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Wet Shaving |OT| The Cutting Edge of Grooming

Do you guys just shave one time in the growth direction of your beard or also parallel/against it aswell? My biggest problem so far is that I have a few "hairs" that grow in a different direction and are very prone to irritation.
 

Taborcarn

Member
I normally do 3 passes. One with the grain, one across the grain, and once against the grain. Occasionally I'll also do a bit of touch up after that right underneath my chin.
 
Community is a graveyard and this thread is a public service. Should be a sticky.


I shave with the grain, then alternate my angles to catch the rest.
 

TCRS

Banned
I have to shave against the grain otherwise it looks like I was feeling lazy today, because it's still very visible. When I started shaving I used to get a lot of skin irritation and ingrown hairs, but since changing to bog standard Gilette shaving gel I don't have any issues anymore.

Though I am thinking of getting one of those Philips electric razors in the hope to get an even closer shave. We'll see.
 

Taborcarn

Member
That's a good kit, and Italian Barber is a great vendor as well.

Good luck with your next try. Make sure to use as little pressure on the razor as possible, and you'll get the hang of it soon.
 
Seems this thread is a bit revived nice to see. My next purchase will be a badger brush aswell. I am curious to see if there is a big difference between my old and cheap boar brush and either a real silvertip badger or a silvertip fibre brush. Can't really decide the artificial brush is cheaper but I read the quality sometimes is even better - both would be from Mühle so I am a bit undecided.

Also I really cant shave my upper lip against the grain - everytime I try I get small cuts and feel the blade.
 

giga

Member
Do you guys just shave one time in the growth direction of your beard or also parallel/against it aswell? My biggest problem so far is that I have a few "hairs" that grow in a different direction and are very prone to irritation.
Two passes. One in the direction of growth. The second I do partial sideways and against the grain. The area between my neck and below my jawline requires against the grain for a close shave.

Seems this thread is a bit revived nice to see. My next purchase will be a badger brush aswell. I am curious to see if there is a big difference between my old and cheap boar brush and either a real silvertip badger or a silvertip fibre brush. Can't really decide the artificial brush is cheaper but I read the quality sometimes is even better - both would be from Mühle so I am a bit undecided.

Also I really cant shave my upper lip against the grain - everytime I try I get small cuts and feel the blade.
My whipped dog silvertip will be coming in soon. $30 total for a 24mm knot and resin handle. Will let you know how it is.
 
Well just got done with my first shave with a real safety razor. It sure did feel very different. I was slow during the entire process and thankfully, I did not suffer any cuts or nicks. The most noticeable difference is having a much closer shave than I imagined.
 

giga

Member
My whipped dog silvertip came in. Haven't used it yet, but it's gorgeous and really soft.

c2ZJ+
 

Taborcarn

Member
I got my new straight razor and strop in, my Christmas gift to myself. Unfortunately I took a nice sized slice out of my index finger while trying to get a picture of it with the blade open. My wife didn't exactly say "I told you so", but her look said it all. No stitches required, thankfully.

nUqtFd4l.jpg
 

Entropia

No One Remembers
That's a good kit, and Italian Barber is a great vendor as well.

Good luck with your next try. Make sure to use as little pressure on the razor as possible, and you'll get the hang of it soon.

My shave last night went so much better, I did as you suggested and didn't put much pressure when shaving. Thanks!

Question: where should I put my old razor blades when I am done with them?
 
My shave last night went so much better, I did as you suggested and didn't put much pressure when shaving. Thanks!

Question: where should I put my old razor blades when I am done with them?

I put them back in the paper wrapper and throw it in the bathroom trash or if you have one of those plastic boxes with 5-10 blades a lot of them have a seperate space under the new blades where you can put used blades back in (my mind was blown when someone showed me).
 

Taborcarn

Member
I keep an Altoids tin in the medicine cabinet and put the used blades in there. When it gets full I tape it shut and write "used razor blades" on it and throw it out. This way they don't poke through the garbage bag and nobody gets hurt.
 

Cr0wn0

Member
Are the Astra's or Derby's comparable to the Merkur brand blades? I bought a pack of Feathers and they are too damn sharp for me. I used the Merkur's for years but for the price Astra and Derby are hard to pass up.
 

giga

Member
Are the Astra's or Derby's comparable to the Merkur brand blades? I bought a pack of Feathers and they are too damn sharp for me. I used the Merkur's for years but for the price Astra and Derby are hard to pass up.
I don't like Derby. They always cut me. Go with Astra.
 
Man my first shave sucked. I don't think I got my lather thick enough and I was scared of putting too much pressure on the blade lol. Didn't really feel like I shaved at all. How much of the Proraso soap do you need to get your lather thick enough?
 

Taborcarn

Member
Are you using the soap in the round tub? It's best to go a bit overboard at first to get it down, then tone back on the amount.

