or more like disappointed. When I started this venture(wetshaving) in the summer of 09 things seemed to work well. Then I found this site and I don't know what happened. I'm trying to learn how to properly prepare lather using a bowl but my efforts are not working well. When I started I would shower and once out prepare my face for a shave then use warm tap water soak my brush and swirl it in my creme(TOBS sandalwood) and work it on my face and use a little extra tap water when needed and that resulted in a good and smooth shave. Now things are not so smooth. The razor I began with was a Parker 22r and it came with some green packaged 7 o'clock blades(or maybe that should be 7 AM I can't remember) but my creme and prep is the same. Now I use a Gillette slim adj. which was my father's and I got a sample pack of blades which I am currently using Derby's. The brush I have is a Tweezerman's badger not the best but many use it and seem satisfied with it. What would be the suggested method to fix this current issue?
Feeling Anxious...
- Thread starter shaveME2
- Start date
I'm finding this question a little tricky to answer. Could you be more specific about the problem you're trying to solve? It sounds like maybe you aren't satisfied with your lather? If that's correct, what about your lather is deficient? Too wet? Too dry?
You might find it helpful to review the various "how to lather" threads. Here are a couple:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136
If I guessed wrong, and your problem is more generically about the closeness or the comfort of your shave... please go into more detail about it.
You might find it helpful to review the various "how to lather" threads. Here are a couple:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136
If I guessed wrong, and your problem is more generically about the closeness or the comfort of your shave... please go into more detail about it.
It sounds that you lucked out and found what mostly works for you at the beginning.
It's hard to tell what's wrong now since you've changed some variables all at the same time.
You were face lathering at the beginning and now you're bowl lathering.
You were using 7 O'Clock blades and now you're using Derbys.
You were using a Parker razor and now you're using a Slim adjustable.
Go back to what was working for you and change one thing at a time and try it for a few shaves.
Bowl lathering requires a different water to product ratio than face lathering and you have to experiment to get the consistency right and you can't feel it to know when it's right like face lathering. If face lathering works, why would you want to change? I usually bowl lather only because too much scrubbing with a brush irritates my skin. Otherwise I would face lather.
Not all blades work for everyone. Derbys don't work for me and leave me with lots of irritation. They work for a lot of others. YMMV.
The Slim adjustable shaves differently from a Parker and you have to experiment with the settings first and then blades to find what works for you.
- Peter
It's hard to tell what's wrong now since you've changed some variables all at the same time.
You were face lathering at the beginning and now you're bowl lathering.
You were using 7 O'Clock blades and now you're using Derbys.
You were using a Parker razor and now you're using a Slim adjustable.
Go back to what was working for you and change one thing at a time and try it for a few shaves.
Bowl lathering requires a different water to product ratio than face lathering and you have to experiment to get the consistency right and you can't feel it to know when it's right like face lathering. If face lathering works, why would you want to change? I usually bowl lather only because too much scrubbing with a brush irritates my skin. Otherwise I would face lather.
Not all blades work for everyone. Derbys don't work for me and leave me with lots of irritation. They work for a lot of others. YMMV.
The Slim adjustable shaves differently from a Parker and you have to experiment with the settings first and then blades to find what works for you.
- Peter
Could be that you're overthinking it.
Relax.
Just do whatever feels right, like you did before you gained all of this "knowledge," and DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
Remember: It's only shaving, not rocket surgery.
Enjoy!
Relax.
Just do whatever feels right, like you did before you gained all of this "knowledge," and DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
Remember: It's only shaving, not rocket surgery.
Enjoy!
And let's not forget if you're in a location where it's significantly more dry in the winter your face may need some moisturizer too.
Don't be disheartened, you won't find a better group of folks to toss around ideas and figure things out than the other members here.
Don't be disheartened, you won't find a better group of folks to toss around ideas and figure things out than the other members here.
I have been wetshaving since late summer and what I have noticed is if I get too comfortable in my shave, it's a bad shave. By too comfortable I mean neglecting what makes a shave great-slow speed, proper angle, excellent lather. Failing to accomplish any of these results in a poor, depressing shave for me.
If what you were using before was working for you, I suggest going back to what you were using previously. Then, if you feel like it, change one thing at a time. That way you'll figure out what caused the change. Sometimes the best thing to do is go all the way back to where you were when things were working for you.
It's easy to get overconfident or inattentive when shaving with a DE. I have found that I get a bad shave unless I concentrate on my technique, especially the NO PRESSURE rule.
Shaving should be something that, whilst doing, you should be totally absorbed in.
Pete
Shaving should be something that, whilst doing, you should be totally absorbed in.
Pete
#1 on above, plus turn off the computer and never tune in to B&B again, just kidding.
- Thread starter
- #10
Thanks for replies and comments. A few things to say. I guess I will go back to where I began and process things from there. The reason I want to bowl lather is because after I warm up the Terra Cota pot I use the lather stays warm throughout the shave. When I was lathering on my face the method I was using was wasteful because I was going thru creme quickly and wasting water because it was running continously till I finished my shave. As far as the razor change that is emotional because as the Slim adj. seems to be a razor with a good rep and I love that you can adjust it my reason for wanting to make that work for me is it was my father's and I lost him in Feb. 09. So I will stop obsessing about too much and just shave. Something I forgot to say about the lather is it seems I just can't build a good volume of it. Also I will mention the shave I'm getting now is not as smooth or last as long as my beginnig shaves. So if I can obtain a few 7AM blades I should be ready to retackle this issue.
If you aren't able to build a good volume of lather, you might need to load the brush with more cream. If the lather shows long sticky strands, something like mozzarella, it may need more water. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=113520 is a good resource.
