My Straight Shave Saga (continues...)

I haven't been fully following this thread, as I am not a straight razor user. But I should ask - have you joined Straightrazorplace as well? There are some guys over there that are virtual fountains of information. Not that you can't get good advice here on straights, but they would also be a good resource. In addition, I don't know how far of a drive it would be for you, but if you are ever in the Cleveland area, the head guy at SRP, Lynn, is in that neck of the woods. Back when I flirted with straights, he invited me to come up some time and he could give me pointers on honing and use of a straight.

Just a thought.

 

Dude! I totally forgot to mention. I bought one as soon as I read about it in your other thread!

If you don't have one of these for your own kids yet, it's the best toy ever. Super well-made, cute as all get-out, and a great value for $20 plus S&H.

Thanks, Truckman!


Leo just turned one year old.


Dr. Mike - I am on SRP, and so far have only been lurking there. They've been a little... harsh with answers to the few questions I've asked so far, so I'm hesitant to do much posting there. Not like my BUDDIES on TSD!!

I am hoping to go to the 6th Annual Shaving Collectibles Meeting in October, probably meet Lynn there.

 

I know this wasn't intended for me, but I will agree it is a good sight but I have only been lurking there and get the feeling that my process of learning is not acceptable.... I will probably join it this summer once I have more shaves under my belt. Also, it is blocked by the school web server, so I can't get to it from here. Most websites with the word knife, razor, etc.. are blocked. And yet shave and blade slide through the gaps.... heh

 

Nope he is not the teacher that I have been learning from and yes I am well aware of straight razor place. You can find me over there really quite often and you will know me over there I have the same screen name there as I do here and you will generally find me in the newbie corner over there. I do hang out over there on ocasion, most of the time I like the humor here. In my opinion the high water mark of humor hit when someone, can't remember who started a thread with a post with nothing but a . and the jokes flowed on from there, I couldn't keep a straight face when I would look at that thread :happy097.

I am going to do another experiment shave tonight and see how that goes although I suspect that my blade is not sharp enough yet. Its passing the paper test but has not yet pased the klenex test as yet.

I am also starting out with shave creams rather than shave soaps. some time ago I got an order from the TSD store with a bunch of samples including Ingrams, Yardly Gold, Old Spice Original and Old Spice Fresh Lime and three TSD creams - Almond, snadlewood and one other. I think that creams give me a closer shave then soaps do however, some creams give me a closer shave then others. My two current favorites are Kent and Proctor and Gamble's Old Spice Fresh Lime, since I like my creams rather smelly. I don't intend to settle on a cream until I have tried a few more then what I have already. Although I will probably never stop experimenting.

Been griping a bit lately on these forums and I want to say that I have only been griping. Most Washington, DC men have bought into the nonsense force fed to us by the likes of Proctor and Gamble, Bic and Spectrum Brands (own Remington). I can't get wet shaving products here. The only thing I can get is a ten pack of CVS brand double edge blades, board hair brush, Combe Williams Shave Soap as well as a lot of different after shaves. I burns me up that I can't get any of the good stuff here.:whacky084 That's Proctor and Gamble holding the sign up.:angry021

 

I forgot about this too but just made the purchase for my lil man that turned one earlier this month.

I think most of us here in the US can't get just a whole lot of wetshaving goods from brick and mortars no matter where. I have done most of my shopping online. Prices are probably cheaper than the margins that the big outlets would want anyways and shipping is usually fast. Its really not that bad.

 

Still gets me steemed.

 

If you learn it, then it is acceptable
What I love about these forums is that you can be a guest and glean all the info you would ever need! And shaving is so hands on, there's not really much you can get from just Q&A text when it comes down to solving problems as they occur during a shave.

<advice/plug>So I also suggest (is this allowed? I am going to assume so) the Wiki at straight razor place. It's part of srp but not part of the forums. B&B has a wiki as well, and if I remember right they've got a good how to shave article... Anyway I have worked on the srp wiki quite a bit and am promoting it, but besides that it is an excellent internet resource for straight razor shaving info. you don't have to sift through forum posts if that is not your thing, you can go straight to the tried and true methods, etc. Learn at your own style at your own pace so to speak</plug>

good luck!

