Help needed please, new to DE shaving

octopus

octopus

Joined
Wednesday June 20, 2012
Location
Berkshire, UK
Hi everyone

I have been reading these forums for some time and decided to plunge into DE shaving. Followed a lot of reviews and advice on here and watched mantic59 videos.

I am using a Wilkinson Sword razor which came with 5 blades and the Body Shop Macca root shave cream.

I have done around 3 passes on each shave but still there is some irritation in the neck area. Could it be because I am using a cheap razor or the blades don't suit me? I am willing to experiment and would like to buy the Lord L6 razor (new type) or Edwin Jagger DE89. The EJ is available on Amazon but I cannot see the Lord razor sold cheaply in the UK.

Perhaps one of you members would like to advice on what is the best option. It would be nice to try out the Lord razor before I buy it.

Thanks to all in advance.

Regards
 
Hi

Welcome. And you will assured of other welcomes if you post in the Welcome Forum too.

As to razors and blades.

The EJ is an excellent razor - not as aggressive as the other popular Merkur razors like the 34C.

But you can get a Lord here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lord-Three-Piece-Safety-razor/dp/B001VD7VIY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341566301&sr=8-1

AS to blades, you will just have to try a few to find what suits you best.

So a sample pack is a good idea. Here's an example:

http://connaughtshaving.com/samplepack.html
 
Welcome to TSR...persevere and experiment with different blades......
Different razor/ blade combinations can be vastly different in shave quality...Finding the right one is all part of the fun....
 
I believe Connaught Shaving sell the L6 but call it the Premium here http://connaughtshaving.com/lp1822.html it's out of stock at the moment though.

I'm sure someone more experienced than me will be along to advise you, I doubt your razor is at fault, the Wilkinson Classic is cheap but decent enough razor. I quite like the blades it comes with too though they may not suit you, they are pretty smooth but not as sharp as some makes.

The Bodyshop Macca root cream is very good, as good as any product I've tried, some don't like the smell but the performance is excellent.

I think the irritation is more likely a combination of your preparation, technique and your skin getting used to the process. Be patient, take your time, use short strokes and don't go over the same area more than 3 times, 2 times would be even better. I'd stick to shaving with the grain to begin with too.

Edit: Oh two more experienced people came along while I was typing! :D Welcome to TSR BTW.
 
octopus said:
Hi everyone

I have been reading these forums for some time and decided to plunge into DE shaving. Followed a lot of reviews and advice on here and watched mantic59 videos.

I am using a Wilkinson Sword razor which came with 5 blades and the Body Shop Macca root shave cream.

I have done around 3 passes on each shave but still there is some irritation in the neck area. Could it be because I am using a cheap razor or the blades don't suit me? I am willing to experiment and would like to buy the Lord L6 razor (new type) or Edwin Jagger DE89. The EJ is available on Amazon but I cannot see the Lord razor sold cheaply in the UK.

Perhaps one of you members would like to advice on what is the best option. It would be nice to try out the Lord razor before I buy it.

Thanks to all in advance.

Regards
Click to expand...

Welcome let me start by saying the wilko razor and blades are a good starting point and im going to go against the flow and say not to get a blade sampler we all say well you need to find what works best for you but when your new to DE shaving a lot of your problems are going to derive from poor technique so whats best is getting your technique right...

When i started back DE shaving i figured that because i had shaved with carts for so long it wouldn't be an issue and id have no problems getting great shaves straight away i was wrong technique was everything and so was getting the blade angle and my lather right i stuck with the wilko blades for the 1st 6 months of me DE journey and only once i felt that my technique was fine i tried others but they are still my go to blade ...

I see you say your doing 3 passes which could be the main reason for your irritation also are you trying to go against the grain if so forget it if your technique is poor your going to irritate the hell out of your neck trust me i know i tried after a few weeks to do 3 passes but it was a big mistake i didn't need to and feel that i only did because i had read about people who do 3 pass shaves but for me i get a really great and close shave with just 2...

All i can say is take your time get your prep right and i'll say it again in case i haven't said it enough already get your technique right if you need to be clean shaven every day then keep with the carts while learning to use the DE. If you don't need to shave everyday then don't give your skin a day or two between shaves to recover from any irritation...
 
The replies so far have been very helpful. Thanks to everyone and appreciate all your time.

The Lord razor being sold on Amazon is the old version and apparently the LP1822 is the better one which is out of stock in many places.
 
You don't say how long you've been at it but it's been said, a change to a better quality razor may help but chances are the problems will persist until you just get better technically and that only comes with practice and experience.

Neck area is tricky for some, stick to WTG passes and a light touch even if it leaves you a little less close than usual the aim for now is irritation free, the closeness will come later.
 
I used the wilko classic when I started DE shaving. It works. I would say you need to use less pressure on your neck. But make sure you have good prep before you start. Hot flannel held on the beard then a spash of hot water again before you start to lather up.
 
antdad said:
You don't say how long you've been at it but it's been said, a change to a better quality razor may help but chances are the problems will persist until you just get better technically and that only comes with practice and experience.

Neck area is tricky for some, stick to WTG passes and a light touch even if it leaves you a little less close than usual the aim for now is irritation free, the closeness will come later.
Click to expand...

I have been shaving using the Wilko classic for about 3 weeks now. I shave everyday.
 
I've been DE shaving now for 7 months. When i started i had the same problems you're having. I used to get major neck irritation, but i found that doing a 3 pass shave was fine, but WTG, XTG and another XTG the opposite way. Once my technique was better I made the last pass ATG and after awhile could do it with no irritation. I would highly recomment an EJ DE89, that was my first 'proper' DE razor. I would also recommend letting your stubble grow for about 2 days and then get a mirror and map the grain of your beard, if you haven't done so already. This will allow you to make more efficient passes.
I get excellent shaves now, but i still get bad ones when i use my slant, i still need to refine my technique even more for that boy.
 
Hi and welcome. I used the Wilkinson Sword Classic razor for around 10 years between 1992 and 2002. The only thing to watch out for is the handle, because after a while it can come loose during shaving. Don't be tempted to over tighten it. Also, change the razor blade every 3 or 4 shaves because using a blunt or dull blade won't cut as effectively as a fresh blade.
 
Having used the Wilkie as my first DE razor, I reckon the weight balance is so far removed from the sort of razors we move on to that it's best not to use it for too long, as it only encourages you to apply pressure which is exactly the wrong technique with an all-metal DE razor.
 
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