That sounds like a lot. I reckon a couple of teaspoons at most.
One of year of wet shaving under the belt and I still have horrible irritation...
- Thread starter SullyInATX
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- #202
I agree. I found it odd and was wondering if he might have over exaggerated the amount of bloom water he dumped back into his shaving bowl
It's all good. I don't think I'll have a problem with this soap. It performed well, even with how thin it was.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I confess to not measuring the water on top of my MWF. Sometimes it's more than others. Sometimes it's less. It doesn't seem to matter much. If it's more I don't have to add as much water (fewer and smaller little sips) during lathering. If less, I add more sips.
I'm pretty sloppy with how much water I put on the puck, but I always have the lather come out fine due to only adding little sips when the lather ceases to increase in volume even with vigorous whisking and brush churning.
It's like cooking so there's a recipe. It's also like cooking in that the recipe doesn't have to be followed in the same way lab procedures do. There may be variables that I've not accounted for - different brushes, water temperature, water hardness, room temperature, etc.
I find lathering the Fat faster and easier with a large brush like a Semoque SOC boar or a RazoRock Monster but my method works well with smaller brushes, too.
Also, I try to get an absolutely huge amount of soap off the puck and onto my brush. I'm stealing the Mitchell's Wool Fat as if I didn't buy it myself, and being extra generous because it's free. I want as much MWF on my brush before I start building lather as possible because I want tons of lather for seven or eight passes. The extra lather doesn't go to waste because I do not wash or rinse the lather bowl.
No, I'm not actually weighing anything when I say tons of lather.
My tutorial on MWF was in response to someone who wrote, "I might play around with the MWF for an hour or so using different lathering techniques to find the best way to get a good lather from it."
There are probably several ways to get large amounts of good lather with the Fat, but using a big bowl made a big difference in my MWF lather production.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I'm pretty sloppy with how much water I put on the puck, but I always have the lather come out fine due to only adding little sips when the lather ceases to increase in volume even with vigorous whisking and brush churning.
It's like cooking so there's a recipe. It's also like cooking in that the recipe doesn't have to be followed in the same way lab procedures do. There may be variables that I've not accounted for - different brushes, water temperature, water hardness, room temperature, etc.
I find lathering the Fat faster and easier with a large brush like a Semoque SOC boar or a RazoRock Monster but my method works well with smaller brushes, too.
Also, I try to get an absolutely huge amount of soap off the puck and onto my brush. I'm stealing the Mitchell's Wool Fat as if I didn't buy it myself, and being extra generous because it's free. I want as much MWF on my brush before I start building lather as possible because I want tons of lather for seven or eight passes. The extra lather doesn't go to waste because I do not wash or rinse the lather bowl.
No, I'm not actually weighing anything when I say tons of lather.
My tutorial on MWF was in response to someone who wrote, "I might play around with the MWF for an hour or so using different lathering techniques to find the best way to get a good lather from it."
There are probably several ways to get large amounts of good lather with the Fat, but using a big bowl made a big difference in my MWF lather production.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #204
I did use a SOC boar! It was just too much water. I'm sure it will be perfect next time.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I shake most of the soaking water out of the brush. You probably do that, too. Not overdoing the shaking though, just a couple of solid shakes, or maybe three.
When I'm lathering the brush off the puck I really overdo it. Then I turn the puck upside down and lather with the brush's bristles pointed upwards, allowing the soap off the puck to go down into the brush.
I want that brush full of soap. Like max'd out with soap.
I'm very careful not to drop my beautiful porcelain MWF puck container when it is upside down.
When stealing the soap off the puck I swirl the brush in a clockwise direction. And, counterclockwise. And, I paint the brush across the puck in all directions. Not too hard. Not much pressure. Just letting the brush's weight do most of the job.
All that is to say I get tons of soap on my big ole SOC. I weigh it. It's at least 4000 pounds of MWF on my brush.
You'll get it I'm sure, particularly with a large bowl. I can make enough lather in a mug or even in my hand, but I only get lather porn in a large bowl. I've seen somebody on YouTube using a bowl twice as large as mine, maybe larger, so don't worry about your bowl being too large.
The Fat will reward you big time.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I was reading the early part of this thread and want to mention that I have a neck which resists all my efforts at neck cartography.
Consequently I have to do at least four or five passes on my neck + some touch up to get close to a BBS, and Damn Comfortable Shave. I use a very mild razor, the Feather AS-D2, which lends itself to very sharp blades, but I also am looking for the smoothest blades, too. The razor also takes off a little with every pass, and more with more passes. My emphasis is on doing the process in stages, and not expecting any pass to be all that great.