[Edit: Off-topic; holy cow how did you rack up 2,700 posts since February?! :bow:]

 

Lot's of the newer members with the high post counts are frequenters of the How's Your Day thread - I don't know if that is true with Etoyoc, but that is a very active thread.

 

Thanks.. I think I have looked at the Wiki's... but will do so again when I am not at a censored computer.

Yes... I am part of the HYD thread... about 1/2 of my posts have probably been in that thread... so only 1400 or so since February if you want to rule that out. I guess I spend too much time on here

But poor olafurson, we have totally hi-jacked his thread again...

 

CURSE YOU ALL!!! :signs131

 

BONUS POST:

OMG, I just got the coolest box o' stuff in the mail from ebarbershop.com

They have the nicest guy running the place, prompt and courteous with his emails.

I ordered a bunch of tiny little Pinaud sample bottles and got to try Bay Rum, Lime Sec, Special Reserve, Coachman, Clubman Musk and Citrus Musk. How much fun is that?!?

Bay Rum - too much cloves. I need to quit thinking I'm going to find a Bay Rum that doesn't smell like cloves, cuz they ALL do.

Lime Sec - fruity! Dried into a nice little musk, but the top note turns me off.

Special Reserve - stinky! Doubt DW will like it, but we'll see.

Coachman - Smells like Clubman to me! Relabel of the same thing?

Musk - nice. Like Aqua Velva musk, plus a little powder, minus a little stank.

Citrus Musk - kind of like citrus disinfectant cleaner, that dried down into the same nice musk as from the Lime Sec.

All in all... I'm sticking with Classic Vanilla, which is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

The Musk might be worth a full bottle though...

 

For posterity...

a post originally intended for Etoyoc/Justin, thought I'd put it here for long-term storage as well.

-------------------------------

Hey, fellow hoosier! Good for you, giving it a go!

Well, you know just about everything I have to say about straight razor shaving already, but, I guess I would add this in hindsight:

1. Once I gave in and accepted that two hands were going to be required, things went a lot smoother.

2. I have only had two nick-free shaves so far.

3. Styptic sticks suck. Get a roll-on if anything. Alum blocks are goooooood.

4. Put down the razor in between passes.

5. Here's the order I have been using for passes (sorry if it's hard to read):

Right cheek WTG: Right hand with left hand over head holding ear.
Left cheek WTG: Left hand with right hand over head holding ear.
Right underneck WTG: Right hand with left hand stretching from below.
Left underneck WTG: Left hand with right hand stretching from below.
Nose WTG and "soul patch/chin" WTG: mouth open "o" shape, freehand - don't bother stretching anything. (it won't help)
<put razor down. Deep breath. Warm water rinse, relather, dry hands well, pick razor up>
Left cheek XTG: Right hand with left hand pulling ear sideways.
Right cheek XTG: Left hand with right hand pulling ear sideways.
Left jawline XTG: Right hand with left hand stretching cheek upwards.
Right jawline XTG: Left hand with right hand stretching cheek upwards.
Chin XTG: Right hand with left hand streching skin all over the place!
Left underneck XTG (which is really a modified WTG): Left hand with right stretching from above if possible.
Right underneck XTG/modified WTG: Right hand with left stretching wherever you can!
<put razor down. Deep breath. Warm water rinse, relather, dry hands well, pick razor up>
LEFT underneck and under chin ATG: Hold razor with your right hand fingers like a Japanese straight (keeping the scales out of your way) and gently pull upwards with the spine of the razor as flat against your skin as you can manage. Right hand with left stretching from below. If you can, continue up to the right cheek ATG as well, focusing on the jawline a bit as you do.
RIGHT underneck ATG: Left hand, with right stretching from below. If you're right handed like me, do NOT try to go up to your left cheek yet - too many angles for left hand to navigate!
Chin, soul patch, under nose ATG - under the nose feels more like PUSHING the razor up instead of pulling it up. Or, put another way, pull the undernose skin down over the stationary razor.
RIGHT cheek ATG: Nice and slow to enjoy the final bits of your shave... left hand, scrape off last bits of lather.
<put razor down. Warm water rinse, LOTS of cool water, alum block, make face like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. Keep doing alum block til it doesn't hurt anymore. Dry off and store alum block. Clean off shave brush and razor while drip-drying from the alum. Rinse off alum, then apply aftershave du jour, make Home Alone face one more time. Done!>

Or something like that. Whew!

