September 2019 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

brit · Sep 25, 2019

Steve56 said: ↑

View attachment 206267 [

QUOTE="Terry, post: 1664871, member: 20451"]I have issues getting Williams to lather too.

To the Mad sientist lab.....

View attachment 206259

tp
Click to expand...

Great minds think alike. But you don’t need the drill for Williams ....[/QUOTE]

brit · Sep 25, 2019

wristwatchb said: ↑

I've shown a few guys the entrance to the rabbit hole of shaving over the years. This time around, I decided to compile my notes and share them with the two most recent victims. This version has some information specific to the Gillette Fatboy. Here's what I shared, including facts and opinion. What did I miss? I would welcome your thoughts on how to improve it.

Gillette History
https://www.razoremporium.com/blog/how-to-date-usa-gillette-safety-razors/

Gillette 195 “Fatboy” Adjustable Razor

http://gilletteadjustable.com/fatboy/

Technique
View attachment 206260

10-Minute Traditional Shave

Shaving with a Double Edge (DE) Safety Razor Beginner Series (Taught by a Med School student)

Skin Stretching
This gent masters skin stretching with his non-shaving hand. This helps with a close, comfortable shave in the least number of passes. Using alum on wet fingertips helps you grip slippery skin. Forget about the shave oil this guy uses, though.

Razor Maintenance
https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Safety_razor_maintenance

Miscellaneous
Everything in your kit is new except the razor. You will need to sanitize it before use.

Shampoo your new badger hair brush a few times to remove the animal scent. The scent will be worse when the hair is wet. This is normal. Shampoo, rinse, and air dry overnight. It will require several washings, depending on the brush, to remove the odor. Use some hair conditioner on the final wash to help soften the bristles. The brush will break in and perform better with use.

Become familiar with the directions of your beard growth. It’s called Beard Mapping. Your first pass should generally be with the grain (WTG), and your second pass is either across the grain (XTG) or against the grain (ATG). Aim for partial beard reduction on each pass. Don’t try to get everything on one pass.

Start at night or on a weekend when you are not rushed. It takes a while at first, but you’ll become quicker and the shaves will improve as you gain experience.

Soak your badger or boar hair shaving brush for a few minutes in warm water before use. This allows the bristles to soak up water and better hydrate the soap or cream. Synthetic brushes do not need to be soaked before use. Rinse and use a towel to gently dry and fluff your brush after your shave. Leave it on the sink for 24 hours to adequately dry. Don’t store a wet brush in a place with restricted air flow. If you’re traveling, it’s OK to pack a damp brush. Just remove it from your suitcase to dry fully as soon as possible. A synthetic brush is good for travel, as it requires no pre-soak, and it dries quickly.

Prep your beard by taking a shower or washing your face with soap and warm water for at least a minute.

Load a new blade into the razor. It should be held securely. Exposure should be even and straight on both sides of the razor head. Blades that are loose or uneven can cause cuts and nicks.

Start with canned foam or gel until you become comfortable with your DE razor.

Rinse your razor under the tap before you start shaving to warm it up.

Pick a blade adjustment setting on your razor and leave it there (5 is good), one brand of blade, one brush, and one soap/cream, and stick with this setup for 30 days. In this way, you will soon develop proficiency. Perform a WTG pass and call it a day until you become comfortable with it. Important: good face prep, good lather, just enough pressure to allow the razor to touch the skin, short & slightly overlapping strokes (keeping the blade edge nearly perpendicular to the skin to avoid slices), no strokes over un-lathered skin, and good skin stretching, you'll begin to get consistently great shaves. Use your off-hand to continually stretch your skin as you shave. Add a second pass once you feel comfortable. Some guys add a third pass or some additional touch ups if they decide to chase a baby smooth shave. Others can’t tolerate a third pass.

Fix your wrist to hold a steady (~30 degree) blade angle. Divide your face into flat sections (like the facets of a diamond). Envision using the blade edge (which is ideally parallel to the skin surface) to gently wipe the lather from your face. Imagine “riding the cap” of the razor. If the blade angle is too shallow, the blade won’t cut. If it is too steep, it will scrape. When the angle is correct, you should not feel the blade cutting. It is normal to hear the blade cutting the individual whiskers. This becomes automatic with practice.

