+1 on this advice!

Regarding the second "P," I would highly recommend you read this thread:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=60429&highlight=floating

It does get better. Watch your prep and blade angle/pressure. Keep at it.

Fuzzy

I started not that long ago and found the dorcos to be the best for me. They were sharp enough to get through my beard, but didn't take all the skin off my face with it. Eventually I found better soaps and got my technique down well enough to not worry about it as much and now I am using feathers with some degree of success. I have found that adding glycerine to my lather saves my skin quite a bit as well.

Just keep at it. It will get better.

Keep at it and watch your angle. For the first few weeks of wetshaving I just put the crown of my DE on my face and then rotated until I felt the blade just make contact with my skin. I used this technique until I was comfortable freehanding my angle.

I started out using feathers and found that it was a fortunate "mistake". They are brutal if you choose the wrong angle, but they taught me respect for angle and pressure and I am a better shaver because of it. I now exclusively use feathers since I am used to their extremely sharp edges, almost anything else feels like I an using a butterknife..

Don't be afraid to try sharper blades. Blades that are less sharp tend to pull my skin by the stubble into the blade causing rather large red weepers. Also, you may be unconsiously using more pressure to compensate for a duller blade.

Use a sharp blade, no pressure, do not try to feel the beard cut, just watch your angle and let the blade do the work. Shave in silence and listen, especially when going XTG. Try using shorter strokes when going in directions other than WTG.

LagerLover said:

Don't be afraid to try sharper blades. Blades that are less sharp tend to pull my skin by the stubble into the blade causing rather large red weepers. Also, you may be unconsiously using more pressure to compensate for a duller blade.

Use a sharp blade, no pressure, do not try to feel the beard cut, just watch your angle and let the blade do the work. Shave in silence and listen, especially when going XTG. Try using shorter strokes when going in directions other than WTG.

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That is some excellent advice right there... and that's the number one reason why this is my favorite forum.... I'd add that for me it feels like if I use less aggressive blades they pull the razor into my face getting hung up on my coarse hair so I stick with feathers, course everyone's face is different but I get less irritation with the sharpest blades I can find, less room for error as well though... lol

All fine advice. It takes a bit of patience, but it will all click soon. It did for me when I got the pressure/angle thing down. Try holding the razor as clost to the bottom as you can. That is what worked for me.

As to the blade, pick one, but my advice would be a Crystals. I have an order coming in the mail, today I hope.

De shaving is 95% technique, and 5% blades.

I can get a comfortable shave with any blade at this point.

Stick with it. It takes a bit of time to develop the right mechanics. Those derby blades that destroyed you might mysteriously perform much better for you down the road aways.

Kyle Hyde said:

Well, I found out I was getting irritation from the Tom's cream-- must be the peppermint oil. Switched to KMF Patchouli, and I'm getting better results. However, I just got my sampler pack of blades the other day and tried the Derby in my '67 SS Black Handle, and I cut the crap out of my face. It was awful. I realize my technique still needs to be developed as this is only my second week at it, but this was awful. I got Crystals, Israeli Red Personas, and Dorco's.

Which one's do you you suggest trying next, as the Derby's destroyed me? I thought those were the forgiving ones. Am I doomed to never get this DE thing?

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The order for the sampler pack blades you have should go in like this:

1.Dorco's
2.Crystals
3.Israeli's
4.Derbys

It appears you used the sharpest blades in your pack first; now try it the other way. By the time you have worked your way back up to the Derbys, your technique should be much improved and you will be able to handle the blade.


marty

A well hydrated lather is half the secret. NEVER SHAVE OVER AN UNLATHERED AREA. You might try a puck of VDH hypo-allergenic glycerin soap and face lather. A great soap for only $1.50 at Walmart. The VDH deluxe is great also. I personally use Personnas in all my razors with consistent BBS shaves with no irritation or nicks. Every person is different, though. Follow shave with cold water rinse, then Thayer's or Dickenson's Witch Hazel. Of course, you could go to the head of the class and get a Merkur 39c slant on a barberpole. Best razor out there, IMHO. The weighted long handle provides the pressure for you and slanted head slices rather than chops down rough beards and trouble areas in fewer passes and hence, less irritation. (Got mine at Leesrazors.com with no S&H if you tell him you're a B&B member). It will all come together with time and practice and seeing what works best for you. Don't give up. Keep us posted.

studman46 said:

A well hydrated lather is half the secret.

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Spot on advice as well. When I first started making my own lather I followed some ancient textbook and only after much trial and error did i determine that author's advice was as good as reusable toilet paper.

Needless to say, once I got my lather creamy and hydrated that blade started to glide over most of my face.

I want to emphasize the above advice to concentrate on blade angle and applying no pressure other than that of the razor head on the skin...hold the razor near the end of the handle to do this.

Let me also recommend what I do to make a lather...use more than the recommended almond sized dollop of cream. I've found this builds a very rich, thick, and most important, a slick lather that lets the blade slide. Even on relathering, the lather in the brush is still thick and slick. I think we've been too stingy with using enough cream or soap. My feeling is that one and a half to two almonds is better and will give a smoother and closer shave.

Don't give up...that's a big point. It takes months to get the technique down and more months to perfect it. That's why cartridges are attractive...they don't require much learning at all. And you pay a pretty penny for it.

My biggest mistake when I first started was trying to use a DE like a M3. In comparison, the DE takes the very lightest touch to get a good shave. Keep a light touch and work with your blade angle and beard prep as others have said.

While you do have a sampler pack to work through, don't be too eager to try out all of the blades as quickly as you can! Stick with one razor, one make of blade, and one shave cream or soap for a couple of weeks until you get the technique down. Then start experimenting with other stuff as you get better at it.

Kiss My Face is an excellent cream for starting out. I started with it about 3 months ago, switched to Taylor Rose, started nicking myself, went back to KMF and nicks went away.

The hardest part for me has been accepting the fact that I will not get to bbs every single time. The temptation for me and probably for most beginners, has been to go for completely smooth at all costs EVERY single time. Sometimes even if I'm already irritated and nicked in several places, I'll still be spot checking around contributing even more to the demise of the next morning's shave because today's scabs become tomorrow morning's nicks all over again.

In any skill, consistency is paramount long before quality level ever comes into play. In this case being able to shave consistently with as little irritation as possible should be your goal. Once this is achieved, you will probably notice you have acquired a somewhat conservative technique. It's always best to start conservative and begin to take small risks as able just as any artist or craftsman would do. You will be able to play twinkle twinkle with impeccable technique long before you dare tackle Paganini.

I have nowhere near the experience level in this art/craft to give advice in regards to how much or little pressure you should be using, or even for that matter what blade you should use. It would appear you have already gotten some pretty sound recommendations on these fronts already; the most important of which is not to constantly vary your setup. I would say that you're on the right track with KMF cream too. It is wonderfully forgiving in that you can get a great lather out of it even in a paper cup, and use varying amounts of water while doing so. Above all, focus on consistency first. This way, taking risks later is a luxury you will be able to afford and most importantly..... Enjoy. Good luck. Best, -RC