should I shave?

[Gary~]

Nope, just checked, the blade is in correctly. 

I think I was so afraid of putting any pressure on after hearing how gently i need to go with the HB that I probably wasnt even letting it touch my head.  When I've got a few more days under my belt I'll give it another go.

I think that it has a reputation for cutting that it doesn't deserve. It seems to me to be much more forgiving than a disposable razor -- just use about the same pressure as that and it is virtually impossible to cut yourself as long as you aren't tempted to slide it sideways. Part of the problem is that it is so forgiving that it is very tempting to start to do silly things with it.

[Beardman]

Nope, just checked, the blade is in correctly. 

I think I was so afraid of putting any pressure on after hearing how gently i need to go with the HB that I probably wasnt even letting it touch my head.  When I've got a few more days under my belt I'll give it another go.

Haha that is a very likely possibility! That's it. get yourself comfortable with shaving properly first, then give it another go.

I think that it has a reputation for cutting that it doesn't deserve. It seems to me to be much more forgiving than a disposable razor -- just use about the same pressure as that and it is virtually impossible to cut yourself as long as you aren't tempted to slide it sideways. Part of the problem is that it is so forgiving that it is very tempting to start to do silly things with it.

I think it is luring you into a false sense of security haha. Give it the respect it deserves and you wont cut yourself, if you start thinking it wont cut you, that is when it will. As long as you are following the rules it should never cut you though. Compared with a disposable razor, where I don't think I've cut myself since I figured out how to use it properly.

[Gary~]

I think it is luring you into a false sense of security haha. Give it the respect it deserves and you wont cut yourself, if you start thinking it wont cut you, that is when it will. As long as you are following the rules it should never cut you though. Compared with a disposable razor, where I don't think I've cut myself since I figured out how to use it properly.

Exactly right. It is so forgiving that you think that it is very difficult or impossible to cut yourself and then you do something silly and then it bites back. Hasn't cut me yet and I've had 20 shaves with it -- but I do have to keep reminding myself to not do something stupid like sliding it sideways [which I have started to do a couple of times].

I am postulating that the headblade cartridges are "set" higher than other cartridges and don't shave as close making it safer -- this is by design. It is also why many blokes here don't like the HB cartridges because they want it as close as possible. I wonder how many cut themselves with HB cartridges vs other brand cartridges?