Have some questions? Well then fire away this is the place to ask but in the present time please read this thread as it may even help answer some questions for you. The best advice I can give is to KISS (keep it simple stupid) but here is some things to help you keep it simple. The prep: (see the preshave forum for more info) • Take hot shower. The hot water and steam will clean and soften beard. • Use a gentle face wash to remove dirt and oil. • If you wish (I suggest trying this even though I don’t do it) place a washcloth/small towel in hot water then apply to face for a while like a barber would do. Lathering soaps: (see soap forum for some nice tutorials) • Soak a Lather Bowl in hot water for a little while (a latte mug or cereal bowl will work well). • Submerge brush into warm water for a while. • Remove brush from water and let it drain until dripping stops: NOTE you still want a wet brush but not a dripping wet brush. • Swirl brush on soap clockwise, counter clock, and side to side using light downward pressure. You may also pump the brush up and down gently. • Drain water out of Lather Bowl and swirl soap loaded brush in bowl using a clockwise, counter clockwise, and side to side motion. You may also pump the brush up and down gently. Add small amounts of water to the bowl and repeat swirling until you get a consistency of freshly beaten egg whites (meringue). • Apply with brush using a circular or painting motion (try both to see what you prefer). Be sure not to press the brush on your face too hard, this may cause irritation and shorten the life of your brush. I suggest if you want scrubbing action that you use a Pure or Best badger brush and not a Fine or Silvertip brush. Boar hair brushes also work well for scrubbing. Lathering creams: (see cream forum for some nice tutorials) • Soak a Lather Bowl in hot water for a little while (a latte mug or cereal bowl will work well). • Submerge brush into warm water for a little while. • Remove brush from water and let it drain until dripping stops: NOTE you still want a wet brush but not a dripping wet brush. • Drain water out of Lather Bowl and place an almond sized dollop of cream in bowl. Swirl brush in bowl using a clockwise, counter clockwise, and side to side motion. You may also pump the brush up and down gently. Add small amounts of water to the bowl and repeat swirling until you get a consistency of freshly beaten egg whites (meringue). • Apply with brush using a circular or painting motion (try both to see what you prefer). Be sure not to press the brush on your face too hard, this may cause irritation and shorten the life of your brush. I suggest if you want scrubbing action that you use a Pure or Best badger brush and not a Fine or Silvertip brush. Boar hair brushes also work well for scrubbing. The shave: • Make sure you use a fresh, sharp blade or a freshly stropped straight razor (one that has been honed by a pro). • Shave with the grain of the hair check the grain so you know what way WTG is. Make sure to use no pressure what so ever, let the razor do the work. If you are using a straight be sure to really stretch that skin to make a flat shaving surface. If you are using a DE a little stretching is needed but not too much. • Rinse face with warm water, you may do more shaving passes with, across, and against the grain if you like. For beginners I suggest not doing anymore then 2 with grain passes until you get a feel for your shave and then you may try across and against grain passes. Aftershave: (see aftershave forum for different types) • Rinse well with cold water to wash off excess soap and/or cream, it will also it will close pores and sooth skin. • Apply your favorite aftershave at this time. Can’t miss starter kits/gear even for experienced wet shaves: • Razors: Merkur Hefty Classic, Gillette Super Speed, Gillette Tech, and for straights a new PRE-HONED Dovo 5/8 Round Point, remember you will need a strop too. The reason I say new is that you may not know what to look for on Ebay or Flea markets yet until you get some learning under your belt. You can also visit the Shopping forum and ask/browse for a shave ready straight, I am sure one of our many members can hook you up and you will get a fair shake. • Go for the sample pack of blades to find the blade that works for you. Examples: westcoastshaving.com, razorandbrush.com, and connaughtshaving.com. • The Crabtree and Evelyn Best Badger Brush ($35 Dollar) is a great starter but be warned the drawing power to acquire more brushes is strong as with razors. • The Shave Den Soaps, cheapest on the market and arguably the best for homemade soap. Not that I intend to advertise the Shave Den’s store but well it is my opinion either way. Other soap makers I recommend, QED, Olivia, Soapbuddy, Suzie's Bubbles, Mama Bear, Honey Bee Spa, Saint Charles Shave, The Gentleman's Quarter, Pirates Cove, and Tryphon all site links can be found here. • Cheap and good creams would be... Proraso, Musgo Real, Erasmic, Kiss My Face, Tom's of Maine, and JM Fraser. All are highly recommended by me. • Aftershave, go to the drug store (yes I said that). Aqua Velva Skin Bracer Old Spice Pinaud Clubman Brut Nivea Aftershave Balm Masters Bay Rum (Sally’s Beauty Supply) • If you feel like moving up I would suggest the following. Tabac Shaving Soap De Vergulde Hand Shaving Soap Taylor of Old Bond Street Shaving Cream Salter’s Shaving Cream ...............We could be here a while But don't take my word for it. Visit the review section to see what other members have to say. Remember, none of this is scripture. Shaving is a very YMMV thing. Never be afraid to try something different and make sure you report your findings.