Check the silo doors on the razor periodically to make sure they remain closed. This holds the blade securely. Left unchecked, silo doors sometimes creep open during the shave on vintage razors.

Use both sides of the blade during your shave. Rinse the blade as necessary in warm water.

Post-shave includes: warm water rinse, alum (a toner, and it seals up any nicks. It will sting in areas where you have over shaved), cold water rinse, witch hazel with aloe splash (odorless toner and skin conditioner), after shave liquid (may want to skip if you need to avoid a scent) or balm (unscented). I use unrefined shea butter and typically a scented after shave after I apply the witch hazel.

Change blades after 3 days of shaving, or sooner if you suspect damage to the blade edge. If you knock the blade edge into anything, it will be damaged. Even wiping the blade edge on a towel can blunt or damage it. Leave the blade in the razor between shaves. Drying the blade or excessive handling is not necessary. Rinse off the razor and leave it on the sink to dry between shaves. Blades are inexpensive, so keep a fresh one in the razor. You don’t want to adapt your technique to compensate for a dying blade edge. You’ll get better and safer shaves using a sharp blade.

Clean the accumulated soap scum off your razor before you insert a new blade using Scrubbing Bubbles or a soft tooth brush and Dawn dish soap. Periodically oil the mechanism that opens the silo doors with a couple of drops of mineral oil.

Later…
Learning to build a nice lather with a shaving brush and soap or cream takes a little practice. To build a great lather, use more product that you think you need, add water slowly, keep adding it until the lather “breaks” and then add a little more product. You basically want the lather to contain maximum water for maximum protection and slickness. Face lathering will allow you to continue prepping your face while you build the lather. It’s also easier than bowl lathering. It takes 60 to 90 seconds once you are proficient. Don’t rush this part of the shave.

When traveling, DE razors and blades area allowed in checked baggage. DE razors are allowed in carry-on baggage, but DE blades are not.

Miscellaneous
Voskhod DE Blades – Teflon-coated Russian blades (smooth on shave 1, but the Teflon coating is noticeably gone on third shave)

Feather DE Blades – Platinum-coated Japanese blades (sharpest blade, smooths out on shaves 2 and 3). Feather also makes precision surgical tools.

Scents are all over the place. Some are modern, and others are classic (they make you smell like an old man, and your Bride may not be happy ) I included some unscented products in your kit for work situations. The scents from shave soaps usually fade pretty quickly. This is not the case with scented aftershaves.

Other Good Products
Mike’s Natural Soaps
Stirling Soap Company
Bikita Naturals Unrefined Shea Butter
Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream
Truefitt & Hill shaving cream
Castle Forbes shaving cream
Tabac Original shaving soap
Thayers Witch Hazel
Click to expand...

very cool Charlie..

brit · Sep 25, 2019

Terry said: ↑

Well Clint
When my wife walked into the bathroom to see what I was drilling....

"OH....MY....GOD..."
And the look on her face
Classic, just classic.

Well....

tp
Click to expand...

..what guys will get up to when left on there own..

brit · Sep 25, 2019

Trigger said: ↑

Sept 25
Good evening, guys!
Gillette Fatboy E2(3)
Rockwell DE (3)
Stirling Boar Brush
Stirling Sandalwood SS and AS
Modessa Witchhazel (not pictured)
Nivea Men's Aftershave Balm (not pictured)
First, I want to say that I corrected my last shave review to reflect that I used this Fatboy instead of a Redtip. Ok, on with this review. Did a similar dry brush with tip swirl to get a powdery paste and painted it on my face. Small increments of water and back to swirling to get more soap and back to face. Continued with small water additions until I got that nice sheen and uniform lather. 2.5 passes gave me an In Between Smooth Shave ++(IBBS++). For the newbies, this is my way of expressing a shave that is better than DFS and less than BBS. I didn't want to go BBS because I still have some slight neck irritation from my previous shave. Applied witchhazel, then the matching aftershave and finally Nivea ASB. The only negative to the shave was that the brush shed 4 hairs because I was swirling it rough with very little water. I guess that I can't do this method on this brush like I did with the Omega boar. Otherwise, it was a nice shave. This ends my 3 shave cycle for this razor. It is fitting that my last 3 shaves for this month will be my Rocky 6C because I started my first 3 shaves with the Rocky Model T. Tomorrow will be a no shave day. Have a great evening fellas. View attachment 206271
View attachment 206271
Click to expand...

awesome shave Joe..

brit · Sep 25, 2019

jluc said: ↑

Mitchell's Wool Fat in my Symmetrical Pottery bowl.