So with a damp but shaken out brush, load the soap for a good 60 seconds. Then spend around 2 minutes building the lather, adding a few more drops of water every 30 seconds or so. And like I said, you can do it for less once you get the hang of it. Good luck!
 

ramyeon

Member
It might also be worth investing in a cream over a soap. I use both but I find it much, much quicker to get a good lather using a cream over my soap. Usually reserve the soap for when I have more time in the mornings to dedicate to shaving.
 

Taborcarn

Member
Here is today's Shave of The Day. Gotta love some Clubman on a Friday.

Kxsunosl.jpg


Razor: Ralf Aust 5/8
Brush: Semogue RazoRock Amici
Soap: Barrister & Mann Cheshire
Bowl: LadySea Creations
Post: Pinaud Clubman

This is shave number 5 with the straight. Improved stropping technique and a better grasp of the correct angles needed have made this a quicker and more enjoyable process.
 
I've never bought any Clubman products. I've had them put on me, as I suspect we all have. I just haven't purchased any myself. I suppose I wouldn't mind smelling like a barber shop every now and again. Not full-time, but every once in a while might be nice.
 

Taborcarn

Member
Clubman is my definition of a barbershop scent, mainly because I remember my barber using it after he would shave the back of my neck after a haircut. I tend to use it about once a week.
 
Well, the First Shave went pretty good! Cheeks and face went pretty smoothly. Only problem was my neck. I had no idea how bad my hairs are. They go all over the place. Because of that, I nicked myself really good in a couple of places.

I have used Col. Conk soap for the past year, and have loved it. After this morning, I don't know if I can stick with it. I needed to apply it numerous times as it kept evaporating. What would be a good replacement for that?

Otherwise, thanks, GAF. You helped me find something better than cartridges.
 

Taborcarn

Member
Col Conk didn't really impress me. Some of my favorite alternatives are:

RazoRock
Mike's Natural
Barrister and Mann
Mama Bear
DR Harris
 
Im taking the plunge after spending too much money on crappy cartridge blades.
I am looking at getting the Merkur 34c DE Razor, an Edwin Jagger Best Badger Hair Brush and Taylors of Old Bond street shaving cream. Is there anything on that list I should change or add?
 

Taborcarn

Member
That's a pretty good setup. Just don't forget the blades! I recommend a sampler pack of different brands so that you can find which work best for you. Also consider a styptic pencil for when those nicks do happen, and some aftershave. Nivea Sensitive aftershave balm is easy to find and works well.
 

Giard

Member
Im taking the plunge after spending too much money on crappy cartridge blades.
I am looking at getting the Merkur 34c DE Razor, an Edwin Jagger Best Badger Hair Brush and Taylors of Old Bond street shaving cream. Is there anything on that list I should change or add?

IMO you're getting a pretty expensive brush and cream for a beginner. If you don't mind paying those prices, by all means go for it, but you can get cheap great stuff too. You can get a Silvertip brush from Whipped Dog for around 30-35 bucks, and soaps or creams by RazoRock are as good Taylors of Old Bond Street, but cost only 6 bucks. I'm a cheap bastard, so keep that in mind. :p

I'd also get a blade sampler pack so you can try a couple of them out.
 

Hieberrr

Member
I got my Edwin Jagger DE89L-BL earlier today. It's the first time using these types of razors, so the shaving experience was completely new to me. It came with the Derby blades, which are kind of meh, but still gave me a much closer shave than the disposable ones I've been using for the past couple 5-6 years or so.

I can't wait for my next shave. That shit felt good. I also can't wait to burn through these Derbys to get to the Astras.

I do admit though, my skin is a wee bit irritated. It's probably due to not doing it completely right (but, I'll get there).

oNsfqJb.jpg
 

zero_suit

Member
I got my Edwin Jagger DE89L-BL earlier today. It's the first time using these types of razors, so the shaving experience was completely new to me. It came with the Derby blades, which are kind of meh, but still gave me a much closer shave than the disposable ones I've been using for the past couple 5-6 years or so.

I can't wait for my next shave. That shit felt good. I also can't wait to burn through these Derbys to get to the Astras.

I do admit though, my skin is a wee bit irritated. It's probably due to not doing it completely right (but, I'll get there).

oNsfqJb.jpg

The Astras are much better than the Derbys imo.
 

iamblades

Member
Well, the First Shave went pretty good! Cheeks and face went pretty smoothly. Only problem was my neck. I had no idea how bad my hairs are. They go all over the place. Because of that, I nicked myself really good in a couple of places.

I have used Col. Conk soap for the past year, and have loved it. After this morning, I don't know if I can stick with it. I needed to apply it numerous times as it kept evaporating. What would be a good replacement for that?

Otherwise, thanks, GAF. You helped me find something better than cartridges.

I like the Col Conk lime soap just for the smell, but for actual functionality I still have yet to find something that beats Proraso. Shit just works, and it isn't hilariously overpriced like so many of the creams and soaps on the market these days.

Also that menthol cooling sensation when you rinse off after shaving is one of the best feelings in the world.
 