Necks like ours are challenging.
Cold water shaving helped me a huge amount with my neck. I even do a cold water towel soak over my first application of lather. I use zero warm water. Witch hazel helps me a lot, too.
Probably people in this thread have already mentioned all these things, but they work for me. My shaves are pretty good, and my neck isn't red or painful, not that anything is perfect.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Consequently I have to do at least four or five passes on my neck + some touch up to get close to a BBS, and Damn Comfortable Shave. I use a very mild razor, the Feather AS-D2, which lends itself to very sharp blades, but I also am looking for the smoothest blades, too. The razor also takes off a little with every pass, and more with more passes. My emphasis is on doing the process in stages, and not expecting any pass to be all that great.
Necks like ours are challenging.
Cold water shaving helped me a huge amount with my neck. I even do a cold water towel soak over my first application of lather. I use zero warm water. Witch hazel helps me a lot, too.
Probably people in this thread have already mentioned all these things, but they work for me. My shaves are pretty good, and my neck isn't red or painful, not that anything is perfect.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #207
I plan on re-purchasing the AS-D2 and giving it more than one attempt this time. Which blades do you go with? Feathers seem highly recommended in it but I could see a Kai or Polsilver working well. I don't remember the name of the technique/method that involves putting a towel over your first lather, then re-lathering. I've come across it on here and wondered if it made much difference. I really find my shaves to be better the less hydrated my skin and facial hair are. When I first started wet shaving I'd use witch hazel after my rinse and then apply my AS but all of my AS products contain witch hazel so I skip using it independently now.
I've been reading the whole thread and beginning to think we have more in common than first thought.
First, I absolutely concur with the notion of over hydration. Can't say I know why, but the results back it up. I stopped having a long hot shower and experimented with cold water. Didn't really help directly, but it did lead me to short warm showers followed by tepid or warm shave water.
Seconds, looking at your pics we have very similar skin. The moles, colour, locations of irritation and how easy it appears to be damaged.
Regarding the towel over lather method, the idea is that the soap removes oils and breaks down the out later of the bristles to allow water ingress. I've experimented with is but so far just ensuring that my face is the first thing to get washed in the shower has been equally successful.
I'll be reading with much greater interest from now on.
First, I absolutely concur with the notion of over hydration. Can't say I know why, but the results back it up. I stopped having a long hot shower and experimented with cold water. Didn't really help directly, but it did lead me to short warm showers followed by tepid or warm shave water.
Seconds, looking at your pics we have very similar skin. The moles, colour, locations of irritation and how easy it appears to be damaged.
Regarding the towel over lather method, the idea is that the soap removes oils and breaks down the out later of the bristles to allow water ingress. I've experimented with is but so far just ensuring that my face is the first thing to get washed in the shower has been equally successful.
I'll be reading with much greater interest from now on.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
For my Feather AS-D2 I've not settled on a single blade.
I agree with most everyone using the razor that it seems to work best with the very sharpest blades.
I like the Feather, although it could be smoother. The GSB is very nice indeed. So is the wonderful Russian Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow.
I've just ordered 300 Russian Gillette 7 O'Clock Greens. The Greens are my go to blade when I value a smooth shave over anything. They are not my daily blade though. I found a great deal on them and bought a lifetime supply.
I dislike the Kai. It is very harsh on my skin. YMMV.
Sharp blades for the Feather, but what's the blade most perfectly blending sharpness and smoothness? I'm not sure, but I'll keep looking.
I love the Polsilver blade for its blend of smoothness and sharpness, but haven't decided it is "the one." For one thing, it is rather expensive compared to some.
I use the cold towel soak over first lather because I want to ensure hydration, etc. But, more so, I want to reduce inflammation with coldness at every opportunity.
As a pretty new DE shaver (having DE shaved for a long time in my youth though), I value in this order #1 A Damn Comfortable Shave, #2 A BBS, and #3 A Close, Long Lasting Shave. On my face these are easily achieved. On my neck, not so easy, but I'm getting there.
I love my Feather AS-D2, but doubt it perfect for everybody.
Happy shaves,
Jim
Hey Sully! So glad you have a hit with the 37c!! Astra SP's have become by go to blade in mine. Super smooth, and no irritation. I shave daily and do 2 pass xtg atg on face and wtg and xtg in neck. I could have never started with a xtg pass with any of my previous razors. The slant dulls blades fast, bin them after three.
- Thread starter
- #211
I have so many blades that I ditch them after one shave to be honest.