I'm guessing I loaded my PAA Starcraft synthetic for over a minute. I wanted to make a bowl full of lather for the picture. The lather looked somewhat airy but felt thick and slick between my fingers. I've been face lathering for the last few months so I'm a bit out of practice bowl lathering the Fat. I decided to paint the lather on my face, oh yeah, that looks right. Hmm, the E3 is right there. One quick pass on fourteen hour growth. That was nice. Two passes, yeah, a second pass. Two led to three wonderful passes. Completely silent alum and near BBS. A splash of Brut and I'm smelling like the Essence of Man. The shave was impromptu so no pic except for the bowl full of lather.
Click to expand...

awesome..

Primotenore · Sep 25, 2019

Steve56 said: ↑

I see that quite a lot, one side feeling smoother on the rocks that the other. I don’t really know what causes it, but I suspect that the spine is ground a little differently on one side. Try pulling the heel off the hone on the rough side for a couple of strokes and see if that makes a difference. If it smooths out there’s probably a little hump on the spine near the heel. It seems more common on new or nearly new razors than older ones that have a little wear on them.

If it’s an old razor, it’s common to see the spine thicker over the heel from decades of honing on narrow hones, and if you hone at a different angle than the fellows who made the taper, it will feel different. So also tey a different angle and see if that changes the feel.
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. I never even considered it could be the spine. That's good news for the edge.

Trigger · Sep 25, 2019

brit said: ↑

awesome shave Joe..
Click to expand...

Thanks Gary!

Trigger · Sep 25, 2019

Linuxguile said: ↑

Nice shave Joe!

Sent from my Galaxy using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks Andrew!

jluc · Sep 25, 2019

brit said: ↑

awesome..
Click to expand...

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

Linuxguile · Sep 25, 2019

wristwatchb said: ↑

I've shown a few guys the entrance to the rabbit hole of shaving over the years. This time around, I decided to compile my notes and share them with the two most recent victims. This version has some information specific to the Gillette Fatboy. Here's what I shared, including facts and opinion. What did I miss? I would welcome your thoughts on how to improve it.

Gillette History
https://www.razoremporium.com/blog/how-to-date-usa-gillette-safety-razors/

Gillette 195 “Fatboy” Adjustable Razor

http://gilletteadjustable.com/fatboy/

Technique
View attachment 206260

10-Minute Traditional Shave

Shaving with a Double Edge (DE) Safety Razor Beginner Series (Taught by a Med School student)

Skin Stretching
This gent masters skin stretching with his non-shaving hand. This helps with a close, comfortable shave in the least number of passes. Using alum on wet fingertips helps you grip slippery skin. Forget about the shave oil this guy uses, though.

Razor Maintenance
https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Safety_razor_maintenance

Miscellaneous
Everything in your kit is new except the razor. You will need to sanitize it before use.

Shampoo your new badger hair brush a few times to remove the animal scent. The scent will be worse when the hair is wet. This is normal. Shampoo, rinse, and air dry overnight. It will require several washings, depending on the brush, to remove the odor. Use some hair conditioner on the final wash to help soften the bristles. The brush will break in and perform better with use.

Become familiar with the directions of your beard growth. It’s called Beard Mapping. Your first pass should generally be with the grain (WTG), and your second pass is either across the grain (XTG) or against the grain (ATG). Aim for partial beard reduction on each pass. Don’t try to get everything on one pass.

Start at night or on a weekend when you are not rushed. It takes a while at first, but you’ll become quicker and the shaves will improve as you gain experience.

