u/HormuzVengeance

Hello fellow shavers.

I recently (very recently) got into the world of DE shaving as the cartridge razors were irritating my skin when shaving within 4-5 days of my last shave.

I got a merkur 34C and I’ve put in the Astra platinum blade.

Now, I don’t get a smooth shave with it after albeit only a few uses. Even with multiple passes both with, across, and against the grain, there are still patches on my face which look smooth, but aren’t smooth to the touch.

I do have thick facial hair, and it does grow very quickly.

My question is - is this likely to be a technique/blade issue, or will different razors make a significant difference?

Should I try a different handle to see if that makes a difference, or should I ride out this one a bit more with different blades and trying to improve my technique?