Daily Learning curve of having Great shaves!

Testing your razor if it has negative or positive blade exposure can be hard to do from my experience and how close to negative or positive blade exposure, manufactures will determine that for different reason and either type of blade exposure seems to work from using my different razors.
The way I do my blade exposure test is using some spent blades and making two shims and a modified blade trimmed only half way on the blade edge and as flat as possible. Razor Blade Shims are .004 of a inch in thickness(see reference #33 on how my shim looks for good results) so that becomes our measuring device to see how many are needed, most of my mild razors I found were negative to neutral and some of the more aggressive razors are positive and not to far from the neutral exposure area. The tools needed safety glasses, tin snips preferred or scissors, a hard piece of plastic(plastic hotel key) & honing stone to knock any high spots on the modified blade after cutting and I made it more of curious fun project and for the keeners who are like to know more about their razor. The pictures are better at explaining than I am so take a look.

I used a adjustable razor so it can be shown better and illustrations more pronounced, the modified blade becomes the testing piece(standard).

Modified trimmed blade, stone hone any high protrusions created from tin snips and keep blade as flat as possible.

When you feel the bump of the plastic on the razor blade corner edge the razor now has positive blade exposure.(you have entered a aggressiveness area of this adjustable-take a note for future reference when setting this razor if memory fades a little.)

Some times you can see the blade exposure against the plastic backdrop with your eyes or better yet a Jewels loupe magnifier but bump feel is just as good or better.

For 3 or 2 pc razors the .004 thou shim is added to bottom for testing negative blade exposure which is usually 1 or 2 shims at most until you feel the plastic touching the blade edge corner.
For positive blade exposure known razor(r41) I would add the .004 shim to the top of blade and tighten cap to increase razor plane until the blade and plastic does not touch. This determines approx how many thousands of a inch the blade is positive.

This modified blade can also test how accurate the blade sits in the razor on both sides when clamped.(amazing how inaccurate a sloppy blade seat or posts are when machined with a lot of tolerances by checking both sides of razor with the modified blade test pc.)
Hope this is not to confusing and to most they might not have interest because they want just to shave!
Update: bought one of these USB microscopes for my hobbies a few years ago
and share a few captions.

 

D.F.S (Dam fine shave) & C.C.S(close comfort shave) VS B.B.S (Baby butt smooth)'s like myself when I started DE shaving was a goal to strive for a BBS shave and it was a great feeling when touching the skin with your finger tips to know you finally did it (cotton ball test to confirm it 1hr later after skin calms down). A year later it is nice once in a while to get very close to a 100% BBS but it is not as important as having a nice DFS and knowing it will be back the next day to let you know. Daily shaving with a DFS might be more desirable because to get a BBS shave a small part of your skin were the whisker protrudes from the skin will have to be sacrificed to get the smoothness you are seeking. Skin does rejuvenate like whiskers but really getting the ultimate is going to be hard task every day and to be honest it should not be a must because it is so hard to reach and a lot of prep and time to reach the ultimate pinnacle. A 90-95%DFS> BBS is so close to any ones goal its considered excellent in most seasoned shavers with no nicks or weepers & I will take that shave any time all day long. A lot of old timers will mention that BBS is not that important and I guess I'm one of them now, so know when to stop and enjoy the shave afterwards knowing you did well. Using a balm afterwards will retain moisture and seems to help reach the BBS status if that is what helps you reach the pinnacle of a shave.
Have some great shaves.

 

Knowing your equipment and soaps and other tools for a having a great shave is a must for good results. When I was a starting DE shaving I sort of got stuck using the same equipment like Razor, brush, soap and blade because I ordered off of ebay and it took for ever it seemed to arrive so I would order blades and take about a month+ and brushes also. In the mean time I would read up on soaps and razors I thought were affordable and if I liked this new(old) method of shaving and of coarse I started to like it.
So what it did do for me while waiting was learning to use a razor while improving my skill because I only had a 1962(H3) slim adjustable razor and same with soap and blades and my Omega bore brush for over a month- by fluke that was the best thing that happened for a beginner like my self because it forced me to learn and feel how to shave while keeping the variables to a minimum while sorting any problems as they occurred.
I believe this forum has something called 30 day rule for all the different months and some other forums have certain months that you use only certain tools and stick to it so you figure how to make things work with out changing a hole bunch of different products and you visit the site daily keeping track of others and learning as we all bump along.
In hind site that is a good way to learn and improve quickly from just such a simple path of shaving. (We all know when you get a lot of different products like soaps and blades .....distractions are going to happen- it also adds some enjoyment if you have already learned good technique and now can enjoy all these great varieties of shaving gear if you so please.)
Have some great shaves!