Soak your badger or boar hair shaving brush for a few minutes in warm water before use. This allows the bristles to soak up water and better hydrate the soap or cream. Synthetic brushes do not need to be soaked before use. Rinse and use a towel to gently dry and fluff your brush after your shave. Leave it on the sink for 24 hours to adequately dry. Don’t store a wet brush in a place with restricted air flow. If you’re traveling, it’s OK to pack a damp brush. Just remove it from your suitcase to dry fully as soon as possible. A synthetic brush is good for travel, as it requires no pre-soak, and it dries quickly.

Prep your beard by taking a shower or washing your face with soap and warm water for at least a minute.

Load a new blade into the razor. It should be held securely. Exposure should be even and straight on both sides of the razor head. Blades that are loose or uneven can cause cuts and nicks.

Start with canned foam or gel until you become comfortable with your DE razor.

Rinse your razor under the tap before you start shaving to warm it up.

Pick a blade adjustment setting on your razor and leave it there (5 is good), one brand of blade, one brush, and one soap/cream, and stick with this setup for 30 days. In this way, you will soon develop proficiency. Perform a WTG pass and call it a day until you become comfortable with it. Important: good face prep, good lather, just enough pressure to allow the razor to touch the skin, short & slightly overlapping strokes (keeping the blade edge nearly perpendicular to the skin to avoid slices), no strokes over un-lathered skin, and good skin stretching, you'll begin to get consistently great shaves. Use your off-hand to continually stretch your skin as you shave. Add a second pass once you feel comfortable. Some guys add a third pass or some additional touch ups if they decide to chase a baby smooth shave. Others can’t tolerate a third pass.

Fix your wrist to hold a steady (~30 degree) blade angle. Divide your face into flat sections (like the facets of a diamond). Envision using the blade edge (which is ideally parallel to the skin surface) to gently wipe the lather from your face. Imagine “riding the cap” of the razor. If the blade angle is too shallow, the blade won’t cut. If it is too steep, it will scrape. When the angle is correct, you should not feel the blade cutting. It is normal to hear the blade cutting the individual whiskers. This becomes automatic with practice.

Check the silo doors on the razor periodically to make sure they remain closed. This holds the blade securely. Left unchecked, silo doors sometimes creep open during the shave on vintage razors.

Use both sides of the blade during your shave. Rinse the blade as necessary in warm water.

Post-shave includes: warm water rinse, alum (a toner, and it seals up any nicks. It will sting in areas where you have over shaved), cold water rinse, witch hazel with aloe splash (odorless toner and skin conditioner), after shave liquid (may want to skip if you need to avoid a scent) or balm (unscented). I use unrefined shea butter and typically a scented after shave after I apply the witch hazel.

Change blades after 3 days of shaving, or sooner if you suspect damage to the blade edge. If you knock the blade edge into anything, it will be damaged. Even wiping the blade edge on a towel can blunt or damage it. Leave the blade in the razor between shaves. Drying the blade or excessive handling is not necessary. Rinse off the razor and leave it on the sink to dry between shaves. Blades are inexpensive, so keep a fresh one in the razor. You don’t want to adapt your technique to compensate for a dying blade edge. You’ll get better and safer shaves using a sharp blade.

Clean the accumulated soap scum off your razor before you insert a new blade using Scrubbing Bubbles or a soft tooth brush and Dawn dish soap. Periodically oil the mechanism that opens the silo doors with a couple of drops of mineral oil.

Later…
Learning to build a nice lather with a shaving brush and soap or cream takes a little practice. To build a great lather, use more product that you think you need, add water slowly, keep adding it until the lather “breaks” and then add a little more product. You basically want the lather to contain maximum water for maximum protection and slickness. Face lathering will allow you to continue prepping your face while you build the lather. It’s also easier than bowl lathering. It takes 60 to 90 seconds once you are proficient. Don’t rush this part of the shave.

When traveling, DE razors and blades area allowed in checked baggage. DE razors are allowed in carry-on baggage, but DE blades are not.