- Thread starter
- #212
It's 1am here so this evening will be day 3 of facial growth. I feel more confident that I'll have less irritation every 3 days than every 2 days. I tried shaving every day for a week and my skin didn't seem to toughen up and adjust to it. Not sure if I'll go with the 37c again this evening but I'll definitely work on the Fat again. I will definitely remember to post pictures of the lather @Chan Eil Whiskers.
[TL;DR long post inc] Hey all, fairly new wet shaver here. I've been wet shaving for around a year now. My typical pre-shave products are Urth Face Scrub for my exfoliator (during a 25min hot shower) and T&H pre-shave oil. I let my badger hair brush soak in hot water while I'm showering, although it's cold by the time I get out so I let it soak in hot water again while I'm cleaning ears, drying off, etc. I re-splash my face with a little hot water and then use 4-5 drops of pre-shave oil. The only shave cream I've used over the past year has been T&H West Indian Limes. I just can't get over the scent. I have a package of TobS Sandalwood shaving soap that I haven't tried yet. My lathering is hit and miss. I've tried all different techniques. Kinda just go with the flow and add more soap or water as necessary. I lather my face for a good minute or 2 for the first pass. My issue is this. With the grain I rarely have severe irritation, although I ALWAYS have irritation, even if I only do 1 pass with the grain. I've tried the Merkur Platinum, Derby, Persona Blue, Feather and Astra blades. I've used the Merkur 34C, EJ DE89BL and Merkur Futur razors (on setting 2). I've tried all sorts of angles with all different pressures. No pressure (literally almost can't hold onto it), slight pressure and medium pressure. Always short passes. I'm to the point where I want to go back to the super expensive Gillete Cartridges just because I get irritation free shaves. I've only experienced slight irritation over the past year around 10 times doing WG and XG. My skin can't handle against the grain (with a DE anyway). One problem I have is the grain in which my neck hair grows. To me it seems odd. The hair in the middle of my neck grows downward. At the very very bottom about 3/4" of an inch of it grows upward. The bottom halves of the sides of the neck grow diagonally from the middle of the neck towards the ears. Above that it grows downward. It's the lower half of the neck, to the left and right of the middle that give me the most issues. I can't seem to get a close shave only shaving with the grain. I tried out my Fusion a few days ago and was able to go against the grain with no pain or irritation at all. My post-shave consists of cold water rinse, alum block, lavender witch hazel and Grooming Lounge Shavior/Best for Last Aftershave products. Anyone have some advice for me? I've spent hundreds of dollars on products and barely see any better results besides the fact that I enjoy the wet shaving process so much. Here are some pictures of my hair growth after 3 days. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for those that read this short book
View attachment 784462 View attachment 784464 View attachment 784466
Drop the Lime and the Alum, Try a SE Gem Razor and blade. ARKO or CO Bigelow Cream are solid lathers and I would use an Aftershave balm.
halves of the sides of the neck grow diagonally from the middle of the neck with the grain. I tried out my Fusion a few days ago and was able to go against the grain with no pain or irritation at all. My post-shave consists of cold water rinse, alum block, lavender witch hazel and Grooming Lounge Shavior/Best for Last Aftershave products. Anyone have some advice for me? I've spent hundreds of dollars on products and barely see any better results besides the fact that I enjoy the wet shaving process so much. Here are some pictures of my hair growth after 3 days. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for those that read this short book
View attachment 784462 View attachment 784464 View attachment 784466[/QUOTE]
View attachment 784462 View attachment 784464 View attachment 784466[/QUOTE]
[TL;DR long post inc] Hey all, fairly new wet shaver here. I've been wet shaving for around a year now. My typical pre-shave products are Urth Face Scrub for my exfoliator (during a 25min hot shower) and T&H pre-shave oil. I let my badger hair brush soak in hot water while I'm showering, although it's cold by the time I get out so I let it soak in hot water again while I'm cleaning ears, drying off, etc. I re-splash my face with a little hot water and then use 4-5 drops of pre-shave oil. The only shave cream I've used over the past year has been T&H West Indian Limes. I just can't get over the scent. I have a package of TobS Sandalwood shaving soap that I haven't tried yet. My lathering is hit and miss. I've tried all different techniques. Kinda just go with the flow and add more soap or water as necessary. I lather my face for a good minute or 2 for the first pass. My issue is this. With the grain I rarely have severe irritation, although I ALWAYS have irritation, even if I only do 1 pass with the grain. I've tried the Merkur Platinum, Derby, Persona Blue, Feather and Astra blades. I've used the Merkur 34C, EJ DE89BL and Merkur Futur razors (on setting 2). I've tried all sorts of angles