Cutting balm and finishing balm?

[tempestivo]

Hi to all ,

What is the difference between this 2 products? I am using the cutting balm with good results although I suspect it does dull the blade faster .Input from others using it ?


Thank you and as usual ,great place to hang out

 

[tempestivo]

No answers? Did I say something wrong?

 

[HoratioCaine]

The only "cutting balm" I'm aware of is put out as part of the Hydrolast line of Charles Roberts's method shaving products. I've never heard of a finishing balm. You might have better luck getting responses if you post your question in the Method Shaving thread.

 

[tempestivo]

Thanks man.Well I was looking at Enchante and I saw the finishing balm as a new product at half the price of cutting Balm so I was curious . Where is the method shaving thread?

 

[HoratioCaine]

Here you go. And I meant Method Shaving "forum," not thread; sorry. If you go to the General Shaving Discussion forum, you'll see it listed as the third sub-forum at the top of the page. That's definitely the right place to ask the question.

 

[tempestivo]

ok ,I am looking at the MS forum and while there is a post about CB vs FB I cannot find a straight answer. If the Finishing B. is the same as the CB I'd love to save a couple of Hamiltons. I don't do MS but I do like C.balm for it helps giving me that extra pass without fire in my face.

 

[HoratioCaine]

LOL...well, it could be nobody knows the answer. If it's that similar, or even the same, I doubt Roberts would make a point of telling people. That would mean it's up to individual users to figure out the difference, and then it's all a matter of speculation and YMMV. I'd say, ask the question directly in the forum and see if you can get the answer you're looking for. Or, you could write or call Roberts and ask him. He's very friendly, although he'll talk your ear off. Or, you could buy some and see for yourself. Good luck.

 

[gobeavs]

just send him an email and I'm sure he will be happy write you a full dissertation on the origins of, different uses for, and differences between both balms.

 

[tempestivo]

He's very friendly, although he'll talk your ear off.

I hear you on this one.

 

[HoratioCaine]

Also, since he is a master marketer, I'm sure he will make a point of telling you they are different, and why you need both. So, I lean more toward finding out for yourself, but I guess it can't hurt to get his input. It sounds like you know how he can be, so hopefully you'll be safe.

 

[tempestivo]

After a genuine attempt to understand I give up as I am lost in translating the MS grammar!!!

 

[HoratioCaine]

Whose MS grammar was confusing? I checked out the thread you posted in the MS forum, and the one response seemed pretty clear. Was it Roberts himself who ended up confusing you? That wouldn't surprise me. It sounds like, though, in the simplest terms, the cutting balm is lighter and the finishing balm is heavier. That may be all you need to know, since you're not on the MS trip. As for determining how that difference affects you, given your own needs, you may just want to try it.

 

[tempestivo]

Was it Roberts himself who ended up confusing you? YES!

I guess my question would be is the cutting balm suppose to be mixed with the soap and the FB be the final pass?

 

[tempestivo]

Quoting Charles


Cutting balm should not be used by itself; it needs a primer--the best is cube slag. Using CB by itself not really possible. Cube slag should be spread across the shaving terrain and CB gently spread behind it. The two can also be mixed in the shave cloth or mixed in the hand.

Quote from Joel at MS Forum:

After having made your “cutting form passes” or your standard shaving routine/passes, wet your entire face thoroughly with warm water and apply a small amount of cutting balm to your entire face. Feel around with your fingers as you apply the cutting balm, and take note of the areas with stubble still present. After having applied the cutting balm, wash your hands (it is slippery stuff, and you do not want a cutting balm coated hand holding your razor) then proceed to shave against the grain in the needed areas. The cutting balm is “thick” and will not allow the razor to travel as quickly, and does a beautiful job protecting and nourishing your skin from the harshness of repeated “razor buffing” against the grain. After you are done touching up, simply splash a touch of water on your face, spray your face with the tonic, and apply a touch of the moisture cream, and once dry – you will have incredibly soft, healthy skin! Give it a week for these products to really show you what they are capable of!

 

[HoratioCaine]

Hmm...neither one of those quotes mention finishing balm. Did anybody, including Charles, try to explain the difference between them?

 

[sanuginz]

I remember Charles telling me Finishing Balm is for high humidity summer. Cutting Balm is the more versatile of the 2. You can use it with primer - or as Joel mentioned either with or without conventional products. I've never tried Finishing Balm so I can't comment or compare. I will be using Method Shaving for my 6 weeks of travel this summer.

 

[tempestivo]

quoting again

Thanks very much for your excellent question. Here is the distinction between cutting balm and finishing balm. Cutting balm is used as a "liquid buffer" that enables water to pass from the sink through the cube primer slag and into the hydrogenic shaving paste. Without the use of cutting balm, this emulsion exchange process can not properly occur.

Finishin balm, on the other hand, is a velocity control agent. This simply means that if the wet shaving mix builds too much velocity--absorbs too much water--it becomes increasingly difficult for the shaver to effectively control the reduction rate of the blade itself. In other words, the razor starts to skid across the skin. In Method Shaving this is sometimes referred to as the "black ice" effect. If this phenomenon is not properly controlled, the shaver can get hurt. I invented finishing balm to control this process. It is usually used during periods of high humidity--the summer months especially. At the end of the wet shaving process, the shaver simply washes down with hot water, applies finishing balm, manually irrigates the balm with hot using the fingertips. The effect of the FB is to slow the action of the razor, thus increasing the shaver's control of the blade as he finishes off the last part of the wet shave itself.

 

[HoratioCaine]

quoting again

Thanks very much for your excellent question. Here is the distinction between cutting balm and finishing balm. Cutting balm is used as a "liquid buffer" that enables water to pass from the sink through the cube primer slag and into the hydrogenic shaving paste. Without the use of cutting balm, this emulsion exchange process can not properly occur.

Finishin balm, on the other hand, is a velocity control agent. This simply means that if the wet shaving mix builds too much velocity--absorbs too much water--it becomes increasingly difficult for the shaver to effectively control the reduction rate of the blade itself. In other words, the razor starts to skid across the skin. In Method Shaving this is sometimes referred to as the "black ice" effect. If this phenomenon is not properly controlled, the shaver can get hurt. I invented finishing balm to control this process. It is usually used during periods of high humidity--the summer months especially. At the end of the wet shaving process, the shaver simply washes down with hot water, applies finishing balm, manually irrigates the balm with hot using the fingertips. The effect of the FB is to slow the action of the razor, thus increasing the shaver's control of the blade as he finishes off the last part of the wet shave itself.

Well, I'm glad he cleared that up.

 

[petr]

I know this one. I know it because I purchased the finishing balm following your line of thinking ...it is half the price.

Finishing balm sucks. I wanted my money back.

It is thick and sticky. If you told me it was pure olive oil I would believe you. It is a real mess to deal with. It is about the same as many other pre-shave oils like AOS.

The cutting balm on the other hand is not bad. It is good. It is much thinner and overall more pleasant to handle. I never mixed it up with the other products because I hate following rules and hate words like slag. I also hate explanations like the one above. I used the cutting balm solo after my first two passes and it worked like a damn miracle.

 

[tempestivo]

dunno! Visibilty zero