Thanks Squire.
I still have a lot of practice and fine tuning to do. Definitely feels a bit awkward yet. Kind of like that first week with the DE after leaving the cartridge razor behind.
I was thinking perhaps I need one of those butterknife sharp straights like they use in the movies to practice my manipulations.
Thinking of jumping into the straight razor game.....
I know you're kidding, but I'd vote against shaving with a pretend razor. It seems to me shaving with a real sharp razor is the best practice. The brain, eye, and hand are fully engaged and learning every moment.
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
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Tom,Short Round wrote:Thinks I learned; don't go so slow that your lather begins drying and secondly, I need to run a smoother stroke...
My own recent experience has been similar. However, racing the lather is probably not a sound strategy. For starters, you might try just lathering the half of your face you intend to shave, then move on to the other half.
I found lathering for DE is different from lathering for a straight razor shave. The "whipped cream" consistency and cushioning favored by DE shavers is the critical element; for a straight razor shave the slickness of the lather is the key. The slickness may be a function of the particular soap/cream you're using, but I surmise that we former-DE shavers tend to skimp on the water when we lather.
I used to get nasty weepers around my chin until I got my lather right. I never even considered that there were any issues with my lathering. I mean, my DE shaves were super smooth so why change anything? I looked around the forums and some Youtube vids and, almost overnight, my shaves got better once I took a serious look at my lathering technique and made some adjustments.
Stick with it and don't get discouraged!
-Michael
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Michael,Silb3r wrote:Tom,Short Round wrote:Thinks I learned; don't go so slow that your lather begins drying and secondly, I need to run a smoother stroke...
My own recent experience has been similar. However, racing the lather is probably not a sound strategy. For starters, you might try just lathering the half of your face you intend to shave, then move on to the other half.
I found lathering for DE is different from lathering for a straight razor shave. The "whipped cream" consistency and cushioning favored by DE shavers is the critical element; for a straight razor shave the slickness of the lather is the key. The slickness may be a function of the particular soap/cream you're using, but I surmise that we former-DE shavers tend to skimp on the water when we lather.
I used to get nasty weepers around my chin until I got my lather right. I never even considered that there were any issues with my lathering. I mean, my DE shaves were super smooth so why change anything? I looked around the forums and some Youtube vids and, almost overnight, my shaves got better once I took a serious look at my lathering technique and made some adjustments.
Stick with it and don't get discouraged!
-Michael
You’ve hit on a really good point here about lather. It really does need to be slicker for a straight razor shave. Why? Because DE’s and modern blades have Teflon or friction-reducing coatings that will glide easier over the skin and be more forgiving when lather is less than optimal. For a straight razor that is naked and without any coatings optimally slick lather is what allows it to glide. I think this is why Thiers Issard sells a glycerin based shaving soap – not that it’s the best for that purpose but because it will provide a lot of slickness. Better can be had though.
In my own personal experience I’ve come to believe that a stiff lather produced from soap rather than cream, when properly made with enough water, produces a slick as well as cushioning lather. Creams are great and provide a LOT of slickness and some guys prefer them but I like the lather from soap, specifically a hard shaving soap as I think they produce the best lather of all.
The whole concept dovetails nicely with a saying that was once found etched on the tang of an old straight razor – “You lather well, I’ll shave well”.
Chris
Chris,
Your technical analysis is spot on! The blade coating absolutely acts like the lubricating strip on cartridge razors. When you think about it, it's pretty ingenious.
I also prefer soaps when using a straight. I think it enables greater control over the moisture content of the lather because, unlike creams, it's not already partially loaded with water.
My exception is Castle Forbes lavender: It's so thick and dry that I use it like a soap (primarily because I haven't found a soap with a comparable nose!).
Shave on!
-Michael
Your technical analysis is spot on! The blade coating absolutely acts like the lubricating strip on cartridge razors. When you think about it, it's pretty ingenious.
I also prefer soaps when using a straight. I think it enables greater control over the moisture content of the lather because, unlike creams, it's not already partially loaded with water.
My exception is Castle Forbes lavender: It's so thick and dry that I use it like a soap (primarily because I haven't found a soap with a comparable nose!).
Shave on!
-Michael
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