Guys I'm looking for a decent aftershave, or anything that should be good after a shave. Nothing with a strong scent but should be enough to do the job. Also, I'm a beginner at this stuff. I never used aftershaves until my dad got me the generic Gillette one. Will take any recommendations. Thanks!
 

Taborcarn

Member
Nivea Sensitive and Aveeno Active Naturals are two good balms that work very well and are easy to find.

There's also Speick, which for an alcohol splash is very soothing. It would have to be ordered online.

And yes, I'm a fan of the old school splashes too. I use Old Spice on Mondays and Pinaud Clubman on Fridays.
 

Bonethug

Member
I like the Col Conk lime soap just for the smell, but for actual functionality I still have yet to find something that beats Proraso. Shit just works, and it isn't hilariously overpriced like so many of the creams and soaps on the market these days.

Also that menthol cooling sensation when you rinse off after shaving is one of the best feelings in the world.

DAbp8aD.jpg


Currently using the above for my LIme scent fix.
I picked it up from Italian Barber's eBay store for $7.99 shipped.
 

Giard

Member
Hey guys, I've been thinking of updating the OP. If anyone has good info or tips they'd like me to add, just post them.

I'll probably add suggested after shave brands, maybe other kinds of products.
 

Taborcarn

Member
You did a really good job with the OP, there's a lot of good info there. Maybe you could add something about mapping the grain of the beard?
 
I use Old Spice Hawkridge as an after-shave sadly I couldn't find the original around here to try it out.

What I sometimes wonder is how to use a pre-shave cream properly if I use a hot towel. Towel - pre-shave or vice versa. So I guess any shaving routines from experienced users in the OP might help me.

Currently I use Proraso for pre/mid-and after-shave since I also like that chilling effect it has. My next order will include Prep and 3PP (should be similar) aswell. I really like testing out new stuff as long as it doesn't rip a hole in my wallet. I just got a a few Dorco blades - very cheap and maybe I am not experienced enough not that bad :)
 

omgkitty

Member
This question isn't particularly aimed at shaving, but it has something to do with it. Up until a week ago I had been growing a beard for the first time. Went about 5 weeks or so before getting annoyed with it and I decided to shave. Since then, I've noticed my facial hair is growing back very very slowly. I haven't shaved since last Monday, and my hair now is about where it would normally be after about 3 days or so normally. My facial hair is also thinner than normal. Is this something that happens if you don't shave for a while? Like I said this was the first time I had tried to grow a beard, and before then I'd only ever gone about a week without shaving.
 

Hieberrr

Member
I gave up on the packed-in blades and used my first Astra. Hnggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. I am never going back to cartridge/disposable blades again (unless I'm in a pinch).

I am so happy I invested in a double edge razor.
 

Entropia

No One Remembers
Been following this thread a while haven't contributed yet. This guy's lathering tutorial is really good, thought it might help out some guys here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zESTQWDuw&feature=youtu.be

Oddly enough I came here to ask about lathering.

I'm using this: http://www.italianbarber.com/razorock-king-of-the-castle-brain-freeze-artisan-shaving-soap

What I've been doing to lather (and tell me I'm wrong, because Ithink Iam) is taking a scoop out with my finger, wiping it off with the brush and swirling it around in a small bowl I have and lathering it up. Though I'm not really getting a thick lather, it's kind of liquidy for the first two applications I put on. I'm not getting, what I feel, is a proper lather until my third application when I do my against the grain shave.

Should I just be sticking my brush in the tub the cream is in and lather against my face??
 

Giard

Member
Oddly enough I came here to ask about lathering.

I'm using this: http://www.italianbarber.com/razorock-king-of-the-castle-brain-freeze-artisan-shaving-soap

What I've been doing to lather (and tell me I'm wrong, because Ithink Iam) is taking a scoop out with my finger, wiping it off with the brush and swirling it around in a small bowl I have and lathering it up. Though I'm not really getting a thick lather, it's kind of liquidy for the first two applications I put on. I'm not getting, what I feel, is a proper lather until my third application when I do my against the grain shave.

Should I just be sticking my brush in the tub the cream is in and lather against my face??

I use only face lathering, I like it a lot. Maybe your brush is too wet? Have you tried watching the video that's posted on the store page you linked to?
 
Oddly enough I came here to ask about lathering.

I'm using this: http://www.italianbarber.com/razorock-king-of-the-castle-brain-freeze-artisan-shaving-soap

What I've been doing to lather (and tell me I'm wrong, because Ithink Iam) is taking a scoop out with my finger, wiping it off with the brush and swirling it around in a small bowl I have and lathering it up. Though I'm not really getting a thick lather, it's kind of liquidy for the first two applications I put on. I'm not getting, what I feel, is a proper lather until my third application when I do my against the grain shave.

Should I just be sticking my brush in the tub the cream is in and lather against my face??

This is what I've been doing as well. Had no idea you could build lather from the tub.
 
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