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New Poll: How much shaving time involves a razor actively cutting whiskers?

How long does your razor spend cutting facial whiskers during your normal shave?

  • Under 1 minute

  • 1 - 2 Minutes

  • 2-3 Minutes

  • 3-4 Minutes

  • 4-5 Minutes

  • More than 5 minutes


Results are only viewable after voting.
I've seen a number of polls over the years that measure how long folks spend on an average shave, and I've always been surprised by how wide the range is. Some folks spend a few minutes, some folks spend an hour or more.

That's always made me wonder how much time is actually spent with a razor cutting whiskers. I bet it's pretty similar for most of us regardless of how long our shaving ritual is in total. Let's find out!
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
I figure my two pass SR shave takes over 5 minutes of actual whisker cutting time. But not by much? I’m deliberate and take it easy at this stage. I never really care much about time, more about paying attention and not gashing myself. Out of interest I will set a timer to measure actual whisker cutting time and post results later today.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
This is like the 3 hour baseball game in which the ball is actually in play for only 3 or 4 minutes. I have no idea how long the blade is actually in contact with my face but it isn't more than a minute or so if you used a stopwatch after every stroke.
 
This is like the 3 hour baseball game in which the ball is actually in play for only 3 or 4 minutes. I have no idea how long the blade is actually in contact with my face but it isn't more than a minute or so if you used a stopwatch after every stroke.
That's a minute or so per pass, I would presume, so a conventional 3 pass shave might involve 4 or 5 minutes per whisker cutting time.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Results are in! A SR shave in two passes, from when the blade first touches my skin. First pass was 5min 30 sec. Second pass was 4 minutes even. So 9 minutes 30 seconds of mostly shaving, some of the time I was just admiring my stunning looks and reflection in the mirror.
 
I’ve never put a stopwatch to it, but I’m guessing a couple of minutes for each pass and I do two passes. Total time 4 to 5 minutes. I can shave faster, but why would I?
 
I’ve never put a stopwatch to it, but I’m guessing a couple of minutes for each pass and I do two passes. Total time 4 to 5 minutes. I can shave faster, but why would I?


It's not a race for sure. Faster isn't "better" when you're enjoying a hobby! The purpose of the thread is just to see how much time people spend in the act of cutting whiskers vs preshave/postshave. I suspect there is much more variability in the latter than the former. Or maybe not. Polls are a fun way to find out! :)
 
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Actual cutting 1-2 minutes for a 4 pass shave (I never relather I just do all four passes simultaneously over the same area using residual slickness).
Actual preparation 3 minutes.
Total time for my daily four pass shave 5-7 minutes...
I think I could do it slower now that due to C19 I work from home and live a less hectic life but after forty years of DE shaving like that it's hard to change.
 
Actual cutting 1-2 minutes for a 4 pass shave (I never relather I just do all four passes simultaneously over the same area using residual slickness).

😲😲😲

Wow! That's really interesting. I wouldn't have imagined that this was even possible. What soaps work best for this style of shaving out of curiosity?
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
Most of the time, I'll be comfortably under a minute on a three pass DE shave, and that's how I voted. Roughly 10 seconds each for the first two passes, and 20-30 seconds or so on the third pass.

If I'm striving for "perfection", that last pass will take longer. As a result, I'll be 1-2 minutes active shave time. With a shavette or straight, I'll be slower still, but am unlikely to exceed three minutes. Likewise, I will be slower on an unfamiliar DE razor.

Note: That's only 3/4 of the face being shaved, as I have a handlebarred goatee.
 
😲😲😲

Wow! That's really interesting. I wouldn't have imagined that this was even possible. What soaps work best for this style of shaving out of curiosity?

It doesn't really matter,most if the time I use simple canned foam, surely traditional soaps and creams have even more slickness but any lubrication mean works.
Technique is all that matters in shaving.
 
Results are in! A SR shave in two passes, from when the blade first touches my skin. First pass was 5min 30 sec. Second pass was 4 minutes even. So 9 minutes 30 seconds of mostly shaving, some of the time I was just admiring my stunning looks and reflection in the mirror.
I know my first pass is around four minutes. Subsequent passes are shorter. I, too, use an open blade razor.
 
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