SMF

drmoss_ca wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 3:31 am I believe that same map was used by Charles Roberts, the inventor of Method Shaving. I don't know if he borrowed it (as he did with most of his 'inventions') or whether he actually came up with it himself.
Method Shaving was like the Scientology of shaving - you'd go into his shop Enchantè (nb the incorrect grave accent instead of the acute is how he spelt it) in Austin, take a personality test - no, a shaving consultation and then find yourself enmeshed in a cult that stripped your assets as fast as it could. We lost a few good members that way.
The method itself varied over the years, but in classic form involved using pure olive oil soap for the first pass, then a decent cream for the second. It evolved into an elaborate ritual utilising many expensive items and products (most of which could be bought much cheaper under their original brand names) instead of his 'Hydrolast' brand. They included a best badger brush (marked up to around $175, IIRC), and then, more outrageously, the use of a brush was declared heretical, and one had to buy his 'Shaving Rag'™ to remain in good standing in the congregation. The actual shaving technique was described in purple prose ('shaving terrain', the 'glacis' - sans cedilla) and conducted in a bizarre way. Recklessly fast short repeated strokes made it look like he was sanding his face rather than shaving 'evenly and with care, in silence, seriously' as James Joyce described it. It was blade-buffing on benzedrine.
You don't hear of it any more now Charles has passed on.

ShadowsDad wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 5:40 am I forgot just how screwey that method was until I watched that video yet again. Let me be more specific, tried to watch the video again. I have never been able to get through it due to his "cult terminology". For me it's a turn off each and every time.

John Rose wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2019 5:32 pm It resembles this one...

...from the Standardized Barbers' Manual (1911).
But is not quite the same.

EL Alamein wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 6:55 pm...
I didn't get passed the face map pages but I did notice the section on strops and was surprised that it said horsehide strops are not recommended for barbers and that they are more for home use.

Tinman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 7:28 am Mapping my face and really knowing the grain (and shaving accordingly!) is, IME, the largest factor in achieving close, irritation-free shaves. More important than soaps, creams, balms, lotions, brushes, etc.. Obviously, YMMV, as things like allergies or other individual conditions factor in.

fallingwickets wrote: ↑Sat May 15, 2021 7:46 am beg to differ. for example, using a merkur blade isnt going to make shaving comfortable and irritation free just because you know the 'map' Talking about maps is just a low energy way to avoid the hardship of choice: blade choice, razor choice, cream/soap choice etc etc etc etc etc

clive