Pressure - pressure - pressure - what did I learn today

[bald as]

I recently added to my SE arsenal with a GEM Jewel thanks to @Nightguard, this is a most magnificent razor but is much heavier than most other SE's. About a fortnight ago my doctor changed some of my medication and coincidence or not my skin played up, either that or I've finally reached puberty. In any case my shaves didn't cut me up to the point of blood letting but certainly prolonged any healing. So much so it has been the whole 2 weeks and the skin is just starting to recover. I have a pretty good record as far as actual "oh crap I'm bleeding" type shaves but with today's shave I seriously adopted the attitude of becoming one with the razor. It is really hard to revise 45 years of shaving style to shave with just the razor doing all of the work. Shaving with the new GEM and a new blade with no pressure and I do mean no pressure applied to the skin literally allowing the blade to "fall" through the whiskers was initially difficult as the feeling was one of not enough cutting power, a strange thought considering how sharp a new blade really is. The GEM Jewel is a seriously aggressive razor with a major blade gap but behaves nicely without pressing to make it cut.
Even though I have always managed good clean blood free shaves I have known my desire to press just a bit harder to help the razor has always been an issue. I'm also struck by the fact that no pressure and a bit too much is very small and habitual impatience can lead to irritation or skin damage by applying more pressure to the razor to get that extra closeness. As my skin ages it doesn't handle blade pressure as it used to.

So that is what I learned today, maybe you have something you have become aware of that can be added to this thread.

Steve

 

[Drubbing]

The zero pressure thing is a myth among DE shavers. They really mean as little added pressure as possible, as so many are used to shoving carts into their faces. You need some pressure but very little, you can't shave across or against the grain without it. What you're really learning to do is find the edge and keep that optimum blade angle.

 

[bald as]

I certainly agree with DE shaving, I have always needed a bit of pressure but with a really aggressive SE [YMMV] I feel it is a requirement to find the light as a feather touch and it certainly seems to be that way with the GEM Jewel. My skin has changed over time so things I could do earlier in my shaving life can cause me issues nowadays.

 

[alfredus]

No pressure - also true with DE's - at least with the right ones

Even with the RRSS only no pressure can lead to a BBS, pressure will only result in a DFS. I assume that with pressure some part of the razor presses the whiskers down into your face...

Of course YMMV but for me only no pressure really works well and that's why I prefer really heavy razors, because with them I don't have the urge to press.

 

[Nick the Knife]

Dunno about others but I wince/recoil when I see folks on TV absolutely mashing cart razors into their faces. I agree that a hefty, significantly weighted DE feels best in the hand and works with my preferred 'minimal' pressure technique, - letting the razor's weight and gravity do as much of the work as possible. Start rushing/pushing things and thats when cuts/irritation appear.

 

[borked]

No pressure - also true with DE's - at least with the right ones

Even with the RRSS only no pressure can lead to a BBS, pressure will only result in a DFS. I assume that with pressure some part of the razor presses the whiskers down into your face...

Of course YMMV but for me only no pressure really works well and that's why I prefer really heavy razors, because with them I don't have the urge to press.

Hover-Razor tm