Thread: The Ponderings of a Beginner

When Theodore Roosevelt was a little boy and had his terrible bouts w/ asthma, the doctors then PRESCRIBED him smoking cigars for it. Kill or cure I guess.

I'm usually around, but just reading; I don't have anything intelligent enough to post usually.

Originally Posted by dennisthemenace

When Theodore Roosevelt was a little boy and had his terrible bouts w/ asthma, the doctors then PRESCRIBED him smoking cigars for it. Kill or cure I guess.

I'm usually around, but just reading; I don't have anything intelligent enough to post usually.

Ah, you're a wiser man than me for knowing when to speak and when not to speak.

Originally Posted by steve

Ah, you're a wiser man than me for knowing when to speak and when not to speak.

I have heard it said that, "The fool may always be heard talking while the wise man sits in silence". Doesn't bode very well for my wisdom.

X

I think a former President once said "Speak softly and carry a large straight razor"

This is the first shave with the new parameters.

Basically, it went like this

1. short strokes very much like in the barber manual or the Turkish shave video (tip leading)
2. right side of face (cheek, mustache and neck)
3. strop
4. left side of face (see #2)
5. strop
6. chin
7. strop
8 ATG passes
9. rinse, finish touch on any spots I missed

I had just touched up the razor with Norton and chromium oxide as I felt the edge, while keen, just needed a little smoothing.

I got a fantastic shave, so close in fact that while sitting here about 18 hours later I can barely feel whiskers growing back. Normally, by this time I would be thinking about shaving again but not now.

The short strokes seemed to be helpful but I think I need the remaining 4 shaves to make such determination with confidence. What those short strokes did do, as opposed to long ones, is allow me to continually stretch the skin with my hand right behind the razor, not several inches away. Because of this, I was able to get the jawline much better than before.

Were the stoppings between shaves necessary? I know many will disagree but I think it helped especially on the chin area where I like to have the sharpest edge I can get for a clean shave. In fact, I only needed 2 passes on my chin and got much closer than when I would do 3 passes without stropping in between the sides and chin.

Again, too early to make any real determination but I am looking forward to see if I can re-create the experience tomorrow night.

Sometimes Steve, I like to strop again before the ATG pass --makes it seem official and I believe it helps.. I'm thinking light short strokes are the best way to go as well. Since I started using distilled water, I've been able to get some real nice lather --almost like latex paint (better than it sounds) . The other day my shave was unbelievably close --couldn't believe it --with no irritation --the kind of shave that might last a couple of days. Have you figured out the right angle for you --is it about 30 deg. or what? --it seems that the guys in the Turkish and Tunisian shaves are using a very shallow angle.


Justin

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

Sometimes Steve, I like to strop again before the ATG pass --makes it seem official and I believe it helps.. I'm thinking light short strokes are the best way to go as well. Since I started using distilled water, I've been able to get some real nice lather --almost like latex paint (better than it sounds) . The other day my shave was unbelievably close --couldn't believe it --with no irritation --the kind of shave that might last a couple of days. Have you figured out the right angle for you --is it about 30 deg. or what? --it seems that the guys in the Turkish and Tunisian shaves are using a very shallow angle.


Justin

I go back and forth on the angle thing. I've tried a very shallow angle and it only seems to work well on my chin and upper lip. I've seen pictures in the barber manual that look like a very shallow angle as well as the Turkish and Tunisian videos. I wonder if that's just a more natural position when shaving someone else.

Every time I try a shallow angle on the sides of my face, I just end up going over them again with a steeper angle. I've looked through the manual and can't find reference to the angle of the blade to the face, just the cutting angle (diagonal downward)

I think I'm going to try the distilled water once. I'm curious to see what difference it makes with my shaving cream.

Originally Posted by steve

I go back and forth on the angle thing. I've tried a very shallow angle and it only seems to work well on my chin and upper lip. I've seen pictures in the barber manual that look like a very shallow angle as well as the Turkish and Tunisian videos. I wonder if that's just a more natural position when shaving someone else.

Every time I try a shallow angle on the sides of my face, I just end up going over them again with a steeper angle. I've looked through the manual and can't find reference to the angle of the blade to the face, just the cutting angle (diagonal downward)

I think I'm going to try the distilled water once. I'm curious to see what difference it makes with my shaving cream.

For me it is definitely more shallow than 30 deg.. but it does take a considerable angle to do the sides of the face right except on the ATG pass. I actually gave my father a shave the other day. It was a different experience but I didn't take account of the shaving angle. I gave him a pretty good shave and he appreciated it --I didn't necessarily enjoy the experience myself but wanted to do it just to do it.
I have hard water so distilled water has helped me greatly --it might give your lather a charge as well --all you need is enough water to soak your brush and a little for adding to your lather. I think my soap is going to last longer as well because I don't need as much to get a good lather. Later,

Justin

Originally Posted by steve

I think I'm going to try the distilled water once. I'm curious to see what difference it makes with my shaving cream.

The 'softer' your water is (ie. the less mineralised) the easier it will be for you to produse lather from all agents. Minerals are noticeably absent from distilled water (which is why it's bad drinking water) so it should facilitate lathering better than any other water. Likewise, Perrier should be a bear to try and lather with.

"But it already has bubbles. Don't they help?"

X

Colleen and I have been working on getting a good lather with her cream. My first batch from her was fantastic then she sent me a different formula and my regular routine was producing thin suds.

So, we got it down to just needing 3/4tsp mixed a little at a time and now get velvety, thick, rich lather. So I don't use much water, either.

Do you warm up the water? I like to use a scuttle for warm lather. Of course, I could use just tap water for the scuttle and distilled for mixing.

*Sigh* Another test