*If you simply are here to help with a few questions you can skip the first 3 or so lengthy paragraphs, otherwise enjoy my story*
My wife is working an early morning shift at her weekend job so I am home alone, bored, listening to some classic country on Sunday Morning Coming Down on realradio 104.1 Orlando and decided to dive into my first full shavette shave. Before we get started I'll give you a very quick background: I started wet shaving slightly over 4 years ago. In that time I went through so many different DEs and SEs as well as carts, blades, soaps, creams, brushes, and aftershaves. After a long time of dialing in technique and still not ending up with satisfactory shaves (for different reasons, why I tried so many combos) I got to a point where I found a Braun series 7 foil shaver to be the best for me in terms of the final result I was looking for in relation to the journey to get there. I got rid of all my actual razors besides a hair shaper style shavette that was my mom's from beauty school that she won styling awards with and a Parker SRW 1/2 de style shavette. I kept 1 brush and proraso green because my braun can be used wet if wanted. I've grown very comfortable using it to line up my moustache and sideburns as well as clean up my cheeks after the Braun for occasional "date nights" but never full shaves. Until today...
I did my ususal wet shave prep of working cold water into my face (1 day growth, pre shower shave) then face lathering with proraso green soap and my razorock 22mm Bruce synth. I let the lather sit on my face a moment while I poured a drink then pulled out my parker SRW loaded with a fresh derby blade with went in for the shave. I had only planned on doing a single wtg pass and stopping because I didn't really need to shave today for any specific purpose, I haven't had the best luck with blades in my life (hence the braun), and in all honesty I fully expected to cut myself good haha.
Before I continue I want to comment on the derby blade. I never got along with them, they never worked for me in any DE I ever had even after my technique improved. The only reason I have them I because I got tired of the ridiculous cost of hair shaper blades and wanted a 1/2 de model shavette for affordability of blades and they came with one I bought. I have to say they are significantly more efficient and comfortable when used in a straight style razor vs a de style razor. Not to spoil the ending but as I sit here an hour later with a very near BBS shave my skin is comfortable and not puffy or warm like I always got with even my best of DE or SE shaves.
The first wtg pass went very well and surprisingly quick (without rushing of course), so much so that I decided to go with my 'usual method' of what I call a 2.5 pass shave as follows: Pass 1- (wtg) N to S from cheeks to mid neck then S to N from base neck. Pass 2- (atg) opposite strokes from pass 1. Pass 3- (partial pass, touch ups) this pass goes from ears inward to chin/mouth from both sides, mostly just jaw line. As I stated above this shave ended in a very near BBS shave. Followed up with a shower and a splash of Skin Bracer to close the deal. I had two small weepers on my chin that sealed up just from cold water rinse and I won't lie, I did 2 quick strokes on my chin with a disposable my wife keeps for travel because I had some trouble with angle of "attack" in that area. My chin was a little tender from overshaving but that went away with aftershave application. About 20 mins from start to finish. This brings me to some questions.
1. How the heck do you shave your chin ATG? I ended up trying a few XTG passes with an extra WTG pass in that area and I still couldn't get it all. I assume technique will fix this? I do remember having trouble with DEs in that area when I first started but it got better with time.
2. I found my lather to feel very 'tacky' and dry. I certainly know how to lather and followed the same method I always have for lathering however when using a shavette I found minimal glide and felt like I had to cut through my lather. I had plenty of water. For straight-style shaving should I intentionally thin out my lather? I'm strongly considering using some gel or maybe cremo for the next few shavette shaves instead of brush and soap/cream because they can will be thinner and remove a variable while I'm learning. Is this advisable? I used proraso soap but I also have proraso cream, maybe I should try that as it's known to be a little more slick then the soap?
3. I have been really wanting to get into proper straight shaving and went the route of the shavette due to not needing to worry about strops, hones, etc. Considering this 1st shavette shave went so 'well' should I just move onto a straight? I've always read they are more forgiving and if you can use a shavette then a straight is no problem. If I do jump into a straight can I 'live' with just the razor and a strop, not deal with honing, and simply send it off to be professionally honed 1-2 times a year? I'm looking at the grim dollar kit with just the razor and leather strop for around $45, while I know this isn't top of the line... Is it a decent starting point? Whipped dog doesn't do sight unseen anymore and I want a real strop, not balsa. I also have a different 1/2 de shavette coming in which is a WCS branded shavette, I'm hooked on collecting these now!
