Well, here's a peculiar thing. Two weeks ago, after 6 months shaving with nothing but a straight, I picked up my old Slant DE, bunged a Derby in and got a fabulous shave, so I continued using it for 2 weeks enjoying great shaves, revisiting all my old soaps and generally having a lot of fun. I'd got to the point where my straight shaves were OK but nothing special and after the Slant shave I'd kind of decided that I would be better off with a DE. This morning, something inside shouted "Use a Straight!!!!" So I half heartedly took the Livi from the shelf, gave it a quick polish, 40 or so passes on the strop and set-too. Three passes later and bar a couple of weepers and I had a wonderful bbs shave. What did I do right? I only changed one thing, that was using Trumpers coconut soap instead of AOS, could that have been it? Or did my face just need a break for a while? Also, I rarely got a bbs shave 2 days running with a straight, but yesterday I had bbs with a slant and this morning I had bbs with the straight - how weird. Why oh why do we do this to ourselves?
Just Don't understand!!!!
- Thread starter Barbelus maximus
- Start date
For the great shaves! Your mind probably just took in the gentleness/skill needed to shave.
Sometimes, letting a blade rest for a bit will get it to align so well that the rudimentary stropping I do finally has some exceptional effect. Most people probably don't strop effectively enough.
Sometimes, letting a blade rest for a bit will get it to align so well that the rudimentary stropping I do finally has some exceptional effect. Most people probably don't strop effectively enough.
Paul,
With a a DE I have (or had
) to shave every 24 hrs there is enough stubble to make me look scruffy, but with a str8 I can get a shave that last 36 hours (barely any stubble after 24 hrs)
When I attempt to shave with a str8 every 24 hrs I find the shaves are not as close / BBS as they are when I shave with a str8 every 36 hrs.
I guess my face takes a bit longer to get back to shaving condition with a str8. Hence I am on the 36 hour cycle.
BTW I always do a 3 pass str8 shave WTG, XTG, ATG
Again do whatever works best for you.
With a a DE I have (or had
) to shave every 24 hrs there is enough stubble to make me look scruffy, but with a str8 I can get a shave that last 36 hours (barely any stubble after 24 hrs)When I attempt to shave with a str8 every 24 hrs I find the shaves are not as close / BBS as they are when I shave with a str8 every 36 hrs.
I guess my face takes a bit longer to get back to shaving condition with a str8. Hence I am on the 36 hour cycle.
BTW I always do a 3 pass str8 shave WTG, XTG, ATG
Again do whatever works best for you.
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
I use a Straight when I have the time to concentrate and truly enjoy my shave. Otherwise I break out the Merkur 38C with Derby blade and get a very nice shave. I get a much closer shave with the PUMA 89 6/8 Straight....but sometimes I just don't have the time due to a hectic schedule..... so the Merkur gets used about 60% of the time and the PUMA the remainder. I like both experiences actually.
When I started straight shaving I found that after months of struggling with certain areas and certain moves one day all of a sudden things just seemed to be easy and the shaves become BBS. Hard to figure out but that's what happens.
