Newest Threads

**mannye** · 02-02-2013, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhoop

My wife got me a merkur for Christmas, and I love it! Using it is quite a learning curve, but I'm having a lot of fun. Still get razor burn a little, but I think I'm still pressing too hard and my lather needs some work. Already much better than my little electric shaver though.

Go on Amazon and get yourself a pack of Feather DE blades from Japan. I really like them with my Merkur.

**two_hearted** · 02-02-2013, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoppyhoppyhippo

So I have a question that requires a bit of a background. I have terrible facial hair, my hair grows in fast at first and the stops growing at about an 1/8 of an inch. I can maybe get it to a quarter if I don't shave for a month, it's highly frustrating but I digress. I have sensitive skin and have tried various Gilletter etc type of razors from the 1-5 blades, tried them all. I've heard that wet shaving can help with folks who get razor burn/bumps super easy can anyone here corroborate that?

I have coarse, thick facial hair that grows in quick and really sensitive skin to boot. I've been wet shaving with with DE razors for about a year and have really noticed a difference. My neck is super sensitive and is prone to razor bumps/ingrown hairs, but I rarely get them now.

There are a few tricks that make a big difference for me:
-always shave after a hot shower or condition your face with a steamy hot, wet towel.
-use a pre-shave like this
-give your shaving cream a minute or two before you start shaving
-shave with the grain of your hair. This one made a huge difference once I took a really long look at my hair to see which way it all grows. Mine grows in about 5 different directions on my neck alone!
-apply as little pressure as possible while shaving

As most people say, buy yourself some quality shaving soap and after shave. Make sure neither contain alcohol.

**mannye** · 02-02-2013, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by two_hearted

I have coarse, thick facial hair that grows in quick and really sensitive skin to boot. I've been wet shaving with with DE razors for about a year and have really noticed a difference. My neck is super sensitive and is prone to razor bumps/ingrown hairs, but I rarely get them now.

There are a few tricks that make a big difference for me:
-always shave after a hot shower or condition your face with a steamy hot, wet towel.
-use a pre-shave like this
-give your shaving cream a minute or two before you start shaving
-shave with the grain of your hair. This one made a huge difference once I took a really long look at my hair to see which way it all grows. Mine grows in about 5 different directions on my neck alone!
-apply as little pressure as possible while shaving

As most people say, buy yourself some quality shaving soap and after shave. Make sure neither contain alcohol.

Everything Two-Heart said AND... I find that a straight razor gives me the best non-irritating shave. It took a few weeks to get the hang of it, but now i always use it if i have time. Next best is a DE, which I use when I don't have the time for the whole straight razor "ceremony" (it's also very meditative as you have to focus).

I'd say you can save money too, but not really. Straights are about as much to use as buying Gilette refills. You just spend all the cash at once. But once you're set up with straights the cost goes way down.

CHefJohnboyardee · 02-02-2013, 03:20 AM

I need to try a full wedge before I give up on straights... 1/4 an 1/2 hollows just don't cut it but I have some tricky whiskers.

**mannye** · 02-02-2013, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHefJohnboyardee

I need to try a full wedge before I give up on straights... 1/4 an 1/2 hollows just don't cut it but I have some tricky whiskers.

Did you send your straights to a pro to get honed? That's one of the things that made a difference for me.

**azscoob** · 02-02-2013, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRZ

I got a used straight around 10 years ago. I have slowly ok very slowly been getting it ready for my first shave with it. I cleaned and polished it up nice then put it away as there was not a lot of info out there at that time. Now because of this thread I pulled the straight razor out and did some YouTube research. I bought some wet stones and did my first honing on it. I did my first shave with it last week and it felt like it wasn't sharp enough. I'm tring again tomorrow after honing again. I think the blade might be worn out to much to get it super sharp.

Two questions, one.. Is the spine getting thin from years of honing? If so adding electrical tape to the spine will help bring the bevel back.

Two, are your new stones perfectly flat? I had a stone that I could never get a decent edge with, turned out the stone wasn't flat, I took a sheet of 2000 grit wet dry sandpaper and laid it on a granite floor tile (machine ground and polished tile is amazingly flat) I bought at the local big box store, add a bit of water to the paper and worked the stone a bit. It was quickly obvious that my whetstone was anything but flat, after a few minutes it was nice and flat and has honed beautifully ever since.

CHefJohnboyardee · 02-02-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannye

Did you send your straights to a pro to get honed? That's one of the things that made a difference for me.

Yes I did! The whiskers on the corners of my chin are from hell. Like porcupine quills. The thinner razors I don't think have enough weight behind them so to speak. They work on my cheeks, neck and sideburns, just not the chin...

I have to buff my chin with a DE to get it even remotely smooth. Not sure how to get there with a straight.

**Shooter** · 02-02-2013, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by two_hearted

As most people say, buy yourself some quality shaving soap and after shave. Make sure neither contain alcohol.

I'm a fan of Lucky Tiger in the warmer weather and use a few different alcohol free moisturizing balms in the winter, when the air is dryer. I do have alcohol based aftershaves, but, since I am an evening shaver, I apply them the next morning, more for the scent.

Of course, I've been growing my beard out for the last month. So, not a lot of shaving recently.

rhoop · 02-03-2013, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannye

Go on Amazon and get yourself a pack of Feather DE blades from Japan. I really like them with my Merkur.

I've got a sample pack with some feathers. I've heard multiple people say the feathers are the best, so I'm waiting to use them until after I get the technique down better and I can appreciate the difference in blades.

**mannye** · 02-03-2013, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhoop

I've got a sample pack with some feathers. I've heard multiple people say the feathers are the best, so I'm waiting to use them until after I get the technique down better and I can appreciate the difference in blades.

Keep them in a little glass full of vodka. They will stay sharper longer. You can use isopropyl as well but that ain't got no style, man.