I thought I’d pass on my technique and what I have learned on my journey to satisfying wet shaving.
I have a daughter and there won’t be any more kids, so no one to pass it on to in the family. Seems like putting it out in to the internet “shave-o-sphere” is the best option.
This is not meant to endorse products, nor is it meant as the only way to shave. Just a sharing of knowledge and the reader can do what they like with it.
So lets begin:
My shave setup has narrowed to a specific set of products/items that work for me. You don’t need a lot of stuff, my final setup is pretty sparse compared to most:
Getting to your particular final setup usually means you accumulate a lot of stuff along the way as you try things out though.
I’ve tried several razors over the past year or so. All Gillettes and all “vintage”:
After lots of purchases and lots of shaves, I’ve settled on my 1959 “Fat boy” on setting #3.
I’ve done the rounds of different blades and PolSilver are my final blade of choice:
I find them just the right combination of sharp and durable. I get 2-3 weeks of comfortable close shaves from a blade (turning over to the other side halfway through) and my beard is pretty rough.
I’m a “bowl latherer”. I’ve tried hand and face lather as well as cups and mugs, but a nice shaving bowl fits me the best. I use a relatively inexpensive bowl I bought off ebay. Its “Turkish copper”, hammered and the inside is nicely tinned:
I’ve settled on this one because it lathers quickly (inside texture) and is light and comfortable to hold. That I can drop it and not have it break is a bonus.
I prefer creams over soaps. I find it nice and easy to build up a good rich lather.
For brushes I've a preference for a nice stiff boar bristle. I use an inexpensive Omega brush with Proraso green:
and a vintage Boar brush (that was apparently made for the German army from what I can find) with Speick:
For post shave, I keep a block of alum handy:
I also have a jar of alcohol I use for my post shave maintenance:
More on that later.
Pre-shave routine:
Not a lot to say here, I just have a nice hot shower as a part of my standard morning routine. I move right to the shave after drying from the shower.
Shave routine:
This is the “meat” of the process. This will take a while to do properly, so ideally you have your own bathroom/ensuite or at least one you can be undisturbed in so you can do a good job and feel relaxed and clean after you’re done. This should also be your private time, where you can have those few moments of quiet we all need during the day. I find this is your most important quiet/private moment of the day and it sets your mind in the proper, calmed tone for the crazy day that is surely coming your way.
I won’t go into a lot of the basic stuff, there’s lots of that out on the internet if you need to coaching on the basics.
I start the hot water running and grab my shave bowl. I use my shave bowl to rinse the sink down and flush anything that might be sticking to the sides of the sink. Hairs, hand soaps, toothpaste spit, whatever. Anything in the sink will be floating in your water, anything floating in the water can end up on your face during shave. I like to start clean and end clean.
Once I’m happy with that, I pull the stopper shut, drop the shave bowl in the sink and plop my brush and razor in the bowl. This fills the sink with steamy hot water, gets the brush good and wet and gets everything just generally nice and comfy warm.
Then the razor comes out, as does the bowl. I leave the brush in the water for now.
Then a squirt of whichever cream I’m using that day. Somewhere between a nickel and quarter size. Depends on what I plan to do with my shave that day.
The brush comes out of the water and I may give it a very slight shake if it seems like it has too much water in it. I prefer the brush good and wet, almost dripping. I start to make my lather and do a slow count to 40 in my head. This makes sure I have adequate time for the lather to build to a nice rich, thick consistency. I find the 40 count is just about right for me, but will go longer if I don’t like what I see in the bowl.
With my lather done, I give my face a nice splash with the hot water in the sink. I like the warmth and it seems to make my shave more comfortable. I don’t worry about water splash on the counter or floor, I’ll deal with that later and there will be lots more splashing before I’m done.
Once my face is good and wet, I take my bowl and brush and lather up the face and neck nice and thick. Everything is still warm, which feels nice and comfortable and gives me just a touch of richness.
Once lathered, it’s time to shave. I take my razor and dunk it in the water. As with the rest of the process, I like it wet and warm.
