Defense of the Daily Shave.

Being relatively new to straight razor shaving (using it about 5-6 months out of the year) I've shaved roughly every 2 or 3 days. However, last Saturday I shaved and decided to shave every day for a week. Before I jump into the results here's why I didn't do it before.

First I was skeptical of the whole letting the razor "rest debate." Second, I was concerned about my skin irritating. Now the results!

First, I did the math and I shave roughly the same time every morning so my razor "rests" a little over 22 hours a day, which I figured was plenty. Second, I found out my skin doesn't irritate with a daily shave. Third, I can perform a shave much faster due to using a 1 WTG pass and still have a desired result where as before I would need 2 passes. Fourth, learned more about my trouble areas and how to approach them, mainly the chin which is now smoother post shave than before.

A few bonuses I found to a daily shave that helped me and can help beginners/novices. You will have more shaves for working on and perfecting your shaving technique (for me I finally started to figure out which approach for my chin and jawline works best.) As well as you'll gain more experience in building a comfortable lather and creating a good pre and post shave routine.

Conclusion, I know some people can't shave daily due to skin irritation which is fine I strongly urge all beginners and novices (like me) to try it at some point; if your skin allows it. You might find its the part of your morning routine you look forward to the most.

-MusicMan95

I am glad to hear your shaves are coming along. I shave daily as well though some days I could skip. I just don't feel right with scruff unless I am sleeping in a tent or in a tree stand.

How did you come up with 22 hours rest for a razor? You don't need to entertain my curiosity if you don't wish.

Your lucky as to being able to shave everyday, I for one, cannot. Irritation comes into play, and I get a closer shave every 2 days as apposed to 1. Keep it up if it's working for you, sounds like your on the upper hand of the "learning curve". :p

The resting the blade is a myth anyway, I shave every day and sometimes I'll do a night shave if we're going somewhere special and might have to have a smooth face. But I,m sure not everyone can do it ,, my face got irratated in the beginning till I got my razors edge right, now no burn. Tc

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Originally Posted by JTmke

How did you come up with 22 hours rest for a razor? You don't need to entertain my curiosity if you don't wish.

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Well this is just for my personal razor and most certainly not a "let your razor rest for 22 hours" claim. If "resting" is an actual variable most the material I have read has said 12-24 hours "rest" is fine. I realized after the 2nd day or so that the razor gets the 22 hours due to the consistency of my schedule so I shouldn't have the need to worry about it "resting" as a factor on if I should shave daily or not. If that makes sense?

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Originally Posted by tcrideshd

The resting the blade is a myth anyway, I shave every day and sometimes I'll do a night shave if we're going somewhere special and might have to have a smooth face. Tc

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I'm starting to see that. I haven't tried a shave twice in one day; I don't think my stubble grows in fast enough for that to happen haha. I would like to try that sometime in the near future though.

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Originally Posted by MusicMan95

I'm starting to see that. I haven't tried a shave twice in one day; I don't think my stubble grows in fast enough for that to happen haha. I would like to try that sometime in the near future though.

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My friend Tc has a Very Heavy Beard thus he 'may' need to shave later in the day for a 'Special Event'. Normally he doesn't do two shaves in a day.

ME? I shave once a day and normally in the evening or afternoon before I work. I do a good preshave prep and then a single pass shave on all but the chin and it gets a double pass/gotta love those Billy Goat Chin Hairs/:w

My standard shave will pass my companies shave requirements for 'about' 24 hours After I shave. Yes it does start breaking down a few hours before my shift ends but my 'broken down' shave is better than some who have just come one shift.

If my steel is that dang lazy that it needs a rest then I need new steel.
Like steel has feelings and needs a rest!
I've never heard that razor needs a rest.
Anyways, just rotate two razors and shave everyday!

I'm a daily shaver .

Old time barbers used the same instruments day in and day out. If the rest theory was valid they would have been taught in school to have two sets of razors.

I think the 22 hr question was more a question of do you spend 2 hours a day shaving ? :) I use 1 razor pretty much every day 2 weeks out of 3 and I don't see any degradation in the shave compared to if I miss a day and my razor gets rested.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

I think the 22 hr question was more a question of do you spend 2 hours a day shaving ? :)

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Haha that totally went by me. Makes more sense now.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Old time barbers used the same instruments day in and day out. If the rest theory was valid they would have been taught in school to have two sets of razors.

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I never thought of it that way. All the barbers I know around here either don't offer a SR shave or use a shavette to do one.

Plus if you really thought about it........The razor company's would have jumped all over the resting theory to increase their sales by telling everyone to buy more razors to let the razors rest between shaves, if they knew this resting was true!
We have hundred year old metal farm equipment that still works due to proper care.

I'm a daily shaver and I'm able to get BBS every day (well, 6 out of 7). Irritation isn't too big an issue for me, I actually find that straight razor shaving is less harsh than DE shaving.