SMF

Somebody I've been tutoring in the arts of wetshaving asked me this and I had absolutely no idea on what to answer. "When it feels like your scraping your face" was the best I could come up with. Could anyone field a better answer on this one?

when u dont see RED

i started off at setting 3 in my Gillette Adjustable, went to 4 and had cuts. went back to 3 and have been cut-free

"When you're happy with your shave"

For most people using the gillette thin man or fat boy, that setting is 3. However, once I got more experienced I started using the adjustability more. Nowadays I usually start out at 3, then move up to 4 or 5 for the final pass, occasionally as high as 7 for T&C if I've got a stubborn patch. Feathers are similar, but I go to 4 for the final pass and 5 for T&C.

Maybe a fixed head razor would be better in the hands of a newbie? Too many variables while still learning proper technique.

I dunno... Kids these days with their new fangled adjustables, back in my day we shaved with an open blade. Hey, wait a minute...!

A good place to start is number 4. After your first pass feel, your face carefully and find the left over stubble. Re-lather and adjust down to 3 and go for the stubble spots. Rinse off your face and feel it carefully again. If you find more stubble re-lather those spots and blade buff with the razor set on 2. ( Blade Buff means go over that spot in all directions )You should come out baby butt smooth.

So much depends on your whisker growth, the blade you use, and your skin type. The numbers I gave above are a good starting place. You have to experiment to find what works best for you.

Good luck,

rustyblade wrote:... back in my day we shaved with an open blade. Hey, wait a minute...!

Whippersnapper!

We used to catch our own clams, save the shells and sharpen them by hand for our BBS shaves.

We did all of this in the morning, in the winter and before walking 10 miles (each way) to an unheated school with only an outhouse.



-joedy

My own practice is to start with the lowest setting and adjust it up each day until I get the shave I want. For me, less agressive settings work well.

I started with 2 then moved to 3 regardless of the age of the blade. I am now a bit wiser and increase to 3 and 4 after day 2 of a new blade.

My favourite and most successful shave is day three, with my first two passes on 3, then my final pass on 4. I then blade buff at 4 for any final cleanup. I wish all blades could be like a US Personna on day 3 - oooh, aaaahhh.

Leisureguy wrote:My own practice is to start with the lowest setting and adjust it up each day until I get the shave I want. For me, less agressive settings work well.

I agree with Michael. This works best for new wetshavers without causing too much damage.

I started with a #1 setting did that for about a week then move to 3 and there I sit for this is the best setting for me. I get maybe 3 to 5 days from a blade at this setting and BBS shaves through out. Now this is with a slim adjustable with my fat boy set on #1 I get the same result. Just start low and move up slowly until you attain the desire results.

Rafael

Joedy wrote:

rustyblade wrote:... back in my day we shaved with an open blade. Hey, wait a minute...!

Whippersnapper!

We used to catch our own clams, save the shells and sharpen them by hand for our BBS shaves.

We did all of this in the morning, in the winter and before walking 10 miles (each way) to an unheated school with only an outhouse.



-joedy

You had an outhouse I always knew you were one of those city folk.

You can tell by what goes wrong.

If it's set too high, you'll cut yourself often.
If too low, it will be hard to shave, and you'll press on the razor to try to get it to work. This causes razor burn.

The area in the middle where neither problem happens, is where you want to be. It should be effortless, but not so effortless that your face comes off.

For me I would say, "The settings most noticable affect is preventing razor burn, not cuts. Find the most aggressive setting you can use without nicking yourself. The least number of passes to a close shave will cause the least amount of irritation. We often describe shaves as a 2 or 3 pass method, but in reality, a particular piece of skin will see the razor go by more than that when you take overlap into account using the SHORT STROKES tecnique. Therefore.......if the angle you are holding the razor at is causing much irritation.......Increase the setting and straighten the angle even more untill you get a good shave".

Hmmmmm...I barely understand that myself and I wrote it

Laney - I agree that keeping the blade at an appropriate angle is more important than the adjustable setting number. You just know that really well, so you personally don't cut yourself. Not all men are so lucky.

notthesharpest wrote: It should be effortless, but not so effortless that your face comes off.

Somebody should grab that for their signature line.

The settings I use depend on the contours on that part of my face. I have no problems going up to 7 or 8 with my Gillette on my flat cheeks, but neck area definately takes a 3 with the grain, and 1 on the second pass against.