What's new

What did you learn from your last shave?

Wow. I've never used a Tech, but I have two Super Speeds (the older 1948-50, and the newer 1965), and they seem mild as can be. Currently, when I'm not using the SR, I use a 1960 Fatboy. I have it on 1. That seems to be even milder than my Super Speeds.

It's probably more me than the razor, and my use of "mild" was more about the razor's effect on me than the razor actually being milder. The flex in the blade is substantially different between the two, and the overall weight of the Super Speed is much heavier, so those two factors means a major adjustment in technique for me since I've got over 10 years using the Tech and only a couple weeks on the Super Speed. I'm gonna have to look into an adjustable (after the GRUME is over).
 
and the overall weight of the Super Speed is much heavier, so those two factors means a major adjustment in technique for me since I've got over 10 years using the Tech and only a couple weeks on the Super Speed. I'm gonna have to look into an adjustable (after the GRUME is over).
Does the Tech have a plastic handle? The Fatboy is heavier than the Super Speeds. There is a Gillette Slim adjustable. Out of curiosity, I just put them both on a scale. The Fatboy is 2.8 ounces, and the Slim is 2.5 ounces. These are all I have. I know there are others on the market. These all belonged to Dad, and they've worked great, so I never had a desire to buy a new one.
 
M

mtcn77

I don't even need to wash my face to start a shave, my lathers are already pasty. I spread it to my face and pass the time storing the shaving kit in the nightstand drawer and I dip the razor in the hot cup and it is ready to go.
 
Today I blundered into a new technique!

Usually I shave the throat on pass 1, WTG, from edge of beard about halfway down, N to S; then S to N from the base of the throat to that same line. Which I did today. Normally I then shave around the Adam's apple (AA), go N to S along the dividing line from the first pass, essentially an ATG pass, then re-lather and guide the razor S to N from the base of the throat up to the beard edge.

Well, today I forgot about the mini-pass around the AA. Instead on pass 2 I shaved up, S to N, with my forefinger and thumb at the base of my neck to stretch the skin during the ATG pass. Only when I'd rinsed off from that did I realize I'd missed the AA and the line. So I coated my throat again and did that, still stretching the skin a bit. It seems I wound up with almost as smooth a throat this way as my usual way, and with only 2 passes instead of 3.
 
I still can't make Tabac slick...zero residual slickness after a pass.
Remember that the Pinaud Clubman bottle has a much larger hole than the bottle of Proraso red. 😨
 
A 3-pass shave on a 48-hour beard is a great thing . . . but for me I need to have it only about once a week. The other 3 shaves in 7 days' time can be 1 pass on cheeks and lower lip, 2 on throat. I think this allows the beard to be the tiniest fraction longer on the 4th shave, thus allowing me a closer planing off.
 
Skin stretching, as I've mentioned above, makes a tremendous improvement in my shaves. However, settings 7-6-5 on the Gillette Slim for passes 1, 2, and cleanup, respectively, may be a bit aggressive when I'm stretching my cheeks and throat like that. My throat seemed a bit sensitive after pass 2, leading me to ditch the cleanup pass. (It was unnecessary anyhow.) I'll try stopping the razor down to 6 and then 5, and maybe 4, next time I use it.
 
That, at least with a slant razor like my Hoffritz, using straight razor-style skin-stretching makes a second pass on my cheeks unnecessary. I did it today, and could feel so little stubble on the second, ATG pass that it seemed pointless.
 
I learned that it is not always the night of the shave that is always the ultimate proof of a great shave(with my job most tend to be before bed rather than in the morning) . I've had several shaves that the stubble didn't return until later the next day but, trying a new blade this week and the stubble was making itself known by 0800.
Into the revisit later with a different razor bin the rest of the tuck of blades goes. On to the next blade.
 
Used my Feather AC DX non folding with Feather Super Pro Blade for second time. I was not applying any pressure at all but still got 2 weepers on my neck. Those weepers went away with cold water splash even before I applied my Alum block. When I shave with my Feather AC SS folding, I never get any weepers or nicks.
So, I have learned that with Feather AC DX, I have to shave with absolute zero pressure with very steep angle !
 
As single pass with a straight razor (Ralf Aust this time), is about as close as a two pass shave (WTG, XTG) with my DE razors. But it takes longer due to the fact I'm being really careful not to cut myself. Still fairly new at SR shaving, and the Ralf Aust hollow grind has been much more difficult to shave with cut free than the Mappin & Webb near wedge I have.
 
Top Bottom