with all different pressures. No pressure (literally almost can't hold onto it), slight pressure and medium pressure. Always short passes. I'm to the point where I want to go back to the super expensive Gillete Cartridges just because I get irritation free shaves. I've only experienced slight irritation over the past year around 10 times doing WG and XG. My skin can't handle against the grain (with a DE anyway). One problem I have is the grain in which my neck hair grows. To me it seems odd. The hair in the middle of my neck grows downward. At the very very bottom about 3/4" of an inch of it grows upward. The bottom halves of the sides of the neck grow diagonally from the middle of the neck towards the ears. Above that it grows downward. It's the lower half of the neck, to the left and right of the middle that give me the most issues. I can't seem to get a close shave only shaving with the grain. I tried out my Fusion a few days ago and was able to go against the grain with no pain or irritation at all. My post-shave consists of cold water rinse, alum block, lavender witch hazel and Grooming Lounge Shavior/Best for Last Aftershave products. Anyone have some advice for me? I've spent hundreds of dollars on products and barely see any better results besides the fact that I enjoy the wet shaving process so much. Here are some pictures of my hair growth after 3 days. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for those that read this short book
Sometimes the
Sometimes the opposite of what one may think is the answer is actually true. It looks like you have a very tough beard like myself. I also had bad irritation when I started wet shaving. The answer for me was moving up in aggressiveness with sharper blades. I use an R41 with feather blades and I don't shave against the grain. The added aggressiveness of the R41 allows me to not go against the grain and get a close enough shave with 2 passes. I also started face lathering as it seems to add more moisture to my face.
Red flag! Lather that clogs and doesn't easily wash away is too dry! There's a few different kinds of dry lather, but this kind is pretty much always caused by not having enough water in it.
And that's what we want to see! It doesn't automatically mean that the lather is perfect, but it's certainly better than the dry, sticky kind.
Also, for the lanolin fans in this thread, you should try Haslinger's Schafmilch pucks. They're often compared to MWF and the Haslinger fans often claim it lathers up far more easily with performance as good or better than the Fat.
I'm glad to hear there has been some substantial improvement in your shave Sully.
Speaking to the slant, I have never used a slant, though I find holding the razor at an oblique angle to the direction of the pass does, in fact help. It's kind of like the "Gillette slide" except you change the angle of the blade, not the direction of the stroke. This is the only way to get comfortably close at the base of my neck.
I oblique shave with every pass on my entire face now, using the sharpest blade I can get (currently Feather yellows) and only two passes (wtg, atg for most, xtg *2 at neck base). This may not work for everyone, but it's the best for me after extensive trial and error with my main setup exclusively(3+ months). Keep trying and developing your skills, it'll come eventually.
You definitely got this!
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
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- #218
Sorry I haven’t responded to everyone in a while; just caught up and appreciate the feedback! I’ve been having a lot of medical issues (thus causing mental issues) lately that have pretty much made me completely sedentary. It’s so bad some days I only get out of my bed/recliner 2-3 times. Any kind of activity scares me, including just standing up, or showering and shaving. I created a thread on the SE forums about GEM head shaving and a member suggested I speak to rabidus about it. I know he’s provided input on this thread so I’m going to copy/paste the question below. Thanks for reading in advance!
- Thread starter
- #219
Hey all! Happy early Thanksgiving. I’ve been a head shaver for around 10 years now; starting out with a no-guard electric trimmer followed up with a Gillette cartridge razor/shave gel, and most recently (3-4 months) a Merkur Futur on 6 with an Astra SP for the initial WTG pass to take all the hair off (I get lazy and sometimes go weeks without shaving it. The trimmer gives razor bumps and irritation.) followed up with my 34C/Astra SP for the ATG/XTG passes. I dont shower before shaving so I use pre-shave oil and hand lather with Proraso White (sensitive), followed up with alum and my choice of AS/ASB. It takes me forever to head shave with a DE because I’m constantly readjusting my angle. I’ve been hearing about GEM head shaving. Supposedly you don’t have to worry about the angle as much so you can get a quicker shave? I’m interested in trying this. I do have sensitive skin on my face but not much so on my head. Anyone have experience with GEM head shaving that can provide some input? Which GEM would you recommend? I don’t do EBay or buy off of forums so a brand new GEM would be the only way to go. I read PAA has a cheap entry level GEM or I can spend some $$$ and get a Blackland or ATT.
