Burn & still stubble left, advice please

shaunwistow

shaunwistow

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Location
Sheffield
Hi guys

Newbie help here, please don't shoot me as I've only had 2 DE shaves, so I'm new to all this shenanigans.

I'm only doing 2 passes at the min, 1 with grain & 1 sideways. Always had trouble with the area at left & right side bottom of neck.

Would a pre shave oil help?

Any advice would be appreciated, would a pre shave oil help with the burn? I assume getting a closer shave will come from confidence & blade?

Great forum this, thanks a lot.
 
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shaunwistow said:
Hi guys

Newbie help here, please don't shoot me as I've only had 2 DE shaves, so I'm new to all this shenanigans.

I'm only doing 2 passes at the min, 1 with grain & 1 sideways. Always had trouble with the area at left & right side bottom of neck.

Any advice would be appreciated, would a pre shave oil help with the burn? I assume getting a closer shave will come from confidence & blade?

Great forum this, thanks a lot.
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Are you only getting "the burn" on your neck? The neck is the most sensitive part of the skin that you shave so may take a while to settle down and get used to being shaved.
Oil may help but the best advice is No pressure when you shave....shave the lather off and the hairs will follow, keep an eye on your blade angle and make sure your lather is of the right consistency ....like a creamy yogurt and did I say no pressure? :) it will get better.
 
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Blademonkey said:
Are you only getting "the burn" on your neck? The neck is the most sensitive part of the skin that you shave so may take a while to settle down and get used to being shaved.
Oil may help but the best advice is No pressure when you shave....shave the lather off and the hairs will follow, keep an eye on your blade angle and make sure your lather is of the right consistency ....like a creamy yogurt and did I say no pressure? :) it will get better.
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Cheers, yeah just the neck, started with the Astra blade from the samples you kindly sent.

No pressure used, just the weight of the razor, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it, I'm happy so far.

Cheers
Shaun
 
The neck is my trouble spot too. Very sensitive and growth that goes in the same direction as my legs after a bottle of Jack (every bloody which way :D ). I find the following key to getting a good shave in those areas with a BBS finish:

1) Preparation. There is no substitute. Hot shower or hot towel.
2) A VERY slick soap (you've got Palmolive Cream, so should do the trick nicely)
3) A VERY sharp blade.
4) Taught skin to eliminate dragging and maximise the efficiency of the razor
5) As Paul has already mentioned, NO PRESSURE.
6) Time.

It will come. Preshave oil is, how can I say it, expensive when you buy branded stuff. It does help add something to the shave that I cannot deny, but if your soap is up there with the best that suits you, then it isn't always necessary. I'll add a bottle of the stuff I blend myself (double mint and menthol) to the soap samples I'm sorting you so you can try it out :) If you like it, I'll sort the recipe out for you so you can blend some of your own if the inclination takes :)
 
shaunwistow said:
Cheers, yeah just the neck, started with the Astra blade from the samples you kindly sent.

No pressure used, just the weight of the razor, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it, I'm happy so far.

Cheers
Shaun
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I don't know what your skin is like but if it is quite lose on your neck you can pull your skin a little with your other hand to tighten it up while you are shaving this may help. Good luck :)
 
nick_s said:
The neck is my trouble spot too. Very sensitive and growth that goes in the same direction as my legs after a bottle of Jack (every bloody which way :D ). I find the following key to getting a good shave in those areas with a BBS finish:

1) Preparation. There is no substitute. Hot shower or hot towel.
2) A VERY slick soap (you've got Palmolive Cream, so should do the trick nicely)
3) A VERY sharp blade.
4) Taught skin to eliminate dragging and maximise the efficiency of the razor
5) As Paul has already mentioned, NO PRESSURE.
6) Time.

It will come. Preshave oil is, how can I say it, expensive when you buy branded stuff. It does help add something to the shave that I cannot deny, but if your soap is up there with the best that suits you, then it isn't always necessary. I'll add a bottle of the stuff I blend myself (double mint and menthol) to the soap samples I'm sorting you so you can try it out :) If you like it, I'll sort the recipe out for you so you can blend some of your own if the inclination takes :)
Click to expand...

Cheers Nick, top man & thanks for all your advice, this is a minefield, but a great forum.
 
The lad's have given some good advice. Good preparation is the key as is getting the right blade for you. One man's favorite is another man's worst blade. I cannot get on with Astra blades but many love them. Try something different it may make all the difference to your shaves.
 
Technique is more important than preparation (which is important) and one man's prep or even technique might not suit another.
For example there are plenty of people who swear by cold water shaving for a close burn free shave. Others swear by the J-Hook or polishing or even (shudder) ATG passes...! Shave oil, pre-shave, soap, blade and razor all make a difference but getting the right angle, in the right direction with the right pressure is essential.

With problem areas, go back to basics - one pass with the grain then when comfortable 2x WTG and so on. Test the angle on your arm to get the feel for it and how it cuts. Try to use as little pressure as possible. Make sure of the direction of growth. Get a comfortable shave then go for closeness.
 
shaunwistow said:
Hi guys

Newbie help here, please don't shoot me as I've only had 2 DE shaves, so I'm new to all this shenanigans.

I'm only doing 2 passes at the min, 1 with grain & 1 sideways. Always had trouble with the area at left & right side bottom of neck.

Would a pre shave oil help?

Any advice would be appreciated, would a pre shave oil help with the burn? I assume getting a closer shave will come from confidence & blade?

Great forum this, thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

Nobody gets it right after only two shaves, so don't beat yourself up; the biggest difference between those ghastly plastic cartridge razors and a proper DE razor is that you have to learn a skill to use the latter. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a pre-shave oil; they don't add any benefit in my experience and just leave a greasy line on your wash basin.

Your two-pass approach is fine; I don't bother with a third, ATG pass anymore as good technique and the right kit (for you) avoids the need for it. The other guys have made most of the salient points, so,I won't repeat. Only thing I would add about shaving your neck is that the hair can grow in quite different directions on different parts of it so you may be shaving ATG without realising it. For example, I know that the stubble under my chin grows from left to right and that a patch on the right side of my neck grows almost horizontally from front to back. You'll get to know the idiosyncrasies of your own face and neck and adjust your shaving technique accordingly but, again, not after only two shaves.

Stick with it; it all comes together sooner than you might think.
 
shaunwistow said:
Thanks for all the advice, had a much better shave this morning. @Sgt Barnes you are spot on, my stubble growth direction is all over the place at the bottom of my neck, either side of my Adam's apple. I reckon I'll get the hang of it, next shave will be with a new blade, decisions decisions
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It's true what @chris.hale has said and besides that you can't get a real feel for a blade after a couple of shaves, so would carry on unless as Chris said they are horribly uncomfortable.
 
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