Thread: Avoiding Nicks and Cuts

it seems to me that the best shaves I get are in fact with a sharp razor...trying to get too close of a shave with a razor that needs work almost always results in a nick, razor burn or both...I wish I had the facilities to work on my prep but alas, out here...aint quite the case...I've though about getting an electric tea water warmer to heat water for my prep but every time I go to the BX here, they're out...I think that me prep need the most attention now, more than the honing, stropping or actual shaving technique...we'll see...

I have to agree with the above, I can tell instantly if my razor is not up to par. And, I immediately put it down for touch up later, and find a sharp one. I was explaining to my other half that, shaving with a dull razor is when I cut myself, not with a sharp one. And I further agree, prep time for me - I've learned - is a must. I also keep the shave brush handy, and if I feel the cream or soap begin to thicken I then just wet the brush and add as I go.

Originally Posted by cflaageriv

I have to agree with the above, I can tell instantly if my razor is not up to par. And, I immediately put it down for touch up later, and find a sharp one. I was explaining to my other half that, shaving with a dull razor is when I cut myself, not with a sharp one. And I further agree, prep time for me - I've learned - is a must. I also keep the shave brush handy, and if I feel the cream or soap begin to thicken I then just wet the brush and add as I go.

Post Script...I actually broke down and ordered one of the tea water boiler kettle thingees from online...with this in mind, my prep has expanded...whereas in the past I'd just go to the latrine and rinse my face with cold water to get the whiskers to stand up, NOW...my process includes heating the water while I get my coffee poured up...by the time I add my sweetener and creamer to the cup and pour up my coffee, the water is boiling...from there I dip the towel in the water and when I can stand to wring it out, it's tolerable to my face...I do the dip and wrap with the towel on my face 2-3 applications then go o the latrine and proceed with the cold water splash then make up my lather...with the same razors and the same basic process I'm finding that the shaves go faster, are smoother and closer and seem to last longer...this was a hard learned lesson...I had an actual str8 shave properly administered from a barber a few months ago while I was in that states on vacation and it took a while but the point was driven home...prep work is essential...I don't do the oil massage as time is limited but the time spent with the hot towels is made up with the shave going better...same as in Chinese food cooking or painting the house...most of actual process should be the time spent on prep work and if you try to skimp on prep, you'll pay for it somehow...bottom line...between a sharp blade (no brainer there huh) and even some basic prep, your shaves will go much better...I even tried the new and improved modified prep with my DE's (closed and open comb) a couple of times with blades that are actually close to getting dull and need to be changed out...the shave was much better here as well...don't skimp on your proep work...

I just got three nasty cuts in three consecutive shaving days. All three were the direct consequence of not paying attention. Well, one actually was because I didn't see good in the mirror and nicked my earlobe by going too much to the left with the razor. The other two were the result of putting the blade to the skin at the wrong angle, much too wide for safety purposes.

All razors recently returned from Sham's honing, which means they were the sharpest they could ever be. Other than that, extremely close shaves, all in all.

When stopping to think-take blade off face.

Or put another way If the blade is on your face it is doing one of two things-shaving your face OR cutting your face.

When I started, I'd sometimes pause while thinking of what I'd do next-this pause was just enough to give me a cut from the razor I'd left against my skin.


I've now broken the habit- if I'm not shaving with the razor, it is off my face.
(I still experiment with trying different directions/techniques, but I sways take the blade off my face)

Hope that makes sense,
Michael

Same on the strop. If the razor isn't moving with the edge trailing, it's moving with the edge leading . It's hard to achieve stasis

I don't know if the 'prep' is most important or more so, just relaxing and paying attention to the task at hand...i.e., the shave! The other day, I was shaving with a recently honed and stropped F.R. It was not sharp enough so I immediately put it down. But not before nicking myself. I just kind of lost my direction after that, nicking myself with my back up razor three more times, mainly because I was not concentrating and I was in a hurry. Live and learn...

I'm learning that srt8 razor shaving is like preparing for a bodybuilidng contest...(not that I've done that lately...lol)...there are various components that have to all come together at the same time...with a bodybuilding contest you have the training, the diet and the mental side which all have an effect on the outcome...with the str8 shaving experience there are different components too that all have to come together at the same time for that really GREAT shave...the blade must be good and sharp (duh-huh) which requires that the honing and stropping technique is in place (component #1 and probably the most important of them all IMO)...prep (component #2) "can" be skimped on but at the expense of the shave...it'll be "adequate" but will take longer than the saved time can justify and some blood and/or skin will likely be lost...then you have to allot some amount of "distraction free" (or as close to it) time as you can manage to perfect your shaving technique...out here in the sandbox, I can fully control two of the three components (sharp razor and prep) but the "shared" facilities means that I'll almost inevitably have a "distraction" of some form or another...be it someone asking "is that thing really sharp?" or commenting "man I could never do that" or "do you get some sort of Zen-like experience when you're focusing so hard on shaving" (this one was today)...almost every day I get some comment either admiring, acknowledging or making a backhanded attempt at a disparaging remark...mmmeeehh...whatever...the way I see it, we str8 shavers are a unique bunch anyway so I usually try to ignore the stoopid comments from stoopider people...so...the thought process to me is to visualize a great shave as a camera on a tripod...when all three components come together, all three legs of the tripod are stable and support the "goal" of getting that great shave but if one leg isn't stable or built well, the tripod won't support the camera and it'll come crashing down...if all three of the components to your shave aren't fully developed or in order, your shave will not be as close or as comfortable as it could be...

I might add, I don't know why I often feel compelled to always change razors, because, with one particular razor - a Lion Brand for Yankee Cutlery - I've never nicked myself, not once even, and I get such good shaves with it. But, call it human nature (the grass might always be greener syndrome), I am continually searching for the ultimate shave!

I am having trouble shaving my face around and right under the jaw bone. The face seems to curve inward under the jaw bone and I end up not having a smooth shave over there. Any tips?