Shaving issues and ordering questions

OpenToSuggestions

OpenToSuggestions

OpenToSuggestions

Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2006
Posts
11,477
Location
Derbyshire
Hey all.

If I don't shave for a few days the redness on my neck goes away and I can have a shave without much soreness, but 2-3 days after I get loads of very small spots on my chin and the very bottom of my neck (where the suddenly completely changes grain from going down to going up) looks like a red line like I have been strangled by a wire.

Now, I already have a Merkur safety razer and have been using Taylor of Old Bond shaving cream. It is far better than supermarket crap but I have recently been getting better results with The Real Shaving Co. shaving gel.

I have found shaving after washing my face in the shower really softens the thick beard hair. I got a beard trimmer for Xmas but it yanks at the hair.
I would like to shave 7 days a week but the soreness is mental. My technique has improved massively over the Mach3 which is very forgiving in that you get away with apalling technique.

I am completely out of Razor blades and the Derbys that I have been using for the last year are so so. Some are very good but some new blades literally tear the hair from my face! Does anyone else find some new blades arew very blunt?

All in all I need:
- New razor blades. I may get the super sharp ones.
- Any recommended pre or post shave creams/oils for sensistive skin (I use Nivea aftrer-shave soothing cream)
- Any other important bits the manly shavers of OCUK think I need!
 
I think feathers are pretty renowned, I use derby and I have noticed that some are not that sharp. But they are so cheap and good enough for me.
 
Use Feathers. Even the blunt from the pack ones are still incomprehensibly sharp. Any other brands are merely good. Most are worse than good (expecially the Personnas I'm using now).

I've only used 5 Feather blades (from my trial pack about 2 years ago), but they were clearly the best. I had some Wilkinson Sword blades that were goo too, but I don't remember the exact model.

I must remember to pick some more Feathers up soon as I'm getting tired of taking Personnas out the packet and them wrenching the hair from my face, with one edge being noticably blunt compared with the other.
 
It might be worth posting in the Manly Shaving Thread. :)

As for blades, I use either Derby or Feather. I can never remember which one. :p

The Proraso Pre and Post Shave stuff is pretty good. I only ever use it before a shave to warm my skin up and get it more supple and prepared for applying the lather. For post shave I like Proraso's non-alcohol after shave stuff. Soothes the skins and smell flipping nice as well. :cool:

What brush do you use? I think the better the brush the better the lather it will produce. What consistency of lather do you usually get? It needs to be quite liquidy and not like a gel or paste.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I tend to go vertically down with the razor on my neck - This could be why I am getting a red line as the last 2-3mm of hair grows in completely the other way (up instead of down).

I have badger brush I think that I paid about £15-20 for when I got the Merkur.
I tend to make the lather not massively liquidy as then it drips off my face onto the floor.

I think my biggest problem is that I tend to 'touch up' areas when I have made 2 passes with lather, but the 'touching up' hasn't got lather on so I can see.
 
I often have to get tweezers (and use force) or use a pin to get the hairs on the red line at the base of the neck to break the surface of the skin again rather than becomming ingrowing hairs.
 
Watch some of Mantic59's video on Youtube. He shows different techniques which may help you with the problems your having.

 
I shave before the shower, using a wet-electric shaver, then after the shower use Gillette sensitive after shave balm. Not always problem-free, but it generally works for me.
 
Last edited:
mglover070588 said:
I often have to get tweezers (and use force) or use a pin to get the hairs on the red line at the base of the neck to break the surface of the skin again rather than becomming ingrowing hairs.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem for 2 years. Just constant shaving and correction helped. Another thing that helped was to lather a lot. Even if I'm not shaving when I go in the shower I will lather and just wash it off with the shower head. It helps to condition the skin.

I can't get away with using an electric shaver, it makes my skin very dry. I can't use a wet electric shaver either.
 
Ordered 30 feathers and I added 10 Astra blades as the free gift to see how they are.
Went on Amazon for Bluebeard's cream and shave oil as a touch cheaper :).
Thanks for the help people! Will see what results I get. All I do know is 50% of the Derbys were quite blunt when they were new!
 
Had a shave a few days ago.
I am not sure whether it was the blades, the cream or the oil but the blade cut through the hair with very little effort. I have a bit of redness due to shaving 4-5 days previous to this but I have had no bad effects from this shave (so far!).

Thanks for the help guys. These feather blades really are seriously sharp!
 
Have you mapped your beard? ie looked at which way the grain goes, i found that helps.

Feathers are sharp, really sharp and with my Slant Merkur it was too rough a shave, then again im not sure how much having a fat face doesnt help:(
 
mglover070588 said:
Had a shave a few days ago.
I am not sure whether it was the blades, the cream or the oil but the blade cut through the hair with very little effort. I have a bit of redness due to shaving 4-5 days previous to this but I have had no bad effects from this shave (so far!).

Thanks for the help guys. These feather blades really are seriously sharp!
Click to expand...

How do the astra sp's compare?

I much prefer them to the derby blades, but I've not tried feather blades.
 
My other half has sensitive skin and uses The Art Of Shaving fragrance free shave cream and aftershave balm.

Expensive (the aftershave anyway) but he finds it brilliant.

Just thought I'd mention it as something to keep in mind in the future, maybe.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shaving-Cre...W4YW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327270234&sr=8-1

31RK1Ucn7kL._SL500_AA300_.jpg


http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Art-Of-...JK/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&qid=1327270306&sr=8-34

31DfZimn7eL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
Last edited:
mglover070588 said:
Ordered 30 feathers and I added 10 Astra blades as the free gift to see how they are.
Went on Amazon for Bluebeard's cream and shave oil as a touch cheaper :).
Thanks for the help people! Will see what results I get. All I do know is 50% of the Derbys were quite blunt when they were new!
Click to expand...

Where did you order the feathers from......the free gift part interests me lol.
 
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