(Slaps link to thread) You Can Fit So Much Wrong In This Journal

[Phoenixkh]

I'm curious, why do you shave at night? Why waste a good BBS?

Do you wake up during the wee hours for your faceturbation session?

My wife just loves it smooth face on me at bedtime.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s luxury shave
Karve brass Overlander
Gillette Silver Blue (2)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 3/100
Pre-shave: hot shower followed by a minute or so of waterboarding with shave binky
Lather: Wickhams 1912 Club Cola Soap, face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: face wash with shave binky
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moisturizer

Skipped shaving Friday night and stayed up too late last night. Was shaving anyways, so I figured the Overlander would be the best choice for my bad decision.

It was.

Lathered up. Added more water. Started scrubbing ATG until clean. Got close enough and very comfortably so. Toddled off to fall unconscious.

Happy shaves, everyone!

 

[thombrogan]

Shave mail:

Mühle Silvertip Fibre brush 23mm.

Feels like AP ShaveCo Titanium fibers, but definitely not the UHD variety. Also, slightly taller loft than expected. Might return.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s luxury shave
Karve brass Overlander
Gillette Silver Blue (3)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 4/100
Pre-shave: hot shower followed by a minute or so of waterboarding with shave binky
Lather: Wickhams 1912 Club Cola Soap, face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: face wash with shave binky

Felt the great way to cap Easter celebrating, but I hopped into bed and felt sharpened stubble on my neck poke at me. Jawline was mostly clean, though. Shaved with too much pressure and that was a meager punishment albeit an annoying one.

This morning’s luxury neck beard shave
RazoRock Mamba 0.53
Loi Titanium (4.5)
Pre-shave: splash of cold water
VDH Shave Butter
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: face wash
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moisturizer

All of the sharpened neck stubble felt like copper wires and steel wool, but a very light touch with Mamba safety razor proved they were more annoying than tough.

Happy shaves, everyone!

 

[thombrogan]

How often do I steal pages on technique from @bosseb ? Not as often as I should.

I liken his info to the gems we plunder from @Mr. Shavington – it’s never ‘no pressure,’ it’s always less pressure.

Anyways, here’s the bounty to share with fellow bon-vivants and libertine hedonists:

Yesterday I retired the red IP after 110 shaves. The end was rather abrupt as I had to abandon the blade in mid shave after it had caused a weeper in the moustache area. I did run it in the old with the rather heavy solid brass handle (51g) but no blade has ever caused me to abandon it in mid shave before. I do not think that this blade will be a part of my rotation any more after this experience. My sharper blades (Feather, Black 7 O'clock and the Polsilver SI) will likely get the most usage.

View attachment 658269
The red IP after 110 shaves. Castle Forbes Lavender ASB, old on aftermarket handle, da Vinci 293 brush and my last Martin de Candre Fougere jar​

My method of shaving is still the same as in the original post in this thread and it consists of a shower, face wash to exfoliate, brush soaking in cold water during shower, cold water shaving with 2 passes (XTG/freestyle + ATG/freestyle), shallowest possible angle, lukewarm water water rinse and an AS. The new thing here is my homemade moisturizing oil that I apply after the AS. I pick up the soap from a puck or apply a stick directly to my face. I apply extra unrefined shea butter as needed during cold/dry season. After each shave I wipe the blade 4 times on each side on my shower towel while it is in the razor.

I have been forced to develop a solid technique because of severe problems with irritated skin in the past. On doctors orders I returned to DE shaving full time over eight years ago but I did my first DE shaves in 1980. Unfortunately my beard growth pattern is quite bizarre, with two 360 degree swirls and two surgical scars after mole removal. I have to shave my moustache area, after the two main directions in each pass, in six additional and non symmetrical directions. These problems have led me to develop a technique most shavers fortunately don't need. My beard type I would think of as normal, I am of Finnish origin so I don't have a blond light Swedish type of beard. After reaching 59 years of age the whiskers have turned grey and are definitely not as cooperative as in my youth. The growth rate of my beard is on the slower side which makes daily shaving an exercise in precision.

I shave every day and all my shaves for the last 7 years have been BBS in the strictest meaning of the phrase. I have been DE shaving since 1980 and doing it full time for the last eight years. I use vintage Gillette razors (TTOs and 3 piece) and for me good soaps and sticks mainly from Mystic Water. I use my 18 (+ 2) razor rotation by changing both razor and brush every week. I go from mild to efficient in the razors and usually change my brushes in a spontaneous manner. Of course very big brushes do not lend themselves to stick lathering because they hog the soap too much.