 

Protecting Zamic Chromed base plates from last turning and thighting of razor handle. My RazorRock 37 German slant razor & still one of my favorites was used a lot and showing signs of wear in this area. To stop this from happening I did a little research and some folks use O-rings and nylon washers 5mm inside diameter. I went searching locally & on line and it seems they want you to buy a lot or purchase kits and with shipping to boot. I improvised and made washers from just a small wiring connectors(blue) by just cutting the tail off. They are coated with aluminum and have copper base both very soft metals. Chrome is very hard metal and stainless steel handle some what softer, I needed something softer than the two grinding metals for sacrifice so this washer becomes victim instead of the base plate. Once in a while it would be a good idea to but a little Vaseline on the threads or some other better lubricant and not to over tighten the handle because you strip threads or even twist the Zamic stem off by Hercules force. I think a thin nylon washer 5mm I.D +9.5 O.D +<1 mm thick would be ideal and when you get loaned a razor, it's a good idea to give it back not damaged so not to upset buddy for the favor.

You can see some wear on my Razorock 37 German slant razor base plate handle seat after a lot of use with a stainless handle before I started using a washer.

The red wire connector is not what I used(just a visual example) , blue colored wire connector is what I used .(I thought the washers would be a nuisance to install and remove but that really is not that big a deal.)

Some fellows are not that worried about wear but others are because they are fussy or have a special color coated vintage razor and want it keep it from wearing faster......

 

Tried something different this morning, I have a tough whiskers on the left side of under the jaw line and I seem to not approach the proper angle direction(ATG) of razor strokes for some time so I taped a temporary reminder to the mirror with arrow direction of razor to change my old procedural habit.(Have a beard map with the change, but the temporary sticky reminder on mirror reinforced the thought.)
It seemed to help a lot with BBS in this area this morning and a all around great shave. Goofy but effective"getting harder to teach this old dog new tricks".

 

You will hear at times about the Gillette slide because Gillette did not think that a slant was worth the effort and that razor skill could compensate for the slant by using a different maneuver that became known as the Gillette slide. Gillette figured why buy another razor if skill was only needed to accomplish similar results! The Merkur 37c slant razor in theory should be a better razor because it incorporates the Gillette slide and torques the blade and has a Hybrid grooved safety bar for lather to lubricate the blade edge IMO.
The slant razor really should not be used in combination with the Gillette slide because it becomes a super duper slicer and it can also become dangerous at any skill level if a small error is done with technique. Just use a slant like you would normally would with a DE normal razor and you should have no issues and 100rds of thousands have been MFG over the last 70 yrs. I have a couple of slants and enjoy them greatly and have found that the Personna red blade works the best in my Razorock Wunderbar slant and Razorock 37c German slant.
The slant razor is more efficient than most regular SE razors some will claim and a 2 pass with a clean up is all that I need with my slants to get a DFS>BBS most of the time-Jury out for that verdict or that statement.
This is the Gillette slide and was recommended as a proper shaving method with their Gillette razors.(Gillette slide and slants work on a slicing action instead of a chopping action in theories.)

 

I receive some of my best shaves on 2nd-4th shaves like most would have noticed over time using your favorite DE blades. They seem to be the sharpest and smoothest in this small range for me and most blades start to peak desired sharpness & smoothness around 4th or 5 th shave and start the slow degrading wear decline! Some claim it's a break in period from my research. It more than likely indicates some of the excess coatings wearing off from the beard whiskers stropping the edge a little from 1st shave producing a great edge! There is one online site I go to for blade reviews(more scientific with stats after physically shaving) and he has set up a elaborate testing system that usually indicates 2nd & 3rd shave gives the sharpest edge on most blades compared to brand new virgin edge. I'm not a scientist so explaining some wild formula is not going to happen today.
So don't throw the blade out after 1st use like a few do because you have thrown the best part of the blade away IMO!(unless blade is damaged or is a mildly sharp blade from new-duds)
Have some great shaves.

