"SHAVING TIPS"
"SHAVING TIPS"
i thought it would be a good idea if we all shared our tips on shaving and lathering etc etc ,,,i'm sure we all have a few!!
sometimes i feel we all spend to much time here discussing gear and the products..and not enough time talking about what is the most important factor ...getting a amazing shave...
so without any further ado...let the shaving tips begin....
1. with a long handled razor (non-adjustable) you can hold the handle closer to the razor head and get a more aggressive shave and by holding the handle closer to the bottom of the handle the shave will become milder. i use this with my ikon ..and it really works great..
2. when loading your shave brush,, swirl and paint the brush slowly ,,,
this way you only load the soap and dont starting the lathering process
no airation (no bubbles) and after the brush is loaded make the lather
via face or mug ...i find its better and the brush gets more product and i can totally control how i want my lather..(i like it on the thicker side) but this works either way
hope we keep this going
marc
sometimes i feel we all spend to much time here discussing gear and the products..and not enough time talking about what is the most important factor ...getting a amazing shave...
so without any further ado...let the shaving tips begin....
1. with a long handled razor (non-adjustable) you can hold the handle closer to the razor head and get a more aggressive shave and by holding the handle closer to the bottom of the handle the shave will become milder. i use this with my ikon ..and it really works great..
2. when loading your shave brush,, swirl and paint the brush slowly ,,,
this way you only load the soap and dont starting the lathering process
no airation (no bubbles) and after the brush is loaded make the lather
via face or mug ...i find its better and the brush gets more product and i can totally control how i want my lather..(i like it on the thicker side) but this works either way
hope we keep this going
marc
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- Assistant Dean SMFU
- Posts: 9449
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:32 am
- Location: Vancouver, BC
- Learn to say "That's good enough." Great shaves are accomplished by careful, minimal work, not by hard work.
- Develop and keep a simple routine. If you enjoy using different products on different days and so on, that's fine - but a complicated or constantly-changing routine is never a good idea.
- If things are not going well and you find you need a change, then change just one thing - that way, you know what has a useful effect for you and what does not. If you change everything at once, you have no idea what did the trick.
- Don't trust the shaving advice of anybody who doesn't use his own advice on a daily basis. Many advertisers of expensive products are clueless.
- Newbies: Get one razor, one brush, one brand of blades, and one soap (or one cream, not both) - every item well-known for good quality - and stick with them until you get good shaves on a regular basis. Don't "cheap out" but you don't have to spend big money either. No sampler packs of anything, and no rotations of anything, until you've had a month or more of good easy shaves.
- Develop and keep a simple routine. If you enjoy using different products on different days and so on, that's fine - but a complicated or constantly-changing routine is never a good idea.
- If things are not going well and you find you need a change, then change just one thing - that way, you know what has a useful effect for you and what does not. If you change everything at once, you have no idea what did the trick.
- Don't trust the shaving advice of anybody who doesn't use his own advice on a daily basis. Many advertisers of expensive products are clueless.
- Newbies: Get one razor, one brush, one brand of blades, and one soap (or one cream, not both) - every item well-known for good quality - and stick with them until you get good shaves on a regular basis. Don't "cheap out" but you don't have to spend big money either. No sampler packs of anything, and no rotations of anything, until you've had a month or more of good easy shaves.
- The Groom Room
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:44 am
- Location: Ames, IA.
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- Assistant Dean SMFU
- Posts: 9449
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:32 am
- Location: Vancouver, BC
A couple of more-specific items:
- If you have some difficulty getting a few stubborn whiskers at the corners of your mouth, try opening your mouth slightly when shaving that area.
- For the inconvenient spot under the nose, one possible trick technique involves a bit of "blade angle abuse" - ( a ) either make a face stretching your upper lip away from your nose, or pull your nose up & to the side, or a bit of both; ( b ) without letting the blade touch your skin yet, rest the cap of the razor against your nostril; ( c ) very gently settle the blade into the border area between nose and lip; ( d ) smoothly and without pressure rotate the razor back to ordinary shaving angle again.
- If you have some difficulty getting a few stubborn whiskers at the corners of your mouth, try opening your mouth slightly when shaving that area.