During these 110 shaves I have had three weepers . All of them except the last one were of course caused by a lapse in my technique or concentration. For the first time I do blame the blade for the last very uncomfortable weeper in my sensitive moustache area.

The main parts in a good shave are in my experience: angle, pressure, direction of strokes after a beard mapping, good lather usage and moisturizing the skin after and between shaves.

Using exotic or expensive gear will not be of any benefit here. No badger or blade will ever make your shave - your technique will.

Angle: I use a shallow angle. As a matter of fact I use the shallowest angle possible. Hold the razor head flat to your face. Tilt the handle so you can feel the blade just engage your beard. Shave with short (1 - 3 cm) slanting strokes while realigning the angle when the angle of the beard changes. I have to do this very frequently because of my beard pattern.

Pressure: I use the lightest pressure possible. When in doubt use less pressure. If the blade doesn't cut you have the angle wrong. If you want to explore the concept of light pressure I recommend using a straight razor type of blade holder and a Feather Pro blade.

Direction of strokes: Do a very thorough mapping of your beard growth by observing the angle and direction of the stubble growth compared to the skin. You will be surprised by the variation in angle! For each change in direction and angle of the beard you will have to adjust the razor so keep the strokes very short while varying the angle. I use a 2 pass shave consisting of one XTG+freestyle pass and one ATG+freestyle pass. I almost always manage to avoid an extensive third cleanup pass.

Good lather: Good lather is made by good technique. I do recommend to use only one soap, cream or stick until you are able to control the consistency of the lather. To determine how much water to use make the lather as wet as possible, then add more water until the lather self destructs. By this time you will know how much water is enough for this soap. Many soaps take a lot more water than you think! Use a long loading time (about 45 seconds) and build the lather on top of the soap if you use soap. If you use a stick do make sure that you go paste - proto lather - moist lather in three distinct phases and add water once more to get the shine at the end.

I rotate 20+ brushes on a weekly basis to keep the process of lather making alive. The variation in the brushes forces me to adjust and monitor my technique constantly. IMHO your technique will allow you to control the process in a better way if you use a good quality brush. I do not rinse out the soap before re lathering, I merely wet my hands and spread the remaining lather evenly onto the beard area. At the end of the shave I add more water until the white disappears and leaves only the moist film of soap on the beard area. At this point I do the cleanup if necessary with extremely light pressure and the correct angle for the remaining micro stubble. This is the place to develop your feeling for pressure and angle. You should be able to develop a technique that allows repeated blade buffing and j-hooking over the same area.

Moisturizing: This part of a good shave seems to be generally neglected.
This has for me been the key to an enjoyable shave at the highest level and the part I have managed to develop the most during this last year. I am now able to use any aftershave I wish, including alcohol based splashes during the cold and dry season. I simply apply the AS after the shave and then I apply my own skin oil.

I have mixed together 30 ml of Argan oil, 30 ml of Jojoba oil, 30 ml of Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, 5 ml of vitamin E and 5 ml of Sea Buckthorn oil. All ingredients are ecological. This oil is for me the best product I have ever used for moisturizing and I only use four drops of it each time. During the winter I intermittently use unrefined Shea butter for added protection against wind and snow. I find making my own oil and using a non refined shea butter much easier than trying to decipher the ingredients of ever changing products. The product is easy to tweak for the occasion.

Lessons learned, besides the obvious ones of control of angle and pressure:

* Lather quality is the deal breaker. This includes the right amount of hydration of the skin and the right amount of protective glide. I don't rinse between passes, I merely wet my hand and work the remaining lather into the stubble. My lather is very wet, much like straight razor lather. A good quality brush and an ability to fully use it is paramount here.

* 2 passes is almost always enough. I have in practice eliminated the earlier cleanup pass by incorporating freestyle strokes into the main passes. I just wet the beard area thoroughly and work in the remaining lather after the ATG pass to check for remaining stubble. The glide of the soap is enough to let me clean up anything left by using absolute zero pressure on the razor.

* Prep is the key. I have taken to gather loose lather from the puck and smear it into my beard area after loading the brush. This guarantees a good exfoliation and control of the previous shave as well as maintaining the right hydration level. With my stick I make the paste with my hands after applying the soap, partly to ensure that the soap is evenly distributed and partly to exfoliate and hydrate.I also keep the beard area well hydrated between shaves with my homemade moisturizer. I consider this a part of the prep (for the next shave).