Thanks in advance for the help and for sticking with probably my longest post ever haha. For those of you who got this far, a little SOTD pic:
My wife is working an early morning shift at her weekend job so I am home alone, bored, listening to some classic country on Sunday Morning Coming Down on realradio 104.1 Orlando and decided to dive into my first full shavette shave. Before we get started I'll give you a very quick background: I started wet shaving slightly over 4 years ago. In that time I went through so many different DEs and SEs as well as carts, blades, soaps, creams, brushes, and aftershaves. After a long time of dialing in technique and still not ending up with satisfactory shaves (for different reasons, why I tried so many combos) I got to a point where I found a Braun series 7 foil shaver to be the best for me in terms of the final result I was looking for in relation to the journey to get there. I got rid of all my actual razors besides a hair shaper style shavette that was my mom's from beauty school that she won styling awards with and a Parker SRW 1/2 de style shavette. I kept 1 brush and proraso green because my braun can be used wet if wanted. I've grown very comfortable using it to line up my moustache and sideburns as well as clean up my cheeks after the Braun for occasional "date nights" but never full shaves. Until today...
I did my ususal wet shave prep of working cold water into my face (1 day growth, pre shower shave) then face lathering with proraso green soap and my razorock 22mm Bruce synth. I let the lather sit on my face a moment while I poured a drink then pulled out my parker SRW loaded with a fresh derby blade with went in for the shave. I had only planned on doing a single wtg pass and stopping because I didn't really need to shave today for any specific purpose, I haven't had the best luck with blades in my life (hence the braun), and in all honesty I fully expected to cut myself good haha.
Before I continue I want to comment on the derby blade. I never got along with them, they never worked for me in any DE I ever had even after my technique improved. The only reason I have them I because I got tired of the ridiculous cost of hair shaper blades and wanted a 1/2 de model shavette for affordability of blades and they came with one I bought. I have to say they are significantly more efficient and comfortable when used in a straight style razor vs a de style razor. Not to spoil the ending but as I sit here an hour later with a very near BBS shave my skin is comfortable and not puffy or warm like I always got with even my best of DE or SE shaves.
The first wtg pass went very well and surprisingly quick (without rushing of course), so much so that I decided to go with my 'usual method' of what I call a 2.5 pass shave as follows: Pass 1- (wtg) N to S from cheeks to mid neck then S to N from base neck. Pass 2- (atg) opposite strokes from pass 1. Pass 3- (partial pass, touch ups) this pass goes from ears inward to chin/mouth from both sides, mostly just jaw line. As I stated above this shave ended in a very near BBS shave. Followed up with a shower and a splash of Skin Bracer to close the deal. I had two small weepers on my chin that sealed up just from cold water rinse and I won't lie, I did 2 quick strokes on my chin with a disposable my wife keeps for travel because I had some trouble with angle of "attack" in that area. My chin was a little tender from overshaving but that went away with aftershave application. About 20 mins from start to finish. This brings me to some questions.
1. How the heck do you shave your chin ATG? I ended up trying a few XTG passes with an extra WTG pass in that area and I still couldn't get it all. I assume technique will fix this? I do remember having trouble with DEs in that area when I first started but it got better with time.
2. I found my lather to feel very 'tacky' and dry. I certainly know how to lather and followed the same method I always have for lathering however when using a shavette I found minimal glide and felt like I had to cut through my lather. I had plenty of water. For straight-style shaving should I intentionally thin out my lather? I'm strongly considering using some gel or maybe cremo for the next few shavette shaves instead of brush and soap/cream because they can will be thinner and remove a variable while I'm learning. Is this advisable? I used proraso soap but I also have proraso cream, maybe I should try that as it's known to be a little more slick then the soap?
3. I have been really wanting to get into proper straight shaving and went the route of the shavette due to not needing to worry about strops, hones, etc. Considering this 1st shavette shave went so 'well' should I just move onto a straight? I've always read they are more forgiving and if you can use a shavette then a straight is no problem. If I do jump into a straight can I 'live' with just the razor and a strop, not deal with honing, and simply send it off to be professionally honed 1-2 times a year? I'm looking at the grim dollar kit with just the razor and leather strop for around $45, while I know this isn't top of the line... Is it a decent starting point? Whipped dog doesn't do sight unseen anymore and I want a real strop, not balsa. I also have a different 1/2 de shavette coming in which is a WCS branded shavette, I'm hooked on collecting these now!
Thanks in advance for the help and for sticking with probably my longest post ever haha. For those of you who got this far, a little SOTD pic:
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