For reasons I won't go into here, I've been shaving with a DE razor. I wanted to shave of my mustache for Halloween and afterwards. The natural choice was to use an SR -- no clogging and better blade control. The mustache came off fairly easily. I did bleed in more than one spot -- weepers, which I treated with a styptic pencil. My upper lip hasn't seen a blade since 1983 and then it was an electric razor. Now I'm learning how to shave that area with a blade. To see the mustache, just look at my profile picture.
shaved off mustache using an SR
- Thread starter gregory56
- Start date
Interesting approach.
One one hand, I consider a straight razor the better tool to cut down longer facial hair (e.g. a beard).
On the other hand, in the moustache area a straight razor can be unwieldy and might need some getting used to, even more so if one hasn’t shaved in that area for decades.
In your situation, I would probably have used my electric beard trimmer to reduce the moustache as much as practical, followed by a safety razor to eliminate the last remnants of the moustache.
B.
One one hand, I consider a straight razor the better tool to cut down longer facial hair (e.g. a beard).
On the other hand, in the moustache area a straight razor can be unwieldy and might need some getting used to, even more so if one hasn’t shaved in that area for decades.
In your situation, I would probably have used my electric beard trimmer to reduce the moustache as much as practical, followed by a safety razor to eliminate the last remnants of the moustache.
B.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
@gregory56, now you can start on the coups de maître (a.k.a. fool's pass).
www.badgerandblade.com
Fool's Pass With A Straight Razor - All You Need To Know
The information in this post is based on my experience with performing about 800 daily SR fool's passes. The fool's pass is shaving S - N on the upper lip. It is not a pass for everyone. Most people have whiskers growing about N - S on their upper lip so the fool's pass is considered here to be...
www.badgerandblade.com
must be a strange feeling after so many years!
You'll be back...
I did that, not for the change of the LOTH's view, but just to experience SR shaving in new territory. The audience reaction forced me to grow it back after a couple inglorious days of applying my nascent skills.
Will we get some ongoing reports from you. I need to know how your progress progresses.
Will we get some ongoing reports from you. I need to know how your progress progresses.
- Thread starter
- #8
It's been a blood bath! I'm definitely a fool.
I consider my blade skills good. I'm ambidextrous and shave with both hands. The mustache area has challenged me. Today was the first day where I really started to get a feel on how to use the blade--especially ATG. I need to let some cuts heal though before I continue more than an two WTG passes.
I consider my blade skills good. I'm ambidextrous and shave with both hands. The mustache area has challenged me. Today was the first day where I really started to get a feel on how to use the blade--especially ATG. I need to let some cuts heal though before I continue more than an two WTG passes.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I think that you haven't read the instructions yet.
www.badgerandblade.com
Traditional SR Shaving Instructions for Beginners - Issue 7
Attached is the latest issue (issue 7) of Traditional SR Shaving Instructions For Beginners. The instructions have been revised to show the current knowledge and have been split up into parts for easier access. The parts are: SR Shaving Instructions QS Guide Rev A - a Quick-Start guide for...
www.badgerandblade.com
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
This morning I got a pin-***** weeper on my upper lip after doing an ATG there. The SR blade's edge quality was not quite up to my normal standard.
The edge has now been corrected so hopefully all will be good next time I shave with that SR.
The edge has now been corrected so hopefully all will be good next time I shave with that SR.
Having read this comment, it occurred to me that maybe what you should try is a wedge razor - the bigger and heavier the better. There's nothing quite like that wedge smashing power!! You'll be lucky to find any wedge without a square point, so just be careful with and, apart from that, you should find a wedge VERY forgiving.
If you are going into a "hard to reach spot" such as the top of the upper lip, hollows in the neck, and that awful Adam's apple area, I recommend bracing part of your hand against your face or jaw and use short deft finger strokes. I don't recommend long sweeping strokes for those areas.
- Thread starter
- #13
Don’t temp me into buying a new straight razor! ;-)
- Thread starter
- #14
Are you referring to paragraphs 7.2 and 7.3?I think that you haven't read the instructions yet.
Traditional SR Shaving Instructions for Beginners - Issue 7
Attached is the latest issue (issue 7) of Traditional SR Shaving Instructions For Beginners. The instructions have been revised to show the current knowledge and have been split up into parts for easier access. The parts are: SR Shaving Instructions QS Guide Rev A - a Quick-Start guide for...
I have reread them
Yesterday, one the area of the upper lip where I was successful ATG, my blade use was the lightest, gentlest, and short use I’ve done with an SR.
It was your comment about cutting yourself on the upper lip. It may also be that your skin is just sensitive to being shaved there - since you have had the moustache for a long time.
A straight razor, properly used, is the way to go. I haven't read the article. However, though still fairly new to using one, after 65 shaves I can go WTG, AGT, and XTG without cutting myself. A very sharp razor helps because I can use a light touch.
- Thread starter
- #17
I agree with you. I believe that once one starts shaving with a steel blade (SR or DE) their skin become less sensitive. I attribute this to reduced inflammation that was caused by prior tools used, and the better pre- and post- skin prep a wet shaver does. A wet shaver simply pays more attention to the skin on his face (at least I do).
My dad is a dry shaver, and I give him advice on post-shave care that I learned from wet shaving.
- Thread starter
- #18
Bingo! Smooth skin above the lip. No blood. I used both hands to steady the blade, pushing up (XTG) maybe a millimeter at a time, keeping the blade angle very shallow.
For the WTG pass, I took advantage of the Spanish point on my Ralf Aust for the area abutting the nose.
For the WTG pass, I took advantage of the Spanish point on my Ralf Aust for the area abutting the nose.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Congratulations! Easy isn't it. You will find this a great way to test the quality of your SR edges.
- Thread starter
- #20
I still catch myself straightening out my no-longer-present mustache! What I enjoy now are bagels with cream cheese and ice cream cones.
