***The Official Manly Shaving Thread***

[Maundie]

I have used both Connaught Shaving and Shaving Shack in the past and can confirm both are good with excellent prices, I only buy little from amazon now (usually stuff you can't get at either the other 2) as I had a delivery of feather blades which turned out from China and were very poor so have only bought blades from these 2 suppliers since.

Also it's not always cheaper to DE shave as my 4 razors, 8+ soaps/cremes and god knows how many aftershave balms is testament to

 

[Draeger]

Hi all,

First of all, this is a beard related question - shock/horror!!! I am aware there is a long 'Beard' thread but it isn't particularly well replied to now as far as I can see plus this is a question about razors which I figured you guys will know more about.

So, A month or so ago I decided to grow a beard. It's coming along quite nicely and I really like it so far. It's a 'boxed beard' style and as such there are parts on either side of just above the chin and under the mouth which need to be shaved. Thus far I'm doing so with a Gillette Fusion but its tricky. It's really difficult to get correct placement without inadvertently trimming off hair on either side of the part needing shaved if that makes sense? Photo below describing the area I mean. What I'm wondering is this - is there such a thing as a razor which is half or quarter the width of a normal width razor that can be used for this and if so, what are they called/where can you pick them up? Would make things so much easier!! I've seen Merkur Moustache razors online but a lot of the reviews say the blades are pretty hopeless for small areas.

To clarify, looking for a razor, not a trimmer.

Cheers.

 

[GiraffePencils]

would you not just hold the razor sideways? go left->right then right->left in 2 passes?

 

[EssexBoy]

To clarify, looking for a razor, not a trimmer.

Cheers.

I would use a shavette for that type of shaving.

 

[Maundie]

I would use a shavette for that type of shaving.

+1, I have a shavette and use it for intricate bits (see under nose and back of neck) like this

 

[Draeger]

would you not just hold the razor sideways? go left->right then right->left in 2 passes?

Kinda works but depends on what way the hairs sit. Left to right passing doesn't quite cut it (excuse the pun) sometimes.

I'll have a look at shavettes, cheers.

 

[Arcane]

I'm not loving the brush thing at all, it makes zero difference for me? Overall I'm happy with the shave I'm getting, still slightly sore afterwards but far less ingrown hairs than before. Using derby Blades and Truffit and Hill Sensitive soap, Baxters of California Post Shave Balm, it has a weird freezing/numbing effect which I really like. The top lip thing is still giving me the odd weeper (especially under the nose) but much better now I go sideways rather than up.

 

[Shawreyboy]

Kinda works but depends on what way the hairs sit. Left to right passing doesn't quite cut it (excuse the pun) sometimes.

I'll have a look at shavettes, cheers.

+1 for the shavette.

Mrs Shawrey wants me to have a beard back for the Winter so I've had to start growing mine again.

Last year she bought me a Wahle 5* shavette cost about £12 after her discount to do my beard shape ups. It comes in a nice padded box and has a decent black anodized finish which hasn't chipped or marked. It's an all metal proper professional grade tool. It came with a pack of 10 easy going Treet Platinum blades (snap in half job so an easy 20+ shaves) that are perfect for beard line ups. I have put a Feather in and find that just as good although you have to be that much more careful with the Feather as you can feel that they are much 'sharper' than the Treet is.

https://www.salonsdirect.com/wahl-5-star-shave-razor

Shawrey

 

[Yadda]

I'm down to my last couple of packs of Voskhods, time to order another 100. ~£8 iirc for 2 years of enjoyable, comfortable BBS shaves. Marvellous.

 

[Draeger]

+1 for the shavette.

Mrs Shawrey wants me to have a beard back for the Winter so I've had to start growing mine again.

Last year she bought me a Wahle 5* shavette cost about £12 after her discount to do my beard shape ups. It comes in a nice padded box and has a decent black anodized finish which hasn't chipped or marked. It's an all metal proper professional grade tool. It came with a pack of 10 easy going Treet Platinum blades (snap in half job so an easy 20+ shaves) that are perfect for beard line ups. I have put a Feather in and find that just as good although you have to be that much more careful with the Feather as you can feel that they are much 'sharper' than the Treet is.

https://www.salonsdirect.com/wahl-5-star-shave-razor

Shawrey

Cheers, might just order one of those. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Shawreyboy]

Cheers, might just order one of those. Thanks for the recommendation.

Awesome! Once you get the hang of holding the razor as its a bit fingers and thumbs to start its easy. I thoroughly recommend watching a few of Geofatboy's videos on YouTube for some solid advice on how to shave with it.

Shawrey

 

[ianh]

Shaved off my beard for the first time in over 2 years - what a mistake!!!!

I look like a chubby faced 13yo and my face feels rubbery, sweaty/sticky skin and it itches like a bugger.

Never again!

PS I do however now look less like a member of ISIS, which is nice considering where I live!

 

[Uther]

Shaved off my beard for the first time in over 2 years - what a mistake!!!!

I look like a chubby faced 13yo and my face feels rubbery, sweaty/sticky skin and it itches like a bugger.

Never again!

PS I do however now look less like a member of ISIS, which is nice considering where I live!

What, Stoke?

 

[R.C.Anderson]

So after a bit of help...

I've been DE shaving for about 8 months now, but I'm still really struggling to get a close shave on my neck & jawline without bleeding (normally ends up looking like I've stabbed myself with a wire brush!).

I use the following:
Merkur 34C
Derby Blades
Taylor of Old Bond St Shaving Cream

I pretty much always do a 3-pass shave (I find that a 2-pass shave still feels like day old stubble in places)

When I started DE shaving, I bought the recommended blade sample pack, and tried each of the blades in the pack. There were a couple I really didn't like, but the majority I couldn't tell much difference so I decided to stick with the Derby blades as they're cheap, and seemed as good as any others in the pack.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what I can do to get a better shave, without cutting myself? I've been wondering if I need a more aggressive razor, so it catches more in the 1st & 2nd pass. Does that sound reasonable? Any recommendations?

 

[Cob]

So after a bit of help...

I've been DE shaving for about 8 months now, but I'm still really struggling to get a close shave on my neck & jawline without bleeding (normally ends up looking like I've stabbed myself with a wire brush!).

I use the following:
Merkur 34C
Derby Blades
Taylor of Old Bond St Shaving Cream

I pretty much always do a 3-pass shave (I find that a 2-pass shave still feels like day old stubble in places)

When I started DE shaving, I bought the recommended blade sample pack, and tried each of the blades in the pack. There were a couple I really didn't like, but the majority I couldn't tell much difference so I decided to stick with the Derby blades as they're cheap, and seemed as good as any others in the pack.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what I can do to get a better shave, without cutting myself? I've been wondering if I need a more aggressive razor, so it catches more in the 1st & 2nd pass. Does that sound reasonable? Any recommendations?

Try a pack of Feather blades. Much sharper than Derby’s, so you won’t have to scrape your neck to get a close shave.

 

[Yadda]

Yea, once you have the technique down it'd about finding the blade that works best for you. It might be worth getting an assorted sample pack of different blades to try. That's what I did (I found 7 O'Clock greens worked best for me and later switched to Voskhod, which I find very similar but considerably cheaper).

 

[Shawreyboy]

So after a bit of help...

I've been DE shaving for about 8 months now, but I'm still really struggling to get a close shave on my neck & jawline without bleeding (normally ends up looking like I've stabbed myself with a wire brush!).

