What is your general shaving technique?

About new boar brushes - I started with three brands, all new in the box. An Annie brand that was available locally. Been so long I'm not sure who I gave it to and have very vague memories of the break in process. Next was a VDH boar from the Deluxe set I think, might still have the box. Those are know to be shedders. Otherwise the Surrey/VDH boars are serviceable brushes. When I found a nearby shop that stocked Omega brushes I bought a #10098, and a #20248. These were what I saw others using in their SOTD photos. I liked the scrubby, scritchy, stiff bristles. Much more backbone than the first two brushes I'd owned. Eventually the @20248 softened up, gave me less of what I likes, and was traded. I still have the #10098 and use it often. Bought a second one and pulled the knot for use in a Rubberset 400 replica. In my mind and on my face, a new boar brush just feels right.

Sort of a game changer was figuring out my beard direction. Rather than all over North to South, I do WTG. The difference is N to S on my cheeks, S to N neck. Second pass ATG and opposite directions. Third pass starts at ears headed toward chin and ends up being clean ups. Less irritation is a good thing.

 

Fairly similar to you in general.

[*]When: almost always morning after my shower
[*]Frequency: 6-7 days a week. Often I skip Saturday, or shave Saturday evening and skip Sunday.
[*]Hot or Cold water: Prefer hot but have been doing cold this month
[*]Pre-shave: Wash with Cerave
[*]Main lathering approach: face
[*]Bloomer?: no
[*]Main weapon of choice: Gillette Rocket HD500
[*]Preferred shaving soap/cream/foam/gel, etc: any hard tallow soap in a stick
[*]Blade management: Rinse and flip blade between every pass. Toss it after the 3rd shave unless it still seems really sharp. Feathers go after the 2nd.
[*]Preferred brush type: Boar for most soaps
[*]Post shave: sometimes alum, usually just a healthy coating of a splash
[*]Usual shave quality (BBS/DFS/SAS, etc.): DFS+
[*]Technique: 1 pass WTG, 1 pass XTG, extra ATG pass on bottom of chin
[*]Personal challenges: occasional nick on the adam's apple

Same (for my first pass at least)

 

• When:
  • Mornings.
• Frequency:
  • Usually 6 days per week.
• Hot or Cold water
  • Hot with a cold water splash post-shave.
• Pre-shave:
  • Sometimes Proraso Pre-Shave.
• Main lathering approach (Bowl/Hand/Mug/Scuttle/Face/etc):
  • I go between using a small bowl and face lathering. I'll soon experiment with a mug using Williams.
• Bloomer?
  • Sometimes.
• Main weapon of choice
  • Safety razor. I'm relatively new to safety razors and don't feel overly compelled to try straights.
• Preferred shaving soap/cream/foam/gel, etc.
  • Unknown. I've only used Proraso green soap and Taylor's Sandlewood cream. Looking forward to trying more.
• Blade management:
  • Normally 4 shaves +/-
• Preferred brush type:
  • I've tried both badger and boar with a slight preference for the badger.
• Post shave:
  • A light aftershave - like Proraso Green or Lucky Tiger.
• Usual shave quality (BBS/DFS/SAS, etc.)
  • DFS unless I have a couple of days growth, then I get closer to BBS.
• Technique
  • On work days, 2 passes. First down, then up. Then a little cleanup.

• Personal challenges:
  • My mustache area. Difficult to get a clean shave here and I usually end up with some weepers.

 

Welcome to TSD @ ftrez! Good first post & thanks for sharing. If you've got a few moments, stop in at The Welcome Center and make your introduction.

 

I use a razor.

Is that too general?

 

Common issue. Some guys can't go ATG in this area (PaulhFilms is one example)

 

My husband doesn't have a General shaving technique. He's only a Major.

 

It's refreshing to hear from the big picture thinkers.

 

• When:
  • Mornings.
• Frequency:
  • Daily. If I skip a day it's because I'm ill.
• Hot or Cold water
  • Hot with a cold water rinse post-shave.
• Pre-shave:
  • Sometimes Cremo.
• Main lathering approach (Bowl/Hand/Mug/Scuttle/Face/etc):
  • Bowl or mug.
• Bloomer?
  • With hard soaps, like Williams, etc.
• Main weapon of choice
  • Safety razor. I'm relatively new to safety razors and don't feel overly compelled to try straights.
• Preferred shaving soap/cream/foam/gel, etc.
  • Soaps or croaps
• Blade management:
  • TSD, or when I get bored or get a new toy.
• Preferred brush type:
  • I've tried synthetic, badger and boar with a slight preference for the boar.
• Post shave:
  • Alum, WH, Nivea PSB.
• Usual shave quality (BBS/DFS/SAS, etc.)
  • 75/25 DFS/BBS. The DFS is around the Adam's apple. Everywhere else is BBS every time.
• Technique
  • One pass (lathering) on cheeks, Ear to nose, reverse. Then down and up.
  • Three passes on neck, first down, then up, then right to left. Then a little cleanup.

• Personal challenges:
  • My Adam's apple area. Difficult to get a clean shave here. This is where I need the clean-up.

 

When: Morning
Frequency: Every morning
Water Temp: Hot, Cold rinse
Pre-Shave: Hot washcloth beard soak
Bloomer: Hard soaps only
Razor: Gillette Adjustable Slim, Weber PH. Secondary: Gillette BB or Fatboy Gem 1912, MMOC
Blade: Crystal, Astra SP, Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Mostly vintage but I like Horse Hair, Boar and Badger
Shaving Soaps: Cella (kilo) Arko (bowl pressed), Williams.
Post Shave: Cold Water rinse
Shave Quality: BBS or VCS (very close shave)
Technique: 2 passes with lathering, touch up
Challenges: Trying to shave while wife makes funny faces in the mirror or getting something under sink cabinet.
But after nearly 60 years of shaving my biggest challenge is to remembering if I changed the blade recently.
Otherwise I really enjoy my morning shave.