I’m a 2-3 pass shaver. My first pass is top to bottom (with the grain). This is the “bulk removal” pass. I don’t worry about getting every spot, I focus more on razor pressure, angle and keeping the razor perpendicular to its direction of travel. It’s a blade; keep it perpendicular to the direction of travel and it cuts like a wood plane would shave a block of wood, get the blade moving along its length and it will cut in like a knife edge.
You want wood plane action, not knife. Just don't press so hard as to shave skin like a wood plane. No pressure at all is best!
I make one stroke and wash the razor off in the sink. I rotate the razor so the opposite side is against my face on the second stroke. I repeat this process until my entire first “with the grain” pass is done. I never go over a spot that no longer has lather on it. That's a sure recipe for irritation/burn on my face.
None of the shave process is rushed. Rushing means cuts and/or burn. I find the shave process is my time to practice what’s known as “mindfulness”. Mindfulness is a method of “living in the now” and quieting your mind. I focus to feel the warmth of the lather, the sensation of the small bubbles popping/fizzling in the lather against my skin, the sensation and sound of the razor as it clips the stubble, the smell of the soap, the touch of the knurled shaver handle, the weight of the fatboy, etc. I strive to feel and experience everything in that particular private moment. It forces out the concerns of the previous day and blocks thoughts of what's coming today. Truly living in this one quiet moment, something the modern day world hates letting you do but something we all so desperately need. Some may call it “zen”, some may call it “meditation”. Whatever you call it, it has therapeutic value and this is your chance every day to practice it.
I don’t bother rinsing my face and just lather up for my second pass. My shave bowl is usually still full of good lather, but I will whip it a bit again if it seems to have lost some of its richness.
My razor goes back into the water to warm it up again and clean any soap that may make the handle slick.
My second pass is back to front (across the grain), or ears to chin if you prefer. Same process as before: stroke, rinse, repeat. The second pass is where I get the areas I couldn’t get adequately on my first top to bottom pass. More specifically, under the nose. I learned long ago that if I tried to get right up under the nose on the top to bottom pass, I was going to take skin. I like my blood on the inside, not the outside. So I get the upper lip clean on the second pass.
On days where time is limited, the two pass is adequate, at least for a regular work day.
On days where I have time (or I’m going out for a special occasion) and my skin isn’t irritated from the first two passes, I will do a third pass. I usually have to “re-whip” the remaining lather in my bowl as it’s settled a bit too much for me by that time. My third pass is bottom to top, or neck to cheekbones if you prefer. This is a fine cut, as most of the beard is already gone. The exception is my neck, as the bottom to top is against the grain and it gets a nice close cut. Since it is against the grain, it also has the highest chance of causing irritation/burn, so take it easy and no pressure!
With the last pass done (either second or third) it’s time for me to clean up. I use my hands to spread the lather on the surface of the water in the sink and give myself a couple nice hot splashes of clean-ish water to get the soap off. I like to leave my face wet for my post shave process, but if it’s too much for me I will dab with a towel.
Post shave process:
My post shave is more focused on maintenance and cleanup of the equipment and area. But there is some face work in there too.
If my face feels “aggravated”, I grab the alum block and give it a rub on the face. I leave it to tighten the skin and deal with removing it after the next steps. If my face is not aggravated, no alum.
First I pop the sink and start it draining. At the same time I take my copper bowl and brush and use the water in the sink to start cleaning them. I usually put the bowl in the water and swish the brush in it like I’m making lather. This gets the bulk of the soap out of the bowl and the brush. Once the sink has drained, I final rinse my copper bowl clean. I use the bowl to also run water over the sides of the sink and flush the remaining lather and whisker stubble down the sink drain. A flick of the bowl and it goes back to its place of storage.
With the hot water still running, I flush the shave brush until I can squeeze the knot and I get clean water. I then give it a few “flicks” in the sink to get the excess water out. I make sure to support the knot when flicking it, so as not to risk it coming loose over time. Just a finger and a thumb at the base of the knot to support it. Like so:
I then set it in its storage location to dry. I use two brushes in my routine so I can leave a brush to dry for about 48 hours. I alternate days on brushes so I’m always getting a nice clean, dry and firm brush to start with.