If you are interested in blade longevity why don't you take a look in the Excalibur club thread: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...E-and-Injector . The measuring of the number of shaves from each blade is a great metric for developing your technique and getting better shaves out of your existing equipment.

Above all else: Do enjoy your shaves!

After this run I will establish a new standard run for my shaving on the Polsilver SI blade.
I intend to replace my old standard of 56 shaves with a new one. I will be switching the blade into a more efficient razor every week. I have completed my razor rotation to 18 vintage Gillettes with the possible extension of my FaTip Piccolo and the Swedish Matador De Luxe vintage 2 piece. I will return with a report on how this endeavour unfolds...

Also, my autocomplete decided I would type “libertine hedgehogs.” Bless its AI soul!

 

[desertcat]

@thombrogan thanks for mining the depths of the forum to bring such insightful posts back to the surface.

 

[thombrogan]

Thank you for your kind words, desertcat. There’s so much great stuff hidden throughout this site.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s luxury shave
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Personna GEM PTFE (1)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 5/100
Pre-shave: hot shower and a few drops of glycerin and water
Lather: Wickhams 1912 Club Cola Soap, face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: face wash with shave binky
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moiisturizer

Aside from the smallest weeper on each smile line, this would’ve been an excellent, excellent shave. Very light touch over well-hydrated lather yielded a comfortable shave that was quick and close enough.

Happy shaves, everyone!

 

[flask28]

Thanks for another fantastic vintage pull Thom! I've been loving these.

I rotate 20+ brushes on a weekly basis to keep the process of lather making alive. The variation in the brushes forces me to adjust and monitor my technique constantly. IMHO your technique will allow you to control the process in a better way if you use a good quality brush. I do not rinse out the soap before re lathering, I merely wet my hands and spread the remaining lather evenly onto the beard area. At the end of the shave I add more water until the white disappears and leaves only the moist film of soap on the beard area. At this point I do the cleanup if necessary with extremely light pressure and the correct angle for the remaining micro stubble. This is the place to develop your feeling for pressure and angle. You should be able to develop a technique that allows repeated blade buffing and j-hooking over the same area.

There's tons of great stuff in that post but this section was particularly eye opening for me. I'm going to try that super thin super slick third pass lather he describes next shave, that sounds like a technique enhancer for sure.

 

[thombrogan]

That’s the lightly poisoned water lather and I keep finding my way back to it.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s luxury shave
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Personna GEM PTFE (2)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 6/100
Pre-shave: hot shower
Lather: Body Shop Maca Aloe Shaving Cream, bowl-loaded/face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: face wash with shave binky
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moiisturizer

Tried the Body Shop shaving cream. Has a faint cologne scent when lathered. Made it very easy to overshave without noticing, so I did. Touch wasn’t light as assumed as evidenced by a few weepers and sting appearing with aftershave and mild, raw feeling the next morning. To a lighter touch next time.

Happy shaves, everyone!

 

[GBerry]

That’s the lightly poisoned water lather and I keep finding my way back to it.

Here’s to finding your way back to things!!!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks for another fantastic vintage pull Thom! I've been loving these.



There's tons of great stuff in that post but this section was particularly eye opening for me. I'm going to try that super thin super slick third pass lather he describes next shave, that sounds like a technique enhancer for sure.

I try for super slick thin lather on every pass.

Some folks spend 20+ minutes to end up looking like they've been hit by a custard pie. However, if more than a minute elapses between me first picking up the brush to load it, and picking up the razor to start to shave, something has probably gone wrong.

... and then after typing that, I doubted myself, so I got the stopwatch ready on my phone...

I didn't actually need to shave today, but once curiosity got the better of me, I absolutely had to. I didn't time myself to fill the sink, and only pressed start when the water was all set, and it was time to grab the brush.

MM:SS (minutes and seconds)

00:00 Hit start, grab brush, load from hard soap (as that's the slowest to load), and lather up.

00:47 Pick up razor to shave, relather, and do a quick second pass (only one pass on fiddly bits between tache and goatee)

02:30 Time to start clean up

03:34 (three minutes and thirty four seconds) I hit stop and walked out of the bathroom.