 

Cartridge VS DE shaving and they both have their place in the shaving world!
I tried my favorite Gillette pro glide swivel ball cartridge razor with one shave on the blade prior and after 1 yr of DE razor shaving and it was a interesting experience.
I found the pro glide did a reasonable job but it sure pulls the beard follicles out for chopping because under the chin neck area it was a little tender it seemed on one side. It was for my own satisfaction to see if their was a difference between cart & DE and I believe that DE once you have your Technique set it is slightly better. This is for face shaving only and not head shaving.
If time is important the cartridge might win out giving a better one pass than a one pass DE razor, loading razor blades cartridge wins over a DE razor unless its a Schick injector and there would be not much difference.
If a large amount of beard has to removed with out clogging the razor and rinsing steadily the DE system should win hands down and much faster shave and with a lot less irritation to the skin.
Each system has its strengths but for a proper shave and using good pre-shave ,post shave and enjoyment and skill level DE will be a winner IMO. Single edge safety bar razors (Schick)would be much the same as a DE rating.
If we had one good DE razor($20.00-Razorock SLOC)) and good blades(Astra SP-100pc-$11.00) and one synthetic brush($11.00 R.R) and Tabac soap or other Triple milled hard soap($9-12.00 R.R for 3 pucks) the economics & comfort(RR SLOC) should win for DE shaving today.
I think at $.03- $.04 per shave per blade your small investment of shaving equipment would pay itself off in the first yr.(avoiding the RAD, BAD,SAD,ASAD rabbit holes.) My father had maybe 2 DE razors (Gillette Fatboy & Slim)a couple of Wilkinson sword tucks and Williams soap & Old spice A.S for inventory, Mom bought inventory as needed when grocery shopping and he shaved for many years that way until cartridge razor shaving took off overwhelmingly.
Have some great shaves!

 

I have been using this plastic glade sandwich contain for holding water in my sink basin for a few months because I did not did not want to wait for the sink to fill up with water, I was concerned about bumping my razors against the steel painted sink and damaging my razor and sink was the main reasoning.
It might seem silly but it sure has some benefits I found out by protecting the razors & sink and also easy to wet the brush, wash the face, rinsing the razor when loaded with soapy stubble and many less times opening and closing the tap water valves to rinse the razor saving a little time and less wear on the tap valves.
When I cold water rinse my face after passes it seems to fill the smaller plastic basin and push out suds and hairs by over flowing out the top of container into the opened drain.
Clean up seems easier because when you have a normal full basin full of watery suds and stubble and when you finally pull the drain plug the soap scum seems to slowly coat the whole basin where as the small basin keeps it near the bottom.
After shaving I pour the water down the drain and use the plastic container to catch water when I turn my soap lathering bowl upside down.
I did do a final simple water usage test yesterday comparing the two ways and found that under normal filling and collecting water after rinsing razor and face it took approximately 2.5 gallons of water for a shave and with this plastic container it was about 1 gallon of water usage(60% less water usage)- it might be useful information when water is scarce in summer when water restriction use is in effect.
Where I live there is a mountain fed river that flows by and the water is pumped by our town to the house but it is still charged by amount of usage.(nothing is free other than the air we breath it seems.)

Have some great shaves!

 

Assembling and final adjusting razor hand grips of razors,these two ways work well for most folks and I have not been cut after 1 year of daily DE shaving(knock on wood). Some put end cap on a wash towel and screw handle to base plate for snug tightening. But for any final adjustments for blade alignment or for adjustable razor tuning I prefer a 3 or 4 finger claw grip. (feels the safest to me)
I have noticed on some videos that some folks hold razors when installing blades or doing adjustments on adjustable razors they tend to be holding razor in the least desirable way for the task. Who wants a cut in the morning when half asleep or from a night on the town and judgement could be impaired. Shaving is habit driven and learning good habits is key for enjoyment instead of hopping around & cussing after a nasty cut on the fingers.

Not the best grip below picture for good habit forming IMO.(we all have done it at times)

Least desirable if you have blade end overhang on your razor and some razors have eliminated the blade overhang making some grabbing the razor in this maneuver almost 1st choice it seems, out of good habit forming IMO. Always check top view for blade alignment as a good habit forming to make sure all is OK.
Have some great shaves!

 

Aftershaves are something that I enjoy later in life and have a few extra dollars to spend on something like this instead of just one brand.
It's hard to describe or smell when on the internet buying Aftershaves and so I made a attempt at getting reasonably close as possible to this task for others.(I have the time to play now)
You basically go by reviews and that is it when buying online IMO. I have some more Aftershaves coming in so I will upgrade the picture chart in a little while.
The green ring indicators are my favorites and hope that will help if interested.
Article (post)#12,#21 has a little more information on Aftershaves.
Most already know giving the bottle a good shake before using is a must to make sure that any settling of ingredients is rejuvenated into the original state it was intended.

I added a few more aftershave splashes recently and thought maybe you would be interested.

