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A Number of Random Questions

I've been wet shaving off and on for some time, and have noted a number of questions that are fairly random I'd love input on. Here they are:
Is there anything wrong with brushing a lather in your hand rather than a bowl? I find this is quicker but it obviously means a bit more of a mess.
How do I use both edges of a safety razor efficiently? Should I do each pass with a different side? Also, when I shave a lot of the lather comes off of my face and onto the razor which seems to interfere with the shave. Is this normal?
Similar to the above, I often find I need to lather my face multiple times while shaving. Is this to be expected? Does it mean I'm not using enough lather? I often still have some left over on my brush at the end?
I'll probably think of more but this seems like a good start.
 

Chef455

Head Cheese Head Chef
Palm lathering is perfectly legit and several members do so.

Shave a few strokes, flip to the other side, rinse and repeat.

The lather should be coming off your face and into the razor, take a few strokes and rinse it off. Again, use both sides of your razor. Your lather shouldn't be interfering, but providing some slickness and a bit of a cushion so you're not dragging a razor blade over your face without anything which would cause a lot of irritation.

Occasionally I'll touch up a lather mid pass, but generally speaking it should be sufficient to complete a pass.

There is always some lather left in your brush, I like to gently squeeze it out and apply it for my final pass.

Hope this helps. Hang in there. It will be smooth saibefore you know it.

Also, welcome to B&B!
 
Welcome!

Nothing wrong with hand lathering. Or Face lathering. I prefer bowl lathering because I can quickly and easily get the amount of water the way I want it. But really this is a matter of personal preference. With practice, the perfect amount of water can be achieved with any of those techniques.

For using both edges here's what I do. When one side is filled with lather and stubble I rotate the razor and use the other side, then when that side is filled rinse the razor under running water. I've tried in the past using one edge on the face and the other on the neck/below the jaw but it isn't easy to keep up with as well as unnecessary.

My normal procedure is to do a 3-pass shave - with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain, with re-lathering in between. Then re-lathering spots as needed for touch-ups.

With practice, you will learn how much of a particular soap or cream you need to use in order to have just a small amount of lather left over.
 
Welcome to B&B, Sir ShavingBlind!!
Be assured, there is Nothing Wrong in any shaving technique, Except for One!
That is, Never, Never stroke the blade sideways to the edge!
(I can attest from personal experience!!)
Always, Always, stroke perpendicular to the blade edge!
Everything else is totally up to you!!
Enjoy the journey!

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You're fine.

You could apply the cream from your hand to your face on the first pass, or face lather.

Rinse your razor more often and rotate the head.

Lather your face for each pass, and it's ok to reapply during a pass if your lather starts to dry.

We all Rinse a lot of unused lather down the drain. It's almost impossible not to waste some. Soap is cheap, on a per shave basis.
 
How do I use both edges of a safety razor efficiently? Should I do each pass with a different side? Also, when I shave a lot of the lather comes off of my face and onto the razor which seems to interfere with the shave.
I try not to let equal use of both sides of the double edged blade make me crazy. Using a single edge blade removes that OCD trigger. Vintage Schlick injector razors are abundant and relatively inexpensive. The older they are, the cooler they look, and generally have higher efficiency.
 
when I shave a lot of the lather comes off of my face and onto the razor which seems to interfere with the shave. Is this normal?
You would expect the blade to remove most of the lather as you shave; thick lather is removed by the safety bar before the blade gets there unless it is an open comb.
Similar to the above, I often find I need to lather my face multiple times while shaving. Is this to be expected?
Lather between passes only and don't do a repeated stroke over an area that has just been shaved. Blade buffing is different as the razor is not lifted from the skin.
 
I just wanted to say all of these replies are helpful. They're also encouraging as it sounds like I'm on the right track. Some of the articles about it online make it sound really complicated so I'm glad there are lots of ways to do it, and you don't need the perfect technique/equipment. It will probably never be a major hobby for me, but when I do it right it feels amazing. (I'll confess that, being blind, I still often use cartridge razors to wet shave instead of a safety razor; it's more expensive, but it is a little easier.)
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
How do I use both edges of a safety razor efficiently? Should I do each pass with a different side? Also, when I shave a lot of the lather comes off of my face and onto the razor which seems to interfere with the shave. Is this normal?
Similar to the above, I often find I need to lather my face multiple times while shaving. Is this to be expected? Does it mean I'm not using enough lather? I often still have some left over on my brush at the end?
Totally agree with everyone who said palm lathering is fine.

I suspect you're giving the efficiency of using both sides more concern than it deserves. Flip it often, flip it for each side of your face, flip each pass - it doesn't really matter much.

I lather my face at the beginning of each pass. I don't see a point for re-lathering mid pass, but I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world. What's the reason?

Virtually everyone has some lather left over after the shave. It would be ridiculously difficult to make the exact needed amount.
 
I've been wet shaving off and on for some time, and have noted a number of questions that are fairly random I'd love input on. Here they are:
Is there anything wrong with brushing a lather in your hand rather than a bowl? I find this is quicker but it obviously means a bit more of a mess.
How do I use both edges of a safety razor efficiently? Should I do each pass with a different side? Also, when I shave a lot of the lather comes off of my face and onto the razor which seems to interfere with the shave. Is this normal?
Similar to the above, I often find I need to lather my face multiple times while shaving. Is this to be expected? Does it mean I'm not using enough lather? I often still have some left over on my brush at the end?
I'll probably think of more but this seems like a good start.

My answers:

1. Nope!
2. I ’flip’ my de when I move from the right side to the left on the upper side of my face. Then repeat the process when I do my neck. Then, I repeat the process with each of my three passes.
3. I lather my face prior to each pass.

Hope this helps!
 
I've been wet shaving off and on for some time, and have noted a number of questions that are fairly random I'd love input on. Here they are:
Is there anything wrong with brushing a lather in your hand rather than a bowl? I find this is quicker but it obviously means a bit more of a mess.
How do I use both edges of a safety razor efficiently? Should I do each pass with a different side? Also, when I shave a lot of the lather comes off of my face and onto the razor which seems to interfere with the shave. Is this normal?
Similar to the above, I often find I need to lather my face multiple times while shaving. Is this to be expected? Does it mean I'm not using enough lather? I often still have some left over on my brush at the end?
I'll probably think of more but this seems like a good start.
Hi ShavingBlind, Welcome to B&B! I see you just joined us yesterday. The overall answer to all your questions is that there is no right or wrong as all that matters is what works best for you. Some answers to the specific questions you asked are:

  • Nothing wrong with building lather in your palm if you don't mind the mess. Many of us create test lathers that way. You may want to try some of the alternative methods used by fellow B&Bers to see if you like any of them better. I tend to start building my lather on the puck and finish via face lathering
  • To use both DE edges I just flip the razor as lather builds on it and rinse when both sides have collected what they can hold. Some B&Bers put more science into tracking this but the above seems to work well for me.
  • Regarding lather accumulating onto the razor that will vary with the amount you apply. Perfectly normal. Just adjust your razor rinse frequency to remove it before it becomes excessive.
  • By lathering your face multiple times do you mean reapplying lather for each pass or are you having to reapply before you complete a pass due to lather dissipation? If the former that is standard practice for most of us. If the latter then you likely have an issue with your soap as the lather, if build correctly, should remain stable for your entire shave or at least for each pass. Since you have a lot accumulating on your razor my guess is you are applying enough and the issue is you may not be loading enough soap into your lather. Suggest you load more soap and experiment with soap/water ratios. Lot's of posts here at B&B that can help you with that.
Let us know how things work for you going forward and enjoy the journey!
 
Lots of great replies so far, just wanted to add that perhaps a turn-to-open/butterfly razor would be easier to load with a DE blade than a 3-piece, plus many of them are milder and might be easier to use without vision. What DE razors are you using?
Also there’s NO shame in using cartridge razors, I think a brush and lathers from creams/soaps improve shaves almost as much as using single-blade razors.
There are some other posts by B&Bers who are blind that might be of interest to you, I will try to dig them up.
 
I just wanted to say all of these replies are helpful. They're also encouraging as it sounds like I'm on the right track. Some of the articles about it online make it sound really complicated so I'm glad there are lots of ways to do it, and you don't need the perfect technique/equipment. It will probably never be a major hobby for me, but when I do it right it feels amazing. (I'll confess that, being blind, I still often use cartridge razors to wet shave instead of a safety razor; it's more expensive, but it is a little easier.)
P.S. One thing that helped me when I returned to DE 3+ years ago is that I actually started shaving with a DE in college until I switched to an electric 5 years later. Back then my only guide was the instructions on the back of my Gillette adjustable razor and the can of generic shaving cream I used then. I basically slathered on the canned goo, loaded a blade and whacked away at my whiskers eventually figuring out the best way to hold the blade and ideal razor setting. I those days it was a daily 1+ pass DFS that worked for me. Was likely a benefit to not have the internet telling me all the things I needed to do for the "right" shave.

Have a look at the thread below, historically the typical shave was a lot simpler that the three pass shave typically touted today. Figure out what works for you based on your beard characteristics and preferences.



 
I actually originally bought a Merker brand three-piece razor, but the head fell apart and I had to get a new one.That is a butterfly, but I can't recall what brand I got. I'm just not very good at getting the right kind of 30 degree angle and cartridges solve that problem. I go back to the metal razor every once in a while, perhaps I'll try it again. I bought one of the main shaving creams recommended by the Art of Manliness years ago, and have loved it (again, can't remember what the brand is.)
 
A couple even more random questions:

Shave at night or in the morning?
If shaving right before work, before or after getting dressed? (I assume after, but I typically shave after a night shower so I'm curious.)
 
getting the right kind of 30 degree angle
That can be a challenge even with sight. I will say that bladefeel and sound are sometimes the only indicator that I'm actually shaving, and milder razors with low/no blade sensation can be deceptive. Maybe mildness is a two-edged sword (or blade, bad pun). I used to have a tendency to shave "shallow" or riding the top cap, and my shaves improved more recently when I shave "steeper" tending toward the bottom guard, keeping the head more perpendicular to the skin--especially in the first pass. If you want to try a different TTO/butterfly razor, I'd be happy to mail you a spare Gillette Flare Tip SuperSpeed I have kicking around.
 
I did not fully appreciate that you are literally shaving blind. That reinforces my recommendation for a single edge injector razor. I find them intuitive to use and more efficient than cartridges.

I personally prefer night shaving as it allows more time to enjoy the lathering and shaving process without any rush to get out the door in the morning.
 
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