An interesting technique I've figured out lately

[leighton]

I probably just rediscovered the wheel, but since I don't see much talk about it in shaving guides or the forums, I figured I'd post about it and see if anyone else does this.

Like most people, the chin is the hardest place for me to get absolute BBS. One day when testing a razor, I got frustrated at the miniscule pieces of hair left that I could still feel if I pressed hard enough into the skin. (OCD kicking in....) Did another pass, no hair was catching, tried higher angles, shallower angles, no dice. Not entirely sure how I figured it out, but what I ended up doing was to rub the hairs in a WTG/ATG motion rapidly, then take the straight to the area again. True BBS.

So, I've been experimenting with this new method shaving, and it seems to work pretty consistently. Wet your hand and the trouble area, rub vigorously in an ATG/WTG motion, then immediately chop down the whiskers. I think it works by pulling the hairs up and then allowing the straight to chop them down, and finally the whiskers shrink back to below the skin.

So, anyone else do that? Or am I just OCD about BBS?

 

[English]

I don't do that but I do understand what you are saying.

To a lesser extent, I think that I achieve the same affect but with the bristles of a good quality badger brush. Good quality badger to me at least is not defined by the price you pay for the brush but rather the way in which the brushes stiffness in combination with the brushes exfoliating tips will do precisely the job you are talking about.

I don't find that the normal silver tip works in this regard, its too soft and floppy. Unfortuneately it is the type of brush the majority of shavers own.

But to be honest, when I write this stuff, I sometimes wonder if some guys think I come from planet Mars.

Still, it works for me and that's why I am saying it.

 

[Chimensch]

Yeah, I do that. I wet my fingers looking for any stray stubble (for me its just under the jaw) and then I cut it with the razor with just water. Lynn has a shaving video where he does that.

 

[velvetgoldmine]

Excellent! I have exactly the same trouble. I'm going to give that a go. In theory, it should work with a DE as well.

 

[The Mick]

After you rub it do you shave WTG or ATG ?

 

[leighton]

After you rub it do you shave WTG or ATG ?

Good question. I shave ATG, but I surmise, if you go WTG or XTG, it would still work. Probably a personal preference thing.

While I was messing around with a "shavette"-like blade last week, I was experimenting with this method in the mirror. By rubbing your hand roughly against the hairs, it really does pull them out a little bit. I was able to see this in the mirror. Mine stayed out for about 10 seconds before "sinking" back to their "normal" level. So you have to be quick and work in small patches if you want to do your whole face.

Best analogy I can come up with is that it works like those razor commercials where something pulls the hair up and then the blade chops it. Except this hurts a lot less.

 

[superbleu]

Best analogy I can come up with is that it works like those razor commercials where something pulls the hair up and then the blade chops it. Except this hurts a lot less.

That image was the first thing that popped into my mind when I was reading the OP.

 

[Rick Sparks]

This is a great insight. And another good example of what a good idea it is to share as you learn. I think a lot of us who are just starting into the edgy world of straight razor shaving are shy about sharing what we think might be insights. But this is something I've just been kind of stumbling into myself. I was wetting portions of my face just with my fingers and re-shaving, but I kind of thought I was somehow cheating; not using genuine technique, even though it was working for me. I hadn't even thought about the little hairs being pulled up. Good for you buddy. And thanks for the tip!

 

[Seraphim]

When someone sticks their finger in an electrical outlet, it makes their hair stand up on end.

Perhaps instead of all that uneeded face rubbing, you should simply drop a plugged in hair dryer into your shave sink, and continue with pass #3?


I'm just sayin'.......

 

[huracan]

When someone sticks their finger in an electrical outlet, it makes their hair stand up on end.

Perhaps instead of all that uneeded face rubbing, you should simply drop a plugged in hair dryer into your shave sink, and continue with pass #3?


I'm just sayin'.......

I hear LectricShave has the same effect , although you may end up smelling worse, give and take.

I tried Leighton's sugestion this morning and conquered a small spot right of chin that I can't seem to find a consistent approach. Thanks $$$

 

[velvetgoldmine]

I have now also tried the technique with a DE and can confirm that it works with that too.

 

[Ray-man]

It's kind of interesting that you are trying this. Yes, it is almost the same as the commercials on tv for the x# blades razors, and one of the reasons I dislike them is because the action of pulling the hair out - cutting it off- and letting it go back below the skin, is that it causes ingrown hairs. Are any of you experiencing this? Sounds like and interesting solution to some pesky areas though.

Ray

 

[leighton]

It's kind of interesting that you are trying this. Yes, it is almost the same as the commercials on tv for the x# blades razors, and one of the reasons I dislike them is because the action of pulling the hair out - cutting it off- and letting it go back below the skin, is that it causes ingrown hairs. Are any of you experiencing this? Sounds like and interesting solution to some pesky areas though.

Ray

I have not, and have used the technique for a dozen shaves before posting. But YMMV.

But then again, if you've ever seen the PapaBull pictures of his face after his shave. The whiskers are well below the surface.

 

[professorchaos]

It's kind of interesting that you are trying this. Yes, it is almost the same as the commercials on tv for the x# blades razors, and one of the reasons I dislike them is because the action of pulling the hair out - cutting it off- and letting it go back below the skin, is that it causes ingrown hairs. Are any of you experiencing this? Sounds like and interesting solution to some pesky areas though.

Ray

Nope. The shaves I get from a straight are far closer than what any cartridge (or DE for that matter) and far less irritating. If I were to try to shave as closely with either as I do every day with a straight, my face would be a horrble mess for a week.