Newbie questions

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rideaduc
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Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:57 am
Location: Charlotte NC

Newbie questions

Post by rideaduc »

Hi everyone...been wanting to get in to wet shaving for years now and just decided to take the plunge...>I'm now on my 4th shave and still working things out. No rashes to speak of and only a couple of nicks but nothing that a transfusion won't help. Got a couple of questions for you veterans as I can't seem to find consensus on a search:

I'm using trumpers skin food....
1. do I put in on before the lather
2. do I put in on in between passes (ie after I rinse)
3. I also have Aqua Velve aftershave....do I put the aftershave on first and then the skin food or vice versa?
4. should I put cologne on directly after the skin food or aftershave or is that too much scent?

also, what is razor buffing? I've seen several references but can't figure out what it is or how to do it?
Sorry...one more question....I go to the gym before work so I take all of my stuff with me...is there a correct way to store and travel with brush and razor? and if I leave all of it in my car's trunk where it will get extremely hot will that mess up any of the soaps etc?
Whether success or failure if you live in the past you'll die in the past.
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KAV
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Post by KAV »

Skin food does little good if you keep scraping it off before absorbtion. Some people use it as a preshave, some when everything is finished.
Buffing is a light 'dry' shave of remnant forest the clearcutting of wetshaving misses. I don't do it. Why violate the logic of a wet shave? I always have left over soap on my brush that is returned to the puck. I just spot cover my mistakes and shave again till I get it right.
Everybody has different face chemistry. You can splash on your aftershave and then cologne. How the two react together, on you and just as importantly other people is a personal experiment.
Heat is a bad idea. Why not buy a couple of blue ice packs and stow them with your kit?
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druphus
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Post by druphus »

Welcome to the forum ride!

Some guys use skin food as a preshave. I just use it post-shave, and certainly not between passes. I only use skin food a couple times a week and put it on after the aftershave. I tend to use D.R. Harris Pink which has little alchohol and/or scent, so it is not a problem with anything.

Certainly mixing after shaves, skin food, and cologne can be hazardous. You can easily make yourself and/or other sick!

I make sure that all the frangrances I use are complementary. Skin food comes in Sandalwood, Lime, and Coral (Rose). If I use the Skin Food I tend to pick a cologne that matches (i.e. Sandalwood (lots of stuff has sandalwood, or is complementary with Sandalwood), Lime (lime complements many thing - just think of all the cocktails that use it), and Coral (Rose is contained in many fine gentlemen's fragrances).
Regards,
Andy
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Blue As A Jewel
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Post by Blue As A Jewel »

Hi rideaduc - welcome to SMF!

1. Skin food can be used as a pre-shave if you wish, and should be applied before lathering i.e the lather goes over top

2. You likely don't need to put it on between passes, it provides a fair bit of protection - but you should instead work on building a quality lather which would negate this need.

3. I put on after-shave first, followed by skin food - the skin food seals the whole deal

4. Skin food scent dissipates quickly so shouldn't clash with a cologne - aftershave's, depending on brand and composition can dissappear quickly or can hang around. No problem if the former - be more careful on the latter - use complimentary or similar cologne. I use cologne lightly - 2-3 sprays on my chest and that's it. We have a fragrance policy at the office - so far no complaints!

5. When I travel I have a plastic cylinder for my brush and leather soft case for my razor. I wouldn't leave my creams etc exposed to extreme temperatures - store in your locker.

6. Blade buffing is a light, rapid movement of the blade over a persistent rough patch that has already been reduced to almost zero. The buffing take it to zero.

Hope that helps.
- Ravi -

You can mistrust me less than you can mistrust him. Trust me.
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jww
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Post by jww »

Welcome to SMF.

You have already have been given some excellent advice from the crew.

If you haven't yet, you should watch Mantic 59's videos on youtube. They will educate you in mostly everything you need to know about basic and advanced technique (including blade-buffing and j-hook).

FYI - I for one, use Skin Food as a pre and post shave product. I am partial to All three Trumpers products - Limes, Coral and Sandalwood.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
notthesharpest
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Post by notthesharpest »

Hi - welcome!

"Buffing" can also be defined as light short repeated strokes over one troublesome spot. I do not think it refers to dry shaving, but you can buff with just water as opposed to thick lather, if that works for you. It can be effective. It can also cause thin skin and/or bleeding - handle with care. Since you say you're a newbie, I'll repeat what I think is the most important sentence for a newbie to make use of: "I'm stopping, that's good enough."

In general, Skin Food is for after, not before or during. It may apply more easily on skin that is still a bit wet.

Question of too much scent - if you even slightly suspect you have too much, then it's way too much.
rideaduc
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Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:57 am
Location: Charlotte NC

Post by rideaduc »

thanks everybody...I appreciate the replies...like I said I am on my 4th shave and must say this is quite an interesting thing. I actual look forward to the alarm going off now. Great forum...especially like the shave of the day....can't say why. :lol:
Whether success or failure if you live in the past you'll die in the past.
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KAV
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Location: California, just above L.A. between the Reagan Library and Barbra Streisand's beach house

Post by KAV »

Polite company doesn't mention the 'why'- "stare not into the abyss, less the abyss stares back" and all that :?
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desertbadger
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Post by desertbadger »

Welcome to SMF!

Regards,
David
Regards,
David
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Chaps
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Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 9:11 pm
Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Post by Chaps »

Blue As A Jewel wrote:
5. When I travel I have a plastic cylinder for my brush and leather soft case for my razor. I wouldn't leave my creams etc exposed to extreme temperatures - store in your locker.
Ditto on Ravi's advice on storing your shaving gear in your locker. I know that the extremely hot weather we have down here in Memphis during the summer would probably not be good for creams and soaps or brushes. Welcome to the club.

Danny
Danny

"Because I prefer the cool, clean sweep of the tempered steel as it glides smoothly--" Cary Grant as he is shaving in a scene from "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House"
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