How can I minimize nicks and abrasions with Merkur DE?

[TAsunder]

Hello,

I recently purchased a Merkur hefty classic, a low-end badger brush, and some T&H shave cream. I have enjoyed the brush and shave cream, but I'm finding that with the DE razor I'm getting a few nicks of varying severeness each time I'm shaving, and not getting a very close shave unless I go against the grain. Last night I shaved for the 4th time with the razor.

Before switching to the above, I was using a Mach 3 with Pacific Shaving Oil. With that combination, as long as I applied the oil properly with an adequately wet face, I generally had no irritation at all. The main motivation in switching was the cost of blades for the Mach 3 and the seemingly negative effects the oil was having on my skin (caused occasional acne compared to previous shaving gels/creams).

With the DE I am being as careful as possible not to apply pressure and to keep it at an acute angle. I apply a small amount of cream to the brush and then lather it on my face in a circular motion, making sure that there are no translucent areas.

The problem areas are the upper areas of my cheeks, the sideburns, and especially the neck below the sideburn area. I believe the irritation would be minimal if I just shaved against the grain once. But this seems to result in a wholly inadequate shave in a few areas. I find that I need to make a second pass and really stretch the skin and run over the area a few times. Mostly this is my cheeks and jawline.

Are these abrasions and nicks to be expected when making the switch? Is there a certain technique I can use to minimize nicks while also ensuring a close shave of problem areas?

I really started to question myself when I noticed Jake Gyllenhaal using the exact same razor with just cold water in a scene in Brokeback Mountain. No bleeding or anything after for him, but I still nick myself slightly with a good shaving cream and hot water...

 

[Dripp]

4 shaves in I also had the same problems. Even now, several months into wet shaving I continue to get the odd nick. As for those problem areas, I have found that I just need to experiment with different pass direction to get the right one so that I get a close shave without the irritation and nicks. I still don't have all the parts of my face correct. As for the irritation, I would take a few days break if you can, likely over the weekend. Let it all heal and go back at it. Hopefully that helps but if not, the longer you're at it, the better the shave gets.

 

[Nick]

TA,

Welcome aboard.

Dripp makes several very good points. There is definitely a "break in" period where your face has to adjust (but this doesn't necessarily mean you should be constantly bleeding). Don't over-tax your face. Take it nice and slow. If you only shave one pass a day, without touch-ups, or without going against the grain, that's alright. Getting the basics down is fundamental. If you go too fast, you can ingrain bad habits which are a lot harder to break yourself of in the long run. Also, If you have to do a touch up, make sure to apply more lather.

The next time you shave, first take a minute to examine your lather. Pluck some from your brush, examine it, and then rub it inbetween your fingers. How's the consistency? Is it really airy or dry? Is it dripping wet? Getting a proper lather is 50% of the equation (razor technique is another 50%, skin stretching is another 50%, and there's a whole lot of other things that make up the other 50%).

Keep us informed of how it goes.

-Nick

P.S. Don't worry about Jake shaving sans-cream, it's obvious that that movie takes large liberties with regards to the truth, I mean come on, gay cowboys?

-Nick

 

[TAsunder]

When you refer to pass directions, do you mean that you shave portions of your face north to south, leaving the rest untouched, then on the same "lather session" shave in diagonal or other directions on the other parts? Or do you mean shave north to south then relather and shave northeast to southwest or similar?

The consistency of the lather changes as I am applying it. At first it is really weak and then as I work it onto the face with the brush it eventually gets creamy. I haven't tested to see how slippery it is between the fingers, though.

I think I am getting a handle on the neck areas, now I just have to figure out how to do the cheek areas where north to south doesn't cut it (no pun intended).

Thanks.

 

[rtaylor61]

When you refer to pass directions, do you mean that you shave portions of your face north to south, leaving the rest untouched, then on the same "lather session" shave in diagonal or other directions on the other parts? Or do you mean shave north to south then relather and shave northeast to southwest or similar?
The consistency of the lather changes as I am applying it. At first it is really weak and then as I work it onto the face with the brush it eventually gets creamy. I haven't tested to see how slippery it is between the fingers, though.

I think I am getting a handle on the neck areas, now I just have to figure out how to do the cheek areas where north to south doesn't cut it (no pun intended).

Thanks.

I'm not a fan of the N-S, S-N, or whatever. I don't know anyone who has a beard that grows all in one direction. Determine the growth pattern of your beard. Lather, and then shave with the grain. Relather and shave across the grain. Re-lather a third time and shave against the grain. This may mean that on passe 1 and 3 you literally shave different parts of your face in different directions.

Randy

 

[TomH]

Hello TA,

at first, I agree with Randy, but I think it's better for you to let your beard grow a little longer so you can see in which direction your hairs grow.

And then I would shave,at first, only with direction before you shave against.
I think it's too much at the moment to irritate your skin by shaving with, against and perhaps, cross the direction.

Now I hope you can understand what I mean ( oh hell, my english )

Regards from Germany

Thomas

 

[TomH]

Uups, sorry Randy, I've wrote the same like you: It's a double post...

Thomas

 

[TAsunder]

Thanks. I will try shaving with the grain in differing directions on my face. I bet that will help with the cheek areas.

 

[guenron]

TA,
There are many issues confronting the new to DE shaving shaver, not the least of which is ensuring that you are communicating your experience to others. Here is a thread on the "4-pass" method I developed/documented some time ago. I find that it works for me and has served as a good baseline for others to build upon. Before you dig into it make sure that you have your DE razor skills down well. Good luck and enjoy your shave.

