(02-25-2021, 02:15 PM)ShadowsDad Wrote: Very little pressure is NOT the goal. No pressure is the goal. If your skin deforms under the razor you have too much pressure. I told a friend that for quite some time and he was about to give up. But before he did he had the inspiration to actually put what I'd been telling him into practice. He called me up to tell me that he'd just had the best shave of his life. In his exact words, "When you say no pressure you really do mean no pressure, don't you?". Yup, when I say no pressure that's exactly what I mean.
If your lather is good that can be ruled out.
I can tell you how I shave, but it's different for all of us. If you don't know the direction of growth of your beard you need to face map it. The first pass I start with strokes in the direction of growth. The 2nd pass I go against the grain, putting fresh lather on for all passes. Then under my jawline requires one more pass since the hair under there grows haphazardly. 2 1/2 passes and done. But again, it'll probably be different for you, we're all different.
Why people use other razors other than a Schick injector... In my case ALL injectors. They are mute. A SE razor that uses a GEM blade speaks to me when I have the correct angle, they make a sound like bacon frying. In some razors that sound is louder than others. Injectors say nothing when they're correctly used.
This !!
I've been wetshaving for a long time now. Started somewhere in 2008 or so when I saw some videos on how to save money and have a better face feel with a two sided razor. The first part is yet to happen as I slipped hopelessly from one rabbit hole to another and then I discovered SE razors !!
I used unmentionable razors for a long time before I learned of GEM style razors and that is when I truly understood the meaning of zero pressure. Injectors always seemed to tear me up even the likes of the Schick G which is supposed to be mild. I agree that is because they are so silent and so sharp. I used to have redness and irritation with a Schick G injector initially and had given up till I learned this technique and never looked back. The Gem to me sounds like scrapping a burnt toast and its great feedback to learn. With a schick its always a matter of learning by irritation and alum sting to know if you got it right.
I took this technique to my unmentionables and this helped me there dramatically.
Everything you've said is perfect. I am almost 5 weeks in to a Gem PTFE blade in an ER shovel head razor. If it wasn't for zero pressure I would have chucked the blade at best 10 OK shaves. 35 shaves on any blade is simply shave nirvana for me and the blade is still going strong each time I pick it up. I have some 400 to 500 Gem PTFE blades and with this refined technique combining Gem / Injector / AC and 2 sided blades I think I will have to shave till I am 400 years old !!