 

[*]When:
Morning always
Sometimes at night too

[*]Frequency:
Every day

[*]Hot or Cold water
Hot, cold, whatever I'm in the mood for.

[*]Pre-shave:
None

[*]Main lathering approach:
Skin lather take my time to enjoy it.

[*]Bloomer?:
Quit it after I found it's not worth the time.

[*]Main weapon of choice:
Something sharp
Any DE, SE and learning straight razors.

[*]Preferred shaving soap/cream/foam/gel, etc:
Soap
Stirling, PAA Phoenix shaving, anything that works in hard water.

[*]Blade management:
One use and done

[*]Preferred brush type:
Undetermined
Badger used most so far

[*]Post shave:
Various AS' and ASB, bay rum being favorite

[*]Usual shave quality (BBS/DFS/SAS, etc.)
Satisfied its nice

[*]Technique:
Different by tool used

[*]Personal challenges:
Learning to use straight razors.

tp

 

When: Between 3:30-4:30pm.
Frequency: Mon,Wed,Fri.
Hot or Cold Water: Cold.
Pre-shave: Bar soap lather on face while showering, then rinse off.
Lather method: Build in the bowl, then face lather with it.
Bloomer? No.
Main weapon: DE, vintage Gillette, modern stainless and Zamac.
Soap/cream,etc. Proraso,Cella,Tabac, (anything but Williams or Trumpers).
Blade: Derby,Feather,Astra,....20-30 shaves (anything but carbon).
Brush: La Maison du Barbier (Plisson) Synthetic is my favorite.
Post shave: A/S splash (Proraso green, Tabac) then Nivea "Cooling" balm.
Shave quality: I always go for BBS. Easier (for me) with 48hrs' growth.
Technique: W,A, and X with skin stretching like a barber's straight shave.
Challenges: Been at this since 2013 and pretty much have it down now.

 

Snip and snippity snip. I like a Feather on the second shave and toss it and all other blades after the third shave.

 

Can i ask about the trumpers?

I am itching to get a bowl of violet. Is it really as bad as people say?
My water is super soft and i have zero problems lathering most soaps.

 

I had the G.F. Trumper "Eucris" in the black wooden presentation bowl. The lather was absolutely un-shavable. I tried everything, hot water, cold water, distilled water, blooming the puck, boars, synthetics, and the "lather" would dissapear from my face before I could finish a pass on one side. When I reached for my brush to re-apply, it had turned to a dried airy foam that you could just blow away and watch it float through the air as it gently wafted down to the sink. Completely useless. I gave the puck away and the person I gave it to also gave it away. After I had posted about my experience (confirmed by many others) some suggested the creams in the tubes were better. I think they're a little expensive so I have not tried them. A YouTube reviewer also profiled Trumper's Sandalwood (hard soap) with the exact same results. I love Trumper's Eucris fragrance so I just buy their cologne and add a drop or two of that to my Nivea post-shave balm. The scents of shave soaps don't seem to last long anyway so I shave with what I consider to be the nicest lathering product (Tabac or Cella or even Proraso) and use whatever fragrance I'm looking to wear as an additive to Nivea balm. Works perfectly.

 

[*]When: Almost always after a shower and usually in the morning or after a bike ride or exercise.

[*]Frequency: Right now I'm shaving every second or third day.

[*]Hot or Cold water: I use hot water to make my lather and then after that it's all cold water.

[*]Pre-shave: I use a pre-shave oil.

[*]Main lathering approach: I make my lather in a bowl and then take my time working the lather into my beard. I like to say I bowl AND face lather, at the same time.

[*]Bloomer?: Nope

[*]Main weapon of choice: Vintage Gillette New Deluxe head on Ikon Bulldog 85mm matte finish handle. I've heard good things about the new Razorock Gamechanger Open Comb so I'm looking to buy one when they become available. Who knows. That could become my new weapon of choice.

[*]Preferred shaving soap/cream/foam/gel, etc: Well, there are more than one. My favorites are Stirling Barbershop, WCS Gatsby No. 1 V2, WSP T-Formula Barbershop, Moon Soaps Old School, AOS Sandalwood cream, TOBS Sandalwood and TOBS Grapefruit and TOBS Eton College creams. I'm sure there are others I haven't yet tried.

[*]Blade management: I use one blade at a time and move it to whatever razor I happen to be using that day. I generally am getting between 3 and 4 shaves per blade. My favs are Gillette Silver Blue, Polsilver SI and Voskhod.

[*]Preferred brush type: I can't say I like one more than the other, they are just different. My favorites are an Envy Shave Luxury Silvertip badger knot in an Alpha T-400 handle, a Connaught Omega boar in faux jade handle, Razorock 400 in butterscotch with noir knot and Razorock Beehive, both synthetic.

[*]Post shave: I follow every shave with alum, then witch hazel and an aftershave splash. In the winter I will use a balm before the splash.

[*]Usual shave quality (BBS/DFS/SAS, etc.): I feel as though I can now get a BBS shave with almost every shave. Not all, but most. That said I can never get BBS on the left side of my neck. It's usually DFS or worse. Rarely will my left neck see BBS.

[*]Technique: Not sure how to answer this one. I use my right hand for the entire shave. I tend to try and ride the cap for my angle and I use short quick strokes on the normal spots and longer slower strokes on my neck where I tend to have trouble.

[*]Personal challenges: My left side of my neck.