Thread: The First Touch

Congrats, Jim. The importance of good pre-shave stropping on clean leather cannot be overstated nor over performed. Keep that up and the technique should just fall into place as you have the pleasure of learning with a well prepared blade. I assume you've got the beard prep down by now.

X

Originally Posted by xman

Congrats, Jim. The importance of good pre-shave stropping on clean leather cannot be overstated nor over performed. Keep that up and the technique should just fall into place as you have the pleasure of learning with a well prepared blade. I assume you've got the beard prep down by now.

X

Thanks X. I'm working on that technique. Slow and easy wins the race, indeed. I think my beard prep is ok--I've been DE shaving for a few months now, and I have an entirely too extensive collection of soaps, creams and brushes...

I tried the DA today. I gave it about 30 laps on the CrO2, and then 30 on the linen and 50 on the leather. It was popping hairs like crazy, and it had a distinctive sticky feeling on my thumb, so I tried the shave. It was a good deal smoother than the Kropp, though it's still not ready for my lower lip area. Looks like these boys have a date with a honemeister!

Originally Posted by JimR

Thanks X. I'm working on that technique. Slow and easy wins the race, indeed. I think my beard prep is ok--I've been DE shaving for a few months now, and I have an entirely too extensive collection of soaps, creams and brushes...

I tried the DA today. I gave it about 30 laps on the CrO2, and then 30 on the linen and 50 on the leather. It was popping hairs like crazy, and it had a distinctive sticky feeling on my thumb, so I tried the shave. It was a good deal smoother than the Kropp, though it's still not ready for my lower lip area. Looks like these boys have a date with a honemeister!

G'day Jim. I've never used a DA but my Kropp borders on perfection for my beard. Will be interested in your opinion once its shave ready.

I did a full pass with the DA today. I gave it another 20 or so passes on the CrO2, and then 50 on linen and nearly 100 on the leather. It felt really really sharp on the TPT, and popped hairs like crazy a centimeter above my arm.

It smoothly cut on my cheeks, so I moved under my lower lip. With a slight angle adjustment, it cut the hairs there too! Yay! I was able to do my upper lip, as well. BUT...it was seriously painful. Very serious razorburn...After the shave, I was red red red, and there was still some serious stubble left. I finished up with my Futur, and ended up ok when it comes to smoothness, but red...red red red. Oh my.

I think there were two problems. The blade is not sharp enough, and my angle/pressure weren't quite right. The first will be ok soon0I got my BBW/Coticule combo today, and a barber hone is on the way. I also have my Kropp on the way to a honemester, so...time to work on technique!

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

Your entire face was red or just your upper lip? I read it as your entire face, this leads me to believe that perhaps you are using too much pressure. Or the razor simply isn't sharp enough which would also lead to using more pressure than necessary but also tugging, or you perhaps have had another reaction to a soap and didn't realise.

Just a few thoughts.

It was patches--upper lip, under my lower lip, some patches on my cheeks...almost my whole face, yeah,but not quite. I'm sure that there are problems with pressure and angle...and that the razor wasn't quite sharp enough. As I understand it, it should glide effortlessly through most hair; it's near enough, there wasn't a lot of tugging, but not QUITE what I would call a sharp edge. Not if these claims of DE sharpness are accurate.