This is what I do, of course, I do not use any face wash before shaving. In my opinion I think that removing the oils from the face may hinder the shave. If your face is very oily then a face wash might be a good thing to do. I let the soap I am using to shave do the work of also cleaning my face. Face washes dry my skin. I also would not recommend the use of any conditioner in an attempt to soften your stubble. Apply hot wet towels or splash face with hot water to soften the stubble. I use my own shaving soaps plus a few other name brands and of course...no Velva Again, this is just what I do in my routine as in no way intended to be taken as gospel of shaving. Raf
Also, as of recent it has been my experience that new factory Dovo's are very close to shave ready. The few I have had the opportunity to examine and test have required very little or no touch up at all. Still, I would have someone that know what they are doing take look at the edge before shaving with them. Raf
See now don't you feel better. :happy102 I don't do the conditioner thing either (I think it makes my beard hair stronger). The not washing the face before hand may be looking into. Strong work from Latino Heeeeeeeeeeeat as always.
couple things to think about before DE shaving Hi there, and congratulations for looking at an alternative shaving system. We all have our reasons for wanting to make a change, and there's already lots of threads on that subject. Skin problems, expense (cartridges), even boredom can be motivating factors to find what else is out there. I'd just like to mention two things that are extremely important that you'll need to know right away.........even before a sharp, naked blade touches your face. First thing, you need to prepare your face correctly. Your beard needs to be softened to minimize the friction when whacking em. I know, your cartridge razor doesn't require nearly as much prep time. This step is mandatory if you want a comfortable DE (or single edge injector) shaving experience. The good news is it's easy, and takes almost no time. Use wet hot towels on your face for 1-2 minutes. That's it! You may very well not need anything else, such as pre shave oils or things like that. That's my only prep, and it makes a HUGE difference in my shave quality. This type of shaving CAN'T be rushed.....and the rewards can be a real kick. Hehe, you may have to fight the temptation to shave faster (in the beginning), but that will pass after a while. No need to rush something that ends too quickly as it is.........hehe. The second thing before actually shaving would be learning what makes a good lather. You can practice whipping up batches.......see what's involved there. Soaps or creams are both easy to work with, so take your choice.....or try both! They're each fun to use, and both types have their fans. Whichever you decide on, stick with only one for a while until your technique improves. The reason you need a proper lather is simple. Unlike cartridge systems, there's no lube strip to help things slide along without pulling. It's just a sharp, naked, exposed blade that's gonna be waltzing around your face, and you need something to protect yourself from serious damage. Razor burn, nicks, weepers, and worse can occur when using lousy lather. Hehe, the problem is......you don't have a reference point yet, as to what that feels and acts like. No, Foamy or Edge gel will not quite work in this case. You want to improve your chances as best you can, and a brush/lather combo is your best bet for success. Sure, you can use canned foam, but the shave won't be the same. A fast test for good lather is just to shave a few strokes with whatever cartridge you're comfortable with. Hehe, if THAT doesn't feel right, then you need to tweak your lather. The cartridge should just fly over your face, or at least feel as good as it does using foam. Remember, a DE razor isn't nearly as forgiving as a Mach3 will be. Easy eh? If you don't start out your shave right, you can't play catch up later with a sharp blade. I guess that's the point, which probably coulda been made a lot quicker......heh. Anyway, I hope that helps one or two of you. Martin Sheeesh! Will? Would you mind moving this to that section (shave school) you recently created? That's a better spot for this........didn't even see that thread of yours. Thanks
Shaving myths and misconceptions Hi there new shaver, I wanted to congratulate you on deciding to at least try another type of shaving. You'll find all sorts of info here at TSD, as well as the other shaving forums. It's up to each of us when deciding how much of this 'hobby' we care to buy into, and I can tell you that rabbit hole can be a deep one. Now, you're gonna see lots of tips on how to improve your shave, and most things I'll agree with. However,there's a few things I personally don't believe to be true. I may be wrong though, and I'm willing to listen to reason....heh. I try to keep an open mind. Then, there's some traps a new shaver can fall into, and maybe I can help avoid that. I don't claim to be an expert of any kind......just my opinion and you can take it for whatever it's worth. Ok then...here we go. When first purchasing a razor and brush, there's no need to spend a lot of cash. Don't go for the razor that's pricey but looks the nicest, and no need for the biggest, softest, and most expensive brush. A razor's price and looks does not reflect shave quality.........how the thing performs, in other words. Read up on what the various razor's characteristics are, and then make an informed, rather than impulsive decision on what's right to start with. Also, do NOT buy a shaving set. Take the time to properly pick out a brush that suits your needs, and there's certainly no need to buy a set with a bowl. You're gonna want to pick out a bowl that best suits you, and the ones in the sets aren't usually what members prefer. Same thing's true with a decent brush. You won't need to spend $100....not even half that much....and the brush you buy will still be one that's nice (and effective) to use for years. Later, when you know what kind of brush you like, then pop for the extra cash on one with the feel you like. Otherwise, if you don't research brushes, it's easy to spend serious cash on something that's too big or too small for you..........too stiff or too floppy. Yeah, those are things that only experience can really teach you. Next thing would be the YMMV (your mileage may vary) thingy. You're gonna read many conflicting reviews or opinions on products and ideas. I still read members posts, and can't believe some feel so differently as I do about blades, shaving soaps, razors.....that sorta stuff. You can use those reviews or ideas as a guide, but this type of shaving is a lot of trial and error. Hehe, it IS very gratifying when it all comes together, but you gotta pay your dues when learning a new skill. Now, one thing you will constantly see in the member's thoughts on using razors is this: "No pressure should be exerted on the razor when shaving........let the razor and blade do all the work". Unfortunately, that's really not true, or not in my case anyway. I found some lighter razors such as a superspeed incapable of getting a few tough spots on my chin, unless I 'helped' the razor along a little. Yep, I'd have to bear down a bit so that the blade wouldn't skip or chatter. That no pressure thing is....well, I just don't think that's a good generalization to make. There ARE razor/blade combos that do perform that way (no pressure needed) for me, but very few. I find the heavier razors have the best chance of providing that quality. The extra bit of weight and the way it's distributed, combined with a very sharp blade, does almost totally eliminate any need for pressure of any kind. Hehe, no, I'm not saying the weight (or even the razor I use) will make the shave better for YOU.....gotta remember that YMMV thingy. Oh, I should mention that because injectors weigh so little, they definitely need a little extra helping hand at times. That's a part of the technique needed to learn to avoid razor burn....how much pressure to use while shaving. Warning for new member Merkur razor owners!!!!!! You have two choices deciding what blade to start with. Your Merkur should come with a blade(s) by the same name. You can either try that blade, or try another one that may be more suited to your face. There's 4-5 very popular brands always recommended by members, but Merkur isn't one of em. If you bought a pack of em, you can use those and perfect your technique. Try em for a few weeks and get a good reference point for how they feel and perform. Than maybe try a different type blade, and you should notice a change in some way. Maybe the merkur will feel better, maybe the new one will.........trial and error, remember? I'll just say that some members really like the merkur blades, but most don't. You will be amazed when you find the blades best suited for your face. One last idea and I'm done. That would be to keep in mind that using a cartridge or injector razor is fine with us here. The idea is to somehow make shaving an enjoyable thing, instead of something you're resigned to putting up with forever. 