 

Top 5 soaps that I really enjoy and if folks are looking at some possible soaps that might be your enjoyable ones also.
When it comes to finding information on soaps it is so user bias and it's hard to make a purchase so I was thinking a way of giving the information to shavers who were thinking of a new soap and what to look for.
Barrister & Mann Seville: Very nice soft soap and creates a great lather and it can be a thirsty soap so don't worry about adding a little water, it has some floral & citrus scents and when smelling dry soap in the tub it does not do it justice until you add some water and moisten the lather it becomes a more powerful great scent. B&M are leaders in the artisan soap makers world for making slick and great lather soaps but at a premium.
Haslinger Schafmilch : Great soap and does not have powerful scent but it has a fresh clean scent and the lather is one of the best IMO. The pucks are a little small but it's worth the $10.00 US a puck and they have different scents also. The post shave is were it shines IMO because the skin feels soft and hydrated one of the best out of these 5 soaps. Been around for a long time so that is usually a good reason to buy something that survives a competitive shaving soap industry.
RazoRock XXX: One of my first croaps and it has never let me down when it comes to a nice sweet floral & citrus scent that is tranquil and makes me feel great, the lather slickness is good and post shave is also great and is reasonably priced for the quality you receive in their black tubs.
Tabac: Great all around triple milled soap that is very hard to beat by the competition. It has a strong tobacco flower citrus fresh scent that drives some shavers away but I have gotten more close shaves with Tabac than the best claiming soaps. It is a thirsty soap and a moist lather on 1st,2nd and 3rd passes will give great slickness and less problems for nicks and weepers.(The scent could be the only weakness but I do not find it offensive.)
Taylor of old Bond St: The scent alone is worth just buying IMO, its been around for a long time and is one of my very favorites scent wise, the slickness is normal and lathering is not a hard whip up under 1 minute. The croap is made in England and they have other great scents also like all soap manufactures now a days. It is a bit pricey but still worth IMO if funds are available.

 

That's a great idea. I don't like a strong scent and neither does my workplace.

 

Part 1 Top 5 brush shaving soaps below $10.00US , you & I use! link https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/top-5-great-soaps-you-i-use.59975/
Part 2 Top 5 brush shave soaps below $10.00 US, You and I use. Link https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/top-5-brush-shave-soaps-below-10-00us-you-i-use.59992/
Thought I would like to touch on Soaps that are under $10.00 US that could be on sale to reach the under $10.00 threshold and there are lots of them, Part 1 was higher end soaps that I really enjoy.
Arko : One of the first soaps I bought and still have most of 3 sticks left, its been around for some time and it delivers a great lather with slickness and scent is very strong citrus lemony cleaning scent that settles down if left out in the open. This is a thirsty soap and When first using it I had the lather to dry, Arko likes water and to get great results lather should have a wetter hydrated texture if possible IMO. (Some folks are not happy with the scent as you might already know but I don't find it offensive) $3-4 per stick.
Colonel Conk Bay rum: Just bought this one recently on a order and its a glycerin base soap and thought for the price and a Bayrum soap that I have none of. It has mild spicy sent that is pleasant but not that strong IMO. Slickness was there IMO and it helped deliver a nick & weeper free shave. Post shave was also good. $3-6 per tub and they have 2 sizes.
Nivea : Started using this soap very early in my DE ventures and have to say it's alright a cream with a soft clean scent. The slickness is up there in the lower excellent range and post shave is also excellent, Nivea makes great moisturizers and so they deliver in the shave soap department IMO with not a whole lot of residual soap slickness to remove for final wash clean up. $3-6 dollars per tube and a mixing bowl not needed, just put a almond size portion in the wet middle part of the brush and face lather.
Proraso Green Eucalyptus menthol: For a Greenhorn learning this soap it was a challenge, at first I did not care for it because it made my skin cool off when rinsing so I shelved it for a while and revisited it for another try 4 months ago. The soap is a thirsty one and I did not have the right moisture ratio in the lather, it has to have a moist lather texture and the slickness is great when you add the right amount of water. Water seems to reactivate the slickness from my experience so to dry a lather is not producing the desired slickness I like for a enjoyable shave with this soap. Folks love to use this soap in the summer which gives a Menthol cooling effect after rinsing after each pass. Post shave is all right and scent is milder IMO. $5-9 dollars is a good deal for this one.
Razorock "What the puck": Just bought the 3 pucks on sale for $8.99 and that is a really good deal for the Quality of soap. I had the Blue barber stick and it worked good when on the road and took a chance with the Lime & Orange pucks. The soaps are triple milled and deliver great lather with nice high citrus scents for the orange and lime and the Blue barber also has a great scent . The protection slickness is fabulous and will protect your skin well, you will notice the slickness while rinsing after each pass.(good test for any soap is to re-moisten with just water a area after shaved to feel the protective slickness and run the razor across the slick-end area to test it for glide of razor.