- For the inconvenient spot under the nose, one possible trick technique involves a bit of "blade angle abuse" - ( a ) either make a face stretching your upper lip away from your nose, or pull your nose up & to the side, or a bit of both; ( b ) without letting the blade touch your skin yet, rest the cap of the razor against your nostril; ( c ) very gently settle the blade into the border area between nose and lip; ( d ) smoothly and without pressure rotate the razor back to ordinary shaving angle again.
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- Duke of Silvertip!
- Posts: 27393
- Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:02 pm
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- Posts: 95
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:40 am
With any new method of shaving your face is going to undergo a transition period of getting used to it. Men who shave with eletric shavers know well the uncomfortable first week or so; I found when starting DE shaving and also when I started straight razor shaving that some irritation comes with the territory.
The point is that while starting out you need to let your skin adapt to putting a raw razor to it. Do only a couple WTG passes for the first couple days and then phase in XTG and finally ATG. You'll go maybe 10 days with the "scruffy" look but your face will thank you for giving it time to get used to this new method. Use this transitional period to focus on your blade angle and technique.
The point is that while starting out you need to let your skin adapt to putting a raw razor to it. Do only a couple WTG passes for the first couple days and then phase in XTG and finally ATG. You'll go maybe 10 days with the "scruffy" look but your face will thank you for giving it time to get used to this new method. Use this transitional period to focus on your blade angle and technique.
"Now I'm not endorsing it, but you're going to have to pry it out of my cold, dead fingers." - Mantic
- paperpundit
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- Location: Brandon, FL
- fallingwickets
- Clive the Thumb
- Posts: 8813
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- ThePossum
- Posts: 1802
- Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:20 am
- Location: Halfway between Possum Neck and Possum Holler, Pa
1. Take the time to learn good technique. From good prep, making good lather with soap and/or creams, using the razor, and finally with aftershave care of the face.
2. By doing #1 you will enjoy shaving.
3. Lest I forget, please be sure that you have the doors on a TTO razor, and the handle on a 2 or 3 piece DE turned down tight. Nothing messes up a great shave when the blade moves and you end up getting a cut rather than a nick.
4. Finally, for really great shaves do the SE razor route!
2. By doing #1 you will enjoy shaving.
3. Lest I forget, please be sure that you have the doors on a TTO razor, and the handle on a 2 or 3 piece DE turned down tight. Nothing messes up a great shave when the blade moves and you end up getting a cut rather than a nick.
4. Finally, for really great shaves do the SE razor route!
1. After you've found what tools and products work best for you, it's kind of fun to try new stuff every once in a while, for example, shave with a SE razor. Or, try a brushless shave just for the fun of it.
2. Enjoying the shave is paramount. If you ever get the feeling that something's just not right, then stop, take a couple of seconds to ask yourself what's wrong, and take a minute to fix it or just find a stopping point and declare this shave is OVER. Tomorrow's going to be another day.
3. If you ever feel like you're stressed out, then skip the shave and give yourself a few minutes to focus.
4. Also, don't overthink stuff. If you get the feeling that it's all just too much, it probably is. That's when you "rewind". Get your basic old faithful razor, blade, soap or cream, and just "zone out" while you concentrate on the shave.
5. If it was a good shave, you'll know it because the shaving process makes you feel better and have a better attitude toward the day ahead.
2. Enjoying the shave is paramount. If you ever get the feeling that something's just not right, then stop, take a couple of seconds to ask yourself what's wrong, and take a minute to fix it or just find a stopping point and declare this shave is OVER. Tomorrow's going to be another day.
3. If you ever feel like you're stressed out, then skip the shave and give yourself a few minutes to focus.
4. Also, don't overthink stuff. If you get the feeling that it's all just too much, it probably is. That's when you "rewind". Get your basic old faithful razor, blade, soap or cream, and just "zone out" while you concentrate on the shave.
5. If it was a good shave, you'll know it because the shaving process makes you feel better and have a better attitude toward the day ahead.
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
- Blue As A Jewel
- Posts: 3834
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 8:14 am
- Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada