De technique help required

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41
Location
Bristol, UK
I've noticed that with my recently required MÜHLE R41, if I am shaving against the grain on a second pass the razor head very slightly tries to skip and jump over the skin when it's hitting the hairs.
This seems to be the case regardless of angle or pressure and can only really be stopped by holding the razor against the skin with a much greater pressure than I dare use. At present I only hold with an incredibly delicate touch.

I have tried with a variety of blades ranging from a Feather to a Lord and also tried various creams and soaps with lathers that range from thin to thick and various degrees of slickness. The same phenomenon seems to happen regardless.

Has anyone else noticed this with an R41? I'm struggling to find other variables that may be at work here.
 
ATG on a second pass - are you sure the hair is short enough? If you try ATG and the hairs are too long they are likely to tug and cause in-growns.

With the blade exposure in the R41 you will feel the bahaviour of the blade more than a milder razor if it is catching. Are you shaving XTG as pass one? I would always make an XTG pass before the ATG. With the R41 I take three passes WTG, XTG, ATG.
 
ATG on a second pass - are you sure the hair is short enough? If you try ATG and the hairs are too long they are likely to tug and cause in-growns.

With the blade exposure in the R41 you will feel the bahaviour of the blade more than a milder razor if it is catching. Are you shaving XTG as pass one? I would always make an XTG pass before the ATG. With the R41 I take three passes WTG, XTG, ATG.

Hi, I only ever do 2 passes with a R41 and yes the first pass is XTG. My facial hair growth is weird, the whole lot grows from left to right (even on the neck) so my first pass is just vertical strokes.

My hair isn't over coarse and I don't think it's a case of the hair being too long as after just 1 pass it's almost BBS anyway with this particular razor. It's just that when I do go against the grain there is enough 'tugging that the razor jumps and skips. It's weird
 
Hi, I only ever do 2 passes with a R41 and yes the first pass is XTG. My facial hair growth is weird, the whole lot grows from left to right (even on the neck) so my first pass is just vertical strokes.

My hair isn't over coarse and I don't think it's a case of the hair being too long as after just 1 pass it's almost BBS anyway with this particular razor. It's just that when I do go against the grain there is enough 'tugging that the razor jumps and skips. It's weird

It sounds good, even so if I were you I might be tempted to try an ATG first.

More generally I would suggest experimenting with your angle and trying to keep a steady positive stroke imaging you are just floating over the hairs. Are the right cutting angle the razor shouldn't skip.

Secondly I would go back to your lather and prep. If your hairs are more hydrated and the lather is slicker / wetter it helps against skipping. You find this particularly with! Aggressive razors and straights where the blade is more open. If your are aiming for a yoghurt consistency think more tzatziki than greek yoghurt.

After you have lathered your face. Dip the tip of your brush into warm water and then work that into the lather on your face until it is consistent.
 
It sounds good, even so if I were you I might be tempted to try an ATG first.

More generally I would suggest experimenting with your angle and trying to keep a steady positive stroke imaging you are just floating over the hairs. Are the right cutting angle the razor shouldn't skip.

Secondly I would go back to your lather and prep. If your hairs are more hydrated and the lather is slicker / wetter it helps against skipping. You find this particularly with! Aggressive razors and straights where the blade is more open. If your are aiming for a yoghurt consistency think more tzatziki than greek yoghurt.

After you have lathered your face. Dip the tip of your brush into warm water and then work that into the lather on your face until it is consistent.

Thanks for the advice, I'll give that a go. I guess it's just one of those learning curves.

Cheers

Chris
 
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