Shavette And Barber Razor Enthusiast (SABRE) group

[Halfbeard]

I am still working on this head shaving with the Feather DX.

I have learned a lot and can get a great shave at times. I even recently made progress on ATG on the scalp with the shavette.

A few recent lessons have been that I find guarded blades irritating and the cause of redness and scapes. Unguarded blades don’t irritate and rarely scrape, but they are more prone to cuts/nicks.

Additionally I learned that a the “one spine width angle” is better than a too low angle and pulling tension on the scalp helps in all grain directions, even required to achieve a decent safe ATG pass.

The trouble that plagues me is time. It takes longer and I have limited time in the morning (rushing is bad). Also, so far I can’t seem to shave with the shavette and an unguarded blade without causing 2-4 small nicks. These nicks red up on my scalp and take a week or more to fully disappear.

So, if I shavette shave 3 days in a week, I have accumulated 9 (plus or minus) nicks that are noticeable. That bugs me. Too many and then my scalp needs a rest.

I hope over time, I cause fewer and fewer nicks. I could tolerate one a week for example. But in the meantime, I go to work looking like I had a run in with an angry cat.

That said, I recently had the absolute worse shaving cut in my 4 years of head shaving with my DE safety razor, not the shavette. Just moving it around too fast on the back of my neck and whacked my self wrong. The shavette could have been worse, but I would never handle it in such a cavalier way!

I did a head and face shavette shave today. I thought about your post.
Some things for your to consider:

- take your time. Rushing shave is not a good idea, especially with open blade.

Evening shaving is good idea as suggested by @Dave himself . Open blade shaving is little bit dangerous and requires full attention. That full attention and locking out everything else is very enjoyable - gives this me time.

The worst cuts I get is not from shaving, but results of loosing attention and involuntary movements.

- low you standards (at least temporarily ). Chasing a BBS is not necessary. Gather experiences and develop muscle memory. And in time BBS comes by itself. And if you change to evening shave there is no BBS in the morning anyway.

- it is not the blade that cuts you. It is yourself !
Blade does exactly what you command to do ! Analyze how you get cuts. Is it too steep angle ? Do you have any particularities on you head that require special attention and different approach ?

Have nice shaves !

 

[Guido75]

Yesterday’s shave had a few epiphanies that help me see how great a head shave I can get with the Shavette. Encouraging, but still a lot to learn.

I have recently took on the challenge of shaving my head with a shavette as well! I am 4 shaves in and 2 shaves seriously - including the inevitable nicks on the rear end of my head. So far only WTG and it is close for sure. I am still learning like you, especially in dealing with the non-dominant side of my head in relation to my hand/arm. I have no trouble shaving by touch or feel on the back of my head - I think that is just the natural way for the head shaver anyway, irrespective of the razor.

What I am struggling with is that my steel shavette (I have two, one plastic and one steel; both DE shavettes) results in a suction effect when shaving - especially on that non-dominant side. I know I need to get my lather thinner, but I am also wondering if my angle is too shallow. Although I feel I do not have the guts to go steeper just yet.

I will be visiting this thread more often - even if it is just for practice. Eventually I will use a shavette on my face as well.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Halfbeard]

I know I need to get my lather thinner, but I am also wondering if my angle is too shallow

Yes, thinner lather ! Almost dripping !
There is no too shallow angle ! Only if you are hovering over you head/face!

 

[Guido75]

Yes, thinner lather ! Almost dripping !
There is no too shallow angle ! Only if you are hovering over you head/face!

Thanks - will try and vary only 1 aspect per shave. So first lather and see what that does.

Interesting though, considering that for example Barber T. and other Turkish barbers have copious lther amounts in combination with their shavettes. But of course, they can manouvre the razor much easier, as they are not working their own heads. Well, Barber T. does and I have never ever see him cut himself (and rarely cuts a client too by the way).

Cheers,

Guido.

 

[Halfbeard]

Thanks - will try and vary only 1 aspect per shave. So first lather and see what that does.

Interesting though, considering that for example Barber T. and other Turkish barbers have copious lther amounts in combination with their shavettes. But of course, they can manouvre the razor much easier, as they are not working their own heads. Well, Barber T. does and I have never ever see him cut himself (and rarely cuts a client too by the way).

Cheers,

Guido.

The suction can cause skipping. That jumping open blade can be dangerous !

 

[Guido75]

The suction can cause skipping. That jumping open blade can be dangerous !

I know! Don’t ask how I know!

 

[Halfbeard]

The wet lather does not mean it has to be thin. Can be thick and dripping in the same time !

 

[Dave himself]

I know in my SOTD i use Pears soap as a Pre-shave. What i do is load my brush first with Pears and then load my normal soap. I've found this better than just loading the Pre-shave on my face. It means my Pre-shave is being loaded every pass.

 

[Jamolay]

I have recently took on the challenge of shaving my head with a shavette as well! I am 4 shaves in and 2 shaves seriously - including the inevitable nicks on the rear end of my head. So far only WTG and it is close for sure. I am still learning like you, especially in dealing with the non-dominant side of my head in relation to my hand/arm. I have no trouble shaving by touch or feel on the back of my head - I think that is just the natural way for the head shaver anyway, irrespective of the razor.

What I am struggling with is that my steel shavette (I have two, one plastic and one steel; both DE shavettes) results in a suction effect when shaving - especially on that non-dominant side. I know I need to get my lather thinner, but I am also wondering if my angle is too shallow. Although I feel I do not have the guts to go steeper just yet.

I will be visiting this thread more often - even if it is just for practice. Eventually I will use a shavette on my face as well.

Cheers,

Guido

Hello! Welcome to this adventure! My #20 head shave awaits this morning (casual Saturday) then I am on a road trip for a week off of shaving (at least w/shavette). Healing time!

I know I have cataloged various up and down experiences in the “what Shavette did you use today” thread (or whatever it is called). If you care to try and gain from my mistakes..

but I am also wondering if my angle is too shallow

There is no too shallow angle !

I am not sure I agree with @Halfbeard here. Too shallow leads to suction, skipping, tentative approach and makes it more difficult for me to follow the curve of my scalp.

Maybe it is the feather DX, since there is no lip at the base of the blade to glide on.

I do better with at least a spine width, maybe a bit less than 1/4” height of the spine off my skin. On video of a professional shaver I saw he used a 30 degree angle the whole time, far more than I use.

Of course the higher the angle, the easier to catch the edge of the blade and cut, which is the (I think) primary reason I seem to cut myself.

Definitely start each stroke towards the flat side and slowly come up to the angle you want, though.

I also feel that pulling a little tension on the skin with the other hand works wonders.

I have trouble on the back of my head due to some crazy grain patterns and contoured of the scalp. Same around the ears. There is something funny on my head behind my right ear and I irritate that spot a lot, shavette or DE. Even my electric bugs me there.

I don’t know if it would help to see it. I don’t actually feel that is an issue. Shaving by feel seems fine, same with either hand, mostly. I cut myself in places I can see as often as those I can’t.

 

[Guido75]

I know I have cataloged various up and down experiences in the “what Shavette did you use today” thread (or whatever it is called). If you care to try and gain from my mistakes..

Thanks! Those were good reads! Helpful.

 

[Jamolay]

Thanks! Those were good reads! Helpful.

You are welcome! I am glad my misadventure may be of some use. At the very least we know we are not alone!