ups and downs....

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12-09-2014, 01:43 AM
Haroldg48

ups and downs....

I post this in the Beginners section because a) I am still one after 18 months and b) I want to encourage other beginners.

OK, so I've been doing this for 18 months (this time). I'm 66, retired (mostly) and I did it once before about 30 years ago, because I'm an "edge" fanatic...I love sharp blades.

I am the owner of at least 6 freshly honed (by experts, not me) quality razors. I have a lot of quality soaps. I have several great brushes. I have wet as well as hot and/or cold water (your choice). I have quality strops and good stropping habits. I've studied all the written and video recorded instructional material (or at least enough to know enough).

I shave with a SR 4 times per week and a DE 3 times (in total, all the days that exist). With a DE I get a DFS 80% of the time and ok for work shaves the other 20%. With a SR I get a BBS on parts of my face 40% (approx.) of the time, DFS 20 % and OK shave the other 40. Some days I get an allover DFS with a SR. That is my goal, and I'm very happy on those days. Other days, I don't, and I'm not (happy).

My conclusion...it is me...my prep, my lather, my angle, my technique, my pressure, etc.....It is NOT my razors which have been honed by people whom you all know (and not mistreated on a strop since).

My goal is to keep practicing and experimenting until I get all DFSs with my SRs. Wish me well.

I encourage you to fess up and aim for the same!

"A poor carpenter blames his tools"
12-09-2014, 01:59 AM
cosperryan

I don't know if my percentages are the same as yours. I always manage to get a pretty good shave but its every once in a while a get a mediocre shave and every once in a while I get a fantastic shave. Now mind you I only shave once a week... I use to shave everyday but it takes too long for that to be realistic and still get to work on time. Plus my wife enjoys the scruffiness. I would say my percentages are probably 60% DFS and 20% mediocre (mediocre meaning better than a cartridge but disappointing with a straight knowing what it is capable of) and the other 20% being like God touched my face and smites all the whiskers away into oblivion. I think the main reason for me having some shaves on the mediocrity level is consistency. Either I didn't feel like prepping the normal way or I am experimenting with a hone or I forgot a characteristic of that particular razor.
12-09-2014, 02:03 AM
10Pups

Yep, some days those scything passes just do it right. Others your lucky if the 3rd pass over the same spot does it at all. With me, it's all about how rushed I am. When I am testing a new blade it's all about not using band aids :<0)
12-09-2014, 02:03 AM
sharptonn

Think about prep and stropping. Technique for a particular razor. These have always seemed key to me. Your experience seems familiar and can only be overcome with same. JMO
12-09-2014, 02:07 AM
pixelfixed

If your retired,why do you shave 7 days a week?
12-09-2014, 02:08 AM
Haroldg48

That, my friend is a good question......I'm going to have a discussion with myself about that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

If your retired,why do you shave 7 days a week?
12-09-2014, 02:15 AM
Phrank

Had an interesting conversation with a fellow wet shaver, and the one thing he said that was the most important in his opinion was beard prep.

I had been having good shaves, DFS with three passes most of the time, but there were areas that were always somewhat troublesome, and sometimes, as you mentioned, things just didn't click.

I started going from just a cold water splash, to a good wetting of my beard, then I applied the Proraso pre-shave cream, made sure I worked it in to properly hydrate my beard - since I've been doing that, my shaves have been excellent and more noticeably - consistent.

So prep has turned out to be a game changer for me at least....
12-09-2014, 02:22 AM
sharptonn

Indeed, in my case, I slather the beard with vitamin E oil nite before. Always results in a winner the next morning, whereupon, I do 2 hot towels over lather before shaving.
Seems complicated, but really simple and fast, as-learned!
12-09-2014, 03:52 AM
criswilson10

If I include shavette use, I've been at this about a year now. I don't shave on Saturdays and usually get 2 BBS shaves, 3 DFS, and 1 mediocre shave - not necessarily in that order. It doesn't seem to matter whether I am using a straight or a DE, pretty much the same results. My issue seems to be related to how awake I am. The more rested I am, the better the shave.
12-09-2014, 08:08 AM
Steel

80% of the time it's a perfect BBS face and neck. If not then its a DFS and I am more than happy with that too. Practice practice practice. If it's neither BBS or DFS then my razor needs a bit of encouragement on the hones. I shave even when I don't have to and would definitely shave if I was retired. Why? Because I love to shave!! :tu
12-09-2014, 11:17 AM
HardCase

90-100% of the time I get a great shave on my face, never do I get a great shave on my neck. I believe it has to do with my hair growth pattern and not being to get the right mechanics of shaving my neck at an angle from ear Down to Adam's apple centerline , I've tried and ended up with points stuck in places I dont want them to be
12-09-2014, 11:33 AM
rolodave

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

If your retired,why do you shave 7 days a week?

Bill
I am retired and shave every day.

I would feel amiss not shaving after putting so much money into this hobby.

Also, my daily commitment somewhat mollifies the Swiss Miss. She never forgets if I buy something and then never use it.

