Polsilvers (not Polsilver SI) blade; the fifth shave.

[Teddyboy]

I am posting this b/c I am somewhat bewildered, but in a good way.

This morning I got out of the shower and ran a Mystic Waters shave stick over my face. In contrast to the usual result, my lather did not develop-it remained thin and watery (breaking in a new brush). So I rinsed it off and lathered up the usual way with Razorock Fresco and obtained a very nice, typical Fresco-lather. The blade I used was a Polsilver (the apparently discontinued blade, not the newer Polsilver Super Iridium) that I had previously used for four shaves. For this shave, the fifth shave, I placed the blade into a vintage Hoffritz slant.

The point is that I got one of most amazing shaves I have ever had, and with a blade's fifth shave. I hardly felt the blade at all, forget the no tugging or no irritation. ATG was smooth and closer than usual. In the second pass the razor glided as if there were no blade in the razor at all. As an exclamation point on this episode, I had no AS sting with Floid Vigoroso-not minimal, not light, not mild - none. No exageration, the fifth shave was even more pleasant and close than the first. As Igor in Young Franksenstein might have said, this is Abby nornal no matter how great a blade can be.

In trying to explain this, the only really out of the ordinary event in this shave was the slathering of my face with the MW stick and rinsing it off and re-lathering with Fresco. I ask you, could that account for this incredible result? The blade is a top-notch blade; RzRk Fresco is a great-product; the razor is a highly efficient implement; and my technique continually improves. However I cannot account for this result without thinking it has to do with slathering on and rinsing off of the MW. I may see if this is reproducible tomorrow.

What do you think? Has anyone had a similar experience where you use a first lathering as a "preshave" of sorts?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[JHP]

Ted,

As I read your post, and based on the subject of your thread, I thought you were going to attribute the great shave to the blades. While I was reading, all I could think was "what effect did the MW shave stick have?" I'm glad we were thinking along the same lines as it confirms my thoughts. I remember reading the following from Kyle's prep-

Getting back to our main goal, to best prepare our facial hair for shaving, we desire to achieve the greatest amount of saturation (water into the hair) in the absolutely quickest amount of time. To do this, we need to apply an alkaline solution (damage the cuticle), apply a humectant (encourages quicker and more efficient absorption of water), and apply warm/hot water (both damages the cuticle and hydrates the beard).

By the sounds of all this, you might begin to think that the lather you normally create for shaving could possibly serve as a pretty good pre-shave prep and in thinking this, you would be absolutely correct.

Here's the link -
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_pre-shave_prep

So, maybe the application of the shave stick started breaking down the cuticle. Did your face remain wet while you loaded up the RR? Did you face lather?

Please post your results from tomorrows shave!

Josh

 

[Teddyboy]

Josh, that is very interesting. We may be on to something. I will definitely post my results tomorrow.

PS- My face is always wet and I exclusively face lather.

 

[Mick]

I usually get 8 or so shaves out of the brown boxed Polsilvers and all are very smooth. Disappointed they are no longer available but I have a respectable stash of them so not too worried.

I also double up with a shave stick then a swirl from another puck of soap. I find that I get a better lather applying a thin layer from a shave stick then working up a lather with a brush loaded with another brand of soap.

A few days ago I used Arko and Arlington together and got an incredible "Santa Claus" thick lather and a fantastic shave

 

[Teddyboy]

I see. In essence what I experienced was a superlather done in stages rather than all at once. Very interesting. If so, why would one NOT continue doing this all of the time? The effect was just unreal.

 

[Mick]

I see. In essence what I experienced was a superlather done in stages rather than all at once. Very interesting. If so, why would one NOT continue doing this all of the time? The effect was just unreal.

I started using both sticks and puck soap when I was traveling for 3 months. I only took 2 sticks and 2 pucks so to avoid going stir crazy with that limited selection I ended up using both a stick and puck to help avoid monotony. I now occasionally will do this again and it is always a very pleasant lathering experience. I have recommended to members who find the scent of Arko unpleasant to use a smaller amount of Arko then dig in to Cella or other heavily scented soap and "hide" the Arko but still enjoy the easy lather that they will get. Those that have tried it are enjoying it. Those that haven't are still asking for help with their lather

 

[Teddyboy]

I see. In essence what I experienced was a superlather done in stages rather all at once. Very interesting. If so, why would one NOT continue doing this all of the time? The effect was just unreal.

 

[JHP]

I see. In essence what I experienced was a superlather done in stages rather than all at once. Very interesting. If so, why would one NOT continue doing this all of the time? The effect was just unreal.

Perhaps your superior shave was due to super lather, but I think there might be more at work here. My theory, based on Kyle's prep, is that the MW stick started breaking down the hair cuticle and as you loaded up your brush with the other soap, your beard continued to soak up the water that was still on your face, softening your beard. I think the time span between the application of the MW stick and when the razor finally hit your face could be the factor.

Personally, I'd try to repeat exactly and see if you get similar results.

 

[jzuzphreek]

PS- My face is always wet and I exclusively face lather.

