Check out Dave Card on YouTube totally chilled and shaves so fast without rushing
Any Fast Straight Razor Shavers?
- Thread starter theklaw
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See for yourself, 15 minute challenge
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Fifteen-minute straight razor challenge
I enjoy a nice leisurely shave as much as the next guy. I also appreciate the beard reduction philosophy/techniques shared by many if not most in the wet shaving community. However, sometimes life throws you a curveball. What if you had only fifteen minutes for prep, shave and...
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- Thread starter
- #23
See for yourself, 15 minute challenge
Fifteen-minute straight razor challenge
I enjoy a nice leisurely shave as much as the next guy. I also appreciate the beard reduction philosophy/techniques shared by many if not most in the wet shaving community. However, sometimes life throws you a curveball. What if you had only fifteen minutes for prep, shave and...
I saw your entry. Nice technique you've got there!
Do you make your lather quite wet?
I haven't really timed my shaves, beyond getting out the door on time, but I know that I am getting three passes done in the same amount of time it used to take me to do two. Some of this may be not having to do touch-ups afterwards. The bulk of the whiskers are gone after the second (XTG) pass. My whiskers grow sort of diagonally so it's more of a hybrid XTG/ATG pass. The third pass (south to north) is really fast and light and catches whatever I missed on the second one. I can skip it and have a perfectly serviceable shave.
I typically take around 5 minutes for a two pass shave. Not sure if it's fast or not. About the same time as it used to take with a DE. Lather is on the wetter side in that it won't win any lather of the day photo competition, but works well for me.
I don't chase a fast shave, that's asking for trouble in my opinion. Experience is the key I guess. I personally don't understand the reason for half hour or longer shave routines, but as it's none of my business, to each their own.
I don't chase a fast shave, that's asking for trouble in my opinion. Experience is the key I guess. I personally don't understand the reason for half hour or longer shave routines, but as it's none of my business, to each their own.
About 5 minutes for me as well for a two pass shave. Just like a DE. Some people are just slower than others. The main factor is is to enjoy the shave regardless of how long it takes. With more practice and experience, it’ll soon become automatic muscle memory.
I do a 3 pass shave with water cleanup in about 10 minutes.
I use Trader Joe’s, Honey Mango Shave Cream, (about $6 at store, $18 on line, go figure, it is super slick and works well with most creams and soaps, a tube last about a year.) as Pre shave, a dollop about the size of a dime, rub into a wet face as my water is heating my brush in a double boiler scuttle.
Wipe the strops with a damp microfiber as the brush is soaking and pre-shave is softening the beard.
Strop a razor 20 laps linen, 10 leather.
Shake the brush twice into the empty cup.
Face lather a fairly heavy lather, (usually MDC) add water to the brush by dipping into cup to make a wet, thick lather.
First pass WTG
Use the remaining lather in the brush to make a second thinner lather, WTG.
Use remaining lather in brush, maybe dab the tub to make a thin lather, ATG.
Wash my face with warm water feeling for any rough spots, then water clean-up.
Rinse Brush, razor and cup, dry with microfiber, shake water from brush and tap on folded microfiber, put everything away.
10 minutes, start to finish.
Key is a sharp, Jnat or Ark edge, properly stropped.
A Jnat is an easy stone to learn and will deliver stellar repeatable edges, you only need one stone.
I use Trader Joe’s, Honey Mango Shave Cream, (about $6 at store, $18 on line, go figure, it is super slick and works well with most creams and soaps, a tube last about a year.) as Pre shave, a dollop about the size of a dime, rub into a wet face as my water is heating my brush in a double boiler scuttle.
Wipe the strops with a damp microfiber as the brush is soaking and pre-shave is softening the beard.
Strop a razor 20 laps linen, 10 leather.
Shake the brush twice into the empty cup.
Face lather a fairly heavy lather, (usually MDC) add water to the brush by dipping into cup to make a wet, thick lather.
First pass WTG
Use the remaining lather in the brush to make a second thinner lather, WTG.
Use remaining lather in brush, maybe dab the tub to make a thin lather, ATG.