 

Shave #42:

Irisch Moos shave stick
Vulfix 2233
Wapi
444 Alum Block
Speick aftershave
Pinaud's Classic Musk as cologne

Woohoo! Perfect shave #3!

What a fine, fine German shave. I was wrong on Wednesday, Irisch Moos is still the best shave stick ever. The problem, I realized, is that my Vulfix wasn't holding enough water at the tips. My bad. Add enough water, and the IM worked as good as ever. And smells like shave soap should. I hope my Semogue works better than the Vulfix does...

And the Speick was so, SO refreshing/healing afterwards! Man, if Hattric worked like Speick does, or Speick smelled like Hattric does, those Germans would conquer the aftershave world once and for all. If anything, I might have added just the tiniest drop of glycerin, but otherwise, a fine aftershave. Oh, if only it had menthol in it... might just have to add some of omegapd's crystals when they arrive... or, yes, I could just add the 444 balm.

I'm really quite enjoying the Classic Musk as Scent of the Day today. Mild, powdery, very Clubman-like but a little... stinkier, a little less frou-frou. Good barbershop smell.

Accidentally opened the wrong sample bottle and got some of the Citrus Musk on my other arm, and it's pleasant enough... I like it more than I did Wednesday. Good dry-down. It's actually kind of fun having a little bit on each arm - smelly Pinaud bliss!

Got an Arko stick in the mail today. I actually ordered it just for completeness sake, so I could say I've checked out literally every good shave stick currently out there on behalf of Leo. I was thinking it would stink and I would toss it in the box o' stuff to be PIF'd on to other wetshavers eventually.

I was wrong.

It smells GREAT! What are you guys talking about that don't like it?!

You know what it smells like? It smells like an Indian grocery store. It's almost a sandalwood incense/headshop patchouli kind of scent, and I love it. OK, it doesn't smell like shaving soap should, but who cares?! Plus, it's HUGE. And the little foil package it comes in should do nicely to store it in, unlike EVERY OTHER crummy little foil-wrapped stick out there. And there's a really freaky happy looking dude on the side! What more could you ask for?! Plus, the first ingredient is tallow. TALLOW! How bad could this stuff be? Best of all, it was $2.29. $2.29!!!!!! Come on now...

I'm going to use it next week, and I'll find out firsthand if it works like I bet it will. If it does, you fellas who don't like yours can send 'em my way. The only thing that might be its downfall is if the awesome smell lingers. It's fun while it's there, but I wouldn't want to smell like an Indian grocery store/headshop all day. We'll see...

 

Hope the box gets there quickly and glad to hear you're liking the Arko so far. Wait until you start lathering it. Perfect soap for me.

 

WOOHOO!!! Men-THOL! Got your box today EW, and could smell it coming from down the hall.

Oh, that's going to be some fun playing with those crystals.

Thanks for the Pinaud's Vanilla, too! LOVE that stuff!

What a great day for presents!

 

Ogallala Bay Rum (several flavors) does not smell like cloves. Except I think their double strength "special reserve" cologne may have a tiny hint of cinnamon. The regular Bay Rum, the Bay Rum & Sandalwood, and the Bay Rum with Limes & Peppercorns are all very nice, IMHO. And they're low alcohol so they don't burn. Look at this link. Also has shaving soaps and bath soaps in the same scents, for those who like to co-ordinate....

Also there's a high-alcohol Bay Rum called Superior 70 that I can't detect any clove or cinnamon in, and it's relatively inexpensive.

 

Shave #43:

Penhaligon's English Fern shaving soap (thanks, Bong!)
crappy Speick brush (this thing sucks so bad)
Wapi (needs honed!)
Shavex alum block (getting smoother every day!)
1 drop glycerin/half-and-half Osage Rub and Pinaud's Vanilla (Greg's Ultimate Aftershave)

I've got a young barber (mid 20's), who calls himself Junior.

In Indiana, at least, you must be a licensed barber to use a straight razor. "Beauticians" are not allowed. Junior is a licensed barber.