Miscellaneous
Voskhod DE Blades – Teflon-coated Russian blades (smooth on shave 1, but the Teflon coating is noticeably gone on third shave)

Feather DE Blades – Platinum-coated Japanese blades (sharpest blade, smooths out on shaves 2 and 3). Feather also makes precision surgical tools.

Scents are all over the place. Some are modern, and others are classic (they make you smell like an old man, and your Bride may not be happy ) I included some unscented products in your kit for work situations. The scents from shave soaps usually fade pretty quickly. This is not the case with scented aftershaves.

Other Good Products
Mike’s Natural Soaps
Stirling Soap Company
Bikita Naturals Unrefined Shea Butter
Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream
Truefitt & Hill shaving cream
Castle Forbes shaving cream
Tabac Original shaving soap
Thayers Witch Hazel
Click to expand...

Charlie, this is great! It ought to be a post in the shave school forum!

Sent from my Galaxy using Tapatalk

b1hart · Sep 25, 2019

Steve56 said: ↑

I see that quite a lot, one side feeling smoother on the rocks that the other. I don’t really know what causes it, but I suspect that the spine is ground a little differently on one side. Try pulling the heel off the hone on the rough side for a couple of strokes and see if that makes a difference. If it smooths out there’s probably a little hump on the spine near the heel. It seems more common on new or nearly new razors than older ones that have a little wear on them.

If it’s an old razor, it’s common to see the spine thicker over the heel from decades of honing on narrow hones, and if you hone at a different angle than the fellows who made the taper, it will feel different. So also tey a different angle and see if that changes the feel.
Click to expand...

\

Thank You for this nugget of learned wisdom and information. Now..the trick is to make my brain remember it.

jluc said: ↑

Mitchell's Wool Fat in my Symmetrical Pottery bowl.

I'm guessing I loaded my PAA Starcraft synthetic for over a minute. I wanted to make a bowl full of lather for the picture. The lather looked somewhat airy but felt thick and slick between my fingers. I've been face lathering for the last few months so I'm a bit out of practice bowl lathering the Fat. I decided to paint the lather on my face, oh yeah, that looks right. Hmm, the E3 is right there. One quick pass on fourteen hour growth. That was nice. Two passes, yeah, a second pass. Two led to three wonderful passes. Completely silent alum and near BBS. A splash of Brut and I'm smelling like the Essence of Man. The shave was impromptu so no pic except for the bowl full of lather.
Click to expand...

That is too awesome Jim!

Trigger said: ↑

Sept 25
Good evening, guys!
Gillette Fatboy E2(3)
Rockwell DE (3)
Stirling Boar Brush
Stirling Sandalwood SS and AS
Modessa Witchhazel (not pictured)
Nivea Men's Aftershave Balm (not pictured)
First, I want to say that I corrected my last shave review to reflect that I used this Fatboy instead of a Redtip. Ok, on with this review. Did a similar dry brush with tip swirl to get a powdery paste and painted it on my face. Small increments of water and back to swirling to get more soap and back to face. Continued with small water additions until I got that nice sheen and uniform lather. 2.5 passes gave me an In Between Smooth Shave ++(IBBS++). For the newbies, this is my way of expressing a shave that is better than DFS and less than BBS. I didn't want to go BBS because I still have some slight neck irritation from my previous shave. Applied witchhazel, then the matching aftershave and finally Nivea ASB. The only negative to the shave was that the brush shed 4 hairs because I was swirling it rough with very little water. I guess that I can't do this method on this brush like I did with the Omega boar. Otherwise, it was a nice shave. This ends my 3 shave cycle for this razor. It is fitting that my last 3 shaves for this month will be my Rocky 6C because I started my first 3 shaves with the Rocky Model T. Tomorrow will be a no shave day. Have a great evening fellas. View attachment 206271
View attachment 206271
Click to expand...

Nice shave Joe!

jluc said: ↑

Thanks, Joe!
Three passes didn't even make a dent in all the lather I made.
Click to expand...

Question is....did it make a dent in the MWF puck?

brit said: ↑

i will give it a go..until i get bored with it..
Click to expand...

I've got a dish of MWF....contemplating. Maybe I'll shave twice a day @jluc so I can use MWF and a favorite...hmm....

jluc · Sep 25, 2019

b1hart said: ↑

\

Thank You for this nugget of learned wisdom and information. Now..the trick is to make my brain remember it.

That is too awesome Jim!

Nice shave Joe!

Question is....did it make a dent in the MWF puck?

I've got a dish of MWF....contemplating. Maybe I'll shave twice a day @jluc so I can use MWF and a favorite...hmm....
Click to expand...

Thanks, Blair!
No, I didn't make a dent.
Eighteen months ago I was lucky to shave twice a week because my skin was way too sensitive for any more than that. What a difference!

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

RyX · Sep 25, 2019

Good stuff Charlie!

wristwatchb said: ↑

Load a new blade into the razor. It should be held securely.
Click to expand...

Might add that bit about the 1/4 turn that locks down a Gillette Adjustable. Kind of needs a face to face demo to know how hard to turn it.

wristwatchb said: ↑

Perform a WTG pass and call it a day until you become comfortable with it.
Click to expand...

Would you include the possibility of using the familiar cart to finish up? I can see it two ways. Either they need to be as presentable as the carts have been doing, or make a clean break and go all in on the DE. The "use a familiar razor to finish" usually implies a DE shaver learning straights or shavettes.

b1hart · Sep 25, 2019

wristwatchb said: ↑

I've shown a few guys the entrance to the rabbit hole of shaving over the years. This time around, I decided to compile my notes and share them with the two most recent victims. This version has some information specific to the Gillette Fatboy. Here's what I shared, including facts and opinion. What did I miss? I would welcome your thoughts on how to improve it.

Gillette History
https://www.razoremporium.com/blog/how-to-date-usa-gillette-safety-razors/

Gillette 195 “Fatboy” Adjustable Razor

http://gilletteadjustable.com/fatboy/

Technique
View attachment 206260

10-Minute Traditional Shave

Shaving with a Double Edge (DE) Safety Razor Beginner Series (Taught by a Med School student)

Skin Stretching
This gent masters skin stretching with his non-shaving hand. This helps with a close, comfortable shave in the least number of passes. Using alum on wet fingertips helps you grip slippery skin. Forget about the shave oil this guy uses, though.

Razor Maintenance
https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Safety_razor_maintenance

Miscellaneous
Everything in your kit is new except the razor. You will need to sanitize it before use.

Shampoo your new badger hair brush a few times to remove the animal scent. The scent will be worse when the hair is wet. This is normal. Shampoo, rinse, and air dry overnight. It will require several washings, depending on the brush, to remove the odor. Use some hair conditioner on the final wash to help soften the bristles. The brush will break in and perform better with use.

Become familiar with the directions of your beard growth. It’s called Beard Mapping. Your first pass should generally be with the grain (WTG), and your second pass is either across the grain (XTG) or against the grain (ATG). Aim for partial beard reduction on each pass. Don’t try to get everything on one pass.

Start at night or on a weekend when you are not rushed. It takes a while at first, but you’ll become quicker and the shaves will improve as you gain experience.

Soak your badger or boar hair shaving brush for a few minutes in warm water before use. This allows the bristles to soak up water and better hydrate the soap or cream. Synthetic brushes do not need to be soaked before use. Rinse and use a towel to gently dry and fluff your brush after your shave. Leave it on the sink for 24 hours to adequately dry. Don’t store a wet brush in a place with restricted air flow. If you’re traveling, it’s OK to pack a damp brush. Just remove it from your suitcase to dry fully as soon as possible. A synthetic brush is good for travel, as it requires no pre-soak, and it dries quickly.

Prep your beard by taking a shower or washing your face with soap and warm water for at least a minute.

Load a new blade into the razor. It should be held securely. Exposure should be even and straight on both sides of the razor head. Blades that are loose or uneven can cause cuts and nicks.

Start with canned foam or gel until you become comfortable with your DE razor.

Rinse your razor under the tap before you start shaving to warm it up.

Pick a blade adjustment setting on your razor and leave it there (5 is good), one brand of blade, one brush, and one soap/cream, and stick with this setup for 30 days. In this way, you will soon develop proficiency. Perform a WTG pass and call it a day until you become comfortable with it. Important: good face prep, good lather, just enough pressure to allow the razor to touch the skin, short & slightly overlapping strokes (keeping the blade edge nearly perpendicular to the skin to avoid slices), no strokes over un-lathered skin, and good skin stretching, you'll begin to get consistently great shaves. Use your off-hand to continually stretch your skin as you shave. Add a second pass once you feel comfortable. Some guys add a third pass or some additional touch ups if they decide to chase a baby smooth shave. Others can’t tolerate a third pass.

Fix your wrist to hold a steady (~30 degree) blade angle. Divide your face into flat sections (like the facets of a diamond). Envision using the blade edge (which is ideally parallel to the skin surface) to gently wipe the lather from your face. Imagine “riding the cap” of the razor. If the blade angle is too shallow, the blade won’t cut. If it is too steep, it will scrape. When the angle is correct, you should not feel the blade cutting. It is normal to hear the blade cutting the individual whiskers. This becomes automatic with practice.

Check the silo doors on the razor periodically to make sure they remain closed. This holds the blade securely. Left unchecked, silo doors sometimes creep open during the shave on vintage razors.

Use both sides of the blade during your shave. Rinse the blade as necessary in warm water.

Post-shave includes: warm water rinse, alum (a toner, and it seals up any nicks. It will sting in areas where you have over shaved), cold water rinse, witch hazel with aloe splash (odorless toner and skin conditioner), after shave liquid (may want to skip if you need to avoid a scent) or balm (unscented). I use unrefined shea butter and typically a scented after shave after I apply the witch hazel.

Change blades after 3 days of shaving, or sooner if you suspect damage to the blade edge. If you knock the blade edge into anything, it will be damaged. Even wiping the blade edge on a towel can blunt or damage it. Leave the blade in the razor between shaves. Drying the blade or excessive handling is not necessary. Rinse off the razor and leave it on the sink to dry between shaves. Blades are inexpensive, so keep a fresh one in the razor. You don’t want to adapt your technique to compensate for a dying blade edge. You’ll get better and safer shaves using a sharp blade.

Clean the accumulated soap scum off your razor before you insert a new blade using Scrubbing Bubbles or a soft tooth brush and Dawn dish soap. Periodically oil the mechanism that opens the silo doors with a couple of drops of mineral oil.

Later…
Learning to build a nice lather with a shaving brush and soap or cream takes a little practice. To build a great lather, use more product that you think you need, add water slowly, keep adding it until the lather “breaks” and then add a little more product. You basically want the lather to contain maximum water for maximum protection and slickness. Face lathering will allow you to continue prepping your face while you build the lather. It’s also easier than bowl lathering. It takes 60 to 90 seconds once you are proficient. Don’t rush this part of the shave.

When traveling, DE razors and blades area allowed in checked baggage. DE razors are allowed in carry-on baggage, but DE blades are not.

Miscellaneous
Voskhod DE Blades – Teflon-coated Russian blades (smooth on shave 1, but the Teflon coating is noticeably gone on third shave)

Feather DE Blades – Platinum-coated Japanese blades (sharpest blade, smooths out on shaves 2 and 3). Feather also makes precision surgical tools.

Scents are all over the place. Some are modern, and others are classic (they make you smell like an old man, and your Bride may not be happy ) I included some unscented products in your kit for work situations. The scents from shave soaps usually fade pretty quickly. This is not the case with scented aftershaves.

Other Good Products
Mike’s Natural Soaps
Stirling Soap Company
Bikita Naturals Unrefined Shea Butter
Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream
Truefitt & Hill shaving cream
Castle Forbes shaving cream
Tabac Original shaving soap
Thayers Witch Hazel
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I’ll pile on the accolades for the post also Charlie. A serious encyclopedia of information and knowledge that deserves to be stickied!

wristwatchb · Sep 25, 2019

Linuxguile said: ↑

Charlie, this is great! It ought to be a post in the shave school forum!

Sent from my Galaxy using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks Andrew!

wristwatchb · Sep 25, 2019

brit said: ↑

very cool Charlie..
Click to expand...