Next up is maintenance for my razor. I twist open the top and run it under the hot water stream. This flushes out any soap and stubble that may be hanging around. I close the top and give it a couple flicks over the sink to remove excess water. Then, it’s into the alcohol bath:
Once out of the bath, a few flicks over the sink and it’s ready for its storage place.
It’s not disinfecting I’m after with the alcohol bath. The alcohol displaces water in the razors nooks and crannies and it evaporates cleanly and quickly. It leaves my razor clean and dry within a minute which minimizes the chances of water corroding, staining or otherwise damaging the internals. I figure it’s made it since 1959 in near pristine condition and (as a sign of respect from one old warrior to another) I owe it the best chance to last another half century.
Once all that is done, it’s time for the final bit of work on my face. If I’ve used the alum, my skin is nice and firm and ready for rinse. If I didn’t use the alum, it’s still ready for final rinse. I turn on the cold water and let it run. Once good and cold, I fill my hands and give my face a couple good splashes of cold water. If there’s alum, it rinses clean. If no alum, it rinses any remaining soap off. The cold water braces my skin and tightens things up as well as giving me a good "kick in the pants". Feels great! I dab dry with my towel and we’re done with the proper shaving part of the process.
I’ve tried post shave creams, balms, lotions, etc but have never found something I like. I always feel greasy or like there’s something still on my skin. After shaves are not my thing, I don't like scents. The smell of the saving creams are enough for me. Just my personal preference.
At this point, I’m nearly done. I say nearly done because the counter (and sometimes floor) is now wet and possibly dirty from the products. Since a man clean up after himself, I take my towel and wipe the counter, sink, taps, (and if needed) the floor. I leave the area cleaner than when I arrived. I actually feel better leaving a nice clean area so my missus doesn't have a mess to deal with a mess when she walks in. My towel goes up on the rack to dry, although it won’t be used again the next day. I let it air dry overnight so it doesn’t go into the hamper wet and go musty. The next morning, I drop it in the hamper and pull a fresh towel out of the closet. Some may see that as wasteful, but I like a clean fresh towel. I find it makes the showering and shaving experience just a little bit more enjoyable, so I spoil myself with a fresh towel each day.
Well, that’s the ins and outs of my routine. Hopefully someone takes something useful out of it.
I have a daughter and there won’t be any more kids, so no one to pass it on to in the family. Seems like putting it out in to the internet “shave-o-sphere” is the best option.
This is not meant to endorse products, nor is it meant as the only way to shave. Just a sharing of knowledge and the reader can do what they like with it.
So lets begin:
My shave setup has narrowed to a specific set of products/items that work for me. You don’t need a lot of stuff, my final setup is pretty sparse compared to most:
Getting to your particular final setup usually means you accumulate a lot of stuff along the way as you try things out though.
I’ve tried several razors over the past year or so. All Gillettes and all “vintage”:
After lots of purchases and lots of shaves, I’ve settled on my 1959 “Fat boy” on setting #3.
I’ve done the rounds of different blades and PolSilver are my final blade of choice:
I find them just the right combination of sharp and durable. I get 2-3 weeks of comfortable close shaves from a blade (turning over to the other side halfway through) and my beard is pretty rough.
I’m a “bowl latherer”. I’ve tried hand and face lather as well as cups and mugs, but a nice shaving bowl fits me the best. I use a relatively inexpensive bowl I bought off ebay. Its “Turkish copper”, hammered and the inside is nicely tinned:
I’ve settled on this one because it lathers quickly (inside texture) and is light and comfortable to hold. That I can drop it and not have it break is a bonus.
I prefer creams over soaps. I find it nice and easy to build up a good rich lather.
For brushes I've a preference for a nice stiff boar bristle. I use an inexpensive Omega brush with Proraso green:
and a vintage Boar brush (that was apparently made for the German army from what I can find) with Speick:
For post shave, I keep a block of alum handy:
I also have a jar of alcohol I use for my post shave maintenance:
More on that later.
Pre-shave routine:
Not a lot to say here, I just have a nice hot shower as a part of my standard morning routine. I move right to the shave after drying from the shower.
Shave routine:
This is the “meat” of the process. This will take a while to do properly, so ideally you have your own bathroom/ensuite or at least one you can be undisturbed in so you can do a good job and feel relaxed and clean after you’re done. This should also be your private time, where you can have those few moments of quiet we all need during the day. I find this is your most important quiet/private moment of the day and it sets your mind in the proper, calmed tone for the crazy day that is surely coming your way.