 

[TAsunder]

My past two shaves I've been doing north-south everywhere, then following up with a second pass south-to-north from the jawline up and then nothing on the neck. So above the jawline is fine. But the neck is still a problem. I can only shave north to south or left to right. Any south to north or right to left and I get a lot of problems. To me it looks ok to just do a not-too-close shave of the neck, but I have no idea if others would agree.

Any advice? I read the system posted above but the 3rd pass is the problem for me in the neck area. Also a problem is the adam's apple.

 

[guenron]

My past two shaves I've been doing north-south everywhere, then following up with a second pass south-to-north from the jawline up and then nothing on the neck. So above the jawline is fine. But the neck is still a problem. I can only shave north to south or left to right. Any south to north or right to left and I get a lot of problems. To me it looks ok to just do a not-too-close shave of the neck, but I have no idea if others would agree.

Any advice? I read the system posted above but the 3rd pass is the problem for me in the neck area. Also a problem is the adam's apple.

Greetings Thomas,
Can you tell me more about what kind of problem you are having on the third pass? Does this seem to be the direction in which your whiskers grow? or the opposite?
Perhaps we can tailor the strokes to get it right for you?

 

[TAsunder]

The problem is that it is mostly against the grain on the neck for the left side, and I seem to either be more sensitive in the neck area or not stretching / lathering / steaming properly. It's actually ok on the right side, until I get to pass four. Basically anything remotely against the grain (i.e. horizontal from right to left) causes nicks or at best major irritation.

It could be that I am not positioning the blad properly or stretching the neck properly? I generally stick my chin into the air.

 

[guenron]

The problem is that it is mostly against the grain on the neck for the left side, and I seem to either be more sensitive in the neck area or not stretching / lathering / steaming properly. It's actually ok on the right side, until I get to pass four. Basically anything remotely against the grain (i.e. horizontal from right to left) causes nicks or at best major irritation.

It could be that I am not positioning the blad properly or stretching the neck properly? I generally stick my chin into the air.

So it seems that your beard is growing from right to left on your neck. Something I tried to explain in the 4-pass is that each pass is meant to reduce the length of beard remaining for the next pass. What I would suggest is that on pass three you carefully try shaving Q3 and Q4 from right to left. That is, in Q3 from the centerline towards the ear and in Q4 from the outside edge of your beard toward the centerline/adams apple. Then in pass 4 reverse the direction of shave.
There could be several reason you are getting nicks. Most often gents get nicks when they go against the grain from razor hop. That is where, almost imperceptibly, the razor bounces off the shaving surface and comes back down making a tiny slice (nick) as it lands. The hop occurs as a result of the resistance of the beard being greater than the shearing force exerted by the razor. Quite often these nicks are almost infinitesimal and called weepers. THere are many things you can do to overcome this problem.

The next most common issue is the failure to maintain skin tension from behind the razor. If you have any skin that is not taut on your shaving path, failure to keep it taut (stretch it) while the razor travels over it is an almost sure source of nicks.

 

[slprl]

I have what I think will be a simple answer for you.

Don't press down on the razor. Just let the weight of the head do the work. When I used the Mach3, I had to pull the razor. Just the opposite with D/E. Put on a nice layer of cream and let the razor do the rest.

Good luck!

 

[Kyle]

I have found that the only time I get razor nicks is when I get impatient and make repeat passes over an the same area with reapplication of cream. This is something I fight because of many years of bad habits with cartridge / canned foam. Take the extra time to do things right, and your face will thank you.

Kyle

 

[PoshRichM]

A lesson I had to relearn recently was to avoid "choking up" on my grip on my razor's handle. That means you hold your razor as close to the handle's end as possible. The "pommel," in swordsmanship terms.

It took me forever truly to understand why, but the best I can describe it is that shaving while holding the very end of the handle causes the blade to be pulled parallel to the skin (as it ought to be), while a grip closer to the head of the razor tends to drive the blade into the skin at a shallow angle, which obviously makes razor burn much harder to avoid.

Finally getting this bit right made all sorts of cross-grain and against-grain maneuvers possible for me that simply hadn't been before. Just my $0.02.

Shave on!

-Rich

 

[TAsunder]

Well, I've tried everything, and I still get nicks when I go for a close shave (i.e. against or partially against the grain). Today I even nicked my cheeks. Is there some method I should be aware of to stretch the skin? Up until now I've just been moving my jaw and lips for the cheeks and raising my chin for the neck. That doesn't seem to be working. I tried pulling with my off hand but it's too slippery at that point.

 

[rtaylor61]

Well, I've tried everything, and I still get nicks when I go for a close shave (i.e. against or partially against the grain). Today I even nicked my cheeks. Is there some method I should be aware of to stretch the skin? Up until now I've just been moving my jaw and lips for the cheeks and raising my chin for the neck. That doesn't seem to be working. I tried pulling with my off hand but it's too slippery at that point.

Try watching Lynn's straight shaving video. You can see some good stretching techniques there.

Randy

 

[AACJ]

Shave in the shower! The water will help clot nicks and might even clear up before you get out. The steam from the water will help keep your whiskers soft and easy to cut so you don't need to scrape it against your face.

I go against the grain on every pass, or that is my intent.

 

[vontech]

Shave in the shower!

Art,

When you (or anyone else...), shaves in the shower, do you keep the shower head spewing water? I find that I need the audible feedback from my DE to guage when I have the right angle and start cutting hair.

With the shower turned on, I can't hear it? I tried turning the shower off, just standing there, shaving and dipping my razor in a bowl of hot water, but I got really cold.



Tom