Do you find this gets in the way of your day to day activities?

 

[Teddyboy]

Do you find this gets in the way of your day to day activities?

Now that I'm bald, overweight as well as short, there is nothing important to get in the way of! Sad, but true.

 

[Teddyboy]

Personally, I'd try to repeat exactly and see if you get similar results.

I like your hypothesis. I will try it again tomorrow.

 

[Teddyboy]

I started using both sticks and puck soap when I was traveling for 3 months. I only took 2 sticks and 2 pucks so to avoid going stir crazy with that limited selection I ended up using both a stick and puck to help avoid monotony. I now occasionally will do this again and it is always a very pleasant lathering experience. I have recommended to members who find the scent of Arko unpleasant to use a smaller amount of Arko then dig in to Cella or other heavily scented soap and "hide" the Arko but still enjoy the easy lather that they will get. Those that have tried it are enjoying it. Those that haven't are still asking for help with their lather

You just may become bigger than Mantic59 if you get the right agent.

 

[Teddyboy]

Follow-Up - sixth shave

This morning I repeated the same exact procedure and got the same exact result. It is noteworthy that this morning's stubble was a bit lighter than usual, which I think was due to the shave I got yesterday. Basically, there was a greatly diminished sensation of a blade in the razor. What was truly amazing this morning is that the second pass in the goatee area feels like there is no blade at all in the razor; as if the top of the head piece is rubbing across my skin. I had to go against the grain during the second pass in order to feel any stubble in that area. ATG against the grain was painless with no tugging sensation, although I can never get it perfectly smooth in this area. I had two very minor weepers, due to the sixth shave with this blade showing blade deterioration.

I will test other shave sticks besides the Mystic Waters followed by different soaps. I find the idea that shaving soap itself is a great pre-shave very interesting. I hope others will give this a try.

 

[BYob]

I like this too: 1) hot water splash / hot towel, 2) apply soap/cream under re-heated hot towel, 3) splash more hot water & lather . . .

it is true, hot water and alkaline soap soften whisker, make razor glide smooth

 

[JHP]

This morning I repeated the same exact procedure and got the same exact result. . . . I find the idea that shaving soap itself is a great pre-shave very interesting. I hope others will give this a try.

This is great news. I don't have a shave stick, but I'm going to have to work something out to try this. I just re-read your OP. To confirm, you applied the MW stick, and then used your new brush to attempt a face lather. You then washed it off the lather? Or left it on your face while you bowl lathered?

Thanks for posting about this.

 

[Mick]

I will test other shave sticks besides the Mystic Waters followed by different soaps. I find the idea that shaving soap itself is a great pre-shave very interesting. I hope others will give this a try.

Sounds like you have joined the Shave Stick Brotherhood but just don't realize it yet

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/321719-Shave-Stick-Brotherhood-SSB

 

[Teddyboy]

This is great news. I don't have a shave stick, but I'm going to have to work something out to try this. I just re-read your OP. To confirm, you applied the MW stick, and then used your new brush to attempt a face lather. You then washed it off the lather? Or left it on your face while you bowl lathered?

Thanks for posting about this.

I wash off the first face lather, and then face lather again with a different soap. It is wild but I think this can really extend the life of a blade as well as provide a more comfortable shave experience. Of course, add about 5-10 min of time; this will never catch on in NYC.

 

[celestino]

Ted, are you getting consistent results with this method?

 

[Teddyboy]

Ted, are you getting consistent results with this method?

So far I'm 2 for 2.

 

[Teddyboy]

Make that 3 for 3 this morning; the seventh shave with the Polsilver blade.

This time I changed the shaving stick to La Toja; got a nice lather and rinsed it off with as warm/hot water as I could tolerate. I re-lathered with Vitos Extra (w. coconut oil) and used a Progress set at 3 for the seventh shave with the same blade. This setting of the Progress is fairly aggressive, at least to my sensibilities. I routinely feel the blade scrape (not tug). Anyhow, I got the same excellent shave as with the fifth and sixth shaves. There may be some blade deterioration since I noticed two very small weepers; but otherwise the smoothness and relative lack of feeling the blade resulted. I think we are on to something here. The second pass felt as no blade was in the razor. At the end I had a very minimal AS sting. For the seventh shave with the Progress at 3, this is a remarkable result.

For those interrested in the underlying principles involved in this phenomena I recommend the link that Turtle provided to Kyle's discussion, http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...rotherhood-SSB. It describes at one point how old barber manuals recommended the sequence of lathering - hot towel- rinsing - re-lathering in order to get a great shave. I believe that the use of the shaving sticks is simply another way of performing the same tasks, except that raw soap itself gets to sit on the hairs for awhile to help soften the hard outer cuticle of the hair shaft.

My next phase will be to use a blade that many, if not most, BBers think is not good; e.g., Dorco or Merkur or Derby. I would expect that the preshave treatment should make those blades far more satisfying to use. I will start a new post when this experiment is done.

Any input from other BBers who try the method would be very interesting and helpful!