I use the following:
Merkur 34C
Derby Blades
Taylor of Old Bond St Shaving Cream

I pretty much always do a 3-pass shave (I find that a 2-pass shave still feels like day old stubble in places)

When I started DE shaving, I bought the recommended blade sample pack, and tried each of the blades in the pack. There were a couple I really didn't like, but the majority I couldn't tell much difference so I decided to stick with the Derby blades as they're cheap, and seemed as good as any others in the pack.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what I can do to get a better shave, without cutting myself? I've been wondering if I need a more aggressive razor, so it catches more in the 1st & 2nd pass. Does that sound reasonable? Any recommendations?

Have you mapped out your face? The neck and jawline tend to be a nightmare for the direction hair grows in. Try to feel what direction the hair grows in and shave accordingly to that direction and that should help with getting your face feeling smoother in those areas.

Another good tip is to stretch the skin above and/or below the jaw bone by pulling the skin on the cheek up or pulling the skin on your neck down respectively. This can help as you get the skin on a flatter surface rather than on the radius of your jawbone where a scrape could possibly happen.

I do have to say though that the Derby blades are quite unremarkable and definitely not the greatest (sharpest) blade unless you're using a mega aggressive shaver with lots of blade exposure. The Derby is incredibly mild. I'd deffo +1 sticking a Feather in and you should notice how more efficient the Feather is versus the Derby.

Shawrey

 

[R.C.Anderson]

Try a pack of Feather blades. Much sharper than Derby’s, so you won’t have to scrape your neck to get a close shave.

Yea, once you have the technique down it'd about finding the blade that works best for you. It might be worth getting an assorted sample pack of different blades to try. That's what I did (I found 7 O'Clock greens worked best for me and later switched to Voskhod, which I find very similar but considerably cheaper).

Have you mapped out your face? The neck and jawline tend to be a nightmare for the direction hair grows in. Try to feel what direction the hair grows in and shave accordingly to that direction and that should help with getting your face feeling smoother in those areas.

Another good tip is to stretch the skin above and/or below the jaw bone by pulling the skin on the cheek up or pulling the skin on your neck down respectively. This can help as you get the skin on a flatter surface rather than on the radius of your jawbone where a scrape could possibly happen.

I do have to say though that the Derby blades are quite unremarkable and definitely not the greatest (sharpest) blade unless you're using a mega aggressive shaver with lots of blade exposure. The Derby is incredibly mild. I'd deffo +1 sticking a Feather in and you should notice how more efficient the Feather is versus the Derby.

Shawrey

Thanks all. I bought a variety pack when I first started, and tried all the different blades in the pack, but found very little difference between most of them. I think I've still got a couple of feathers left, so I might give them another go, now I'm a bit more practised in the technique.

I've mapped (mentally) the hair direction, and I'm not sure if I'm just odd, but it seems to vary so much over my face! e.g. Everything above my jawline grows approx 45Deg down & rear, my neck grows up & slight rearwards (other than an ~ 1 inch wide strip under my chin, which grows down), and my jawline is pretty much directly rearwards, but it aims down slightly as I get closer to my chin!

 

[LuckyBenski]

Thanks all. I bought a variety pack when I first started, and tried all the different blades in the pack, but found very little difference between most of them. I think I've still got a couple of feathers left, so I might give them another go, now I'm a bit more practised in the technique.

I've mapped (mentally) the hair direction, and I'm not sure if I'm just odd, but it seems to vary so much over my face! e.g. Everything above my jawline grows approx 45Deg down & rear, my neck grows up & slight rearwards (other than an ~ 1 inch wide strip under my chin, which grows down), and my jawline is pretty much directly rearwards, but it aims down slightly as I get closer to my chin!

You wait til you find the bits that aren't symmetrical. I've got a spot on the right of my neck that grows opposite to everything around. It, while the left side equivalent is just down then up.

 

[Yadda]

I've got an awkward bit on my neck too, where it grows in all directions. It took a while to figure out how to deal with it without causing irritation but I got there in the end.

Don't peel yourself raw trying to chase a BBS shave every time, though. It'll come eventually but you can have a very tidy shave without reaching BBS.