Wash my face with warm water feeling for any rough spots, then water clean-up.
Rinse Brush, razor and cup, dry with microfiber, shake water from brush and tap on folded microfiber, put everything away.
10 minutes, start to finish.
Key is a sharp, Jnat or Ark edge, properly stropped.
A Jnat is an easy stone to learn and will deliver stellar repeatable edges, you only need one stone.
Absolutely, the third trip around was magical.
- Thread starter
- #29
Yeah, I'm with you about the lather... today I shaved with a very wet and thin lather (didn't load much soap at all). The razor was now removing hair much more efficiently, and I had an excellent two-pass shave with some touch ups in about 9 minutes. The chin area proved to be a bit tricky and I spent a good few minutes there. If you've got any tips on how to tackle the lower lip and chin area, please let me know.
This 'arching' technique, imagining the heel of the blade is pivoting the blade in an arch on the face, I find is a very useful stroke.
Yes, it is done with the wrist and is quite easy around the cheeks and chin bones. It is a sweeping motion. It is a very natural feel and quite effective. Give it a try.
Everyone's face, hair, growth patterns differ. What works for me, might not work for you and vice versa. The only thing I recommend is practice and find what works for you. Sorry I can't offer more insight. The chin area can be difficult as often hair will sprout in strange patterns. I find it is easier (for me, others may and probably will differ) to use the part of the blade nearer the heel for the chin. Obviously take care with the toe.
How fast is fast? Takes me upwards of five minutes, but I only do two passes.
Same here but it doesn’t feel particularly fast. I never rush. It just happens that way.
In another shaving community, a newbie was complaining that it took them too long to shave with a straight and was convinced that it couldn't be done quickly.
To show them what practice can do, I uploaded a video of me doing it from start to finish in under 10 minutes.
To show them what practice can do, I uploaded a video of me doing it from start to finish in under 10 minutes.
I now spend more time if i use a DE razor then a SR. During the week i only do two passes, one across the grain, one against and a little pickup around my problem areas. During the weekend i might do a full three pass shave. It usually takes around 10 minutes.
For me shaving with a SR every day helped with the efficiency.
As my edges improved i skipped the with the grain pass, which seemed to save some time.
For me shaving with a SR every day helped with the efficiency.
As my edges improved i skipped the with the grain pass, which seemed to save some time.
The fastest SR I have seen is just slightly above 4 minutes, see here:
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The fast shaving thread
The following threads https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/whats-your-fast-no-effort-shave.607001/ https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/any-fast-straight-razor-shavers.613239/ https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/fast-bbs-de.559824/...
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As a beardy headshaver I usually take around 20-25min to do scalp and beard edges.
If pressed for time I can get it done in about 15min. I started SR shaving around 3y ago; this time hasn't improved much in around 2 years. Don't really want it to either - the shave is less enjoyable, and I'm more likely to get a nick. Things that improve the speed include a good SR type lather, and doing what seem to be called 'knock-down passes' WTG then ATG, before my mandatory ATG BBS pass.
If pressed for time I can get it done in about 15min. I started SR shaving around 3y ago; this time hasn't improved much in around 2 years. Don't really want it to either - the shave is less enjoyable, and I'm more likely to get a nick. Things that improve the speed include a good SR type lather, and doing what seem to be called 'knock-down passes' WTG then ATG, before my mandatory ATG BBS pass.
It takes me ages every morning.
Each pass takes 5 mins (not including lathering time), 4 mins if i rush, and if I want it perfectly smooth then I need four passes.
I’ve been doing this just over three years but I have a very tough beard which grows in multiple directions. Each pass is an exercise in beard reduction with the last pass providing the glass finish.
I wish I could be like those fellas who do 2 passes and are completely clean but my beard seems a lot different than that.
Each pass takes 5 mins (not including lathering time), 4 mins if i rush, and if I want it perfectly smooth then I need four passes.
I’ve been doing this just over three years but I have a very tough beard which grows in multiple directions. Each pass is an exercise in beard reduction with the last pass providing the glass finish.
I wish I could be like those fellas who do 2 passes and are completely clean but my beard seems a lot different than that.
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