YMMV
12-09-2014, 11:40 AM
MichaelP

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

If your retired,why do you shave 7 days a week?

Because he now has the time? :rock:
12-09-2014, 11:41 AM
pixelfixed

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolodave

Bill
I am retired and shave every day.

I would feel amiss not shaving after putting so much money into this hobby.

Also, my daily commitment somewhat mollifies the Swiss Miss. She never forgets if I buy something and then never use it.

YMMV

Fully understand
12-09-2014, 11:58 AM
JoelLewicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

If your retired,why do you shave 7 days a week?

Because it's so much fun!!!
12-09-2014, 12:58 PM
pixelfixed

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoelLewicki

Because it's so much fun!!!

Only time I have fun shaving is when I have at least a 6 day old beard to take off:)
12-09-2014, 01:01 PM
rolodave

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoelLewicki

Because it's so much fun!!!

That may well be the basis for this entire journey.

Well said.
12-09-2014, 01:08 PM
rolodave

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Only time I have fun shaving is when I have at least a 6 day old beard to take off:)

I have never tried that. Maybe a two or three day growth back in the early days.

The only problem will be fighting the morning compulsion to do the ritual. This will be a difficult thing to do.

I humbly ask for a good justification to try going a week without shaving.
12-09-2014, 01:19 PM
cosperryan

As i mentioned earlier, currently I only shave once a week. Really teaches you a thing about using the right pressure. Too much and it is really an absolutely terrible shave. If you pretend it is a feather (not a feather brand razor but an actual feather) and pretend like you are trying to barely touch you kin with it, it just whisks the whiskers away.
12-09-2014, 03:05 PM
Geezer

I shave daily because it is the way I was brought up and most of the jobs I had required it. Even retired, it is a habit/addiction. Livin' alone makes it a way to be good to myself! I've been str8 shaving for a few years and mostly a couple passes and out the door; good shaves. Then some days I do a real prep and go for the DFS and occasionally if everything is going good, I get the BBS.
Practice, practice and knowing the variables of Time, temperature, humidity, water quality, soap quality, and of course. Technique!
~Richard
12-09-2014, 03:17 PM
pixelfixed

I shaved every day for at least 50 years,thats pushing 20K shaves,nice to be able to take a break:)
12-09-2014, 03:19 PM
UKRob

OP - why not try a few experiments with different preparation. Go the whole hog with a pre-shave and hot towels and a known quality soap. Make some notes as to what you used and what affect it had - including which particular soap you used. After 18 months of regular use I would have thought you should be getting more consistent results than you appear to do.

One final suggestion - just in case your stropping is not quite as good as you think, try a shavette (or preferably Feather type razor), this should give you some indication as to whether your razors are as good as can be.
12-09-2014, 03:36 PM
quicksilver

I'm like you, i just can't let go of my DE. I love it too much. The same goes for my straight though, sometimes my DE just won't do.
12-09-2014, 04:28 PM
Steel

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Only time I have fun shaving is when I have at least a 6 day old beard to take off:)

Oh boy that WOULD be fun. I don't think I made it to a full 2 day growth except maybe one time only. I saw a video where he took off a 4 month beard with a straight and that looked like a blast! If only I could put them down for that long.
12-09-2014, 04:30 PM
Anthony1954

Well then, I'm able to now get BBS most days now, I'm sure it's the prep and obviously practice. I've been SR shaving for about a year now.
I shower then use Proraso pre shave make the lather then use a very hot towel for about 2 minutes. First pass WTG second pass XTG and third pass ATG. Couldn't do ATG for about six months but suddenly it clicked and the angle of the blade started to work for me.
It's funny but things do change over time, tried to shave with a razor I'd honed at the beginning of this experience and although I have shaved with it before and thought it was ok it must have been about 6 months ago. This morning pulled really badly compared to razors I've recently honed, thought this was great because now I can tell when a blade isn't right. Tested it with the TNT and sure enough the bevel wasn't quite there just re-set the bevel re-honed 1K through to 16K Cr Ox linen then leather I'll try again tomorrow but even now I can tell it's just about right this time.
Also after someone suggested it on here I now keep a note of each razors honing history this reall helps to keep track of things when you've got about 50 blades!! Although some will be going in the New Year.
12-09-2014, 04:34 PM
rolodave

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

I shaved every day for at least 50 years,thats pushing 20K shaves,nice to be able to take a break:)

I understand. :chapeau
12-09-2014, 04:58 PM
pixelfixed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel

Oh boy that WOULD be fun. I don't think I made it to a full 2 day growth except maybe one time only. I saw a video where he took off a 4 month beard with a straight and that looked like a blast! If only I could put them down for that long.

What I Find hilarious, is some of these SR shaving vids people post with no visable whiskers:)
I want to hear my blade, and feel it doing the deed
12-09-2014, 08:23 PM
BobH

Yea, I shave every day and hear, feel and see my razor taking whiskers off. Been shaving daily for 45 or so years and am going into my 5th year of retirement. A straight razor shave is a great way to start the day. Some days the shaves are great and others not so great but always relaxing to do and something new to learn.

Bob