Shaving quandry

H

huxley

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377
Is it possible for a beard to get that tough that near everything struggles?

Today i was having my straight have and after 5 passes it still wasn't that close, ok i'll finish up with my de just for hassle sake, cranked it to 6.5 and threw it around much to my surprise it too struggled, it wasn't my prep or technique nor a worn out blade.

Am i expecting too much or is my beard really too coarse to get a decent shave from it?

Everything else seems to be spot on, been shaving for a while so i know right away when i've skipped a step.
 
A straight...Five passes...For the love of god man, what you doing etching bone... :lol:

Cant really help you on that fella as i dont use a straight, but five passes sounds a bit excessive. Im sure help wont be long coming. :)
 
Well one was professionally honed buy someone regarded as one of the best in the business, i have one i done myself that isn't far behind yet both require several passes, i just put it down to my technique yet my futur struggled equally and i know that razor inside and out, no blade prep or technique at fault, only conclusion i can think of is my beard being too damned tough.

Oh it's close just not 'that' close if you know what i mean.

I've just rehoned my gold dollar, it's sharp, scary sharp yet i can promise it'll still struggle.
 
Super iridium, can't use feathers as i find them scratchy, felt nothing wrong with the blade at all, shaved well as it usually does.

Anyway just honed my gd and it's very sharp, might redo the ti but i doubt i can improve on what i did, it felt just as sharp to shave with then as it did when i bought it shave ready so no problems there.

Im just thinking im cursed with silly thick stubble nothing more.

Lol oh five passes is fine with me, anyway we'll see what my next shave is like if im still having problems i'll send it off to neil to hone, i still doubt the blade sharpness being in question though.
 
If your beard is as tough as you say then Feathers are really a must. You might find them more obliging in a vintage adjustable or TTO, the head/blade profile seems to be better suited or if you are doing five passes a Tech/Feather might be worth a try.
 
antdad said:
If your beard is as tough as you say then Feathers are really a must. You might find them more obliging in a vintage adjustable or TTO, the head/blade profile seems to be better suited or if you are doing five passes a Tech/Feather might be worth a try.
Click to expand...

Yep, tech-feather combo is decent for my brillo-pad beard.
 
antdad said:
If your beard is as tough as you say then Feathers are really a must. You might find them more obliging in a vintage adjustable or TTO, the head/blade profile seems to be better suited or if you are doing five passes a Tech/Feather might be worth a try.
Click to expand...

I find feathers too scratchy for my face and a tech wouldn't be anywhere near aggressive enough, my futur is one of the most aggressive about only way i could go higher i suppose is to try a mergress/slant bar or oc gem micromatic.

The straights get my moustache off beautifully it's just everywhere else they struggle and then some.

I'll probably try the micromatic, they can be had cheap as not many folk require such a harsh razor.

I still intend to use the straights, im damned sure i can shave decently with them i just need to figure out a way afterall how did barbers of old manage back then.

Edit - just had a straight shave with the gold dollar, that went better had a decent shave on the first pass i focused more on the pre shave so perhaps it's time i invested in a good pre shave product to really soften those bristles.

In the meantime i'll nip in sainsburys and see what's about possibly a good softening conditioner and see where that gets me.
 
I have a patch on my neck that needs a blowtorch to get smooth,i cant use Feathers as they are too sharp likewise Swedes,i use red ip's and whilst i can get BBS elsewhere i have to settle for DFS on that part of my neck,if i go for BBS all over i know i'm going to end up red and sore.

Dave.
 
Yeah shavings a funny thing just one missing part can throw it all away, well panic over at least for now i've managed a dfs and so close to being a bbs with three passes i would throw on lather inbetween passes just to soften things then remove and reapply for the shave, i'll shave with the ti next time im unsure if i've honed it right i need to know how this razor works it's different to the gd.

I'll have a nose at preshave products at some point, im sure people rate skin food.
 
huxley said:
antdad said:
If your beard is as tough as you say then Feathers are really a must. You might find them more obliging in a vintage adjustable or TTO, the head/blade profile seems to be better suited or if you are doing five passes a Tech/Feather might be worth a try.
Click to expand...

I find feathers too scratchy for my face and a tech wouldn't be anywhere near aggressive enough, my futur is one of the most aggressive about only way i could go higher i suppose is to try a mergress/slant bar or oc gem micromatic.
Click to expand...

You're missing my point...the most aggressive razor might not be the best solution for you.
 
One moment while I get my technical head on ... right.

Forget aggression, that's entirely beside the point if you're a straight user because you can disembowel yourself with one of those if you feel the urge. This looks very much like a honing issue to me, so first thing is: are you absolutely sure your straights are shave ready? Can you shave your arm? Can you shave hairs from your arm without the razor touching the skin? Can you cut a hanging hair? Are you entirely convinced that a professional rehoning will not improve the edge? If you have doubts, then I suggest you post in the straights section and consult Neil or Tom Blodgett.

DE should be a solution for you because the blades are sharper in a strictly limited sense: they experience less resistance when cutting whiskers on account of their geometry. I am no fan of Feathers (for every day use) either, so what blades do you have at your disposal? A Super Iridium, old stock UK Wilkinson or a Swede would be favourite from my point of view - sharp and smooth - coupled with a not too aggressive razor. Fatboy on 3, Tech, that sort of thing. Plenty of preparation, ideally a soak in the bath with a hot flannel over the face, but usually five minutes of hydration will do the trick just fine. Three passes at the most with a light touch, paying attention to the direction of beard growth.

If all that doesn't produce results, then I grant you it's a problem.
 
antdad said:
You're missing my point...the most aggressive razor might not be the best solution for you.
Click to expand...

Oh trust me it is, i also have a DE89L tucked away as i quickly outgrew it. :shave


As for the honing, i can understand my honing being at fault granted, but the ti came from germany just to give you a clue as to who honed it, perhaps he had an off day i don't honestly know we have them afterall, i honed the gd and today i had my easiest straight shave yet so clearly something is going on.

I have worked in a boning hall for a good 20 years now, i know a good edge when i see one the gd im very happy with but i'll leave the ti go for now, it seems to require a different touch when on the stone id rather gain experience i have a cheap solingen on the way so i can mix that with the gd, last thing i need is to wear out a very expensive razor, perhaps i should send it off to neil for a quick fix up.

With regards to splitting hairs the arm is not a problem, it fails the hht but the hairs on the arm are super fine id be surprised if any razor cut them tbh.

For de blades super iridium every time for me, close to being feather sharp but very smooth i don't get on with the feathers they light me up.

The stones i currently use would be a yellow coti and a chinese 12k to finish it off, i think perhaps im trying to do too much too fast when instead i should go back to basics with regards to everything, hmm right i think i'll sit back and rethink everything today's shave taught me i've a lot more to learn than i first thought.

Thanks for helping btw, i don't mean to come across as annoying. :shave
 
Thanks it's just a bit frustrating, i have decided to wait for the other razor to arrive and continue with the gd, the ti can stay in the drawer in the meantime until i feel happy enough to hone it or failing that send it off to neil who im sure is more than capable.

I'll also focus more on pre shave prep, i think using a de made me a bit lazy see with a de im good neigh damn good and that in turn made me complacent and perhaps a little bit cocky as i could guarantee a bbs every time, the straight has clearly knocked me back onto terra firma. :lol:
 
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