'Whatever works' is the name of the game.........YMMV is the one constant in this shaving universe......heh. The one thing you WILL need though, is a brush and soap or cream. Then...you need to learn how to use em right. That alone will make a big difference in shaving quality, with whatever is used to whisker whack. Well, maybe I'll add something later, if anything else floats to the surface, or maybe other members might like to add their own thoughts about just starting out. Hope that helps in some way, Martin
Well said, Martin. The problem I see though, is that it's impossible to know what's right for you - without trying different products. For me, a Superspeed sucks. I don't know why, it just does. Merkurs, Gillette Super Adjustables, Fat Boys work well for me, but they began doing so only recently. I went through a very long period of time where the only razor I could get a decent shave with (other than the M3) was the Merkur, and even that was hit or miss. Now, they all work well except the SS. As for brushes, how does one know what they like without trying several different ones. How do you know you like scrubby if you've never tried it? Or floppy? Or scratchy? To be sure, any BRUSH will lather anyTHING. I have scrubby, floppy and middle-of-the-road brushes and they all make lather out of any of the 2-3 dozen soaps and creams I have. The stiffer ones work a bit FASTER with soaps...but not any better. How do I know that? I bought about a dozen brushes! The least expensive was the $35 C&E BBB (since sold). A great brush to be sure and many would be perfectly content with that one brush. I think my favorite brush is the Simpson T2 (though I wish the socket was a bit longer). Rather dense and scrubby. Others may prefer the Kent line. Considerably less dense - and it's a fact...NO ONE would ever accuse them of being scrubby. Still, you won't know what YOU like until you try a few. Which can get expensive...my brushes cost anywhere from $35 to $180. However, if you can spring for a few selected brushes over time (based on what you think you will like), those that don't meet your needs can be fairly easily sold, for a reasonably high percentage of the original cost. Around here, there always seems to be a market for a gently used brush. Just because YOU don't like it doesn't mean it's not PERFECT for someone else. There's that "YMMV" expression again. Blades? Who knows? Now that I've finally figured out how to do this, I really don't notice much difference. Except the first shave with a Feather can yield a nick or two. I get about a week out of Feathers, Derbys, Crystals...Perfect shaves from one and all. I'll have to give Merkurs and Sharps another try. I think I still have a few around somewhere (unless I gave ALL of my Sharps to JoAnna). As for soaps and creams, as far as I'm concerned, the scent's the thing. I am partial to TSD products, but really, I don't have a single soap or cream that I can't lather or that doesn't lubricate well. Some just smell nicer. You like the scent of roses? Buy a rose product - any rose product. You can spend a few dollars - or $50+. If you like the scent, you'll be fine. Except Caswell-Massey which barely lathers at all. One point I DO have to argue with is the pressure thing. I struggled with this for MONTHS, never realizing that my problem was pressure. It got so bad that I actually gave up on DE shaving and picked up a straight. Cool and all, but I don't have an hour to spare every morning. Well worth the experience though, because I was so worried about cutting myself, I forced myself to apply virtually NO PRESSURE. When I gave up on the hour-long ritual (that never did result in a satisfactory shave) and went back to a DE, I found that the lesson I had learned about pressure carried over in my DE shaves. I barely feel the razor now. Just the edge of the blade skimming over my face. When I'm done, I have a BBS shave with NO irritation. So endeth MY novel. YMMV.
