Rinse Test - Thanks for the tip!

[gaj90027]

I have been noticing that I get much less irritation after my straight razor shaves when I use a soap instead of a cream but I don't have the same issue when using my DE's or SE's. I was slightly perplexed by this but just chalked it up to my lack of experience with straight shaving (only been at it for about a month).

Anyway, someone recently posted a tip that said if your lather doesn't wash off easily from the blade then it's too dry. Wait a minute, that's exactly what I was experiencing every time I used a cream, very interesting. I kept this in mind last night and used some TOBS Avocado cream. I kept testing my lather by wiping some on the blade and then rinsing it off. After adding about a half a tea spoon more water than normal my lather finally passed the rinse test and didn't seem to cling to the blade. My shave last night was the most irritation free straight shave with a cream I have had so far.

I wish I could find the post I read yesterday and thank whoever posted it directly but I was unable to find it.

If you who posted this tip are reading this I owe you a drink my friend!

 

[JPM]

Interesting. I'll have to give that a try.

 

[dpmtherrien]

Interesting. I'll have to give that a try.

Me to.

 

[mparker762]

I've seen DE shavers claim that straight shavers must need a thicker lather to provide extra cushion. This is incorrect - without a safety bar there is nothing to ride on the lather, thus no cushioning effect. What straight razor shavers need instead is slipperiness so the blade glides easily over their skin, and thicker more "cushiony" lathers sacrifice slipperiness for that cushion.

I believe this is one reason that straight razor shavers seem to gravitate towards soaps, since soaps seem to deliver that slippery lather more naturally than creams.

 

[Tricky]

I have been doing this a while now and I feel like it gives you the best feed back about your lather. I think people are too worried that their lather will break down, where it can actually hold more water. Do it up! Spare no water.

 

[Leche]

Its funny how much more you pay attention to little details when you start using a straight. This is a great test.

 

[Will P.C.]

I think Rayman is the guy that always post that tip

 

[Ray-man]

I have to be careful what i say. Some of you guys don't forget anything....Smile..

Ray

 

[gaj90027]

I have to be careful what i say. Some of you guys don't forget anything....Smile..

Ray

Thanks again Ray - if you ever find yourself in sunny so-cal hit me up for that drink!

 

[professorchaos]

I've seen DE shavers claim that straight shavers must need a thicker lather to provide extra cushion. This is incorrect - without a safety bar there is nothing to ride on the lather, thus no cushioning effect. What straight razor shavers need instead is slipperiness so the blade glides easily over their skin, and thicker more "cushiony" lathers sacrifice slipperiness for that cushion.

I believe this is one reason that straight razor shavers seem to gravitate towards soaps, since soaps seem to deliver that slippery lather more naturally than creams.

Agreed. It also may account for why I (we?) tend to prefer tallow over glycerin soaps.

 

[huntmol]

Yep, I heard about this test in the early days of my straight shaving journey. Definitely helped me improve the quality of my lather.

 

[joshmpdx]

Great tip, thank you! i'd never heard this and unbeknownst to me am guilty of dry lather.

 

[ArchersParadox]

Apparently this is an epidemic. I, too, was having problems this morning with non rinsing lather!

 

[GoldenMonkey]

Being a DE guy, is there a similar way to test your lather using a DE? I frequently get lather that seems ok at first but ends up actually being too dry (like today...ouch...).

 

[gaj90027]

Being a DE guy, is there a similar way to test your lather using a DE? I frequently get lather that seems ok at first but ends up actually being too dry (like today...ouch...).

I used to give myself the "finger slip test" but now I can pretty much eyeball a good lather for use with my DE's and SE's:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=106389

My lather has been good for months but just not wet enough for a straight razor shave when I use a cream.

 

[thanks]

It's funny that with my first straight (a Dovo special) constantly had that line of soap scum on both sides of the blade where the lather sat, and I had a hard time cleaning it off when I sold it (I definitely regret selling it!). My second straight had this problem as well, and it happened immediately after I started using it. My newest razor, the TI Evide Sonnant has no such scum as I think I learned naturally, or rather the hard way that the lather has to be much thinner and more wet than normal for a satisfying straight shave.

 

[tylerdurden]

I've seen DE shavers claim that straight shavers must need a thicker lather to provide extra cushion. This is incorrect - without a safety bar there is nothing to ride on the lather, thus no cushioning effect. What straight razor shavers need instead is slipperiness so the blade glides easily over their skin, and thicker more "cushiony" lathers sacrifice slipperiness for that cushion.

I believe this is one reason that straight razor shavers seem to gravitate towards soaps, since soaps seem to deliver that slippery lather more naturally than creams.

I just started straight shaving a couple months ago and you just answered the question of why ive been using Tabac so much. I use creams a lot DE shaving but Tabac seems to give a better shave when I use a straight.

 

[mdunn]

very cool tip

 

[Amer]

Does this include the lather that has your hair in it? When I rinse my straight, most of the lather comes off very easy but it's always got that clumpy line on it that has all of my chopped stubble in it. Or is that what this should specifically address? If that's not coming off am I failing the test? I found that the lather I was making was fine for DE shaves, but is way too dry for straight shaving. I've been adding more water but I still get this no matter what.

 

[The Mick]

My lather washes of good and I have stubble clumps on the edge so I drape a wash cloth into the sink and do a light stopping motion to remove. I find it to work very well.