I won’t go into a lot of the basic stuff, there’s lots of that out on the internet if you need to coaching on the basics.
I start the hot water running and grab my shave bowl. I use my shave bowl to rinse the sink down and flush anything that might be sticking to the sides of the sink. Hairs, hand soaps, toothpaste spit, whatever. Anything in the sink will be floating in your water, anything floating in the water can end up on your face during shave. I like to start clean and end clean.
Once I’m happy with that, I pull the stopper shut, drop the shave bowl in the sink and plop my brush and razor in the bowl. This fills the sink with steamy hot water, gets the brush good and wet and gets everything just generally nice and comfy warm.
Then the razor comes out, as does the bowl. I leave the brush in the water for now.
Then a squirt of whichever cream I’m using that day. Somewhere between a nickel and quarter size. Depends on what I plan to do with my shave that day.
The brush comes out of the water and I may give it a very slight shake if it seems like it has too much water in it. I prefer the brush good and wet, almost dripping. I start to make my lather and do a slow count to 40 in my head. This makes sure I have adequate time for the lather to build to a nice rich, thick consistency. I find the 40 count is just about right for me, but will go longer if I don’t like what I see in the bowl.
With my lather done, I give my face a nice splash with the hot water in the sink. I like the warmth and it seems to make my shave more comfortable. I don’t worry about water splash on the counter or floor, I’ll deal with that later and there will be lots more splashing before I’m done.
Once my face is good and wet, I take my bowl and brush and lather up the face and neck nice and thick. Everything is still warm, which feels nice and comfortable and gives me just a touch of richness.
Once lathered, it’s time to shave. I take my razor and dunk it in the water. As with the rest of the process, I like it wet and warm.
I’m a 2-3 pass shaver. My first pass is top to bottom (with the grain). This is the “bulk removal” pass. I don’t worry about getting every spot, I focus more on razor pressure, angle and keeping the razor perpendicular to its direction of travel. It’s a blade; keep it perpendicular to the direction of travel and it cuts like a wood plane would shave a block of wood, get the blade moving along its length and it will cut in like a knife edge.
You want wood plane action, not knife. Just don't press so hard as to shave skin like a wood plane. No pressure at all is best!
I make one stroke and wash the razor off in the sink. I rotate the razor so the opposite side is against my face on the second stroke. I repeat this process until my entire first “with the grain” pass is done. I never go over a spot that no longer has lather on it. That's a sure recipe for irritation/burn on my face.
None of the shave process is rushed. Rushing means cuts and/or burn. I find the shave process is my time to practice what’s known as “mindfulness”. Mindfulness is a method of “living in the now” and quieting your mind. I focus to feel the warmth of the lather, the sensation of the small bubbles popping/fizzling in the lather against my skin, the sensation and sound of the razor as it clips the stubble, the smell of the soap, the touch of the knurled shaver handle, the weight of the fatboy, etc. I strive to feel and experience everything in that particular private moment. It forces out the concerns of the previous day and blocks thoughts of what's coming today. Truly living in this one quiet moment, something the modern day world hates letting you do but something we all so desperately need. Some may call it “zen”, some may call it “meditation”. Whatever you call it, it has therapeutic value and this is your chance every day to practice it.
I don’t bother rinsing my face and just lather up for my second pass. My shave bowl is usually still full of good lather, but I will whip it a bit again if it seems to have lost some of its richness.
My razor goes back into the water to warm it up again and clean any soap that may make the handle slick.
My second pass is back to front (across the grain), or ears to chin if you prefer. Same process as before: stroke, rinse, repeat. The second pass is where I get the areas I couldn’t get adequately on my first top to bottom pass. More specifically, under the nose. I learned long ago that if I tried to get right up under the nose on the top to bottom pass, I was going to take skin. I like my blood on the inside, not the outside. So I get the upper lip clean on the second pass.
On days where time is limited, the two pass is adequate, at least for a regular work day.