Thank you, Gary!

wristwatchb · Sep 25, 2019

RyX said: ↑

Good stuff Charlie!

Might add that bit about the 1/4 turn that locks down a Gillette Adjustable. Kind of needs a face to face demo to know how hard to turn it.

Would you include the possibility of using the familiar cart to finish up? I can see it two ways. Either they need to be as presentable as the carts have been doing, or make a clean break and go all in on the DE. The "use a familiar razor to finish" usually implies a DE shaver learning straights or shavettes.
Click to expand...

Those are both great additions. Thank you, Rick!

wristwatchb · Sep 25, 2019

b1hart said: ↑

I’ll pile on the accolades for the post also Charlie. A serious encyclopedia of information and knowledge that deserves to be stickied!
Click to expand...

Thanks Blair!

NCoxSTL · Sep 25, 2019

Stirling SEptember!!!

September 25

Razor - Schick Type M Injector
Blade -
Soap - Stirling Fair Debonaire St. Louis
Brush - Jayaruh #46
Post - Alum

Second day on the Type M and I chose the LE Stirling Fair Debonaire from St. Louis last summer. It's now better known as Haverford, but since I have the LE version I just had to show it off again. Three passes to a very fine BBS and all's well in the shave department. I've decided I have a bit of an upper respiratory infection that has set in but it's nothing major. I'm back to my duties at the command center here at Cartel HQ so the boys will be dispatched to deal with all you troublemakers before you know it. Some great shaves going on out there! Have a great Thursday!

Trigger · Sep 25, 2019

b1hart said: ↑

\

Thank You for this nugget of learned wisdom and information. Now..the trick is to make my brain remember it.

That is too awesome Jim!

Nice shave Joe!

Question is....did it make a dent in the MWF puck?

I've got a dish of MWF....contemplating. Maybe I'll shave twice a day @jluc so I can use MWF and a favorite...hmm....
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Thanx Blair!

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September 2019 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

It's Stirling SEptember. Whatcha got planned??

Gonna use some great vintage single edge gear and lots and lots of Stirling. Duh!!

Gonna use a modern single edge or two and lots and lots of Stirling. Duh!!

Gonna mix it up with all kinds of single edges and lots and lots of Stirling. Duh!!

Gonna use whatever I feel like because hey, it's my shave so I'll enjoy it my way!! Duh!!

Straights baby, because I'm just that doggone good. Duh!!

Some SE's, some DE's, some other stuff, maybe Stirling, maybe not. Who knows?! Duh!!

Cookies and ice cream. That's all I'm here for. Stop hounding me to shave!!!!! Duh!!

brit in a box

brit in a box

brit in a box

brit in a box

brit in a box

Primotenore missed opera tunity

Trigger Double Jedi Knight

Trigger Double Jedi Knight

jluc smelling pretty

Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

b1hart Speed Racer

jluc smelling pretty

RyX DoH!

b1hart Speed Racer

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

NCoxSTL AAACK!

Trigger Double Jedi Knight

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September 2019 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

It's Stirling SEptember. Whatcha got planned??

Gonna use some great vintage single edge gear and lots and lots of Stirling. Duh!!

Gonna use a modern single edge or two and lots and lots of Stirling. Duh!!

Gonna mix it up with all kinds of single edges and lots and lots of Stirling. Duh!!

Gonna use whatever I feel like because hey, it's my shave so I'll enjoy it my way!! Duh!!

Straights baby, because I'm just that doggone good. Duh!!

Some SE's, some DE's, some other stuff, maybe Stirling, maybe not. Who knows?! Duh!!

Cookies and ice cream. That's all I'm here for. Stop hounding me to shave!!!!! Duh!!

brit in a box

brit in a box

brit in a box

brit in a box

brit in a box

Primotenore missed opera tunity

Trigger Double Jedi Knight

Trigger Double Jedi Knight

jluc smelling pretty

Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

b1hart Speed Racer

jluc smelling pretty

RyX DoH!

b1hart Speed Racer

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

NCoxSTL AAACK!

Trigger Double Jedi Knight

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