Thread: Considering going back to cartridges from DE

When I moved from cartridge to a straight, I noticed it took a while for my face and neck to adjust to this new shaving method. Never used a DE but I'm guessing it'd be the same for those. Now I don't get any irritation. If I do, I know the blade has dulled or my angle is off.

When you use too little pressure, nothing happens. When you use too much, you get all the stuff you are describing. Get some Feather blades, use no pressure at all and see what happens.

I know that the thing that caused me most irritation was my brush - going round and round in the style you see in old movies. The points of the bristles are then pushed into the skin and this left my neck, especially, raw. I now go side to side more like a paint brush and get very little irritation from it.

I'll +1 trying a new blade. I have been using my de for over a year, now. It amazes me how some blades leave me raw, some don't give me a close shave, and some are just fantastic on my face. And, you really do have to find your own perfect blade. Get a sampler. For me, the Polsilver super iridium de blades were like a light being turned on in a dark room. Good luck.

From the SRP library (wiki) ;

The Multiple Pass Shaving Technique

Here is an explanation of the multiple pass shaving with the gradual stubble removal technique. The first time a friend told me he was doing three passes in a shave, a pass, rinsing and re-lathering and then doing another pass and then yet another I thought he was 'round the bend. He explained to me the principle of gradual stubble removal technique. At this point in my shaving experience I had forty some odd years of mostly using a Gillette "Good News" disposable. I would do one pass as quickly as I could and call it good always trying to get all of the whiskers down to a clean shave with that one pass.

Multiple pass shaving is most effectively done varying the direction of the pass according to the grain direction of your whiskers. To find the direction of the grain of your whiskers rub the area with your finger tips back and forth, up and down. It will become apparent to you in which direction the whiskers go. The easiest pass is with the grain. This should be the first pass. Rinse, re-lather and do an across the grain pass. If desired following another rinse and re-lathering an against the grain pass can be done. This is optional and need not be done on the whole shaving area. Some shavers do the ATG in specific areas and not in others.

I personally don't normally do a third pass . I find I get bbs with two passes and if I choose to do a third I tend to get irritation. The main thing is to avoid the tendency to feel that you have to have a bbs shave with the first pass. Using the gradual stubble removal technique will give you the closest shave and if light pressure is applied rather then heavy no irritation or razor burn. On the advice of a longtime barber I hold the razor securely enough for safety but allowing the blade to move if the razor pulls. If the razor does pull never force it and try to push it through the whiskers. Following this advice I rarely get a nick. Smooth shaving.

NCGuy, I'm assuming you've got a decent brush, know how to create decent lather. You also may check that the lather's not drying on your face as you go. So you could, until you get quicker, shave your face section at a time. Or at least touch up areas with lather that have been waiting idle while shaving other sections to make sure the lather has good glide. And..your only going with the grain, right?
And please dont be too dicouraged about the prep and shave time in the beginning. If it's any consolation or encouragement my first few wet shaves probably took around 45 minutes. In fact I was bragging to friends when I got them under 30 minutes.

Tend Skin works pretty well to treat razor bumps and ingrowns for me. But, it can burn my freshly shaved skin pretty bad sometimes. I get them (ingrowns and razor bumps) at the base of my neck semi-regularly. I've been reading the tea tree oil works nearly as well and is more gentle. [Of course prevention is usually better than a cure]

It's a shame that you are struggling. Maybe trying too hard, too much pressure and too close a shave. In theory a DE should work as well as cartridge razor. I can get razor burn from anything if I press too hard. Alum blocks dry out my skin. So maybe just lighter pressure, cool soap lather and a rinse with cold water afterwards, no chemicals/ alcohols.

I had trouble when I started and at the time was using a local barber for head shaves, he did a face shave without a hitch so I knew it was my technique.
With plenty prep and Merkur blades, believe it or not, I get good results.
Keep trying it will be worth it

Don't give up on DE's just yet. Part of shaving is all about finding what works for you. I am a huge fan of the feather blades, give them a try.

Everytime you use a cartridge razor an angel loses her wings.

Don't back down from the DE...
take a stand...in no time at
all any doubts will be vanquished
and you will stand victorious...an
inspiration to all...for generations
to come...

Terry