On days where I have time (or I’m going out for a special occasion) and my skin isn’t irritated from the first two passes, I will do a third pass. I usually have to “re-whip” the remaining lather in my bowl as it’s settled a bit too much for me by that time. My third pass is bottom to top, or neck to cheekbones if you prefer. This is a fine cut, as most of the beard is already gone. The exception is my neck, as the bottom to top is against the grain and it gets a nice close cut. Since it is against the grain, it also has the highest chance of causing irritation/burn, so take it easy and no pressure!
With the last pass done (either second or third) it’s time for me to clean up. I use my hands to spread the lather on the surface of the water in the sink and give myself a couple nice hot splashes of clean-ish water to get the soap off. I like to leave my face wet for my post shave process, but if it’s too much for me I will dab with a towel.
Post shave process:
My post shave is more focused on maintenance and cleanup of the equipment and area. But there is some face work in there too.
If my face feels “aggravated”, I grab the alum block and give it a rub on the face. I leave it to tighten the skin and deal with removing it after the next steps. If my face is not aggravated, no alum.
First I pop the sink and start it draining. At the same time I take my copper bowl and brush and use the water in the sink to start cleaning them. I usually put the bowl in the water and swish the brush in it like I’m making lather. This gets the bulk of the soap out of the bowl and the brush. Once the sink has drained, I final rinse my copper bowl clean. I use the bowl to also run water over the sides of the sink and flush the remaining lather and whisker stubble down the sink drain. A flick of the bowl and it goes back to its place of storage.
With the hot water still running, I flush the shave brush until I can squeeze the knot and I get clean water. I then give it a few “flicks” in the sink to get the excess water out. I make sure to support the knot when flicking it, so as not to risk it coming loose over time. Just a finger and a thumb at the base of the knot to support it. Like so:
I then set it in its storage location to dry. I use two brushes in my routine so I can leave a brush to dry for about 48 hours. I alternate days on brushes so I’m always getting a nice clean, dry and firm brush to start with.
Next up is maintenance for my razor. I twist open the top and run it under the hot water stream. This flushes out any soap and stubble that may be hanging around. I close the top and give it a couple flicks over the sink to remove excess water. Then, it’s into the alcohol bath:
Once out of the bath, a few flicks over the sink and it’s ready for its storage place.
It’s not disinfecting I’m after with the alcohol bath. The alcohol displaces water in the razors nooks and crannies and it evaporates cleanly and quickly. It leaves my razor clean and dry within a minute which minimizes the chances of water corroding, staining or otherwise damaging the internals. I figure it’s made it since 1959 in near pristine condition and (as a sign of respect from one old warrior to another) I owe it the best chance to last another half century.
Once all that is done, it’s time for the final bit of work on my face. If I’ve used the alum, my skin is nice and firm and ready for rinse. If I didn’t use the alum, it’s still ready for final rinse. I turn on the cold water and let it run. Once good and cold, I fill my hands and give my face a couple good splashes of cold water. If there’s alum, it rinses clean. If no alum, it rinses any remaining soap off. The cold water braces my skin and tightens things up as well as giving me a good "kick in the pants". Feels great! I dab dry with my towel and we’re done with the proper shaving part of the process.
I’ve tried post shave creams, balms, lotions, etc but have never found something I like. I always feel greasy or like there’s something still on my skin. After shaves are not my thing, I don't like scents. The smell of the saving creams are enough for me. Just my personal preference.
At this point, I’m nearly done. I say nearly done because the counter (and sometimes floor) is now wet and possibly dirty from the products. Since a man clean up after himself, I take my towel and wipe the counter, sink, taps, (and if needed) the floor. I leave the area cleaner than when I arrived. I actually feel better leaving a nice clean area so my missus doesn't have a mess to deal with a mess when she walks in. My towel goes up on the rack to dry, although it won’t be used again the next day. I let it air dry overnight so it doesn’t go into the hamper wet and go musty. The next morning, I drop it in the hamper and pull a fresh towel out of the closet. Some may see that as wasteful, but I like a clean fresh towel. I find it makes the showering and shaving experience just a little bit more enjoyable, so I spoil myself with a fresh towel each day.
Well, that’s the ins and outs of my routine. Hopefully someone takes something useful out of it.
Last edited:
