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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