I guess in Barber school, they teach you how to use a straight - on clients, of course, not on yourself. Junior refuses to use his own straight on himself - thinks it would be suicide!

But he's taught me two very valuable lessons so far that he learned in school, and I'm going to share them both with you.

First: the grip. Junior does not hold his straight as I used to, with my pinkie on the tang and three fingers above. What he does, and what I now do, is put my ring finger on the tang, index and middle fingers above, and use my pinkie to stabilize the scales. It's a much more stable grip. If you're not doing this yet, give it a try.

Second: forehand vs. backhand strokes. What I learned this morning was the ultimate best way to get to the lower left side of my neck. I do this with what Junior calls a "backhand" stroke, meaning to hold the razor with my right hand, the BACK of my hand facing my neck, stretching upwards or downwards with my left hand, and pulling the razor downwards WTG/XTG. For some reason, this blade angle seems superior to the "forehand" stroke I had been using on this area before now.

And there you have it.

DFS this morning. I'm going to keep calling them DFS's until I can figure out a way to do a completely horizontal inwards-towards-midline stroke on my lower neck that will not dislocate my shoulder or give me a lethal injury. Damn stubble there remains even now, and taunts me...

 

Junior is right about the grips. Though you can certainly shave any way you want to, I find his suggested finger placement and grip for shaving the neck to be (most often) by far the easiest and most efficient methods

 

Shave #44:

Arko shave stick
Vulfix (Semogue on the way!)
Wapi
Art of Shaving Alum Block
444 A/S balm plus Speick aftershave
Pinaud Classic Vanilla aftershave as cologne (from a 1/2oz sample bottle I have at work)

There's a "Classic Barbershop" in town, that stocks a limited portion of the Art of Shaving line (none of the soap, unfortunately). But they did have a little alum block to replace my 444 block I'm not so fond of. It comes in a better case, has rounded corners (thank you!) and was on sale.

Now that bit of news is out of the way...

Oh, poor Arko! How you disappointed me!!!!

Yes, it lathers like a sonofagun, but sadly little lubrication or face protection, I found. And I had such high hopes, too. Oh well.

I really tore up the underside of my neck today. Nothing bleeding, thankfully, but lots of razor burn. I'm trying to find a way to get BBS close under my neck. And actually got pretty near to it this morning, but not worth taking the top layer of skin with it! Anybody got any good ideas how to fenagle all the angles under the neck to get ATG/BBS?

All in all a blah shave this morning. The Speick aftershave is just so... ordinary. And the 444 balm is mentholly, but only for a second. Very disappointing all around.

I really REALLY need to package up some of my glycerin/pinaud's vanilla/osage rub into a portable little bottle, and/or concoct similar with omegapd's menthol crystals.

I didn't notice until this morning before I left for the gym that Osage Rub has a fragrance added to it. That might explain why I'm not completely in love with the smell. Maybe just the pure menthol will be better. But I was SERIOUSLY missing the Osage effect this morning, when I could have used some more menthol...

Making progress on Leo's Wapis! I've got one "independent contractor" officially ordering supplies to work on Wapi #1, I've got a second guy already working on #2, and a third guy promising to work on #3 as soon as I mail him the supplies and he gets time to do it. The fourth guy has never done a straight razor before, so I'm hesitant about him... but his enthusiasm is contagious. #5 is still... in limbo. And #6 is in the mail now, thanks to TSD!

I literally couldn't fall asleep last night until 11:30 (had to get up at 5 this morning) thinking about the beautiful Wapis I'm having made for Leo... guy #1 laughed for a good five minutes when I told him Leo is only 1. "Oh, that must be how you convinced your wife - it's for the boy! I'll bet you're going to use this for the next 18 years, aren't you?"

Nope, they're all going in a box and into long-term storage. I didn't tell him this, of course, because I don't really need him thinking I'm a crazy person. I'm serious about this stuff. I've got a little refrigerator stocked with cologne courtesy of Basenotes for him, and I'm not touching any of it for at least 16 years. Same will go for the Wapis, shave soaps, aftershaves, etc.

Sweet Wapi dreams for me...

 

I'm thinking that I should be practicing with my Dovo Carbon Steel razor which has been to see Lynn Abrams some months ago and has been honed, but I still preferr my Inox.