Preferred Cream/Soap for Straights?

[chickpea]

Is there a preferred cream/soap for a n00b straight shaver? I used Tabac for my first straight shave and the razor hesitated/pulled a lot. I am certain that this was primarily due to my miserable technique (technique is a term I am using here broadly ).

I am wondering if a cream wouldn't have been slicker so as to help me out a bit. Or maybe MWF with its lanolin would have help the razor glide a bit more. I have either proraso or speick, or arko commando to use if needed.

Let me know your thoughts guys. Maybe I'm just desperate because I have seen the Sisyphian learning curve for straights and shuddered.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Tabac is pretty good.

 

[Leon]

Hi, my favorite are:

Soaps: Tabac, Irisch Moos, Palmolive, La Toja
Creams: Musgo Real, O Melhor and Veleiro, all contain lanolin which is great by the way.

 

[Seraphim]

Tabac shouldn't be your problem. I had a nice Tabac shave last night!


Be aware that tehre is naturally alot nore resistance when using a straight as opposed to a DE, as the DEs have teflon coatings, etc to help them glide easier. Also straights have a larger cutting area, which also leads to more resistance.

 

[mkevenson]

#1 above. Cream or soap, as long as your lather is well produced, should not make a difference. You can always add a bit of glycerin to your lather to help it glide.

 

[chickpea]

Tabac shouldn't be your problem. I had a nice Tabac shave last night!


Be aware that tehre is naturally alot nore resistance when using a straight as opposed to a DE, as the DEs have teflon coatings, etc to help them glide easier. Also straights have a larger cutting area, which also leads to more resistance.

Yeah, don't ask my wife what my problem is, she will have a long list, and my shaving soap would not make the top 100

 

[professorchaos]

Pretty much anything with tallow or lanolin in it.

Creams: Musgo Real, O Melhor and Veleiro, all contain lanolin which is great by the way.

Had I known! You are going to have an order shortly....

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

pretty much anything with tallow or lanolin in it.

+1

 

[Tom Ford]

I agree with the previous, anything with tallow or lanolin. You could always try a superlather.

I would suggest sticking with your current soaps, which are all of excellent quality, and wait for your technique to improve. I think technique could be the culprit, It won't take long for it to improve. I'm sure you are already doing this, but also make sure you're stropping the blade before each shave to ensure it remains sharp.

Good luck.

 

[Leche]

My order of preference,

Tallow soaps, lanolin, glycerin soaps, non lanolin creams and veg oil soaps.

 

[Luc]

I use the same stuff that I used with a DE. I still experiment new soaps/creams with a DE but what I know, the straight can deal with it.

I would say give it some time. Tabac should help!

 

[leighton]

Since you asked.

DR Harris & GFT are my favorite soaps right now. Tabac and Prairie Creations are great too. Tabac just stinks too much for me to enjoy.

But the root of your problem is most likely too high blade angle. Lower the blade and see if it stops/reduces the pulling.

 

[chickpea]

I sure you will all be shocked to discover that it was my technique (if you can call it that) which was the problem.

Well, I used Tabac again today (because hey I just bought a tub when I was in Berlin and I like it) and the shave went MUCH better, no doubt because my hand wasn't quivering with fright every time the razor got within 3 cm of my face and I wasn't hyperventilating and weeping with fear today.

Was only curious if there were different soaps/creams which worked better with straights vs. DEs. Good then. It seems as all my favorites (Tabac, MWF, proraso, speick) all work equally well with DEs and straights. Right on.

Now, if I could only stop cutting my face with that razor . . .

 

[Seraphim]

I sure you will all be shocked to discover that it was my technique (if you can call it that) which was the problem.

Well, I used Tabac again today (because hey I just bought a tub when I was in Berlin and I like it) and the shave went MUCH better, no doubt because my hand wasn't quivering with fright every time the razor got within 3 cm of my face and I wasn't hyperventilating and weeping with fear today.

Was only curious if there were different soaps/creams which worked better with straights vs. DEs. Good then. It seems as all my favorites (Tabac, MWF, proraso, speick) all work equally well with DEs and straights. Right on.

Now, if I could only stop cutting my face with that razor . . .

I like tallow based soaps for starights,as they seem to offer the best cushion. There are many glycerine soaps that give great glide, but not so much cushion. That can be tough for use with a naked bladed straight, especially when you are just strating out.

 

[Captain Flint]

Hi Bryan! Sorry for the off-topic post, but do you have any notable cream/soap in Brasil?

 

[chickpea]

Hi Bryan! Sorry for the off-topic post, but do you have any notable cream/soap in Brasil?

Nivea crema de barba is pretty good. That was the only one worth spending any money on in Brasil that wasn't extremely expensive (as most imports are in Brasil). You could buy L'Occitane Cade, but its something like R$ 50.00

/ot

 

[Captain Flint]

Nivea crema de barba is pretty good. That was the only one worth spending any money on in Brasil that wasn't extremely expensive (as most imports are in Brasil). You could buy L'Occitane Cade, but its something like R$ 50.00

/ot

So we're not missing anything then. Thanks for the info

 

[LaughingAtFate]

I tend to lean towards Truefitt & Hill Creams myself, They're easy to make a nice lather with, and yeah, seem to be able to hold a lot of moisture within the foam

 

[azmark]

Alright! Another excuse to buy more soaps.

 

[MetroNome]

Hi Bryan! Sorry for the off-topic post, but do you have any notable cream/soap in Brasil?

I spend a lot of time in Brasil...the only thing I ever see in drugstores is some Gilette creams in a tube. I brought down some Proraso one time...and now it is #1 request from my buddies down there when I visit........