 

I daily shave most of the time and was curious how much stubble of the beard is mowed down each day. I like the feel of smooth skin like most who do shave daily.
When I get a BBS shave I know that I'm slicing the hair very low to the skin and DFS just leaves the hair ever so slightly above the skin or flush which is a more a healthier shave IMO because you not slicing small parts of the skin off to get that BBS. So we have to see what the whiskers look like under the microscope to get a clearer picture of what happens.


This is what a one day's growth looks like 400X magnification for most folks who shave daily. So getting a DFS or CCS is all right because you would not tell a whole lot of difference in this 24 hr later photograph because it would be like .0005 thousands of inch difference compared to a BBS IMO. So when you feel your skin after shaving and barely feel those whiskers we are talking small #'s like around .0005 thousands of a inch(1/8 of a average persons hair Diameter) IMO. Most folks can still barley feel .0005 thousands of a inch.

"Ghost Whiskers" I was not sure what they were until I bought a Andonstar 500X usb microscope and found them to be translucent and pointed hiding in the crevices of my skin. I was reading some threads on another forum when a few mentioned they were chasing "Ghost whiskers" I guess these are the little rascals they are chasing, they are hard to chop & see and it is a good name for them.


This what TWO DAY's growth looks like!


This is a fresh DFS>bbs using my Gillette British 1950's TTO rocket with a (Astra SS (3 uses)just to show the difference what it looks like(400x approx magnification same spot of the beard )

I must be a shaving Enthusiast .......

 

Blade care film of the 1940's!
Every once in a while its nice to see a strictly dedicated video on shaving from the old days.
This was the state of the art film not to long ago and is it still relevant in this day and age. The thought of the film IMO was how to protect your blades better because it was during WW2 and rationing was in effect. The 1st-2 minutes of the film is about a guy who buys one blade at the Chemist >a British term for Drugstore. I think we are a little spoiled today and its great to indulge yourself & enjoy your shave because things can change in time from a historic perspective.

 

like and use, all flavors. good stuff...

 

wow...great thread..

 

You will hear Aggressive and efficient razor opinions mentioned a lot on the threads if you read a lot of articles on razors.
I have my view and it's in the ball park but its my opinion and others views are fine because they Gage it differently and nothing is written in stone.https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/what-is-a-aggressive-and-efficient-razor.60180/
Aggressiveness: its the parameters the manufacture has set in blade gap(predetermined or varying as like in a adjustable razor) and blade exposure(positive,neutral,negative) with guard(hybrid or dimpled or just smooth straight) and Cap(OC,normal or Scalloped) also weight (plastic, brass,stainless steel,aluminum..)all combined before a shave starts in it's static tightened blade loaded razor. As the shave starts Blade feel aggressiveness indicates as it mows whiskers.

Efficiency: With the set parameters of the razor by manufacture and blade loaded how well did it perform with good hand technique along with 1st & 2nd shave use with a new sharp blade by operator of the razor! = end results DFS or BBS. ( Another way to bump up efficiency is to shower or hydrate skin & beard with warm wet towel, use a new Gillette silver blue blade with your favorite razor should give you even better results.)

Some times I like to rate razors from 1 to 10 and it might eliminate a lot of words but its more a personal opinion like every thing in shaving. I made this quick chart up that in my estimation when thinking were that razor characteristics lays after about a hr after the shave by how my skin & beard feels and that determines my efficiency rating of that razor used.




Older version below of aggression & efficiency of razors! The reason I do not delete it will make other copy's of this image disappear if some one has saved it.

 

Shaving or trimming hair off the ear lobes can be challenging for anyone with out cutting or drawing blood and I have tried cartridges and DE razors and electric hair razor. Electric hair trimmer works OK but leaves stubble a bit high, Some DE razors are to aggressive a shave on the ear lopes( nicks), I really have found that the Gillette rockets razor the very best for this delicate area and 2nd choice Gillette super speeds flare tips that are very similar to the Gillette rockets.
It is always nice to have some mild razors in the collection of razors.( Nov 8-2018, recently have been using a Gillette slim turned to it's lowest setting and having good results, no nicks or weepers. Also trimmed the ends of blade for no overhang.)