Close comfortable shave. Nothing special. I'd have maybe needed another 30 to 40 seconds if I was chasing full clean up. Longer still if it was a bad brain day, or I had tache trimming, or other detailing work to do.

The meringue builders would probably still be loading their brush, by the time I was starting my second pass...

 

[rockviper]

Modern Williams worked best that way for me; nearly no lather but super slick "water."

 

[thombrogan]

The meringue builders

I only built a miserly gruel and still took too long.

nearly no lather but super slick "water."

That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout, bay-bee!

 

[thombrogan]

Tonight’s opulent shave
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Personna GEM PTFE (3)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 7/100
Pre-shave: no
Lather: Body Shop Maca Aloe Shaving Cream, bowl-loaded/face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: hot shower
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moiisturizer

Inspired by Al’s timed shave, I wanted to try shaving faster, too. From walking into the terlet to putting away my shaving gear was eight minutes. From walking into the terlet to applying moisturizer after the shower was about 23 minutes. On the slow side for my fellow humans, but a chaotic blur of hellish speed for me.

The lightened touch and barely used blade made for long, smooth strokes that hovered gracefully and left a gradient ranging from DFS to ‘an attempt was made…’ across the whisker scape. A little more stubble left behind than I’d like and any aftershave sting at all spelled defeat (so, defeat was there), but I certainly like where this can be heading.

Happy shaves, everyone!

 

[GBerry]

Tonight’s opulent shave
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Personna GEM PTFE (3)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 7/100
Pre-shave: no
Lather: Body Shop Maca Aloe Shaving Cream, bowl-loaded/face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: hot shower
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moiisturizer

Inspired by Al’s timed shave, I wanted to try shaving faster, too. From walking into the terlet to putting away my shaving gear was eight minutes. From walking into the terlet to applying moisturizer after the shower was about 23 minutes. On the slow side for my fellow humans, but a chaotic blur of hellish speed for me.

The lightened touch and barely used blade made for long, smooth strokes that hovered gracefully and left a gradient ranging from DFS to ‘an attempt was made…’ across the whisker scape. A little more stubble left behind than I’d like and any aftershave sting at all spelled defeat (so, defeat was there), but I certainly like where this can be heading.

Happy shaves, everyone!

The “sting water” keeps people honest.

 

[Jayson74]

I try for super slick thin lather on every pass.

Some folks spend 20+ minutes to end up looking like they've been hit by a custard pie. However, if more than a minute elapses between me first picking up the brush to load it, and picking up the razor to start to shave, something has probably gone wrong.

... and then after typing that, I doubted myself, so I got the stopwatch ready on my phone...

I didn't actually need to shave today, but once curiosity got the better of me, I absolutely had to. I didn't time myself to fill the sink, and only pressed start when the water was all set, and it was time to grab the brush.

MM:SS (minutes and seconds)

00:00 Hit start, grab brush, load from hard soap (as that's the slowest to load), and lather up.

00:47 Pick up razor to shave, relather, and do a quick second pass (only one pass on fiddly bits between tache and goatee)

02:30 Time to start clean up

03:34 (three minutes and thirty four seconds) I hit stop and walked out of the bathroom.

Close comfortable shave. Nothing special. I'd have maybe needed another 30 to 40 seconds if I was chasing full clean up. Longer still if it was a bad brain day, or I had tache trimming, or other detailing work to do.

The meringue builders would probably still be loading their brush, by the time I was starting my second pass...

Damn, I find a minute at least needed to load MWF. Not sure I could pull off such a fast shave...not sure I want to tho. Its my wind down at the end of the day!

Good on ya tho!

 

[thombrogan]

Tonight’s opulent shave
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Personna GEM PTFE (4)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
AP ShaveCo Beehive 28mm Titanium UHD synthetic brush use 8/100
Pre-shave: no
Lather: Body Shop Maca Aloe Shaving Cream, bowl-loaded/face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: hot shower
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moiisturizer

Didn’t do any timing, but think it didn’t take too long. Not as close as last shave, but less aftershave sting. Not getting the bizarre outcomes from the last time I was lathering and shaving. Possibly because my lather is thinner and my touch is slightly lighter. Looking forward to next time.

Exhaust on Wifey’s car sounds troubling and check engine light now showing on my vehicle, too. Fingers crossed that it’s only $ and not $$$$

Happy shaves, everyone!

 

[Guido75]

Crossing fingers here for you too!!